The Niger government is planning to establish a special economic zone (SEZ) for Pakistan as it looks to attract investment and the manufacturing sector in the landlocked western African country.

The development was shared by Gado Sabo Muctar, Niger’s Minister of Industries and Commerce, during his meeting with Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar.

The visit of Niger's cabinet minister was aimed at building on the priorities set by Niger's Government to boost economic ties with Pakistan.

Muctar, in a statement from the ministry, said the prime focus is to set up a joint working group for exchange of experience at both policy and operational levels for setting up SEZs, so that both countries could establish long-term trade relations.

Bakhtyar in his remarks said the current Pakistani government had launched the ‘Look Africa Initiative’ which envisaged various measures to enhance trade with Africa and increase outreach to major African economies.

The federal minister said that Pakistan is willing to tap the huge potential of Niger's market through bilateral trade cooperation in fields of textile, auto industry, mining, and agriculture.

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He underlined the importance of enhancing economic outreach through a formal structure accompanied by regular high-level contacts, government-to-government, and business-to-business interactions. Bakhtyar proposed to form a working group on industrial cooperation under the Joint Ministerial Commission between Niger and Pakistan.

Secretary Industries and Production, Ahmed Ali Sirohry, Ambassador of Pakistan in Niger, and representative of business community of Niger and FPCCI Pakistan were also present at the meeting.