Islamabad, (TDI): In a significant move aimed at strengthening ties, Pakistan and Ethiopia discussed strategies to enhance people-to-people relations through youth exchanges.
The talks were held on Wednesday during a meeting between Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula, the Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Pakistan, and Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
During the meeting, both leaders emphasized the importance of fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between the two countries, particularly by exchanging delegations of youth leaders.
This initiative seeks to empower the youth of both nations through education, training, and skill development in modern technologies, with a focus on creating a workforce adept in emerging fields.
Ambassador Dr. Jemal highlighted the pressing need to equip the young populations of Ethiopia and Pakistan with advanced skills in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and other innovative technologies.
He stated that building an effective workforce is essential for enhancing productivity and achieving sustainable economic growth in both countries.
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The Ambassador noted, “Both Ethiopia and Pakistan have a significant youth demographic that can greatly benefit from learning from each other’s experiences and best practices in youth empowerment.”
This sentiment underlines the shared commitment to harnessing the potential of the youth to drive economic and social progress.
Ethiopia’s Economic Reforms
In addition, Dr. Jemal shared insights on Ethiopia’s home-grown economic reforms 2.0, a follow-up to the successful first phase of reforms aimed at correcting macroeconomic imbalances.
He said that these reforms have led to increased productivity and have attracted significant foreign direct investment to Ethiopia.
The discussion also touched on the vast potential for Information Technology services in Africa.
The Ambassador urged Pakistani entrepreneurs to participate in the upcoming Single Country Exhibition set to take place in Addis Ababa in January 2025, emphasizing that it presents a unique opportunity to explore business ventures in the African market.
Highlighting Ethiopia’s critical role in Pakistan’s Look Africa and Engage Africa policy, Ambassador Dr. Jemal pointed to the launch of Ethiopian Airlines operations in Karachi.
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He described this development as a major boost to people-to-people and business-to-business relations between the two nations, facilitating connectivity and fostering economic ties.
Chairman Rana Mashhood echoed the importance of these airline operations, acknowledging the role of Ethiopian Airlines in bridging Pakistan with the African continent, which boasts a population of over 1.4 billion people.
He expressed his admiration for the socio-economic advancements in Ethiopia under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Rana Mashhood emphasized Pakistan’s eagerness to deepen bilateral relations with Ethiopia, stating, “We are committed to collaborating with Ethiopia to empower the youth of both our countries.”
