Pakistan ready to promote trade and exports with Africa through Ethiopia: ICCI
Addis Ababa March 14, 2023 (FBC) – A delegation of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari returned to their country from Ethiopia on Monday after attending the Pakistani- Ethiopia Business Forum, which was inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia.
About 70 delegates from Pakistan including ICCI delegation members were in attendance at the Business Forum, said a social media post by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
According to ICCI, the delegation also met with Ethiopia’s political leadership, businessmen, government officials and the local community.
Giving an overview of the visit, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the visit of the Pakistani delegation would start a new chapter of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia and boost business and investment relations between the two countries.
He said that Africa was a huge market of over 1.4 billion people and Pakistan has huge potential to promote trade and exports with Africa through Ethiopia.
He added that the visit of Pakistan’s business delegation to Ethiopia would make positive progress towards the objectives of Look Africa Policy.
According to him Pakistan’s two close friends Turkiye and China had made good investments in Ethiopia and Africa, which provides Pakistani investors better confidence to explore Ethiopia for business and investment opportunities.
He indicated that the Ethiopian airline, which is covering around 130 destinations of the world, is going to start direct flights with Pakistan in April which would further strengthen business relations between the two countries.
Ahsan Bakhtawari also said that the delegation was very satisfied with their visit to Ethiopia and many of them had shown interest to invest in industrial parks, textiles, pharma & chemical production plants in Ethiopia.
He lauded the Ethiopian Ambassador Jemal Bakr Abdula for mobilizing the business community of Pakistan for this visit.
He also appreciated Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Shozab Abbas for his full cooperation and support to the delegation in Ethiopia.
The President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry finally hoped that the historic visit of the Pakistani delegation would boost Pakistan-Ethiopia bilateral trade and economic relations and brings both countries’ even closer.
By: Yonathan Yoseph