Mauritius High Commissioner Munsoo Kurrimbaccus has stressed the need for increasing cooperation to benefit from the huge potential of the blue economy.
Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, he promised to make continuous efforts to present a true and positive image of Pakistan to the world.
LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Sehgal welcomed the High Commissioner. Honorary Consul General of Mauritius, Shahid Sethi, and LCCI office-bearers were also present.
The High Commissioner recalled that in the past, a Preferential Trade Agreement existed between the two countries, which helped increase trade and exports, but this agreement is no longer in place.
He said both countries should cooperate in the fields of health, education, and technology. He noted that campuses of international universities are operating in Mauritius and suggested that at least one Pakistani university should open a campus there, for which full support would be provided.
He said Africa is an important region where global economic power is shifting from the West to the East, and Africa lies at the centre of this change. He added that the absence of direct flights between Pakistan and Mauritius is a major obstacle to trade and connectivity, making the launch of direct flights a pressing need.
The High Commissioner said tourism is a major sector of Mauritius and should be further developed through bilateral cooperation. He added that Mauritius is currently facing some economic challenges and is seeking foreign investment, assuring full facilitation to investors. He also invited the LCCI to participate in an exhibition to be held in Mauritius in August.
The LCCI President said that trade between the two countries is far below their real potential. He said both sides need to work together to address trade imbalance issues.
He informed that Pakistan currently exports traditional products such as rice, textiles, and pharmaceutical goods to Mauritius, while Mauritius exports iron, steel, and other products to Pakistan. He stressed the need to include more products in bilateral trade and to focus strongly on value addition.
Mr Sehgal said there are significant opportunities in halal food, technology, and human resource development. He added that global trends are moving towards product diversification and value addition, and Pakistan and Mauritius must benefit from these trends. He also emphasised the importance of business-to-business contacts, trade delegations, and exhibitions.
He said that improved air connectivity, trade diversification, and institutional cooperation would help bring the two countries closer and allow them to fully benefit from each other’s economic potential.
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