Envoy for furthering Pak-Ethiopia ties

Says both countries have enormous potential for bilateral trade in diverse fields

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia H. E. Jemal Beker on Friday urged academia to play their due role to bring the people of Ethiopia and Pakistan closer by bolstering bilateral ties between the two countries.

“The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Pakistan has been striving to bolster people-to-people ties between the two countries by establishing institutional linkages, but the academia of both the countries must come forward for the purpose,” the ambassador said while addressing the Pak-Ethiopia pre-delegation forum titled ‘Explore Emerging Giant of Africa-Ethiopia’ at the University of Sialkot.

He said bright minds were groomed and ideas were created in educational institutions which did not only contribute to the betterment of society but also connected the globe. Moreover, he said it was vital for the business community to connect the two countries that have huge potential for bilateral trade in the diverse sectors of economy including manufacturing, agriculture, agro-processing, textile, cement, chemicals, technology, fertilizer, steel and pharmaceutical sectors.

He said that Pakistan needed to increase its footprint in Africa especially Ethiopia which is a gateway to the continent of 1.4 billion people. He also said that the embassy has planned a five-day trade delegation that would subsidised airfares and accommodation, business-to-business and government-to-business meetings as well as grand receptions and cultural nights hosted by the country’s leadership on March 5, 2023.

“Do not mislocate yourself as this is the right time to enter Ethiopia as it will connect you with the entire Africa,” he remarked. He said that Ethiopia was the fastest-growing economy in the world and offered lucrative business, trade and investment opportunities with a cheap cost of production including clean energy and skilled labour.

“We have almost completed the largest Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with 6,500 MW of capacity,” he said, adding that his country had already been exporting energy to South Sudan, Djibouti and others. He claimed that the government of Ethiopia was supportive of the foreign investors as it has opened up its economy and was encouraging the private sector to take lead in the development of the country.

In this regard, multiple incentives and one-window services were among the other initiatives to attract Foreign Direct Investment, he added.

On the occasion, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Abdul Ghaffor Malik said that there was a huge trade, business and investment potential in Africa that Pakistan needed to explore to increase its exports. He suggested active engagement of Pakistani businessmen with their counterparts in Africa and exchange trade delegations with African countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2023.