Ethiopian Official Praised Pakistan for its 'Engage Africa Policy'

Ethiopia's Ambassador to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula praised Islamabad for its "Engage Africa" policy which looks to strengthen trade and economic development.

According to the ambassador, Africa is becoming a "major destination for all the big investors around the world" due to its rapid development.

“It is my firm belief that the current century belongs to Africa… Gone are the days when Africa was portrayed by the world as a gloomy and underdeveloped place, marred by civil wars and backwardness,” he pointed out.

The ambassador underlined that since the turn of the century, African countries' governance styles and political stability have improved noticeably.

He also predicted that by 2050, Africa will house a quarter of the world's population, shaping the planet's future.

“Africa’s unprecedented population growth will have an impact on geopolitics, global trade, workforce, and other dominant prospects,” he indicated.

In particular, the ambassador drew attention to the importance of economic cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia. He claimed that Ethiopia played a leading role in pan-African affairs since the colonial period and remains one of the countries shaping political, socioeconomic and regional integration.

“It is also imperative for the Pakistani government to strengthen its relations with Ethiopia, which is a gateway to Africa and connects the former with the latter,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ambassador noted that Ethiopia is a producer of clean energy, which it both consumes and supplies to neighboring countries such as Djibouti, Kenya, and Sudan.

“My country has almost completed the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam which is being built on the Nile River and is set to produce 6,500 MW of clean electricity that can be sold at a cheap price to neighboring countries and other regions," he said.

He stated that Ethiopia is willing to strengthen bilateral relationship with Pakistan, and that the "opening of our mission in Islamabad reflects our commitment in this regard."

“Currently, bilateral trade between the two countries is minimal and amounts to 78 million US dollars, however, my target is to take it to 200 million US dollars by the end of 2023,” the ambassador pointed out.

The current Pakistani government launched the "Engage Africa" initiative in 2019 in an effort to strengthen political, diplomatic, and economic ties with the African continent, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and revitalize Pakistan's "long-standing" partnership with Africa.

Two years prior to this, Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce launched the "Look Africa" initiative, relocating six commercial sections from Europe to Africa. Currently, they are established in nine African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, and Sudan.

Experts of Islamabad’s Institute of Policy Studies note that the initiatives began to pay off in 2020, even despite the COVID-19-related challenges, as Pakistan's trade with Africa increased by 7%.

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Notably, before the implementation of the "Engage Africa" policy, Pakistan had only 14 missions in 54 African countries, according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry briefing. Today, Islamabad has opened five additional missions in Africa, it has also relocated six commercial wings, appointed 26 honorary councils, established an Africa Fund of 100 million rupees (around $446,000), expanded bilateral consultations, and made significant progress on visa abolition agreements and defense cooperation with a number of African countries.

The ministry underlined the importance of further development of the bilateral political ties and the need for expansion of the high-level engagements and delegation exchanges with African countries.

Ethiopia Praises Pakistan for its 'Engage Africa' Policy