Pakistan’s strategic pivot towards Africa exhibits a significant shift in the state’s foreign policy trajectory, signalling a commitment towards harnessing the untapped potential of the continent. Despite Africa boasting an impressive economy valued at US$ 3.1 trillion, Pakistan’s engagement with the continent has historically been marred by neglect, resulting in the failure to exploit the vast economic opportunities the region offered. However, in recent years, Pakistan has become fully cognisant of the geo-strategic and geo-economic importance of Africa. Therefore, in 2019, Pakistan launched its Engage Africa Policy, aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with African countries.
The policy started bearing fruit soon after its inception. It played a significant role in strengthening commercial ties between Pakistan and Africa. For example, despite stagnant trade figures in the previous years, the trade volume between the two sides surged to US$ 6.94 billion in 2022. This increase can be attributed to policy initiatives, such as the Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conferences (PATDC) and Single Country Exhibitions (SCE). These events served as platforms for fostering dialogue, networking, and exploring trade opportunities, resulting in tangible outcomes.
Zelensky aide denies Ukraine link to Moscow concert hall attack Furthermore, under the policy, trade wings in six African countries have been established, including Algeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Tanzania, to promote trade and development. Similarly, Pakistan’s participation in international trade fairs has opened up new avenues for trade and economic cooperation. For example, participation in Khartoum in January 2021 resulted in business transactions amounting to approximately $2 million, with deals worth $3 million between Pakistani exporters and Sudanese buyers currently on the cards.
While Pakistan’s Engage Africa Policy can be deemed as a step in the right direction, there exist several deficiencies in the foreign policy arena that require urgent attention. While Pakistan’s trade volume with Africa has reached its historical milestone, the trade balance has been heavily tilted in favour of the latter since 2015. This can be attributed to a number of reasons. First, Pakistan faces anti-dumping duties on exports to several African countries. While these duties are levied to protect domestic industries from unfair international competition, it has generated challenges for Pakistani exporters by limiting their access to certain markets and restricting their ability to diversify their consumer base. In a prominent case, the imposition of anti-dumping duties on Pakistan’s exports to South Africa, varying from 14 percent to 77 percent, resulted in considerable a loss of US$ 67.8 million in its Portland cement exports.
Flag hoisting ceremony on Pakistan Day in Paris Second, tariff discrepancies have hindered Pakistan’s export competitiveness in African markets. For example, While Pakistan faces an average tariff of 11 percent on its tea imports from Kenya, its primary export to Kenya encounters a much higher average tariff rate of 35 percent. Such a situation affects Pakistan’s market share in African markets, allowing competitors with lower tariff burdens to gain a larger share of the market.
Third, the ongoing urbanisation trend in Africa, along with the burgeoning potential of African markets, has sparked international competition, with states, such as the United States, China and India vying for market dominance in the region. This has made it challenging for Pakistan to make its inroads into the African market and establishing its niche.
Pakistan must rectify these imbalances and generate a level playing for itself. To begin, Pakistan needs to leverage its prevailing strengths to tap into African markets. For example, the African region grapples with significant health crises characterised by prevalent diseases, such as malaria, typhoid, dengue fever, etc. A situation like this presents an opportunity for Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector to collaborate with pertinent stakeholders in Africa to address these issues. This also aligns with the current goal of Pakistan’s government to significantly expand its pharmaceutical exports to US$ 5 billion.
IS Strikes Again Next, fostering balanced commercial ties with African markets requires robust marketing strategies, incorporating comprehensive mechanisms aimed at leveraging Duty-Free Agreements across the region. In this regard, business and governments can closely collaborate with foreign missions and diplomatic channels to negotiate favourable trade terms. Moreover, marketing strategies must be tailored to local preferences and cultural nuances. For instance, in the textile sector, Pakistan can adapt fabric preferences, colours, and designs according to the tropical climate of Africa.
Additionally, Pakistan’s engagement with Africa can be further strengthened through cross-cultural diplomacy. Cricket diplomacy can play a significant role here. Not only it will boost cross-cultural interconnectedness, but it will also open avenues for the promotion of Pakistani products in African markets.
Polio Peril All in all, Pakistan’s Engage Africa Policy is an ambitious undertaking by Pakistan with the indispensable goal of generating a strategic partnership based on mutual respect and prosperity. By embracing the diverse opportunities Africa presents, Pakistan can contribute meaningfully to regional stability, economic prosperity, and global cooperation, ultimately paving the way for a more prosperous future for both regions.
Faiza Abid
The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), Lahore. She can be reached at info@casslhr.com
Pakistan’s ‘Engage Africa Policy’
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24.03.2024
Pakistan’s strategic pivot towards Africa exhibits a significant shift in the state’s foreign policy trajectory, signalling a commitment towards harnessing the untapped potential of the continent. Despite Africa boasting an impressive economy valued at US$ 3.1 trillion, Pakistan’s engagement with the continent has historically been marred by neglect, resulting in the failure to exploit the vast economic opportunities the region offered. However, in recent years, Pakistan has become fully cognisant of the geo-strategic and geo-economic importance of Africa. Therefore, in 2019, Pakistan launched its Engage Africa Policy, aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with African countries.
The policy started bearing fruit soon after its inception. It played a significant role in strengthening commercial ties between Pakistan and Africa. For example, despite stagnant trade figures in the previous years, the trade volume between the two sides surged to US$ 6.94 billion in 2022. This increase can be attributed to policy initiatives, such as the Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conferences (PATDC) and Single Country Exhibitions (SCE). These events served as platforms for fostering dialogue, networking, and exploring trade opportunities, resulting in tangible outcomes.
Zelensky aide denies Ukraine link to Moscow concert hall attack Furthermore, under the policy, trade wings in six African countries have been........
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