East and Central African countries- Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea have expressed their willingness to forge meaningful ties in various fields with Pakistan.
Pakistan has been lobbying with African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and succeeded in effectively highlighting position of Pakistan and enlisting support of African states.
Pakistan's diplomatic missions in East and Central Africa made efforts to enlist support for common objectives of like-minded Group concerning United Nations Security Council Reforms.
Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya Syed Zahid Hussain said: "we undertook concerted efforts to make leadership in East & Central African countries aware of rotation model for expansion of UN Security Council."
"I interacted with leadership of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea (countries of my accreditation). Special Envoy of President Pervez Musharraf in his recent visit had meetings with leaders of these states at the highest level,' High Commissioner added.
Talking to visiting Pakistani journalists in Nairobi, he said an expert from Pakistan Ordnance Factories held talks with military leadership and related organisations of Kenya and Tanzania during his recent visit.
The visits by Pakistan National Defence College team to Kenya in years 2004 and 2005 provided great opportunity to know the leadership in armed forces and their needs. Kenyan National Defence College team would visit Pakistan next year.
Pakistani peace keeping troops are stationed in Burundi, Eastern Congo & Eritrea. Pakistani naval officers team recently visited Asmara to assist Eritrea develop its military institutions in line with those in Pakistan.
He said Pakistan and Kenya would hopefully sign Preferential Trade Agreement by end of this year. Pakistan would hold a single country trade goods exhibition in Nairobi in November next while its warehousing scheme would be operational in Kenyan capital later this month. He described 16 percent Pakistan's exports to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eritrea out of total exports of $500 million to African states per annum as "very significant."
The implementation of suppliers credit scheme to Kenyan businessmen importing goods from Pakistan is close to fruition. Pakistani businessmen and visitors in transit now find it convenient to obtain visa on arrival at Kenyan airports. Kenya imposed 45 percent additional duty on Pakistani rice.