Islamabad:Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Pakistan, Dr Oumer Hussein Oba, called on Chairman of the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
Welcoming the ambassador, the Chairman Senate conveyed warm sentiments of goodwill and friendship to the leadership and people of Ethiopia and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening its longstanding and cordial relations with Ethiopia based on mutual respect, shared interests, and a common vision for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development, according to a news release issued by the Senate Secretariat.
Recalling the historical foundations of bilateral ties, Gilani said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto played a pioneering role in strengthening Pakistan-Ethiopia relations through his historic visit to Ethiopia in 1973 and the inauguration of Pakistan’s Embassy in Addis Ababa, laying the groundwork for enduring diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
The Chairman of the Senate welcomed the growing momentum in bilateral relations and said the forthcoming Bilateral Political Consultation Agreement would further institutionalize diplomatic engagement and expand cooperation on regional and international issues.
Highlighting the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, Gilani referred to the establishment of the Pakistan-Ethiopia Friendship Group in the Senate of Pakistan and expressed confidence that it would promote sustained dialogue and stronger parliamentary engagement between the two countries.
He also emphasized enhanced cooperation in multilateral parliamentary forums, including the United Nations (UN), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).
Gilani highlighted his role as the founding chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference (ISC), describing parliamentary diplomacy as an effective instrument for promoting global peace, cooperation, and inclusive development.
He invited Ethiopian parliamentary counterparts to actively engage with the ISC platform to explore future opportunities for collaboration and shared progress.
The Chairman Senate also extended an invitation to the Speaker of the Ethiopian Parliament to visit Pakistan along with a parliamentary delegation, saying that exchanges of high-level delegations would further strengthen bilateral relations.
Discussing economic cooperation, Gilani underscored the significance of Pakistan’s ‘Engage Africa Policy’ as a comprehensive framework for broadening strategic and economic engagement with African nations.
He observed that the current volume of bilateral trade does not reflect the true potential of economic relations and stressed the need for stronger partnerships in sectors such as agriculture, engineering industries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, information technology, and sports goods.
