Islamabad, January 22, 2026: The Port of Constanta in Romania could serve as a strategic maritime gateway for Pakistan to access European Union markets, significantly enhancing bilateral trade and exports, said Romanian Ambassador to Pakistan Dan Stoenescu during an interactive session at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Thursday. He was accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Eduard Robert Preda.
Ambassador Stoenescu stated that talks with Karachi Port authorities are in the final stages to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two ports, which would provide Pakistani exporters access to the EU market of over 450 million consumers with strong purchasing power. He highlighted Romania’s strategic location and its status as one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe, describing it as a gateway to Central and Eastern Europe with vast opportunities for trade and investment.
The Ambassador also emphasized the importance of the Romania–Pakistan IT Forum as a platform to promote digital cooperation, joint ventures, innovation, and knowledge exchange between the two countries’ technology sectors. He encouraged Pakistani businesses to strengthen ties with Romanian Chambers of Commerce and assured full facilitation from the Romanian Embassy.
Recalling the countries’ 60-year-old relationship, Stoenescu noted Romania’s historical contributions to Pakistan’s industrial development in the 1970s, particularly in the oil refining sector, including the National Oil Refinery in Karachi, where Romanian engineers provided technical expertise and turnkey solutions for fuel, lube, and cement projects.
Earlier, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood stressed that the current bilateral trade volume does not reflect the true potential of Pakistan–Romania relations. He called for efforts to increase annual trade to at least US$500 million, highlighting opportunities in textiles, apparel, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare products. ICCI reaffirmed its commitment to facilitate B2B linkages, sector-focused delegations, and long-term partnerships between enterprises of both countries.
Senior Vice President ICCI Sardar Tahir Ayub said the Ambassador’s visit could act as a catalyst to unlock new avenues for trade and investment, while Chairman ICCI Diplomatic Committee Zafar Bakhtawari, Advisor Naeem Siddiqui, and numerous business leaders—including women entrepreneurs—participated actively in the session. Other ICCI officials present included Vice President Irfan Chaudhry and Executive Members Mian Shaukat Masood, Zulqurnain Abbasi, Imran Minhas, Waseem Chaudhry, Ishaq Sial, Raja Naveed Satti, and Malik Abdul Aziz.
The discussions reinforced the mutual interest in strengthening economic ties, maritime linkages, and technological collaboration between Pakistan and Romania, paving the way for enhanced access to European markets.
