In a significant move to strengthen economic ties, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the High Commissioner of Mauritius to Pakistan, H.E. Munsoo Kurrimbaccus, held a pivotal meeting in Lahore on Sunday. The discussions centered on a mutual agreement to significantly enhance bilateral trade and investment between Punjab and the island nation.
Building Bridges Through Trade and Delegations
The leaders concurred on a practical roadmap to boost commerce, which includes organizing reciprocal visits of trade delegations. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized the importance of strengthening direct business-to-business contacts to unlock the true potential of the partnership. She proposed holding joint business exhibitions as a platform to showcase quality products and highlight lucrative investment opportunities available in both regions.
Reaffirming Punjab's strong commitment, the Chief Minister expressed her resolve to deepen trade and economic cooperation with Mauritius. She outlined a vision for expanded collaboration beyond commerce, specifically in the fields of education, tourism, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges.
Focus on Emerging Sectors and Punjab's Priorities
Both sides identified promising new areas for joint ventures, including halal food production, technology, and human resource development. CM Maryam Nawaz assured the Mauritian envoy of full facilitation for investments, with a special focus on the blue economy. She was particularly keen on increasing Pakistani exports to Mauritius, specifically in rice, textiles, and pharmaceutical products.
Highlighting provincial development goals, the Chief Minister stated that Punjab is eager to learn from Mauritius's advanced expertise in productive cultivation techniques and the sugar industry. She welcomed investment from Mauritian companies in Punjab's burgeoning tourism sector and appreciated the island nation's successful models in combating drug abuse and promoting youth development.
Leveraging Strengths for Mutual Growth
Paying tribute to the diplomatic efforts of High Commissioner Kurrimbaccus, CM Maryam noted the long-standing friendly relations between Pakistan and Mauritius, rooted in cultural affinity and mutual respect. She pointed out substantial potential for cooperation in human capital development, particularly in higher education and professional skills training.
Agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and light engineering were highlighted as sectors with particularly strong trade prospects. The Chief Minister also mentioned that over 100,000 young people in Punjab are currently being trained as a skilled workforce under the provincial Skill Development Programme, creating a ready talent pool for investors.
On the topic of bilateral trade trends, she noted encouraging growth in recent years and reiterated that Punjab offers wide-ranging opportunities in agro-processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and value-added food products.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister detailed Punjab's Climate Resilient Vision and Action Plan, underscoring the government's commitment to sustainable development through green investment, environmental protection, forest conservation, green transport, and clean energy transitions.
Promoting Punjab as a rich and diverse tourism destination, she listed historical sites like the Shahi Qila, Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, and Noor Mahal as major attractions for tourists. Despite challenges like past floods, she affirmed that the province remains open and welcoming to foreign investment in tourism and sought technical cooperation from Mauritius in sugarcane production and value addition.
In his remarks, High Commissioner Munsoo Kurrimbaccus stated that enhanced tourism cooperation would help project a positive image of Pakistan globally and further solidify the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
