Direct air links to further solidify ties: Amb. Arega
Pakistan greatly values its
relations with Ethiopia: Hina
Ethiopian embassy in Islamabad formally inaugurated;
committed to take relations to new heights: Amb. Jemal
Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: The State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has said Pakistan greatly values its relations with Ethiopia adding opening of the embassy in Islamabad would certainly further strengthen these relations.
She expressed these views on the occasion of the formal opening of the Ethiopian embassy in Pakistan. Ethiopian State Minister Ambassador Misganu Arega along with Hina Rabbani inaugurated the embassy. The Ethiopian State Minister had led a high level business delegation to Pakistan. The delegation arrived in Pakistan by the Ethiopian Airlines maiden flight that landed in Karachi from Addis Ababa on the night of May 8.
Minister Hina Rabbani Khar further said former Prime Minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto had inaugurated the Pakistan embassy in Ethiopia back in 1973. Since then both countries maintain excellent relations.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said that the new Ethiopian Embassy and the airlink would provide limitless opportunities to boost bilateral ties through enhanced trade and investment as well as people-to-people connections.
She said a country’s diplomacy must be geared towards opening doors and opportunities for its people, trade, and investment. Hina Rabbani Khar said the economic and developmental challenges of the two countries were similar but also, there was commonality in the resilience of the two people to achieve these goals.
She said Pakistan has always supported Africa throughout history.
Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan wished to engage with Africa meaningfully and partner in its growth and prosperity journey.
Highlighting the significance of direct flight operations by Ethiopian Airlines to Karachi, she said opening direct flights between the two countries would boost trade and people-to-people contacts. She expressed the hope that the new Embassy would be instrumental in materializing that potential for the mutual benefit of our countries.
She lauded the services of a new Ethiopian ambassador in Islamabad Jemal Beker Abdula, who made a mark in his short eight months.
In his remarks, Ethiopian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mesganu Arega said that the opening of the Ethiopian Embassy marked a new history in the diplomatic, political, economic, and social cooperation between the two countries.
He said the commencement of Ethiopian Airlines flight to Karachi would connect Pakistan with the “Land of Origins-Ethiopia” and more than 60 destinations in the continent of Africa and 130 more globally.
The state minister said the opening of the Embassy was a concrete example of the importance the Ethiopian government attached to its bilateral relations with Pakistan.
He said Ethiopia considered Pakistan as a strategically important and strong partner in Asia, and the signing of the Political Consultation guided the aspiration of the two governments and peoples to play their appropriate role in international issues like climate change, terrorism, migration, and peace and security.
Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula thanked to the government of Pakistan for extraordinary support to launch the airline and for providing a friendly environment for business. He further said that ever since his arrival in Pakistan he had tried his best to take bilateral relations to new horizons.
Ambassador Beker said Pakistan was a great country blessed with all sorts of resources adding he had received very warm welcome from the government of Pakistan and people of Pakistan. He said highest diplomatic skills were used to build relations between Ethiopia and Pakistan on sloid footings.
He said, Ethiopia and Pakistan established their bilateral diplomatic relation in 1950s, he said, adding the major initiatives including inauguration of Ethiopian Airlines and the Embassy in Pakistan and visit of over 70 Pakistani businessmen to Ethiopia had changed landscape of bilateral relations altogether.
