ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Rwanda have discussed a proposal to link Karachi Port with East African exports through a direct maritime corridor to Djibouti and Mombasa to bolster regional and global trade, the Maritime Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday.
The development came during a meeting between Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Rwandan Ambassador Hararimana Fatou in Islamabad.
Pakistan’s position on the Arabian Sea already gives it a strategic advantage in linking Gulf energy exporters with China and Central Asia. As regional trade and shipping routes expand, Islamabad seeks to position its ports as key hubs in new transport corridors.
“Direct maritime corridor to Djibouti and Mombasa is required,” the Maritime Affairs Ministry quoted Chaudhry as saying.
“The new shipping line is expected to reduce time and cost significantly,” he continued. “Pakistan [also] wants to make Gwadar an export hub for African trade.”
Gwadar Port, a deep-sea facility on Pakistan’s southwestern coast, sits near the Arabian Gulf and key global shipping routes.
As part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, it aims to boost trade, attract investment and connect China and Central Asia to global markets.
On the occasion, the Rwandan envoy called for establishing business-to-business forums between the two countries.
“Rwanda can increase trade through East African ports,” the ministry quoted her as saying.
Pakistan has been planning Saudi-linked port and shipping projects, including new gateway terminals, direct shipping routes and green ship-recycling yards, as part of efforts to become a logistics bridge between the Gulf, Central Asia and China.
Karachi Port and Port Qasim, Pakistan’s two largest and busiest seaports, handle most of the country’s container and cargo traffic.
