Pakistan’s business community is pushing for closer trade ties with Somalia, with high-level talks held in Islamabad yesterday between the United Business Group (UBG) and Somali Ambassador Sheikh Noor Muhammad Hassan. Zafar Bakhtawari, Secretary General of UBG, led the discussions, focusing on boosting trade and cultural relations between the two nations.
Key figures at the meeting included Waqar Bakhtawari, former president of the Chakwal Chamber of Commerce, Roohail Anwar Butt from the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, and Yasin Mohamud Mire, Deputy Head of Somalia’s Mission in Pakistan.
Ambassador Hassan emphasized Somalia’s improved security and strategic position as a seaport nation, offering opportunities for maritime trade. He invited Bakhtawari to lead a trade delegation to Somalia, highlighting the potential for expanding commercial ties. In response, Bakhtawari underscored Somalia’s rich resources and the increasing demand for Pakistani products in the Somali market.
Pakistan also reiterated its support for the Ankara Declaration, a Turkish-brokered initiative aimed at resolving tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia regarding the breakaway Somaliland region.
