Ethiopia, Pakistan Review Preparations For Single Country Exhibition In Addis Ababa: Commerce Minister

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2025) Dr. Jemal Beker, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, held a productive meeting with Jam Kamal Khan, Federal Minister for Commerce of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, at the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.

The meeting focused on finalizing preparations for the upcoming Pakistan Single Country Exhibition, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa from May 15 to 17, 2025, said a release issued here on Friday.

Also present during the meeting was Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, along with senior officials from the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad and Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce.

Both sides reviewed the ongoing collaborative efforts being undertaken by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad to mobilize the Pakistani business community for the exhibition.

The event will coincide with the High-Level Business Forum “Invest in Ethiopia” scheduled for May 12–13, 2025.

Minister Jam Kamal Khan expressed appreciation for the Ethiopian Ambassador’s active engagement with Pakistani chambers of commerce and his role in encouraging exporters to participate.

The Minister noted that the exhibition is a flagship initiative under Pakistan’s “Look Africa and Engage Africa” policy, aiming to strengthen trade ties with Ethiopia and open new avenues across the broader African market.

Jam also highlighted that the event offers tremendous potential for Pakistani businesses, especially in sectors like textiles, machinery, leather goods, electro-medical equipment, seeds, and food products, and that it would help elevate Pakistan’s export profile in Eastern Africa.

So far, 63 companies have confirmed participation in the exhibition out of 74 applicants. In order to encourage broader participation, the Ministry of Commerce and TDAP are actively engaging with business chambers and considering a reduction in application fees.

Moreover, to address visa concerns, Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce successfully secured an agreement with the Ethiopian Embassy for visa-on-arrival facilities for late applicants.

The Minister also acknowledged the vital role of Ethiopian Airlines, which operates direct flights to Pakistan and supports Pakistan’s outreach to Africa, providing essential connectivity for business delegations and cargo movement.

The Ethiopian Ambassador reiterated his government’s commitment to making the exhibition a success and noted that Ethiopia is ready to host the Pakistani delegation.

He added that delegates from 9 neighbouring African countries—including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Ghana—have also been invited to the exhibition, with 100–150 delegates expected to attend.

Furthermore, both sides discussed the upcoming 1st meeting of the Pakistan-Ethiopia Joint Trade Committee, and are working toward finalizing the draft agenda through mutual coordination.

In conclusion, both dignitaries reaffirmed their shared vision of building long-term, sustainable trade and investment partnerships, with the exhibition serving as a key milestone in Pakistan-Ethiopia bilateral cooperation.