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FAISALABAD, Jan 21 (APP):The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Pakistan, H.E. Robert-Jan Siegert, has said that Pakistan and Netherlands are steadily moving toward enhanced economic cooperation, which will lay long-term impact on the economic relations of the two countries.
Both countries are undertaking concrete initiatives to further strengthen trade and investment ties, he added.
Speaking at Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) on Wednesday, he emphasized the importance of joint efforts to make the business environment more facilitative and attractive for foreign investors by addressing existing challenges.
While acknowledging that bilateral trade relations are robust and growing, he observed that there remains scope for further progress, particularly in investment cooperation.
He underlined the need for simplification of regulatory procedures, improved ease of doing business, and broad-based reforms beyond special economic zones, calling upon both sides to jointly advocate business-friendly reforms.
He invited Pakistani textile exporters to actively participate in the EU-Pakistan Business Forum scheduled to be held in the last week of April in Islamabad, where companies and institutions from across EU member states will explore opportunities for deeper trade and economic collaboration.
Speaking on the occasion, First Secretary Mr. Alexander Akerboom highlighted that more than 50 Dutch companies are already operating in Pakistan and are keen to further expand their footprint. He pointed to successful joint ventures as promising models for future cooperation, particularly in livestock, agri-food technology, and halal-based exports. He noted that Dutch expertise in high-tech agriculture and greenhouse farming could significantly help Pakistan enhance crop yields and reduce production costs. Despite its relatively small size, the Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agri-food products, largely due to innovative and efficient farming practices, he added.
He also referred to initiatives such as the International Cotton Accelerator, aimed at promoting organic cotton and strengthening Pakistan’s textile-based economy.
In his remarks, Chairman PTEA Sohail Pasha stated that Pakistan regards the Netherlands as an important economy and a key trading partner in Europe.
He noted that the Netherlands is Pakistan’s third-largest export destination in Europe after the UK and Germany and ranks fourth among Pakistan’s top European import markets. He reaffirmed PTEA’s commitment to working closely with the Netherlands Embassy to identify new tradable products, strengthen B2B linkages, facilitate exchanges of business delegations, and further deepen the already cordial bilateral relations.
He also emphasized the importance of diversifying product lines and exploring new areas of cooperation, including information technology, renewable energy, and automotive manufacturing.
Later, PTEA shield was presented to the visiting Ambassador while a large number of leading textile exporters were present in the meeting.