By Faiza Tehseen ISLAMABAD, March 22 (INP-WealthPK): Niger is keen to develop trade and business relations with Pakistan. This was stated by Ahmed Ali Sirohey, Pakistan’s ambassador to Niger, while talking to members of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), during a visit to both the businessmen’s bodies, reported WealthPK. He told the businessmen about the vast business potential existing in the African continent, especially in Niger, a western African country. “Africa is a vast business market of more than 1.2 billion people. Niger is a gateway to North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and is keen to develop its trade and business relations with Pakistan. It is a landlocked country, and mostly depends upon the imports from other countries,” the diplomat explained to the chambers’ leaders. Sirohey emphasised that Pakistan’s private sector must seek economic opportunities in the west African country because it would help them reach other markets in the region. He said that Pakistan embassy in Niger was keen to arrange trade meetings between the business forums of the two countries. SCCI president Mian Imran Akbar welcomed the proposal to arrange meetings between the trade bodies of the two sides to promote business ties. He said that bilateral trade would bring economic improvement in both countries. “Sialkot is already exporting a variety of products there but the volume is low. Proper bilateral trade agreements are necessary to help boost the trade volume,” he said, calling for ensuring swift disbursement of banking loans, company registrations and legal processes to give impetus to the bilateral trade. “It is important that there are frequent exchanges of trade delegations to have better understanding of each other’s markets.” Moreover, Mian Akbar said both countries should facilitate holding of the single-country exhibitions to encourage business to business linkages. Tajamul Hussain, public relations officer of SCCI, told WealthPK that Niger possessed immense business opportunities for Pakistan. “Though Pakistan exports goods to many African countries, including Niger, the export volume is very low. Signing of trade agreements and policy initiatives should be done to reap the full potential.” Speaking about trade and business ties with Niger, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Shakeel Munir said that Africa was an attractive market for Pakistan. “Unfortunately, Pakistan has not focused on developing deep trade ties with the African countries. Because of this fact, Pakistan’s trade with the African region is little more than $4 billion,” he said, stressing that the Look Africa initiative of the government would be helpful in exploiting the African market. He said the ICCI was also interested in sending trade delegations to Niger and other African countries in future to explore the potential markets. He said the Look Africa policy needed to be operationalised to explore the trade and business opportunities in the African continent. In 2021, Pakistan exported goods to Niger worth $39 million and imported goods worth $55 million.