ISLAMABAD, JUL 20 /DNA/ – The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted a seminar titled “Enhancing Bilateral Trade between Pakistan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands”, where business leaders and entrepreneurs emphasized the need to unlock the vast untapped potential of bilateral trade and investment by strengthening collaboration in innovation, value addition, technology transfer and sustainable economic development.
Welcoming the participants, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood observed the Netherlands, as one of Europe’s leading hubs for trade, logistics, agriculture, innovation, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, offers immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation with Pakistan.
He said Pakistan deeply values its longstanding friendship with the Netherlands and believes that the existing economic relationship can be elevated to new heights. He said there is ample room to further diversify trade, promote joint ventures, attract Dutch investment and facilitate technology transfer. He highlighted Pakistan’s strategic location, a market of over 240 million people, young and skilled workforce, expanding IT industry, competitive manufacturing base and strong agricultural sector as key attractions for foreign investors.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood identified agriculture and agri-technology, horticulture, dairy and livestock, food processing, value-added textiles, information technology, renewable energy, logistics, healthcare, education and water resource management as sectors offering enormous potential for bilateral collaboration
Addressing the seminar, Mr. Alexander Akerboom, First Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said that Pakistan and the Netherlands already enjoy a strong trade and investment relationship, with the Netherlands ranking as Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner within the European Union after Germany. He noted that the European Union remains one of Pakistan’s largest export markets and that the GSP+ facility has significantly contributed to expanding Pakistan’s exports, creating millions of employment opportunities and enhancing the visibility and recognition of Pakistani products across Europe.
Mr. Akerboom said that despite the strong foundations of bilateral relations, significant opportunities remain untapped. He encouraged Pakistani businesses to focus on value-added textile exports, noting that European markets have strong demand for high-quality finished products rather than raw materials and semi-finished goods. He also highlighted agriculture, water management, climate-smart technologies and information technology as priority areas for future cooperation, adding that Dutch expertise in smart seeds, efficient irrigation systems and modern water management could help Pakistan address the growing challenges posed by climate change while improving agricultural productivity and food security.
Appreciating the quality of Pakistani agricultural products, he particularly praised Pakistani mangoes, describing them as the best he had tasted anywhere in the world. Referring to the football being manufactured in Pakistan he said it was a remarkable example of Pakistan’s manufacturing excellence and growing global reputation. He expressed confidence that stronger business-to-business linkages, innovation, value addition and sustained collaboration would further strengthen the economic partnership between Pakistan and the Netherlands for the mutual benefit of both nations.
ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub moderated the session by highlighting the resilience, hard work and determination of the Dutch people.
The seminar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session in which participants discussed opportunities to expand bilateral trade, facilitate investment, improve market access, enhance regulatory cooperation and strengthen institutional linkages between the business communities of Pakistan and the Netherlands.
Those prominent among the attendees were Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, Executive Members Waseem Chaudhry, Zulqurnain Abbasi, former Senior Vice President Khalid Chaudhry, ICCI senior members Sajid Iqbal, Mudassar Malik, Nadeem Mansoor and many others.=DNA
