The announcement by Minister for Maritime Affairs, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, regarding launch of new maritime trade corridors to enhance trade with East African Community (EAC) is in-deed a forward-thinking initiative that carries the potential to reshape country’s export landscape and deepen economic alliances.
It signals Pakistan’s intent to diversify trade partnerships and reduce over-reliance on tradi-tional markets by exploring high-growth regions such as East Africa.
At the heart of this strategy is establish-ment of a direct shipping line connecting Karachi Port to Djibouti, a critical logistics hub in the Horn of Africa.
As the gateway to East Africa, Djibouti offers direct access to several neighbouring nations including Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.
This route, once operational, will drastically reduce transit times and shipping costs, ena-bling our exporters to compete more effectively in a region characterised by rapid economic growth and a popu-lation of over 500 million.
Sea trade corridors have historically served as lifelines for economic integration, fos-tering regional cooperation and driving export-led growth.
We have a strong industrial base in textiles, agricul-ture, pharmaceuticals and light engineering.
Direct access to the EAC’s growing consumer markets presents a golden opportunity.
The region’s collective GDP of approximately 345 billion dollars and its ongoing infrastruc-ture and economic development make it a fertile ground for trade and investment.
However, while infrastructure and logistical elements of this strategy are crucial, the human and diplomatic dimensions must not be over-looked.
We must complement this maritime push with enhanced engagement on multiple fronts — government-to-government relations, business- to-business forums, trade exhibitions and cultural exchanges.
Active trade diplomacy and mutual cooperation across sectors will ensure that this vision translates into enduring economic partnerships and tangible benefits for our economy.
