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The President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tsvetan Simeonov had a working meeting with Mr. Marwan Alex Ayyash, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sofia. Zulfiqar Mehr, Secretary at the Embassy of Pakistan also took part in the meeting.
The aim of the working meeting was to discuss the results of the Second session of the Bulgarian – Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, held on 20-21 May 2019 in Islamabad.
The invitation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry extended to BCCI for a visit with a business delegation to Pakistan in the second half of 2019 was another topic of discussion. The aim of the visit is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a joint Bulgarian – Pakistani Business Council and to hold its inaugural session.
Marwan Ayyash outlined the following developed sectors in Pakistan: agriculture – mango and rice production, textile industry, pharmaceutical industry and production of surgical instruments, sports goods and equipment, IT, leather products, hand-made souvenirs, etc. He said that the Pakistani market is interested in Bulgarian cherries, nuts and yoghurt. According to the President of BCCI, another sector that has potential for cooperation is the production of machinery for the food industry.
A number of other traditional Pakistani products were also discussed, as well as reducing the cost of delivery so that they could be sold more easily on the Bulgarian market.
During the meeting, Tsvetan Simeonov and his guest discussed the idea of establishing a commercial base, benefitting from Bulgaria’s favourable geographic location as the closest EU member-state to Pakistan by land, in order to intensify Pakistan’s trade with Europe.
Companies interested in participation in the joint council and cooperation with Pakistani partners can contact BCCI’s “International Cooperation and International Organizations” Directorate by e-mail: m.markova@bcci.bg.