Pakistan, Senegal agree to boost bilateral trade

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday called for boosting bilateral trade with Senegal by enhanced collaboration in textiles, agricultural machinery and pharmaceutical sectors.

In a one-on-one meeting with the President of Senegal, Macky Sall held here at the PM House, the Prime Minister emphasized on enhancing bilateral trade from its current volume of US$ 30.469 million a year to its real potential.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged Senegal to benefit from Pakistan’s products including leather and light engineering goods, and said a composite trade and investment delegation from Pakistan led by Minister of Commerce could visit Senegal in this regard.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan was considering opening a Pakistani bank in Senegal, which would facilitate trade and investment between the two countries.

He recalled his meetings with President Macky Sall at United Nations General Assembly session last year in New York and later in Saudi Arabia, where the two sides agreed to develop greater cooperation in diverse fields.

Nawaz Sharif congratulated the Senegalese President on the election of his country as the non-permanent member of UN Security Council for the term 2016-17 and expressed confidence that Senegal would play a pro-active role in protecting and promoting the interests of Islamic countries.

He lauded President Macky Sall in ensuring democracy in his country following the general election of 2012 and mentioned his positive role in resolving the regional disputes.

The Prime Minister welcomed the decision of President Sall to open the Senegalese Embassy in Islamabad, adding that it would further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in the defence sector and the defence procurement.

–APP