Islamabad: Pakistan Businesses Forum (PBF) says China Pakistan Economic Corridor has played a pivotal role in channeling the notion of economic diplomacy in policy making arenas. “Indubitably CPEC has potential to become a breeding ground for Pakistan’s venture of economic diplomacy not only through special economic zones but also enhancing regional connectivity in multifarious manner”.
Addressing the executive committee, PBF Deputy Secretary General (Economic) Dr Laraib Elahi said that it’s a widely accepted fact that economy is central to foreign policy and is curated in accordance to it. Perhaps Geo-economics shapes geopolitics thus in order to build, maintain regional influence and relevance it’s suicidal to ignore mammoth potency of economic amplification through diplomatic means, It’s an unforgivable tool of National security therefore bifurcating economic policy and foreign policy isn’t wise.
She said west being far ahead rest of the world cognised the paramountcy of economic diplomacy by setting up European union- the biggest trade bloc, with more than 100 countries in trade relations- is the epitome of building trade superstructure over diplomatic infrastructure. The EU started its envious journey from a treaty of merely six countries trading in just two goods (European Coal and Steel community) ultimately coalasing whole continent. Former being a more exclusive or based upon geographical contiguity , World also witnessed economic ventures propelled by diplomacy across the continents , between former rivals , it is no exaggeration to state that economic interests have overhauled geopolitics in contemporary world. With economic diplomacy given core place in Pakistan’s foreign policy framework yet meager implementation is observed.
PBF official further said that it’s also been observed that Pakistan’s trade outreach is limited to European a state that stretches to American continent for most. If its coupled with aggressive yet prudent diplomacy supplemented with local think tanks, or NGOs the reach can turn Global in no time. No doubt the centre of gravity for the global economy has shifted from West to Asia and Africa, later being labelled as the ‘Continent of the Future’ owing to its promising economic potential, lucrative investment. In this regard we need to diversify its exports.
According to USDA, Pakistan’s domestic rice consumption is 3.7 million tonnes, with an exportable supply of 7.3 million tonnes for 2021-22, this large surplus is an opportunity to bolster exports, it could only happened through rigorous and keen economic diplomacy tide could turn in favour of Pakistan.
However here a dire needs to institutionalize the ethos of economic diplomacy from top to bottom to keep pace with rest of the world; laraib added.
