H.E. Bayney Karran, Ambassador of Guyana for Pakistan based in Beijing, China said that his country wanted to promote business relations with Pakistan as close cooperation would enable both countries to get better market access in each other’s region. He said this while exchanging views with business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
 

H.E. Bayney Karran said that Guyana’s 75% area was covered with forests and it was exporting high quality wood products to many countries including China. He said Guyana has good natural resources including oil, minerals and semi-precious stones. He said agriculture contributed to 50% of Guyana’s GDP and it was now focusing on food processing industry and added that Pakistan and Guyana could learn from each other’s experience by enhancing cooperation in agriculture, oil, minerals, forestry and other sectors. He said Guyana was a member of the 14 countries of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Pakistan could get better market access to CARICOM and South America by enhancing cooperation with Guyana. He said tourism was another potential area of mutually beneficial cooperation between Guyana and Pakistan. He assured that he would cooperate in promoting business linkages between the private sectors of both countries.
 

Speaking at the occasion, Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Guyana was almost non-existent and stressed that both countries should focus on regular exchange of trade delegations to explore all potential areas of mutual cooperation. He said Pakistan was exporting many products to Europe, USA and other countries including textiles products, surgical instruments, sports goods, leather products and Guyana could import these products from Pakistan at competitive prices. He said Pakistan could also export many services to Guyana including financial & IT for which developing close B2B linkages between the two countries were necessary.
 

Rafat Farid Senior Vice President and Iftikhar Anwar Sethi Vice President ICCI said that as a first step for improving trade and economic relations with Pakistan, Guyana should open its embassy in Pakistan that was the key requirement for promoting business relations. Khalid Malik Chairman ICCI Diplomatic Committee, Tahir Ayub, Fahim Khan and others also spoke at the occasion and highlighted potential areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.