The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to
Pakistan, Anna Lippel, along with Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs
and Climate Change, Ms. Jeanine Rohr, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and held an interactive session with the business community of
Islamabad, in which she reiterated Germany’s strong commitment to further
strengthen bilateral economic relations with Pakistan.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Anna Lippel reiterated
Germany’s commitment to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in key areas
including climate change, health and social security, private sector
development and up gradation of vocational and technical education
institutions. She emphasized that these joint efforts will play a significant
role in sustainable economic development and deepening economic relations
between the two countries.
The Ambassador noted that there is vast potential for
cooperation between Pakistan and Germany. He expressed keen interest in
exploring new avenues of cooperation in close coordination with the business
community of Pakistan. Highlighting the important role of the private sector,
he stressed that businesses of both countries can play a significant role in
expanding trade and investment ties. He assured the business community of the
German Embassy’s full support, especially for promoting B2B linkages.
Ambassador Lepel also acknowledged the importance of trade
fairs and exhibitions as effective tools for promoting trade, investment, and
mutual understanding between nations. He appreciated the proactive initiatives
of ICCI, especially in supporting women-led businesses and its efforts to
promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Earlier, in his welcome address, President of the Islamabad
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sardar Tahir Mahmood highlighted that
Pakistan-Germany relations are rooted in mutual respect and long-standing
cooperation in diplomatic, economic, and cultural spheres. He said that Germany
is one of the largest economies in the European Union and a key economic
partner of Pakistan, especially in sectors such as machinery, engineering,
automotive, and chemicals. He further pointed out that Pakistan’s exports to
Germany, especially textiles, leather goods, sports goods, footwear and medical
devices, reflect strong complementarities between the two markets.
The ICCI President added that the Chamber represents a
vibrant and diverse business community comprising SMEs, exporters, start-ups
and industrial stakeholders. He expressed his strong belief that engagements
between German and Pakistani businesses can open up new opportunities for trade
expansion, technology transfer and investment cooperation. Reiterating ICCI’s
commitment, he said that the Chamber is committed to acting as a bridge to
facilitate meaningful and mutually beneficial cooperation between German
investors and Pakistani institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, ICCI Committee on Diplomatic
Affairs Chairman Zafar Bakhtawari assured the Ambassador of the German
Embassy’s full support in promoting bilateral trade and investment. He stressed
the need for direct flights between Pakistan and Germany to enhance
people-to-people and business contacts. He also proposed convening a grand
summit on Pakistan-Germany multilateral relations at the ICCI auditorium.
Former ICCI President Mian Akram Farid praised Germany for
its consistent advocacy within the European Union for Pakistan’s GSP Plus
status, providing development assistance linked to reforms and strong bilateral
relations.
ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub and Vice President
Irfan Chaudhry, in their remarks, stressed the need for institutional
cooperation between the Chambers of Commerce of the two countries. They
highlighted joint ventures, technology sharing and cooperation with SMEs, and
stressed that strong linkages with German businesses would help Pakistani
companies integrate into global value chains.
Imran Minhas, Chairman, Foreign Delegation Committee, ICCI,
stressed the need to increase the exchange of trade delegations between the two
countries to further strengthen trade relations. Fatima Azeem, Executive
Member, ICCI, shared her vision to encourage and empower women entrepreneurs to
play a greater role in bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
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