ISLAMABAD : First Lady of Pakistan, Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, received the Ambassador of Ethiopia, Dr Jemal Beker Abdula, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on his farewell call.
Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari appreciated the Ambassador’s contributions toward promoting friendship between Pakistan and Ethiopia. She recalled that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to visit Ethiopia, and said it is now time to further strengthen these historic ties built on mutual respect and solidarity since the time of King Nejashi.
The First Lady noted that Pakistan was among the top ten environmentally stressed countries and shared that large-scale reconstruction and plantation activities were underway in her constituency for flood-affected communities. She said Pakistan and Ethiopia could work together on climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and early warning systems under the Green Pakistan Initiative and Ethiopia’s successful reforestation model.
Congratulating Ethiopia on becoming a full member of BRICS, Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, and climate action. She also appreciated the growing economic linkages between the two nations, including the conclusion of the Bilateral Trade Agreement, the Single Country Exhibition in Addis Ababa taking place later this year, and the resumption of direct flights between Karachi and Addis Ababa which is contributing to greater connectivity and people-to-people contacts.
The Ambassador appreciated the First Lady’s role in projecting a positive image of Pakistan and strengthening bilateral relations during his tenure as Ethiopia’s first Ambassador to Pakistan. He said his focus had been on building lasting connections between the two nations, describing Pakistan as a strong partner in the evolving global landscape.
Dr Jemal Beker Abdula highlighted Ethiopia’s progress as an emerging market and shared that the African region offers significant trade and investment opportunities for Pakistan. He also briefed the First Lady on Ethiopia’s massive reforestation drive, which saw the plantation of 48 billion seedlings in seven years. The Ambassador invited the First Lady to visit Ethiopia and explore avenues of collaboration with the First Lady of Ethiopia, who has worked extensively for women, children, and environmental causes.
The First Lady wished Dr Jemal Beker Abdula success in his future endeavours and expressed hope that the partnership between the two countries would continue to grow.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
