Islamabad, June 8, 2026: High Commissioner of Mauritius to Pakistan, Munsoor Kurrimbaccus, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Monday and held a productive interactive session with the Chamber’s leadership and members of the business community to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.
Addressing the gathering, the High Commissioner praised ICCI’s role as the premier representative body of the business community in the federal capital and commended its efforts in promoting trade and industrial development. He expressed appreciation for the Chamber’s proactive approach towards fostering business partnerships with countries around the world.
Highlighting Mauritius’ economic strengths, Ambassador Kurrimbaccus described his country as a strategic gateway to Africa and outlined the vast opportunities available in trade, investment, tourism and hospitality. He encouraged Pakistani entrepreneurs to explore these sectors and emphasized the need to establish joint ventures, enhance business-to-business (B2B) linkages and facilitate regular exchanges of trade delegations.
The envoy noted that stronger collaboration between Mauritian and Pakistani businesses would not only deepen bilateral economic ties but also provide access to broader regional and international markets. Describing Pakistan as a peaceful country with hospitable and welcoming people, he expressed confidence that increased commercial engagement would further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two nations.
Stressing the importance of sustained engagement, he proposed that interactions between the diplomatic community and the business sector be organized at least twice a year to ensure effective follow-up on proposals and initiatives discussed during such meetings.
Welcoming the High Commissioner, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said Mauritius occupies a unique position in Pakistan’s engagement with Africa as the only African country with which Pakistan has a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). He observed that despite cordial relations and significant opportunities, bilateral trade remains well below its potential and requires greater efforts from both public and private sectors.
The ICCI president said the Chamber is keen to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading chambers of commerce and business associations in Mauritius to facilitate direct interaction among entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders. He expressed hope that the High Commissioner’s visit would pave the way for a new era of economic cooperation, investment partnerships and mutually beneficial commercial relations.
Former ICCI President and Chairman of the ICCI Standing Committee on Diplomatic Affairs, Zafar Bakhtawari, described Mauritius as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” and voiced optimism that bilateral relations would witness significant growth during Ambassador Kurrimbaccus’ tenure. He praised the envoy’s commitment to strengthening ties and assured him of ICCI’s full support in promoting trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The session was attended by ICCI Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, Executive Members Abdul Rehman Siddiqui, Zulqurnain Abbasi, Waseem Chaudhry, Malik Abdul Aziz, Imran Minhas and Ms. Shumaila Siddiqui, former Senior Vice President Khalid Chaudhry, Chairman ICCI Standing Committee on ASEAN Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, as well as a large number of business leaders and Chamber members.
