Pakistan, Ethiopia envisage trilateral maritime alliance

Plan to sign deal, also involving Djibouti, to boost Asia-Africa trade

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Ethiopia have agreed to explore the establishment of a trilateral maritime alliance, potentially involving Djibouti, aimed at enhancing trade connectivity between Asia and Africa.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Ethiopian Ambassador Dr Oumer Hussein, who called on the minister for the first time after assuming his diplomatic assignment. The two sides reviewed proposals and measures to expand bilateral trade and economic engagement.

Junaid Anwar underscored Pakistan's growing focus on expanding maritime links with African nations and proposed the formation of a three-country alliance comprising Pakistan, Djibouti and Ethiopia. He noted that the framework could be expanded to include more countries based on mutual consultations.

The minister highlighted that despite being a landlocked country, Ethiopia could significantly enhance its trade capacity by utilising the Port of Djibouti under a structured maritime arrangement. He added that a formal agreement could be signed following the completion of necessary groundwork.

Ambassador Oumer Hussein welcomed the proposal and emphasised the need for technical consultations between experts from both sides, which designated focal persons to deliberate on operational modalities and develop a practical framework for the proposed alliance.

The envoy appreciated Pakistan's outreach under its "Look Africa" and "Engage Africa" policies, describing them as reflective of a strong commitment to building enduring partnerships with East African nations. He noted that Ethiopia imports pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, garments, fertilisers, rice and food products and expressed optimism about further expanding bilateral and regional cooperation under the proposed maritime framework.