Islamabad, September 11, 2026: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Friday hosted the first Pak-Africa Roundtable Conference, bringing together senior diplomats and business leaders to explore ways to expand trade, investment and economic cooperation between Pakistan and African countries.
The conference was chaired by FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh and attended by ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls general from several African countries, including Morocco, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Addressing the conference, Atif Ikram Sheikh said practical steps were needed to further strengthen economic ties between Pakistan and Africa. He said FPCCI was actively working to promote economic activities with African countries and would continue playing its role as a bridge between the business communities of both sides.
He stressed the need to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) and chamber-to-chamber links to connect Pakistani businesses with African markets. He said there were vast opportunities for investment and job creation, particularly in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, minerals and mining, technology, food and infrastructure.
The FPCCI president said more than 50 African countries held strategic importance for Pakistan and urged businesses to explore new avenues of trade and investment. He noted that Africa’s emerging economies would play an increasingly important role in the global economy.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hamid Asghar Khan said Pakistan attached special importance to expanding trade and economic cooperation with African countries, describing stronger economic links with Africa as a key priority of the country’s foreign policy.
He said Pakistan aimed to expand mutually beneficial economic partnerships with African nations and emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector and business community in achieving this objective.
Khan encouraged Pakistani businesses to capitalize on opportunities in African markets and assured them of the government’s support and facilitation. He said coordinated diplomatic and commercial efforts were required to further strengthen Pak-Africa relations and termed the FPCCI roundtable an important step in that direction.
The Ambassador of Zimbabwe said his country sought to promote trade and investment with Pakistan, noting significant potential for increasing bilateral trade through direct links between the two business communities.
Ethiopian Ambassador Omer Hussein Oba emphasized the importance of strong B2B and chamber-to-chamber cooperation in increasing bilateral trade. He identified opportunities in agriculture, industry, minerals and technology and said Ethiopia could serve as a gateway for Pakistani businesses to African markets.
The Ambassador of Sudan appreciated FPCCI’s initiative and highlighted the private sector’s role in expanding bilateral trade. He identified textiles and other sectors as potential areas of cooperation and said Sudan welcomed Pakistani investors.
The Ambassador of Kenya highlighted various areas of potential collaboration and proposed establishing a facilitation desk to streamline trade and assist business communities in both countries.
The event was attended by FPCCI Vice President Tariq Khan Jadoon, Capital Office Chairman Karim Aziz Malik, FPCCI Africa Desk Chairman Syed Mazhar Ali Nasir, Pakistan-Ethiopia Business Council of FPCCI Chairman Ibrahim Khalid Tawab, FPCCI Executive Committee Member Badar Haroon, Convener Adil Obaid, Deputy Convener FPCCI Standing Committee Ayesha Kha, WCCI Sargodha Group Leader Shamim Aftab, RCSTSI Senior Vice President Dost Ali Jan, RCSTSI Vice President Asif Javed, WCCI Rawalpindi Vice President Hina Zulfiqar and other prominent business figures.
Participants emphasized the need for joint initiatives to enhance trade, investment and commercial networking between Pakistan and African countries.
A cake-cutting ceremony was also held to mark the Ethiopian New Year
