ISLAMABAD: Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan, Jemal Beker Abdula has said that his country considers Pakistan as a strategic and reliable partner and that both the countries were determined to enhance their bilateral relations especially business and trade ties.
Speaking during a meeting with President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari and other office bearers at Chambers on Friday, he said that Ethiopia has been striving to connect the whole region by sharing its resources with brotherly countries to ensure just and equitable development across the region.
Envoy Jemal Beker Abdula expressed gratitude for the support of Pakistan government in the start of Ethiopian Airlines’ operations in Karachi which was playing an important role in implementing ‘Look Africa and Engage Africa’ policy of Pakistan to strengthen G2G, P2P and B2B relations between the two countries.
He added that his country wants to increase trade volume between the two countries and that for this purpose he was doing his best to start the Ethiopian Airlines’ operations from Lahore and Islamabad and that he was also contemplating to arrange a trip of business community to Ethiopia in the month of May.
President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan highly values its ties with Ethiopia including trade and economic relations and that Ethiopian Airlines’ was playing an important role in the promotion of the two countries’ relations.
He said that expansion of Ethiopian Airlines operation to Lahore and Islamabad will surely connect Pakistan with African continent and prove beneficial for the business community of both the sides.
He added that the Pakistani business community was excited to reach out to Ethiopian entrepreneurs to explore new avenues of businesses and that Ambassador’s plan to arrange a visit of businessmen to Ethiopia will be a milestone in strengthening two countries connectivity.
Ahsan Zafar Bakhtwari stated that ICCI was also planning to hold a Tourism Summit in May or June to which Ethiopian businessmen relating to Tourism will also be invited.
The Ambassador highly appreciated the idea of former President ICCI Zafar Bakhtawari that ICCI would like to hold a Pakistan-Africa Business Forum in coming May by saying that it will definitely play a vital role in further bringing the business communities of Pakistan and Africa.
Executive Members Ch. Muhammad Ali, Raja Muhammad Imtiaz and former SVP ICCI Chaudhry Khalid also attended the meeting.
