ISLAMABAD : Kosovo wanted to enhance its trade and economic relations with Pakistan as both countries have good potential to do trade with each other in many areas. This was said by H.E. Ilir Dugolli, Non-Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Kosovo to Pakistan while addressing the business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Zahid Anjum, Kosovo’s Honorary Consul also accompanied him at the occasion.

Ilir Gugolli said that Kosovo was interested in developing sector-specific relations with Pakistan to make some tangible progress and later on these relations could be diversified to cover more areas of mutual cooperation. He said that Kosovo has signed trade agreements with many countries that provided it duty free market access to the USA, Canada, EU, UK etc. and added that by promoting trade relations with it, Pakistan could enhance its exports to these markets. He said that Kosovo was interested in reviving its closed industrial units and Pakistani investors should explore the prospects of acquiring them that would enable them to promote exports to many European markets. He further said that Kosovo wanted to have an investment protection treaty with Pakistan that would give more confidence to the investors of both countries in making reciprocal investments and JVs. He was of the view that regular interaction between private sectors with follow up meetings should be the way forward to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations between Kosovo and Pakistan.

Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Kosovo was an unexplored market for Pakistani business community and emphasized that both countries should facilitate the regular exchange of trade delegations and organizing B2B meetings to explore all potential areas of mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Kosovo. He said that the economy of Pakistan was now on a growth trajectory and Pakistan could export many products to Kosovo including textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, IT products and services, sports goods, leather products, fruits and vegetables. He said that Kosovo is mostly importing its products of around $4 billion from European countries and it should focus on importing from Pakistan to get quality products at cost effective prices.

Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that ICCI was ready to organize a zoom meeting with Kosovo Chamber of Commerce & Industry taking online other major chambers of commerce and industry of Pakistan to promote direct contacts and business linkages between the private sectors of both countries. He said that ICCI was also ready to provide One Window facility to Kosovan investors for exploring the opportunities of JVs and investment in Pakistan. He further said that ICCI could organize a cultural exhibition of Kosovo to introduce its culture in Pakistan and promote cultural relations between the two countries.

Fatma Azim Senior Vice President, Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Muhammad Omais Khattak, Umar Hussain, Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Atiq ur Rehman and others also shared various ideas for promoting trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Kosovo.