ISLAMABAD: Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS) in collaboration with Embassy of Romania organized a Conference on “Pakistan-Romania Friendship and Centennial Celebrations of Romania”, at the Islamabad Club, Islamabad. The event was organized to celebrate the 100 years of unity of Romania. Since the EU has granted the GSP Plus Status to Pakistan in 2003, it offers a good opportunity to Pakistan and Romania to improve their bilateral trade relations. In addition, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is also offering new avenues of cooperation.
The Conference commenced with the opening remarks by Major General Syed Khalid Amir Jaffery, HI(M), (Retd) – President CGSS. He stated that both countries are looking to expand economic cooperation, as well as to enhance their import and export ties. Pakistan and Romania have agreed to expand their bilateral defense cooperation, and currently, two countries have different agreements in defense production and relevant areas. The participation of Romania in the CPEC can also bring Pakistan and Romania close together by creating business and trade opportunities. Romania is exploring the prospects of benefitting from the CPEC project. Pakistan needs to project CPEC by inviting Romanian companies to invest and participate in the CPEC.
His Excellency Nicolae GOIA, Ambassador of Romania, Embassy of Romania to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad stated that the Centennial is celebrated by Romanians around the world as a symbol of solidarity, hope and triumph against adverse circumstances. Romania and Pakistan had all along enjoyed excellent friendly relations. He informed the gathering that Romania was fastest growing economy in Europe and there was a great potential for improving bilateral trade between two countries.
Ambassador Nicolae GOIA further stated the economic and trade relations between both countries have been growing for the last decades and Pakistan is an important trading partner of Romania. Both countries have been enjoying historical friendship and traditional cooperation in many fields for the past many years but there is a need to enhance trade volume between booth countries. Our main priority is to increase and diversify the commercial exchanges between Romania and Pakistan, in a balanced manner for exports and imports.
Besides the bilateral cooperation through mutual investments, we are also interested to find options of working together on the third markets where, Romania and Pakistan might conjugate their resources and energies in the most constructive way. Romania and Pakistan do have common areas of interest both geographically and thematically. The common interest of developing sectors as IT and communications, civil constructions and infrastructure, agriculture etc.
Ambassador Abdul Basit also presented a speech on the occasion. He extended his felicitations on the occasion of 100 years of unification of Romania and stated that Pakistan takes pride in having good relations with this country not only at governmental level but also at people to people level. He said that Romania supported Pakistan in attaining the GSP plus status for trade concessions at the critical time of 2005 when Pakistan was hit by massive Earthquake. Over the years, we have created great mutual trust and beneficial relations. I would encourage our students to pursue studies in Romania, because it is one country where they would immediately feel at home. Romania has been progressing very well and we can mutually benefit from it including several technical areas where Romania has come a great way. We need to make people aware about the potential both countries have.
During the Conference, a documentary about Romania was also shown to the participants. Eminent personalities including diplomats and regional analysts attended the conference. News Desk
