Texprocil News1 - Handloom Export Promotion Council

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explore the opportunities and export of rice and textile products directly to
Algeria.
He said that there are only two Pakistan businessmen hailing from Karachi and
we need to expand our business to business ties by exploiting all our available
channels. He invited Pakistani businessmen to visit Algeria and have face to face
meetings with the counterparts of this brotherly country.
Regarding a question about visa, he said that three-month visa is issued within
four days which could be further extended very easily on recommendation of
FCCI.
He said that an international exhibition would be held in June this year in
Algeria and hoped that Pakistani businessmen would avail this opportunity by
taking part in this exhibition and introducing their products there.
He said that a number of agreements were signed between trade bodies of both
the countries in the past but these were not really implemented.
Earlier in his welcome address to the Algerian Ambassador, President Faisalabad
Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), Mian Zahid Aslam, said that Pakistan
and Algeria have always enjoyed extremely cordial and friendly relations. There
is tremendous trade potential between the two brotherly Islamic countries.
There is an excellent opportunity for Pakistani entrepreneurs to collaborate in
different sectors in Algeria.
He said that Algeria is Pakistan's important trading partner but still trade
volume between both the countries is negligible if taking account of trade volume
of Algeria as US $124 billion in 2012. He continued that in 2011 bilateral trade
between Algeria and Pakistan stood at US $27 million. Algeria exported US $1.15
million worth of goods to our country while Pakistan's exports stood at US $26
million.
He stated that there are vast prospects of expansion of bilateral trade including
joint venture in textile, agro-based industry, leather goods, oil and gas and IT.
Algeria has a great potential market for Pakistani products especially Pakistani
textile and textile products having great demand in Algeria. However, due to
prolonged energy deficit in Pakistan, power sector offers great investment
potential in hydro projects and alternative energy sources. Government of
Pakistan policies are also relaxed for remittance of whole profit in foreign
currency, he added.
Chamber chief said that by enhancing direct contacts between private sectors of
both countries and facilitating them in their efforts, Pakistan and Algeria have
the potential to take bilateral trade manifold in the near future. FCCI and
Embassy of Algeria in Pakistan should act as bridge for connecting the business
communities of both the countries as to exchange of trade delegations on
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