F.P. Report
KARACHI: The Ministry of Commerce and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan organized an interactive Trade Envoys conference at Movenpick hotel Karachi. The Envoys Conference was chaired by the Secretary Ministry of Commerce, Additional Secretary Commerce, Secretary Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and Tariq Ikram (SI). The Envoys conference was attended by all of Pakistan’s Trade Officers abroad, including Ministers’ Trade, Consuls General, Commercial Counselors and Commercial Secretaries. The conference was also attended by the top most sectoral exporters from the private sector with a view to build public private sector partnerships in policy development for exports.
The intent of the conference was to discuss and formulate strategies to enhance exports from Pakistan. It was also intended to inform the Trade Officers about the challenges and opportunities being faced by the exporters in the supply chain and in branding of Pakistani products internationally.
The main idea behind the conference was to find out ways and means in which the Pakistani trade officers can assist the exporters from Pakistan in enhancing their sectoral exports, assisting them in finding new importers and markets as well as in product adaptation and marketing strategy development.
A SWOT analysis was undertaken by the TDAP, with the support of Tariq Ikram (SI), whereby 24 intense and interactive sessions were held sector wise with the exporters in identification of areas for enhanced marketing efforts and how can better facilitation be enhanced by the Trade officers from Pakistan.
Leading exporters in Textiles, hosiery, Rice, Leather, Pharmaceuticals, Fruits and Vegetables, Processed Food, Cement, Services, Women entrepreneurship development, Furniture and Handicrafts, Sports Goods etc participated. There were five different regional sessions held wherein the Trade officers and the private sector shared their regional strategies and their respective expectations for trade development.
Based upon the interaction and exchange of ideas and information between the Trade Officers and the Exporters, joint strategies were developed for North and South Americas, Europe, ECO and South Asian Countries, Middle East and African continent, East Asia and Oceania region. It was hoped that with these interactive sessions between the public and the private sector, the strategies that are developed as a consequence, would lead to some do-able roadmap for export development.
