Islamabad (GNP): Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, met with Mervin N. Chedumbarum of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Mauritius, for discussions centered on expanding bilateral trade, attracting mutual investment, and deepening economic cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to take stock of the current state of Pakistan-Mauritius relations and identify fresh avenues for commercial engagement. Key areas of focus included strengthening trade ties, encouraging cross-border investment flows, and building more robust economic linkages between the two countries.
Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan underscored the value of nurturing closer ties between the private sectors on both sides, noting that direct business-to-business engagement holds considerable potential for generating new trade and investment activity.
Both delegations also exchanged views on broadening institutional cooperation, improving commercial connectivity, and pinpointing emerging sectors suited to mutually beneficial collaboration.
Both Pakistan and Mauritius conveyed satisfaction with the positive direction of their bilateral relationship and reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustaining regular dialogue in pursuit of greater economic cooperation and shared prosperity.
The meeting wrapped up with a mutual pledge to press ahead with efforts to deepen trade relations, expand business engagement, and uncover new dimensions of economic collaboration between the two friendly nations.
In a related engagement last month, discussions with Mauritian representatives touched on a range of additional sectors offering untapped potential for Pakistan.
On tourism, Mauritius was described as actively repositioning itself as a premium travel destination, though it remains relatively unfamiliar to Pakistani travelers, a gap that presents an opening for targeted promotion.
The Halal food sector emerged as a particularly promising area. The Mauritian Muslim community maintains high Halal standards and currently sources Halal meat primarily from Australia and India.
A key distinction highlighted was the preference for fresh rather than frozen Halal meat, an important consideration for Pakistani exporters, particularly those based in Karachi, who were specifically encouraged to explore this market.
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Looking at longer-term priorities, Mauritius is increasingly focusing on the blue economy and green economy as strategic pillars of its development agenda. With a particular emphasis on ocean-based industries, including aquaculture and marine-derived pharmaceutical products, Mauritius leverages an Exclusive Economic Zone spanning close to two million square kilometres, making it a significant ocean state despite its modest land area.
Interest was expressed in partnering with Pakistan on research and investment initiatives tied to blue economy development, an area seen as ripe for bilateral exploration.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
