CPEC SEZs to be promoted at Pakistan Investment Summit: BOI chief

Minister of State and Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Muhammad Azfar Ahsan said on Tuesday afternoon that the Pakistan Investment Summit to be held on March 30-31 would be used to promote the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

In a meeting with a three-member delegation from Ethiopia led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Ambassador Redwan Hussien, Chairman BOI extended an invitation to Ethiopian investors for the Pakistan Investment Summit.

He stated that the Summit would provide an opportunity to market the investment potential of Pakistan, promote sectoral matchmaking, and attract investments in all priority sectors as well as the CPEC SEZs in Pakistan.

Ahsan maintained that Pakistan had a young, digitally equipped population and there are immense opportunities for joint investment cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia. “Pakistan considers Ethiopia as one of the centerpieces of its engage Africa initiative”, Chairman BOI added.

He requested Hussien to encourage Ethiopian businessmen to invest in Pakistan, especially in the SEZs. While introducing the Board of Investment to the delegation, he mentioned that BOI was the secretariat and lead agency for industrial cooperation under CPEC, Regulatory Modernization Initiative and Special Economic Zones.

Elaborating on the investment regime of the country, the Chairman shared that all sectors are open to foreign investors, ensuring uniform treatment to all with 100% foreign equity allowed and borrowing facilities available both from local and foreign banks.