Ambassador of Belgium

As the patron in chief of this association, it gives me great pleasure to extend my appreciation to the Pakistan-Belgium Luxembourg Business Forum on the launch of its new internet website. In close cooperation with the honorary Consulate of Belgium in Karachi, PBBF has been instrumental in supporting the embassy’s activities in the country’s main international trade hub. I form the wish that PBLBF further thrives by expanding its member base and identifying new avenues for bilateral cooperation between Pakistani businesses and their Belgian counterparts.

Belgian authorities have long acknowledged the positive contribution of PBBF to the Belgian economy, and grant the association a yearly subsidy. I believe Belgium’s and Pakistan’s economies are complementary in many ways, and that the expertise of Belgian companies in key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, food processing, chemical industry - to name but a few - can prove invaluable in the transformation of Pakistan’s economy, based on the shared perception that Pakistan needs trade, not aid.

In this connection, I warmly encourage PBLBF members to further explore areas in which Pakistani and Belgian companies can intensify their cooperation, tapping into the vast reservoir of business ventures present in Karachi, and wish PBLBF all the best in its endeavors.

Frédéric Verheyden
Ambassador