The Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, in collaboration with the Embassy of Pakistan and the Embassy of The Peoples’ Republic of China co-hosted a special webinar on April 28 on the subject of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its implications for the economic development of Pakistan, for international investors, and the surrounding region and the world. Diplomats, investment authority officials, business representatives, and economic and strategic experts from Pakistan, China, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Italy, and the U.K. spoke in this 5-hour long extraordinary webinar. 149 participants from as many as 10 countries were in attendance.
The comparative advantages provided by this rejuvenation of the Pakistani basic economic infrastructure for the international community, investors and trade are less known. Pakistan, in terms of both human and natural resources, has a great and relatively unexplored potential. Standing on the infrastructure platform being provided by the CPEC already, not only Chinese, but also European and other international investors would be surprised by what Pakistan can offer.
The speakers showcased this potential in the form the Special Economic and Industrial Zones (SEZ).
The first panel was dedicated to the CPEC and Pakistani SEZs. Speakers were: (Watch!)
H.E Mr. Zahoor Ahmed, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Sweden made the opening remarks.
H.E Mr. GUI Congyou, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sweden (Keynote speech).
H.E Mr. Ahmed Farooq, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Denmark. (Watch!)
Mr. Atif R. Bokhari, Chairman Board of Investment Pakistan. (Watch!)
Mr. Omair Khan, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan. (Watch!)
Mr. Samir Sahib, Senior Advisor, Special Economic Zones, Pakistan Board of Investment. (Watch!)
Mr. Hassan Daud Butt, CEO of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province Board of Investment. (Watch!)
Mr. Mir Kashif Ishfaq, Chairman of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development & Management Company (SEZ). (Watch!)
Mr. Shariq Vohra, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). (Watch!)
Mr. Anders Tofte, Market Area Director South Asia, Business Sweden. (Watch!)
Mr. Ole Henaes, Regional Director Asia and Middle East, Innovation Norway. (Watch!)
Mrs. Linda R, Trade Council of Denmark, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark. (Watch!)
Mr. Mattias Martinsson, Co-founder of Tundra Fonder (asset management), Sweden. (Watch!)
Mr. Jasper Bisballe, Chairman of Tigerian Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited. (Watch!)
Moderator: Mr. Ghulam Mustafa, Trade & Investment Counsellor of Pakistan in Sweden.
Second panel (Watch!) focused on the Belt ands Rodad Initiative as a vehicle for peace and economic development. The Health Silk Road was one of the main focal points.
Moderator, Stephen Brawer, Vice-Chairman of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, opening remarks.
Professor Michele Geraci, Former Deputy Minister, Italian Ministry of Economic Development. (Watch!)
Mr. Henry Tillman, Founder and Chairman of China Investment Research, U.K. “Progress of the Health Silk Road”(Watch!)
Dr. Maria Sultan, Director General, South Asia Strategic Stability Institute Islamabad. “The BRI and CPEC: Gateways to Global Connectivity and Prosperity”. (Watch!)
Hussein Askary, Board Member, Belt and Road Institute in Sweden (BRIX), “Why the West Should Work with, not Copete with the BRI?”
Q&A Session: (Watch!)