Ambassador Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula paid a farewell courtesy call on First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari at the President House in Islamabad, underscoring Ethiopia Pakistan ties and expressing deep gratitude for support during his tenure as Ethiopia’s first ambassador to Pakistan.
The ambassador said his work focused on building lasting connections between the two nations and described Pakistan as a strong partner on the evolving global stage. He briefed the First Lady on the comprehensive political, economic, social and legal reforms underway in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali.
Highlighting Ethiopia as a gateway to Africa, Ambassador Dr. Jemal invited Pakistan to explore trade and investment opportunities and extended an invitation for the First Lady to visit Ethiopia and meet the First Lady of Ethiopia, who has been active on issues affecting women, children and the environment.
The ambassador outlined the Green Legacy Initiative, noting its role in afforestation and reforestation, food security, job creation and soil erosion management through the plantation of more than 48 billion seedlings over the past six years. He suggested the initiative offers potential areas of collaboration that align with Pakistan’s environmental priorities.
First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari thanked the ambassador for strengthening bilateral friendship and recalled the historical ties dating back to the era of King Nejashi and the visit of her grandfather, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She noted Pakistan is among the most environmentally stressed countries and described ongoing reconstruction and large-scale plantation work in her constituency to support flood-affected communities.
Both sides discussed cooperation on climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy and early warning systems under Pakistan’s Green Pakistan Initiative and Ethiopia’s Green Legacy. The First Lady congratulated Ethiopia on becoming a full BRICS member and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture and climate action. They also welcomed growing economic linkages, including the Bilateral Trade Agreement, the planned Single Country Exhibition in Addis Ababa later this year and the resumption of direct flights between Karachi and Addis Ababa, all seen as enablers of enhanced people-to-people contact. Senator Sherry Rehman was also present and the First Lady wished Ambassador Dr. Jemal success in his future endeavours.
