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ISLAMABAD: The Board of Investment (BoI), in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), is organizing a two-day workshop on investment facilitation for development (IFD) and the need assessment. The workshop, which began here on Monday, is aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s understanding and implementation of the WTO’s Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement to attract and retain sustainable foreign investment. Ali Sarfraz Hussain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO; Jamil Ahmad Qureshi, Secretary, Board of Investment; Claudia Locatelli, Counsellor, Trade in Services and Investment Division, WTO; and Quan Zhao, Senior Programme Manager, Trade Policy, ITC will participate in the events. Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain stated that the purpose of the workshop is to ensure that the investment process in Pakistan becomes smooth, transparent, and predictable. He emphasized that implementing the WTO Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement will help Pakistan identify the right pathways for reform, enhance coordination between public and private sector institutions, and improve the country’s overall investment ecosystem. In his welcome address, Secretary BoI, Jamil Ahmad Qureshi, expressed his appreciation to the WTO, ITC, and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO. He remarked that Pakistan’s active participation in the IFD Agreement reflects the country’s strong commitment to fostering a transparent, predictable, and business-friendly investment environment. The workshop, he added, serves as a milestone in assessing Pakistan’s existing investment facilitation framework, identifying potential gaps, and developing an implementation roadmap aligned with international best practices. Secretary Qureshi further noted that investment facilitation requires a “whole-of-government” approach, reinforcing the joint efforts of the BoI and the SIFC to fast-track investment procedures and ensure policy continuity. The participation of stakeholders from across institutions demonstrates Pakistan’s resolve to strengthen coordination and promote sustainable investment practices. Experts from the WTO and ITC conducted technical sessions focusing on the IFD Agreement’s provisions, including transparency in investment measures, streamlining of procedures, and improving institutional coordination. Quan Zhao, Senior Programme Manager, Trade Policy, ITC, led a focused session on Leveraging Digital Tools for Investment Facilitation. His presentation highlighted international best practices for developing effective Investment Portals, emphasizing the use of technology to ensure ease of access to information, simplified application processes, and reduced time and cost for investors seeking licenses and permits in Pakistan. The workshop also featured a critical session on Institutional Coordination for IFD Implementation led by Rashid S, a key expert from the WTO/Government of Pakistan. This session emphasized the necessity of a “whole-of-government” strategy, detailing mechanisms for effective collaboration among central ministries, provincial authorities, and regulatory agencies to create a unified and predictable investor experience across the country. Along with this, participants were engaged in self-assessment exercises to identify national needs and priorities for effective implementation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
