KARACHI, Oct 19 (APP): Ethiopia is the gateway to African countries, Pakistani investors will get more opportunities than in European market.
The industrialists will get the cheapest electricity in Ethiopia, said Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jamal Baker Abdullah during his interactive session with office bearers of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry here, said KATI release on Wednesday.
President Faraz-ur-Rehman, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, Honorary Consul General to Ethiopia Ibrahim Tawab, UBG Leader Khalid Tawab, Tariq Malik were also present.
Ethiopian Ambassador Jamal Baker Abdullah said that businessmen did not pay attention to the opportunities of the African market and were busy to get access to other markets especially the European.
Like Pakistan, he added, Ethiopia had an important strategic location, but there was a lack of connectivity between the two countries.The envoy said that his government was going to conclude a joint chamber agreement with Pakistan. Another agreement was being singed to start Ethiopian Airlines flights to Pakistan next month.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah wanted to bring a trade delegation to Ethiopia, he mentioned adding, he wished that KATI industrialists must join the delegation.The Ambassador said Ethiopia closed several embassies in Europe but was going to open its embassy in Pakistan which showed the importance of Pakistan for Ethiopia. Very soon President or Foreign Minister of Ethiopia will visit and formally inaugurate the embassy in Pakistan.
He showed interest to visit IDEAS 2022, the Defense Exhibition to be held in Karachi next month as he intended to buy defense equipment from Pakistan.
KATI president said that by starting flights of Ethiopian Airlines, access to African countries would become easy. This would help increase the bilateral trade enormously.
Ethiopian’s economy was mostly based on imports, which would provide a huge market for Pakistan’s agricultural, textile, medicine and other sectors. Instead of the European market, the investors of the world were paying attention to the African market.
India was also making great efforts to promote diplomatic relations and trade with African countries, he said.
APP /ah