Trade development: Search for business prospects in S Africa

Room to grow: $280m is the value of Pakistan’s exports to South Africa in 2012.

RAWALPINDI: 

A trade delegation of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) is currently on its maiden visit to South Africa, with an aim to study the market for business prospects and to make initial assessments for holding a single-country exhibition.

This will be the first single-country exhibition of Pakistan in South Africa.

The delegation, led by former RCCI president Kashif Shabbir, held meetings with the South African business community to ascertain the market potential and prospects for export of Pakistani products to the African continent.

South Africa, which is the largest trading partner of Pakistan in Africa, has the biggest economy in the continent with gross domestic product (GDP) of $390 billion and trade volume of $210 billion.

South Africa, which is termed the gateway to Africa, imported goods worth $280 million from Pakistan in 2012, while its total imports were $106 billion during the same period.

Pakistan’s exports to South Africa were on the rise and had registered a growth of 7% in 2012-13, the meeting participants noted.

During the visit, the RCCI will hold meetings with the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Cape Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry to explore avenues of mutual collaboration. The delegation will also visit different venues to finalise arrangements for the exhibition.