The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Pakistan

Blurb: 

I believe that our contribution in the wider agricultural sector can be decisive to make this backbone of Pakistan’s economy ready to face world competition and claim its place among the top.

Evolve: Since the end of the Second World War, Belgium has developed into a prosperous welfare state. Being, also a founding member of the United Nations, NATO, OECD, WTO and the European Union with a dedicated and constructive role, how do you elucidate this growth? 

Peter Claes: Belgium was, after England, the second country in the world to adopt the industrial revolution, based on a century’s old tradition of manufacturing and trade. At the beginning of the First World War, Belgium was among the richest countries in the world in absolute terms. Both World Wars brought widespread devastation to the country, which was unable to maintain its neutrality. From 1945 onwards, Belgium unconditionally embraced multilateralism supported by strong bilateral relations, openness to the world and intensive international cooperation in all fields. The Marshall Plan helped to rebuild the country, but it are Belgium’s vital position in the world, its international networks, pluricultural tradition and education policies that are at the heart of its enduring success and attractiveness to foreign investors and the international community at large, many of whom choose Belgium as their headquarters.

Evolve: Belgium is a key international economic player, ranked 13th in the world for both exports and imports by the World Trade Organization. How did a small country like Belgium achieve this status?

Peter Claes: Belgium is indeed often ranked as the most globalized country in the world: Belgian exports amount to more than 60% of its GDP. It has always been able to compensate for its rather small size with an open economy, a highly competitive industry and service sector and a strong integration into the globalized world. 

Belgium is the political, economic and geographic gateway to Europe as it provides the connection with the European market of 500 million consumers. Thanks to our high-quality inter-modal logistical infrastructure, incorporating seaports and inland ports, canals, airports, rail and road networks, our transport systems are continually adjusting to the needs of today’s economy. To give you one example, the Port of Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe and has the biggest petrochemical complex in Europe. Antwerp is also the diamond capital with 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and 50% of the cut diamonds.

There are other factors why Belgium is such an attractive country for investment: our highly skilled multilingual and flexible workforce, the desire to be close to the European and international decision-makers in Brussels, a host of financial and tax incentives, affordable property prices, the exceptional social security and, not to be forgotten, the excellent quality of life that people in Belgium enjoy.   

Evolve: We sometimes hear about divisions between the Dutch-speaking community in Flanders and the French-speaking community in the south. How serious are they?

Peter Claes: After decades of peaceful constitutional reforms, Belgium has been gradually turned into a federal state made up of three communities - Flemish, French and German-speaking - and three regions – Brussels-capital, Flanders and Wallonia. These communities and regions have a high degree of autonomy and have their own legislative and executive bodies. This system, of course, makes for a rather complex political landscape. It is important to note that the backbone of the Belgian political system is historically located at a very strong local level. This is a stabilizing force, close to the daily concerns of the Belgian citizens.

All countries in which different languages are spoken, often reflecting different cultural traditions, invariably encounter political issues that sometimes lead to crises. In Belgium, the different political parties and stakeholders are in an almost constant negotiation in order to find a political compromise on all issues affecting government. Our constitution offers a system of checks and balances which includes several procedures to address the conflicts of interest between the linguistic communities. It is true that the dialogue is not always easy, but at least there is a mechanism ensuring it and, importantly, there has not been any violence or societal tension. 

Evolve: How do you see Pakistan as a country and how would you compare Pakistan with other countries you have served in?

Peter Claes: All countries in the world are fundamentally different and comparisons are invariably inadequate. Having the privilege to serve a second term in Pakistan, I am more than ever convinced of the future of Pakistan as a strong nation. Although the certain fundamental societal challenges have not seen any improvement over time (it is sufficient to study the United Nations Human Development Index or the state of public education in the country), even on the contrary, the country has progressed in other areas, like agriculture and infrastructure. Pakistan is fundamentally a self-sufficient country possessing all the tools to secure its future prosperity and tackle its real challenges like the disastrous demographic evolution and severe environmental threats. Being literally a great nation, Pakistan can live up to the expectations. The people of Pakistan, talented and industrious, are deserve genuine incentives to motivate them to remain in Pakistan and help further constructing their country. The responsibility is theirs, not that of outsiders.

Evolve: Belgium’s energy mix is well diversified: the country uses nuclear, fossil, wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric energy to generate electricity. How could Belgium assist Pakistan in overcoming its energy crisis?

Peter Claes: Belgium is not a donor to Pakistan, except when showing solidarity in coping with humanitarian disasters. Pakistan’s energy market is largely private, and Belgian companies have always been present as such, be it in the Uch Power Plants in Baluchistan or presently in supplying Pakistan with LNG. Belgium is also a player in the solar and wind energy sectors and our companies are either present or studying partnerships. All this happens purely through private companies. The role of the Belgian government, through its Embassy, is to advise and assist, not to materialize. Finally, I am proud to mention that Belgian technology is at the basis of the pioneer waste management efforts that have been initiated in large cities like Lahore and Gujranwala and spreading over Pakistan. Waste is also a quite valuable commodity and Pakistan has plenty of it.

Evolve: How do you evaluate Pakistan as a country, its people and their potential? How could Belgium benefit from Pakistan, a market of 200 million people?

Peter Claes: For Belgium, Pakistan is mainly an economic partner, based on strong people-to-people contacts. In the absence of any recent official development cooperation, Belgium strongly subscribes to the motto “trade not aid” and counts on both countries’ vibrant private sector to enhance bilateral ties, supported by entrepreneurship at all levels, creativity and exchange of R&D, especially through its youth. This is the ‘real Pakistan’ I constantly present and explain.

Evolve: Belgium is known for the high standards of its educational system, with many of its universities ranked in the global top-100. Is there any collaboration between Pakistani and Belgian universities? 

Peter Claes: Promoting academic cooperation has been one of the themes of my tenure as Ambassador. It is invariably a great pleasure and source of inspiration to visit universities throughout the country and interact with the academia and students. There is a tremendous amount of talent in Pakistan, and students from Pakistan are highly prized at Belgian universities. We promote such interaction. However, in a competitive globalized world and confronted with the reality that Pakistan is profoundly geared towards the Anglo-Saxon tradition of education; Belgian universities have not yet fully discovered Pakistan as a partner. There are nevertheless some seeds growing, like a HEC sponsored inter-university cooperation with Belgium in the area of transport, logistics and mobility, and also interest to engage in concrete cooperation in agriculture and biotechnology, not to mention medical and human sciences or engineering.

Evolve: In your view what are the most promising sectors for Belgian businessmen to invest in Pakistan? 

Peter Claes: In the free market to which both Belgium and Pakistan belong, entrepreneurs find themselves opportunities, based on professional information sources. As official representatives, our role is merely to guide and advice based on our local knowledge and experience. This being said, companies from Belgium are looking for niche activities, being unable to tackle large-scale infrastructure works on their own. So they try to supply consortia with specific technologies and state-of-the-art supplies and services. Belgium has traditionally been active in Pakistan in the textile and chemical sectors, but our economic cooperation is definitely diversified and encompasses all sectors. Personally, I believe that our contribution in the wider agricultural sector can be decisive to make this backbone of Pakistan’s economy ready to face world competition and claim its place among the top. We fundamentally envisage this contribution as a partnership, a win-win situation. We are also convinced that this is the sustainable path to the durable development of Pakistan and its people.

Evolve: What is your vision to promote bilateral relations between Belgium and Pakistan?

Peter Claes: This vision is based, again, on the force of the private sector and entrepreneurship of both Belgian and Pakistani businesspeople. Of course, they need help from their respective authorities in the form of a conducive and enforced stable regulatory framework, information, security and stability. Pakistan’s image is strongly working against these important elements. The world is developing very fast and Pakistan cannot afford to lag behind as it has done too often in the past. The world is also a very competitive place in which countries cannot afford to be complacent. Change at all levels and in all sectors, especially Government is vital to both enhance progress and improve competitiveness. I am quite vocal in appealing to the political world, both in Belgium and in Pakistan, to leave traditional rhetoric and structures behind and engage in innovative thinking and solution finding. A lot remains to be done in this respect. It requires statesmanship because vested interests are invariably reluctant to leave their comfort zone. But whether they want to or not, the world is moving and we better learn to swim well fast!

Evolve: Do you have a special message for the readers of EVOLVE?

Peter Claes: Pakistan is a country in which people have a natural curiousness about the world and are extremely keen to interact with it. On the other hand, there is an acute lack of good information about this world, what it can do for Pakistan and vice versa. That same world is not well aware of the Pakistan’s fundamental strengths. Publications like EVOLVE, with high quality professional information at a truly international level and reaching many segments in Pakistan’s professional environment, are instrumental in providing such information and trigger interest and cooperation. I encourage EVOLVE to continue on this path and both thank and congratulate EVOLVE for its initiative to work with the diplomatic community in Pakistan to make this happen. The readers of EVOLVE get well worth for their money!