The Joint Working Group (JWG) established by Mauritius and Pakistan to strengthen commercial cooperation and economic ties between both countries, will hold its 10th session in Port-Louis from July 16 to 17, 2014.

The Pakistan delegation will be led by Omar Hameed, Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, while the Mauritian side will be represented by Usha Dwarka-Canabady, Ambassador and Acting Secretary for Foreign Affairs Regional Integration and International Trade.

The JWG is a platform which is convened once a year, alternately in Port Louis and Islamabad, where it enables high officials of both countries to have a structured dialogue.

So far, discussions at the committee level have already resulted in a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2007 and signing of around half a dozen sectoral agreements.

The PTA covers a limited number of products, subject to tariff liberalization, and furthers the intention of the representatives of both countries to ultimately ink a Free Trade Agreement which will affect a high proportion of products and commercial transactions.

In addition, data published by Statistics Mauritius indicates that the value of the Mauritian imports from Pakistan increased to attain Rs 880 million in 2013, compared to Rs 817 million in 2012.

Furthermore, for the first quarter of 2014 spanning from January to March, local imports amounted to Rs 228 million against Rs 181 million for the corresponding quarter last year.

In terms of products, Mauritius imports rice, fruits and shellfish from Pakistan.

On the other hand, Mauritian exports to Pakistan are at a very low level, and include, among others, textiles, baby products and detergents.

Image (Stable Global Progress): So far, discussions at the committee level have already resulted in a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2007 and signing of around half a dozen sectoral agreements.

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