ISLAMABAD – Senior Bureau Official (SBO) for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Eric Meyer will lead the US delegation at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum.
The high-profilethe event is scheduled to begin at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Center on April 8.
The forum will serve as a premier platform for global stakeholders, foreign investors, leading corporations, policymakers, financial organisations and industry experts to explore lucrative opportunities in the mining sector.
Despite its huge potential, the mineral sector currently contributes around 3.2 per cent to the country’s GDP, with exports accounting for only 0.1pc of the world’s total. With 92 known minerals, 52 of which are commercially exploited, Pakistan produces an estimated 68.52 million metric tons of minerals annually. The sector supports over 5,000 operational mines and 50,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), providing direct employment to 300,000 workers.
During his stay for attending the forum, Mr Meyer will meet senior Pakistani officials to expand opportunities for American businesses in Pakistan and promote the deepening of economic ties between the two nations. He will also engage with senior officials to discuss continued collaboration on counterterrorism measures.
The US has recently imposed a 29pc tariff on imports from Pakistan. Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that a delegation will travel to the US to discuss the issue with Washington. Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has said that Islamabad was making every effort to secure flexibility.
