Paul Ederer, Outgoing Economic Secretary – Dutch Embassy, visited the OICCI on May 31, 2023, to introduce his successor, Heske Van Boekel, Incoming Economic Secretary – Dutch Embassy, along with Sundus Munawwar, Policy Officer, Economic Affairs – Dutch Embassy and Yasir Farooqui. The delegation was welcomed by M. Abdul Aleem, Secretary General – OICCI, Syed Wajahat Ali, Company Secretary, Manager Tax & Compliance Officer – Signify Pakistan, Ali Ata, Director Customer Supply Chain – Friesland Campina Engro Pakistan, and Kashif Shafi, Executive Director – OICCI.

Abdul Aleem shared a detailed presentation to brief Heske Van Boekel on OICCI’s profile, a snapshot of our members’ contribution to the economy, the role of the Chamber in facilitating FDI in the country, and recent research studies done by the chamber, including the results of the latest Security, IPR, and Remittance Surveys.

Discussing the economic situation, the Dutch delegation was briefed about the current challenges, key pain points, and how OICCI members are navigating through the landscape, along with OICCI’s efforts and interactions with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on the remittance challenges being faced by members.

OICCI has, in interactions with ministries and government departments consistently focused on opting for a predictable, consistent, and transparent policy framework and its implementation, broadening the tax base, a progressive Industrial and Investment policy, and making Pakistan visible at international forums along with continuous engagement with OICCI members.

Paul Ederer appreciated OICCI’s efforts in sharing a holistic and objective view of the business environment in Pakistan with their in-depth analysis of the current economic situation. Heske Van Boekel shared that she was looking forward to engaging with OICCI during her tenure.