Islamabad /DNA/ – Redwan Hussain Rameto, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia said that an Ambassador was being assigned to Pakistan and soon a full-fledged embassy would also be opened here to promote trade and economic relations between the two countries. He said this while addressing the business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI).

Redwan Hussain Rameto said that Ethiopia was considering providing a visa on arrival facility to Pakistani businessmen so that they could easily visit his country to explore business opportunities. He said that flight resumption between Ethiopia and Pakistan was also under consideration to improve people to people contacts and trade relations. He said that Ethiopia was importing 80% of pharmaceutical products and Pakistani pharma sector investors should set up JVs in Ethiopia to meet the needs of its market and export to African countries. He said that Ethiopia was providing a 10-year tax holiday to investors in its SEZs and Pakistani investors should capitalize on these opportunities. He highlighted pharma, garments, textiles, cement, ICT as major areas of potential cooperation between Ethiopia and Pakistan.

Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Pakistan has made a Look Africa Policy to explore huge untapped region of Africa for trade and exports and close cooperation between Pakistan and Ethiopia would help it in getting better access to African market. He said that Pakistan was producing high quality surgical and pharmaceutical products and stressed that Ethiopia should facilitate Pakistani pharmaceutical companies for registration in its market by lowering registration costs that would facilitate export of our surgical and pharmaceutical products to Ethiopia and through it to other African countries. He said that Pakistan could export many other products to Ethiopia including marble & granite, cement, leather products, rice, sports goods and stressed that opening of an embassy of Ethiopia in Pakistan was very important to promote trade and economic relations between the two countries.

Jamshaid Akhtar Sheikh Senior Vice President and Muhammad Faheem Khan Vice President ICCI said that Pakistan and Ethiopia should consider negotiating a preferential or free trade agreement to promote trade relations up to their actual potential. They said that both countries should encourage regular exchange of trade delegations to explore all potential areas of mutual cooperation.

Khalid Iqbal Malik Chairman Founder Group, Mian Shaukat Masud, Zafar Bakhtawari, Zahid Mqbool, Fatima Azim and others also spoke at the occasion and gave useful suggestions to improve trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Ethiopia.