Ethiopian envoy visits FPCCI

LAHORE: Ethiopia's ambassador to Pakistan on Friday urged the business community to explore the lucrative market of Ethiopia, which he said was a gateway to the African continent of more than 1.4 billion people.

Jemal Beker Abdula, who is also the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, said his country aimed to increase its trade with Pakistan from $1 billion to $5 billion in the near future.

"The Ethiopian Airlines would soon start its flight service from Lahore and Islamabad, in addition to Karachi, to facilitate trade and tourism between the two countries," Abdula said. The envoy was speaking at a meeting with the office bearers and members of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) at its regional office in Lahore.

He said the embassy of Ethiopia in Islamabad had mobilized a 75-member trade delegation to Ethiopia last March, which helped connect the business communities of both countries and explore potential areas of cooperation.

Zaki Aijaz, the regional chairman and vice president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, thanked the ambassador for his visit and expressed his interest in enhancing trade and investment ties with Ethiopia.

Regional chairman and vice president Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Zaki Aijaz said Ethiopia presents immense opportunities for partnership and investment.

"We suggest entering into the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Ethiopia because the country is still a member of WTO, and the trade negotiations must include only the products that must bring trade surplus for Pakistan," Aijaz said.

He said that Ethiopia should explore Pakistani agricultural products, paper & paperboard products, leather products, products of steel and iron, road tractors, and parts and accessories for tractors—pharmaceutical and surgical products and cement.