slamabad: The Romanian Port of Constanta can serve as a vital maritime gateway between Pakistan and Europe, significantly boosting bilateral trade and Pakistani exports to the European Union, said Romanian Ambassador to Pakistan His Excellency Dan Stoenescu during an interactive session at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Thursday. He informed that talks are in the final stages with the Karachi Port authorities to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two ports, which will help establish maritime linkages and provide Pakistani exporters access to the EU market of over 450 million consumers with strong purchasing power. Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Eduard Robert Preda accompanied the Ambassador.
The Ambassador said that Romania is among the fastest-growing economies in Europe and, owing to its strategic geographical location, offers immense opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment. He described Romania as a gateway to Central and Eastern Europe, adding that closer collaboration between the two countries can yield tangible economic benefits.
Ambassador Stoenescu emphasized the importance of Romania–Pakistan IT Forum as a platform to promote digital cooperation, joint ventures, innovation, and knowledge exchange between technology sectors of both countries. Through an elaborate presentation, he also highlighted Romania’s trade and investment potential and encouraged Pakistani businesses to strengthen linkages with Romanian Chambers of Commerce and business associations, assuring full facilitation from the Romanian Embassy.
He recalled that Romania and Pakistan shared a deep-rooted relationship spanning over sixty years, noting that Romanian workers and companies played a significant role in establishing Pakistan’s industrial base during the 1970s. He said Romania contributed extensively to the development of Pakistan’s oil refining infrastructure, particularly the National Oil Refinery (NRL) in Karachi, by providing technical expertise, engineers, and turnkey solutions for fuel, lube, and cement projects, thereby cementing strong industrial ties.
Earlier, in his welcome address, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said that the current bilateral trade volume does not reflect the true potential of Pakistan–Romania relations. He stressed the need for joint efforts to enhance annual bilateral trade to at least US$500 million. Highlighting Pakistan’s export strengths, he said that textiles and apparel can find strong markets in Romania and, through it, the wider European Union. He also emphasized opportunities for joint ventures, particularly in advanced manufacturing and healthcare products.
He reiterated that ICCI stands ready to facilitate business to business linkages, organize sector focused delegations and create platforms where enterprises from both sides can cultivate long-term , profitable partnerships.
Senior Vice President ICCI Sardar Tahir Ayub expressed confidence that the Ambassador’s visit would serve as a catalyst in bringing the two countries closer and unlocking new avenues for mutual trade and investment.
Chairman ICCI Diplomatic Committee Zafar Bakhtawari, Advisor to ICCI President Naeem Siddiqui, and a large number of business leaders, including women entrepreneurs from various sectors, actively participated in the question-and-answer session.
Those present on the occasion also included Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, Executive Members Mian Shaukat Masood, Zulqurnain Abbasi, Imran Minhas, Waseem Chaudhry, Ishaq Sial, Raja Naveed Satti, Malik Abdul Aziz and others.