Germany offers facilitation in renewable energy projects

KARACHI: German deputy consul general Andreas Wegner on Wednesday offered facilitation in renewable energy projects in Pakistan to help foster the latter’s capabilities to cope with climate change.

He said that in a meeting with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

The consul general informed that Germany was also willing to help with polytechnic and vocational training, to establish collaborations between German and Pakistani IT companies.

It would offer German language courses, help in rehabilitation of flood affectees, foster capabilities to cope with climate change, facilitate renewable energy projects, help create working relationship between the FPCCI and Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), and encourage postgraduate students to apply for PhD scholarships in Germany, he added.

During the meeting, FPCCI president Irfan Iqbal Sheikh expressed his satisfaction over Pakistan’s bilateral trade surplus with Germany crossing a psychological mark of $1 billion. The exports were on a growth trajectory with the world’s fourth-largest economy, he added.

However, Sheikh continued, the exports of $2.5 billion were still below the real potential as there was huge demand of Pakistani textiles in Germany, he said.

FPCCI senior vice president Suleman Chawla said Pakistan should be focused on the renewal and expansion of GSP plus to make full use of the very potential German consumer market. He emphasised on exports of more services and human resources to Germany. The trade body’s vice president Shabbir Mansha said Pakistan could benefit from Germany through technology transfer as Germany was one of the most advanced countries in the world technologically. He requested the visiting diplomat that German Embassy should consider making visa issuance process speedy and more forthcoming for Pakistan as big number of businessmen, workers, tourists and students wanted to go to Germany for their respective fields of interest.

Sahibzadi Mahin Khan, convener of FPCCI’s standing committee on diplomatic affairs, proposed that the scope of German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) programs should be expanded to other provinces of Pakistan.

The German diplomat also expressed his concerns for millions of flood affectees in Pakistan. The total cost of rehabilitation and reconstruction might be as high as $30 billion, he said.