Jemal Beker, The First Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan
Ethiopia is the third diplomatic center in the world, HQ for Africa Union, UNCECA. It is the land of origin, human fossil Lucy 3.2 million years of age which is the complete human fossil, Coffee, and a source of Nile, the longest river in the world. And it is the land of Bilal Al-Habash, late King Nejash, first hijira to Ethiopia where we are connected with other Abrahamic Religions as well.
I would like to thank you for this opportunity to share my leadership experiences with you. Ladies and Gentlemen on the onset allow me to congratulate the Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI), and its President Mrs. Nighart Shahid for taking this initiative to basically introduce Pakistan export potential- women-led business and investment opportunities in Pakistan to the rest of the world.
Economic, educational, skills, and knowledge empowerment of women is very important and linked to economic and social transformation and development of any country.
AS Bringham Young said: when you educate a man, you educate a man, when you educate a woman, you educate the generation. By the same token when you empower women you empower society and the nations. In my country, since H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed took the Premiership of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, half of the cabinet are women, and 50 percent of the parliament are also women.
Women have huge potential to work in different sectors of the economy including trade and investment, governance, and leadership. Many of the most significant and meaningful moments during my Ambassadorship will devote to issues that affect women and girls and I am proud of all that our Embassy team will be able to accomplish, especially when it comes to having important discussions like we will have today.
Woman empowerment is a life priority for me and I take it very seriously. Strong girls and strong women are critical to the success of our societies and nations and a key to sustainable development. Leadership and mentoring women have always been a top priority for me. As I reflect on my career where I serve as a program coordinator for women’s affairs a long time back and my today’s successes were built on that service.
Obviously, the exchange of information and ideas during this conference will help you all better understand Pakistan’s potential and, I hope, result in new and profitable export deals. I am confident that women-led businesses will continue to grow and that the Pakistan export sector will continue to revive, survive, and thrive in the time to come. Ethiopia has been and will continue to be a committed partner in the development of the Pakistani export sector its Chamber of Commerce and Industry starting from now onwards.
My country Ethiopia sees Pakistan as a preferred partner and is keen to expand trade, business, investment, and tourism relations. In actual fact, our business and economic relations have not been adequately developed and in this regard, I leave no stone unturned to change this scenario. We have observed that very few items are being traded between Ethiopia and Pakistan for the last many years. The main reason for such a low level of two-way trade was due to little knowledge about each other’s markets and a lack of relationships.
Indeed, this gathering can be considered as a window of opportunity for Pakistani Women export entrepreneurs to harness huge, availed prospects.
To this end, one of the major priorities of our Embassy would be to link the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations with the Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and Industry and sign a memorandum of understanding which its implementation would help increase bilateral trade, business to business and people to people cooperation. In collaboration with the responsible Pakistan government institutions, and as well as chambers like you, the Embassy will work diligently for the exchange of trade delegations between the two countries, and I assure you, I myself would bring a delegation of Ethiopian businesspeople to Pakistan Faisalabad soon.
Over the last four years, my country has embarked on an ambitious roadmap of economic reforms aimed at energizing private sector growth, attracting greater FDI, and stimulating the country’s nascent knowledge economy through deep and penetrating reform. To this end, it developed a home-grown economic reform that has already had a significant impact on the business and investment environment in Ethiopia – an environment, which we believe is more fertile than ever for foreign investment.
I believe that many of the Pakistani companies here today are all well placed to benefit from the possibilities opening up in a country that is truly a Lion of Africa and economically set to roar on the world stage. Yes, there are challenges that need to be resolved. Yes, you need patience and a long-term approach. But for many companies with a global vision, Ethiopia is a huge and growing market that you should not and cannot ignore. My Embassy team is there to help you explore the possibilities, and network and build the future that you all own together.
Above all, I had one big news for you Ethiopia Airlines, the biggest airline in Africa that has more than 127 international destinations is going to fly to the sky of Pakistan soon. Indeed, the commencement of Ethiopia Airlines will boost the trade, investment, and tourism between Ethiopia and Pakistan and the rest of Africa as well as the globe.
In conclusion, Ethiopia offers tremendous potential, and we look forward to working with the government and the people of Pakistan. The next stage requires a solid partnership with the private sector to develop its manufacturing sector, boost exports and increase employment. We look forward to working with the Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI), to realize its full potential and hope that you too see the opportunities in this remarkable country.
Finally, I would like to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to families, friends, and relatives who have lost loved and precious lives during these climate-led floods and calamities that unfolded upon Pakistan due to international wrongdoing but, Pakistan became zero ground. Indeed, we share the pain and stand in solidarity with you to rebuild and heal the wound of the climate crisis.
Ethiopia-Pakistan relationship Zindabad.
Read @ Pakistan Export-Women led business Conference held in Islamabad on 18 September 2022
Jemal Beker, The First Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan
