Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula on Friday said his country would bring Pakistan and Africa more close by connecting business community of both the areas through various initiatives.
Addressing the business fraternity here at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), he said businessmen from Pakistan and Africa were needed to establish regular contacts to boost trade, investment and tourism. However, the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia would take lead in increasing connectivity between them, he added.
“We will also hold business forums here in which business community from Africa and Pakistan will be invited for working out the ways to increase business and investment between the two areas,” he remarked.
Jemal Beker said the embassy had already taken an initiative of organizing 100-member business delegation to Ethiopia which would not bolster bilateral trade between the two countries, but also increase Pakistan’s footprint in the markets of African which had a population of 1.4 billion people.
The visit of Pakistani business delegation to Ethiopia would be remembered as “Hijra Trade” in the history, he said while calling the initiative “the most successful” in his life.
He said the business community from East African countries have been contacting him since the visit of trade delegation and evincing keen interest in promoting trade with Pakistan.
“Africa is endowed with great natural resources and close cooperation of Pakistan with Ethiopia would help it get better penetration in African region for trade and exports,” he said while pointing out huge presence of Turkiye, UAE, China and India’s business community in his country.
Many Pakistani products including textiles, pharmaceuticals, cement had great potential in Ethiopia and the business community of Pakistan could capitalize on this potential for exports, while also importing from Ethiopia agricultural products such as coffee, tea, oilseeds, pulse the ambassador noted.
Speaking at the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Pakistan and Ethiopia should sign a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) that would remove trade barriers and boost bilateral trade between Pakistan and Ethiopia.
He thanked the Ambassador and the Ethiopian authorities for giving warm reception and great hospitality to the ICCI delegation during its very successful visit to Addis Ababa from March 5-11, 2023.
