Pakistan seeks UAE’s help for FTA with GCC

[LahoreEstate]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought market access from Canada and help from UAE for early completion of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The Ambassador of UAE, Ali Saif Sultan Al-Awani, and the High Commissioner of Canada Randolph Mank called on the Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Faheem in his office on Thursday. Secretary Commerce Salman Ghani was also present in the meeting.

Ambassador of UAE told the minister that they were like a family and they consider Pakistan as their second home. He expressed the desire to increase the number of flights from Pakistan to Dubai. The federal minister expressed that UAE has become the third largest trading partner of Pakistan and asked the ambassador to use their good offices for support to conclude FTA with GCC. The total trade volume with UAE is $5,483 million and exports from Pakistan amount to $2070 million. Main exports from Pakistan to UAE are apparels of fissile material, chemical materials, and construction material including cements, whereas chemical materials and products are the main imports from UAE.

Mank told the federal minister that they had long traditions of commercial and trade relations and the Canadian government is interested to help Pakistan’s economy. staff report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg5_12