CAIRO: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Egypt Sajid Bilal has said that Islamabad wants to enhance economics, commerce and defence ties with Cairo under its ‘Engage Africa’ policy.
Bilal expressed these views at a seminar titled ‘Pakistan’s Engagement with Africa – the Continent of the Future’, organised by the embassy to mark the ‘Pakistan-Egypt Friendship Day’, said a statement issued on Thursday. The event was attended by officials from the Egyptian government and Egyptian Federation of Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), ambassadors and others.
Bilal underlined the progress made in strengthening Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Egypt as part of the government’s Engage Africa policy. He highlighted Pakistan’s shift of focus from geo-politics to geo-economics. “The new Pakistan offers itself as a melting pot for positive global interests by providing enhanced connectivity and economic bases as a development strategy,” he stressed.
The embassy’s Trade and Investment Attaché, in her presentation, highlighted trade and investment potential of Pakistan as well as the business-friendly initiatives and reforms undertaken by the present government.
The panellists shared their perspectives about Pakistan’s ‘Engage Africa’ Policy and Pakistan-Egypt bilateral relations with particular focus on the available win-win trade and investment opportunities.
The assistant foreign minister for African Organizations and Communities, in her remarks, welcomed the timely initiative of the Embassy to hold the seminar on Africa, as the continent is poised to provide opportunities for economic cooperation and investment.
Earlier, a video message of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was screened at the occasion dilating upon the Engage Africa Policy.
