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USAID holds virtual roundtable to discuss business opportunities

LAHORE: New investment opportunities in Punjab dominated the discussion for Pakistani business leaders during a virtual roundtable, hosted by the the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

According to a handout issued here on Saturday, USAID’s Provincial Director for Punjab Kevin Sharp and Deputy Director Innovation and Partnerships Unit, USAID, Islamabad Kanwal Bokharey moderated the discussion which was participated by leaders in the pharmaceutical, dairy, livestock, packaging, energy, digital technology, textiles and education sectors.

The virtual roundtable focused on challenges faced by the private sector and potential investment opportunities in Punjab. Participants also discussed areas where USAID and the private sector could collaborate and benefit from each other’s expertise and resources.

The US government works with the public and private sector to address social, economic, and humanitarian development challenges in Pakistan using a mix of financial and non-financial resources and a co-creation approach to mobilize resources from Pakistani and US companies. USAID is expanding engagement with the private sector to achieve outcomes of shared interest across sectors and geographies.

The US officials also introduced the participants to the newly established US International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC) to explore possible areas for financing private ventures. IDFC partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today.

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.