Remarks of the Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Virtual Business Seminar for Registration of Pakistani Vendors with United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGP)
Distinguished representatives of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries across Pakistan, Members of the Business and Trade Associations, Pakistani businessmen and women, and colleagues from the United Nations Secretariat,
Assalam u Alaikum!
Good morning!
I am delighted to be speaking to you today at this Virtual Business Seminar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan has organized on my instructions in collaboration with the United Nations Secretariat to promote participation and registration of Pakistani Vendors with the United Nations Global Marketplace.
The United Nations regularly procures substantial amount of goods and services from suppliers all over the world to support its activities and operations across the globe. Last year alone, the UN procurement stood at 29.6 billion USD. Share of some countries like USA and Mexico in the total procurement was more than 2.3 billion USD each, while countries like China, Switzerland and India provided goods and services worth more than 1 billion USD each per year.
The scale of UN procurement presents exciting prospects to the Pakistani businessmen and women. Pakistan has a thriving business community with a highly promising and vibrant entrepreneurial culture. However, this has remained untapped vis-à-vis UN procurement.
The purpose of organizing this business seminar is awareness raising and capacity building for Pakistani businesses to provide a better understanding of the UN procurement system, helping them to tap into this valuable business opportunity and expand Pakistan’s share in the UN procurement volume.
I am hopeful that this webinar will go a long way in not just helping create an understanding of the UN Procurement System, but also connecting, integrating and capacity matching of Pakistani Businesses with it and enabling them to supply high quality Pakistani goods and services to the UN particularly in its peace operations and humanitarian work globally.
I extend my best wishes to all participants and hope that you all have a fruitful and interactive engagement.