By Manal Abdel Fattah
Ambassador Sajid Bilal, Pakistan’s ambassador to Cairo, said that economic cooperation and trade relations are a distinctive feature of bilateral relations between Egypt and Pakistan in 2023, as bilateral trade between the two countries reached $400 million last year, and Pakistan’s investments in Egypt reached $400 million.
This came during his speech, at a ceremony organized by the Embassy of Pakistan on the occasion of the 84th National Day, in which he stressed that after the success of the Trade Opportunities Conference between Pakistan and Egypt in September 2023, Pakistan held the Fourth Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference and the One Country Exhibition in Cairo, and the two events attracted more than 250 visitors. A Pakistani company and 150 participating businessmen in the Middle East and North Africa region.
He pointed out that the Pakistani Minister of Commerce headed a high-level official delegation to attend this event, and last September, a famous Qawwal band for Pakistani Sufi music participated in the Samaa International Festival for Religious Chanting and touched people’s feelings.
The ambassador continued: In the field of education, the two countries are working together not only to enhance existing cooperation but are also seeking to explore new ways of cooperation. Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, is taught in 6 universities across Egypt.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s National Day is a historic moment in the history of Pakistan. On this day in 1940, the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent gathered in Lahore to adopt the historic “Pakistani Resolution”, which demands a separate homeland, where they can live their lives with honor and dignity, while Pakistan has achieved exceptional achievements despite enormous challenges, played a decisive role in solving problems facing humanity, and contributed to achieving world peace.
The ambassador stressed that Pakistan is a country blessed with enormous potential and opportunities. It is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population and is located at the intersection of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, with a growing middle class that approaches 100 million, 130 million young people under the age of 30, and 125 million. With 1 million internet subscribers, Pakistan is a hot market for trade and investment – the younger generation is rapidly mastering new technology, IT and digital trends.
The celebration was attended by the Minister of Business Sector, Mahmoud Esmat, and Ambassador Ahmed Shaheen, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian Affairs. A number of ambassadors also attended, including: the Ambassador of Jordan, Singapore, Cambodia, Nepal, Mali, Turkey, Slovenia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, the Sultanate of Oman, Angola, and Malta. , North Korea, the Vatican, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Chargé d’Affaires of Côte d’Ivoire, Deputy Ambassador of Chile.
