Daily Times

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) and the Commonwealth Entrepreneurs Club (CEC) based in the UK have signed an agreement of cooperation (AoC) to promote SMEs and enhance their role in the economic development of the country.

ICCI President Muhammad Shakeel Munir and CEC founding Chairman Mobin Rafiq signed the agreement during a ceremony held at ICCI.

By signing the AoC, ICCI has been nominated to act as a hub-organisation for the acceleration of CEC activities in Pakistan and will look after the economic interests of SMEs and entrepreneurship development at global level with a particular focus in the Commonwealth region. The sitting president of ICCI was nominated as the global ambassador of CEC to help promote SMEs and entrepreneurship culture.

The key objective of the agreement is to work for building partnerships of Pakistani SMEs with the SMEs of Commonwealth countries for business collaborations and technology transfer to Pakistan. Both sides will work to develop proposals for the enhanced role of SMEs and give suggestions to the government for policy reforms.

They will also work for increasing Pakistan’s exports, and attractive FDI to the country. Both parties will also sensitize the youth and especially women for becoming entrepreneurs and play an active role in the economic development of Pakistan.

Speaking at the occasion, Shakeel Munir lauded the efforts of CEC for the betterment of SMEs in the commonwealth countries. He assured that ICCI would work closely with CEC to strengthen SMEs in Pakistan so that they could promote trade, improve exports, reduce poverty, create more jobs for youth and play an increased role in the economic development of the country.

He appreciated Mobin Rafiq for founding CEC, which was growing rapidly in commonwealth countries and hoped that its cooperation with ICCI would contribute to strengthening the SME sector in Pakistan.

Mobin Rafiq in his address said that he has dedicated his life to help SMEs of the commonwealth region. He said that he is also planning to initiate global sustainable projects aimed at inclusivity and empowering marginalised communities with skills and enabling them with the power of SMEs to create jobs and end poverty.

He said he wants to realise these goals by connecting 5K+ highly successful entrepreneurs from across 54 commonwealth nations to open up new markets, facilitate trade and enhance regional connectivity. He hoped that the cooperation of ICCI with CEC would yield beneficial outcomes for SMEs in Pakistan.

Former presidents of ICCI Mian Shaukat Masud, Sheikh Amir Waheed and Shaban Khalid, Mansoor A Sheikh, global president of CEC, Brig (retd) Anjum Saeed, Vice President CEC Pakistan Chapter, Majid Aziz, former president of Overseas Chamber of Commerce, Muhammad Irfan and others were also present on the occasion.