Pakistan Ambassador Briefing: Growing Trade and Investment with Georgia

Global Atlanta, the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, and the law offices of Miller & Martin are delighted to host a business briefing with Ambassador Masood Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States. 

Over lunch, Ambassador Khan will participate in an interview with Global Atlanta Managing Editor Trevor Williams, followed by a moderated audience Q&A. 

Proposed Topics of Discussion:

• Objectives for the ambassador’s Georgia visit
• Engaging with the Pakistani diaspora and business community to drive trade growth
• Global health collaboration with Atlanta-based nonprofits and institutions
• Growth of Pakistan’s diplomatic presence in the U.S. (Atlanta consulate?)
• Understanding Pakistan’s current political challenges
• Checking in on U.S.-Pakistan bilateral ties in the context of China-US rivalry
• Improvements to the Pakistani business climate and efforts to grow U.S. direct investment

Background:

With more than 220 million people, Pakistan is the fifth largest country in the world by population, but only the 44th largest economy, exhibiting great potential for growth. While managing a complex security relationship, the U.S. has deepened development assistance and global health collaboration with Pakistan, while focusing on energy, entrepreneurship and business climate on the economic front. 

Along with being the country’s largest export destination, the United States has been one of the top investors in Pakistan over the last two decades, with major U.S. investments concentrated in consumer goods, chemicals, energy, agriculture, business, transportation and communications. The state of Georgia’s exports to Pakistan totaled $293.7 million last year. Total trade between Georgia and Pakistan amounted to $756.7 million.

Top Five Export Products: Cotton; Ferrous Waste and Scrap; Chemical Woodpulp; Computers; Petroleum Gases. Georgia exports to Pakistan have increased more than 1,684% over the last 20 years. Top customers for Georgia agriculture include China, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey. 

Georgia has a sizable and active Pakistani diaspora, which has drawn increased interest from the country’s consulate in Houston. Last year, the consul general there announced that Pakistan would begin the process of locating a new consulate general in metro Atlanta, a process that could take many years.

Ambassador Khan will speak about efforts to deepen ties between Pakistan and the Southeast U.S. and bolster investment and trade links with Georgia. 

About the Ambassador:

Ambassador Masood Khan is currently serving as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States.

He was the President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from August 2016 to August 2021. Immediately before becoming the President he was the Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, one of the top think tanks in Pakistan. 

Ambassador Masood Khan had a distinguished diplomatic career. Most notably, he served as:

• Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2005;
• Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2005 to 2008;
• Pakistan’s Ambassador to China from 2008 to 2012; and
• Pakistan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Headquarters, New York, from 2012 to 2015.

In his earlier diplomatic career, he held important diplomatic positions in China, The Netherlands, United Nations (New York) and the USA (Washington D.C. from 1997 to 2002).

In New York, Ambassador Khan represented Pakistan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2012 to 2013 and became the President of the Security Council in January 2013. 

While in New York, he was also: 

• Vice President of the Economic and Social Council,
• Vice President of the UN General Assembly and
• President of the Executive Board of UNICEF.

Ambassador Masood Khan also remained Pakistan’s Chief Negotiator (Sherpa) for the US-led Nuclear Security Summits, from 2009 to 2015. 

In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has served as Director General United Nations, Director General Nuclear Disarmament, Director General Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Director General East Asia and Pacific. Earlier, he was Director Secretary General’s Office and Director International Conferences.