In a key step to strengthen bilateral trade ties, H.E. Dr. Jemal Beker, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary of Ethiopia, met with H.E. Jam Kamal Khan, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Commerce, on Friday at the Ministry of Commerce.
The discussions centered around finalizing arrangements for the Pakistan Single Country Exhibition, scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa from May 15 to 17, 2025.
The meeting was also attended by Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Commerce, along with senior representatives from the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad and Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce.
Both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), and the Ethiopian Embassy to rally support from the Pakistani business sector for the major event.
The exhibition will coincide with the High-Level Business Forum, “Invest in Ethiopia,” set for May 12–13, 2025.
Minister Jam Kamal Khan appreciated Ambassador Beker’s active efforts to engage Pakistani chambers of commerce and encourage exporters to participate, calling the exhibition a flagship initiative under Pakistan’s “Look Africa and Engage Africa” policy, which aims to strengthen trade relations with Ethiopia and the wider African market.
The Minister underlined the significant opportunities the exhibition offers Pakistani exporters, especially in sectors such as textiles, machinery, leather goods, electro-medical equipment, seeds, and food products.
So far, 63 companies have confirmed participation out of 74 applicants. To boost turnout further, the Ministry of Commerce and TDAP are working with trade chambers and considering reducing application fees.
To ease travel for participants, the Ministry successfully negotiated visa-on-arrival arrangements for late applicants with the Ethiopian Embassy. The Minister also acknowledged the crucial role of Ethiopian Airlines, whose direct flights to Pakistan have greatly supported business travel and cargo logistics between the two countries.
Ambassador Beker reiterated Ethiopia’s full commitment to hosting the Pakistani delegation, adding that business delegates from nine neighboring African countries — including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Ghana — have also been invited. Attendance is expected to range between 100 to 150 delegates.
The meeting also covered preparations for the inaugural Pakistan-Ethiopia Joint Trade Committee meeting, with both sides coordinating to finalize the draft agenda.
In closing, both dignitaries reaffirmed their dedication to establishing a long-term, sustainable trade and investment relationship. They agreed that the upcoming exhibition would mark an important milestone in advancing economic cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia.
