— Cabinet okays MoU for bilateral political consultations with Ethiopia, focusing cementing ties with Africa
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) with Ethiopia, as part of its efforts to improve relations with African countries.
The BPC mechanism will provide directions and substance to the relationship, maintaining a steady momentum to review bilateral cooperation and consultations on important bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest and concern.
According to sources in foreign ministry, the federal cabinet, through circulation of summary, has granted its necessary approval to sign MoU for BPC with Ethiopia.
Pursuant to Rule 16 (1) (h) of the Rules of Business 1973, approval of the Cabinet is solicited for signing of the MoU to establish BPC mechanism with Ethiopia.
“Draft MoU has been mutually agreed by both sides and has also been duly vetted from Law & Justice Division. Signing of the MoU would certainly add positive and substantive value to our ties with Ethiopia,” said sources.
The Foreign Minister has seen and authorized the submission of this summary before the cabinet, they added.
The sources informed that the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Demeke Mckonnen is set to visit Pakistan in May 2023 to inaugurate Ethiopian Airlines’ flight between Addis Ababa and Karachi, which will directly connect Pakistan with Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. The visit will also mark the formal inauguration of the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad, which became functional in July 2022, said sources.
The signing of the MOU is expected to add positive and substantive value to Pakistan’s ties with Ethiopia and other African nations, crucial in protecting and promoting Pakistan’s interests both bilaterally and at global and multilateral platforms, sources added
As per sources, the government’s “Engage Africa” policy focuses on revitalization and qualitatively enhancing political, diplomatic and trade ties with the African continent. The continent is the world’s largest geographic and political bloc.
Fostering good relations with African countries is crucial in protecting and promoting our important interests both bilaterally and at global and multilateral platforms (in the UN where all 54 African States are voting members whereas in OIC 26 out of 57 members are African nations, in Commonwealth 21 out of 56 members are African countries and 49 African states have membership out of total 134 members at G-77).
