Dean of the African group and Ambassador of Tunisia Adel Elarbi on Sunday said that the Pakistani authorities were doing their best through ‘Look Africa’ policy, but “as we know, governments are just facilitators, and the private sector should play its role and take more initiatives and tangible steps to boost trade relations between their country and Africa”.
While talking to DNA, the ambassador said relations between Africa and Pakistan were rooted in strong historical basis. “Africa is the continent of the future and Pakistani businessmen are invited to invest there,” he said, adding that African states had sought for closer economic, social and cultural cooperation with Pakistan for the common good.
“These relations are tied on [the bases of] mutual respect, solidarity and good political will. In many areas, Pakistan and Africa face the same challenges; meaning that we need more cooperation and interaction.”
He said historically, Pakistan played a crucial role in the independence process of many African countries. Moreover, Pakistan sent its doctors and experts to help build institutions and infrastructures in the newly independent African states, he said.
Furthermore, he said the Pakistan Army was present in UN peacekeeping forces in Africa. “These historical achievements of Pakistan in Africa could be more exploited and converted into real partnerships and cooperation between Pakistan and the continent.”
The ambassador said that this year, they celebrated the 56th Anniversary of the Africa Day and “we wanted it as a festival to show the unity, the colours and the diversity of the African continent”.
“All the participants expressed their happiness and pride. As you are aware, Africa Day is annually celebrated to commemorate the birth of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which is now the African Union (AU). The creation of the organisation expressed, then, the awareness of our founding fathers of the strength and the importance of a united Africa after the struggles for freedom and dignity,” he said.
“The goal of the AU as it is mentioned in its charter is to consolidate the unity and solidarity of the African states, safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, advance worldwide collaboration within the United Nation (UN) framework and harmonise policies of member states in all areas.”
He expressed pride and pleasure that two African countries, Niger and Tunisia, were among the countries elected as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a period of two years. “Niger and Tunisia will be the voice of Africa during their mandate in this prestigious body of the United Nations.”
Furthermore, since the Kigali Extraordinary Summit of March 21, 2018 on the Continental Free Trade Area, African countries were coordinating to come up with prospects that held the future, he said. “Our expectation is that Africa as a bloc will become a major and an indispensable partner in world trade,” Elarbi concluded.
