The launch of the Pakistan-Africa Economic Council (PAEC) in Islamabad was not simply the inauguration of another business forum. It was a recognition that Pakistan can no longer afford to overlook a continent of more than 50 countries, vast natural resources and a population of around 1.5 billion people. At the inaugural ceremony, Pakistan and African countries reaffirmed their ambition to take bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2030, while agreeing that the relationship must move beyond conventional diplomacy towards investment, business partnerships and long-term economic cooperation.

The gathering brought together ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls general from Rwanda, Mauritius, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia, along with senior government officials, representatives of chambers of commerce, business leaders and other stakeholders. The diversity of the participants itself was significant. It showed that the idea of a stronger Pakistan-Africa relationship is beginning to acquire an institutional and commercial dimension.

The discussions at the PAEC inaugural ceremony focused on trade, investment, economic cooperation and business-to-business connections. Participants stressed the need to bring the private sectors and chambers of commerce of both sides closer together and to develop long-term strategies for making better use of the resources and markets available in Pakistan and Africa.

This is precisely where PAEC can make a difference.

For too long, Pakistan's relationship with Africa has been discussed primarily in diplomatic terms. There have been official visits, diplomatic missions and political exchanges, but the economic relationship has remained well below its potential. The challenge now is to translate goodwill into factories, contracts, joint ventures, technology partnerships, investment and jobs.

Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Hiraj rightly described the establishment of PAEC as a milestone and congratulated its organisers. He noted that Africa's enormous population represented a major opportunity for Pakistan and emphasised the critical role of the private sector in expanding economic and trade relations.

His point deserves serious consideration. Governments can create policy frameworks and diplomatic channels, but businesses must ultimately carry the relationship forward. A Pakistani pharmaceutical company establishing a distribution network in Africa, an IT firm serving African clients, an agricultural enterprise developing a joint venture or a construction company participating in an African infrastructure project represents the kind of engagement that can give substance to the idea of economic diplomacy.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also welcomed the initiative, observing that a rising Africa and an emerging Pakistan possessed considerable potential for mutual growth. He expressed confidence that under the leadership of Ambassador (Retd.) Hamid Asgher Khan, PAEC could contribute to strengthening economic and commercial relations.

There was a particularly important message in these remarks: Pakistan should begin looking at Africa not simply as a collection of distant countries but as a major economic region with diverse and expanding markets.

Addressing the PAEC Conclave, the council's Patron-in-Chief, Ambassador (Retd.) Hamid Asgher Khan, described Africa as a "slumbering giant" that is awakening and is likely to play an increasingly important role in the global geo-economy. His assessment carries particular weight because of his seven years of diplomatic service in the African region.

After retiring from the Foreign Service, Ambassador Khan has chosen to devote another chapter of his career to connecting Pakistan with Africa. His message is straightforward: current bilateral trade is far below its real potential, and reaching the $15 billion target will require sustained engagement rather than occasional initiatives.

PAEC, in his vision, can serve as a catalyst.

He specifically identified information technology and services, pharmaceuticals, health and medical services and education as areas capable of transforming the economic relationship. Pakistan's IT sector, currently valued at around $2.7 billion in the context cited at the event, could significantly expand if stronger connections with African markets are developed.

This is an area where Pakistan should move quickly.

The digital economy has changed the traditional rules of international commerce. A Pakistani software developer does not necessarily need to establish a physical office in Nairobi, Kigali or Johannesburg before serving clients there. Likewise, African entrepreneurs should be able to connect directly with Pakistani manufacturers, technology companies, universities and service providers.

Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sardar Tahir Mehmood made this point particularly well while speaking as the guest of honour. He called for a fundamental shift from traditional diplomatic engagement towards a comprehensive economic partnership built around trade, investment, joint ventures, technology transfer and employment.

His observation that a young entrepreneur in Islamabad should be able to develop a business relationship with another young entrepreneur in Nairobi, Lagos, Kigali or Johannesburg without waiting for a conventional trade delegation points towards the future of economic diplomacy.

Digital connectivity can indeed become one of Pakistan's most effective instruments of engagement with Africa.

The private sector has an important institutional role to play as well. Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Atif Ikram Sheikh reaffirmed the importance of Africa for Pakistan and said FPCCI could serve as a bridge between the business communities of both sides. With 54 African countries carrying strategic importance for Pakistan, he stressed the need for practical measures to expand trade and discover new business opportunities.

Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Usman Shoukat likewise welcomed the establishment of PAEC and highlighted the importance of stronger economic and trade relations between Pakistan and African countries.

The presence of these business chambers alongside diplomats and policymakers is important. If Pakistan wants to reach $15 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, the relationship cannot remain confined to ministries and embassies. It must reach factories, boardrooms, universities, technology companies, farms, hospitals and entrepreneurial networks.

Pakistan already has products and expertise that can find markets in Africa. Agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical and sports goods, rice and other food products, engineering goods, construction, IT, education and healthcare all offer opportunities. At the same time, African countries can provide Pakistan with access to natural resources, new consumer markets, investment opportunities and strategic commercial partnerships.

The opportunity, however, should not be approached through an old-fashioned exporter-importer mindset. Pakistan should seek partnerships.

That means joint ventures rather than simply selling goods. Technology transfer rather than one-way transactions. Local investment rather than short-term market penetration. Educational exchanges rather than limited commercial contacts. Such an approach would make Pakistan a partner in Africa's economic growth while also opening new avenues for Pakistani businesses.

The establishment of PAEC under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Shahbaz Ali Malik is therefore timely. The council brings together diplomatic experience, private-sector initiative and a clear focus on Africa. Its ambition should be to make economic engagement continuous, organised and measurable.

Ambassador of Turkmenistan and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Islamabad Atadjan Movlam also welcomed the establishment of PAEC, underscoring the wider diplomatic significance of stronger economic connections.

This broader support should encourage Pakistan to think beyond the $15 billion figure. The target is important, but it should be viewed as a beginning rather than an end.

Pakistan needs new markets. Africa needs investment, technology, affordable products, skills and reliable partners. The two sides therefore have a natural basis for cooperation.

The real test for PAEC will now begin after the inaugural ceremony. Business delegations must lead to contracts. Meetings must lead to partnerships. Agreements must lead to investment. And investment must lead to employment and sustainable economic activity.

That is how an economic bridge is built—not with speeches alone, but one relationship, one investment and one successful partnership at a time.

Pakistan has spent years discussing the need to diversify its export destinations. Africa offers one of the clearest opportunities to do so. The continent is changing rapidly, and those who establish meaningful relationships today will be better positioned for tomorrow.

PAEC can help Pakistan seize that opportunity.

The $15 billion target is ambitious. But ambition is precisely what Pakistan's economic diplomacy needs. If the council succeeds in bringing governments, chambers, entrepreneurs and investors closer together, it could become much more than another business organisation.

It could become the bridge through which Pakistan and Africa discover the economic possibilities of a shared future.