ISLAMABAD: The premier think tanks of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Thursday signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to institutionalize intellectual and policy cooperation for driving innovation and growth in both nations.The MoU was virtually signed by H.E. Jafar Bedru Geletu, Executive Director of the Institution Foreign Affairs (IFA) Ethiopia, and H.E. Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Board of Governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).
H.E. Dr. Oumer Hussein Oba, Ambassador designate of Ethiopia to Pakistan witnessed the ceremony here at the ISSI, Islamabad, while his counterpart Ambassador Atif Sharif Mian was present at the IFA Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The MoU will allow the two institutions to establish a framework for cooperation in the fields of diplomatic training, professional development, research and analysis through delegations’ exchange, conferences, co-publications and joint researches.
Felicitating both sides on achieving a milestone in the bilateral relations, the Executive Director IFA said Ethiopia and Pakistan have walked a long road together, guided by mutual respect, South-South solidarity, and a shared hope for a more stable, prosperous world.“By combining IFA’s deep knowledge of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea with ISSI’s regional research strengths, we are building a platform that can do real work: align our views on maritime security and trade routes, craft joint approaches to stability and counter-terrorism, and deliver policy recommendations that reflect today’s realities,” H.E. Jafar Bedru remarked.
Ethiopia is a gateway to Africa, said the ISSI Chairman while emphasizing on establishing robust academic linkages that are crucial to foster joint research, delegations exchange and policy dialogues for benefit of both the nations.H.E. Ambassador Dr. Oumer Hussein highlighted the positive trajectory of relations between the two countries and called for the two think tanks to actively collaborate to utilize each other’s potentials. He stressed the importance of reinforcing all existing pillars of the relationship particularly in political and economic spheres and urged both the institutions to work closely within this framework that is imperative for strengthening bilateral relations.
Pakistan’s Ambassador in Ethiopia H.E. Atif Sharif noted growth in Pakistan-Ethiopia relations, highlighting opening of the Ethiopian Embassy Islamabad, start of Ethiopian Airlines operations in Karachi, delegations exchange in various sectors and the recent Pakistan Single Country Exhibition that held in Addis Ababa in October, 2025.
