Pakistan and African Nations Set $15 Billion Trade Goal for 2030

The first ceremony of the Pakistan-Africa Economic Council in Islamabad brought together ambassadors and high commissioners from nations including Rwanda, Mauritius, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia. Participants reaffirmed a joint ambition to lift bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2030 and to broaden economic cooperation through private-sector engagement. Speakers outlined Pakistan's export strengths—agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, information technology, minerals, education and infrastructure—as opportunities for African markets.

Federal Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Hiraj called the forum a historic milestone, noting Africa’s 1.5 billion-strong population as a key driver. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and PAEC Patron-in-Chief Hamid Asgher Khan echoed the need for stronger connectivity, especially in IT, which they said could double from its current $2.7 billion level.