Srinagar, May 22 (KNS): In his first ever visit to Kashmir, H.E Jan Luykx the Ambassador of Kingdom of the Belgium along with Alexis Bossuyt, Commercial Counsellor in India on Tuesday met Chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashmir, Mushtaq Ahmed Chaya and other state expert Committee chairman’s of PHD Chamber Kashmir in Srinagar.
An interactive meeting was organized by PHD Chamber Kashmir to search out the possibilities and opportunities for the trade and economic relations between J&K and Belgium.
The Ambassador briefed the PHDCCI Chairman and its members about various opportunities Belgium presents for Companies in the Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Education, Horticulture sectors. Ambassador called for a closer cooperation between PHD Chamber and Belgium in technology transfer and development in the renewable, Agriculture, Horticulture, Water and Lake Management.
While addressing the session, Luykx said that the prospective areas that Belgium intends to explore in future are various as Belgium has highly specialized companies which can bring scientific & technical know-how in the sectors of clean tech, renewable energy, food processing, infrastructure much of which are the central themes and focus areas of the present India Government.
The PHD Chamber impressed upon the Ambassador that since Belgium being the founding member of European Union and “we expect that the Belgium will take a step forward to ease out the adverse travel advisory on Kashmir and will advocate the other EU countries to ease out the adverse travel advisory on Kashmir and it was discussed to provide a space for the promotion of Kashmir Tourism in Cultural Festival and also in other Tourism Events of Belgium.”
The representatives of PHDCCI Kashmir Chapter also requested the Ambassador to arrange a football coach for Kashmir football players and teams as Kashmir also shares the passion for the sport. And also to organize a friendly football U-19 Match between a Belgium team and Kashmiri Players.
Apart from Tourism, other sectors were also taken up and thoroughly discussed like Agriculture, Horticulture and there technological aspect, FMCG Sector & Cold Chain Food processing. The Commercial Counsellor discussed about the India-Belgium Agriculture opportunities Galore.
He said that upcoming Agro-Fare is going to take place in India on 5th Dec wherein Agriculture Expertise of Belgium will be participating and suggested PHDCCI Kashmir Chapter and its representative to participate in the Agro-Fare.
The meeting was attended by the Ex Minister Dilawar Mir, Vicky Shaw, Jaan Muhammad Kaul, Bilal Kawoosa, Showket Chowdhary, Tariq Ghani, Shahana Fatima, Baber Chowdhary, Nasir Shah and Regional Officer of PHDCCI J&K Iqbal Fayaz Jan. (KNS)