Islamabad (September 28, 2018): Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudhan met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and congratulated him on assuming the PM’s office.
Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudhan conveyed the best wishes of the Emir of Kuwait to PM Imran Khan. The prime minister expressed the desire to work closely with Kuwait to enhance cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and economic development.
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He invited Kuwaiti investment in various sectors including agriculture, energy, livestock and oil exploration.
The prime minister hoped that the visa hurdles faced by Pakistanis visiting Kuwait would be resolved on priority. On the occasion, regional issues of mutual importance were also discussed.
The prime minister said that the Government and people of Pakistan wished to see early and amicable resolution of the Gulf crisis.
The Kuwaiti minister was on a four-day visit of Pakistan to co-chair 4th Round of Pakistan-Kuwait Joint Ministerial Commission.
Earlier on September 27, Finance Minister Asad Umar had invited the Kuwaiti businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s oil and gas sector and projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He said the Kuwaiti companies could help Pakistan in exploring huge oil and gas reserves which were yet to be explored.
The minister was addressing a meeting of Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) with Kuwait here at a local hotel. The Kuwaiti delegation was headed by its minister for commerce Khalid Nasir Abdullah.
Asad said CPEC was a huge project of over $50 billion out of which $27 billion worth of projects were under implementation.
“We are in close collaboration with China with regard to the implementation of CPEC projects and we want to further expand the corridor,” he said adding “we want all out friendly countries should join CPEC for the socioeconomic development of people of the region”.
Speaking about bilateral trade, the minister said during last year, Pakistan’s exports to Kuwait stood at only $91 million which were far less than the true potential.
“The two countries should increase trade cooperation to expand the bilateral trade volume.”
He informed that by following the Japanese model, the Pakistan government had also kept commerce, investment, and industry under one window to make these sectors more effective and operational.
Further he also asked the Kuwaiti side to make visa for Pakistan businessmen and workers easier to enhance the bilateral relations. “Pakistani workers are contributing in development of Kuwait in diverse fields including information technology, and oil and gas sectors.”
Asad Umar also stressed the need for development of private sector of the two countries by enhancing cooperation between their chambers of commerce and industry.
The minister informed that in order to promote information technology sector, the government would set up new science and technology universities in collaboration with one of the world top Austrian university in this sector. He also invited the Kuwaiti side to take benefit from information technology sector in Pakistan.
Kuwaiti commerce minister in his address said the two countries were enjoying good brotherly relations since long and his country would continue to play role in development of Pakistan’s socio-economic development. He said during fiscal year 2017, the bilateral trade volume was recorded at $322 million which was not according to the real potential.
He stressed the need to raise the trade volume by exploring the untapped sectors of the two countries.
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