Ethiopian Airlines eyes direct flights to Lahore to boost trade

Ethiopian Airlines, a prominent aviation group in Africa, is planning to launch direct flights to Lahore, a move expected to significantly enhance connectivity and strengthen business-to-business ties between Pakistan and Ethiopia. The development came during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Dr Oumer Hussein Oba, Ambassador of Ethiopia, held to explore new avenues for strengthening bilateral trade, industrial collaboration, and regional connectivity between Pakistan and Ethiopia, with a particular focus on expanding engagement across African markets. The Ethiopian envoy shared that Ethiopian Airlines is planning to start direct flights to Lahore, which will significantly enhance business-to-business (B2B) linkages, improve connectivity, and promote cultural exchange between the two countries. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in Pakistan–Ethiopia relations and emphasised the need to transform this engagement into practical, results-oriented partnerships, read a statement. Jam Kamal highlighted that recent bilateral interactions have created a “fresh foundation” to jointly explore not only each other’s markets but also broader opportunities across Africa. The minister proposed organising a multi-country business forum in Islamabad, inviting East African nations to witness Pakistan’s industrial capabilities firsthand. He stressed that direct exposure would help reshape global perceptions about Pakistan and unlock new trade and investment partnerships. After 2 decades: Ethiopian Airlines marks Karachi comeback with May 9 flight Highlighting Pakistan’s strengths, the minister underscored the country’s robust small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, which produces a wide range of goods, including home appliances, engineering products, agricultural machinery, and consumer goods. He specifically emphasised the strong potential for cooperation in agriculture, engineering, and tractor manufacturing, noting that Pakistan has developed significant expertise in these sectors that can support mechanisation and productivity in African economies. A key area of discussion was the cosmetics and personal care industry, where the minister noted significant growth in Pakistan over the past four to five years. He proposed joint ventures between Pakistani and Ethiopian firms in cosmetics, perfumes, and related products to tap into the rising consumer demand in both regions. Referring to Pakistan’s industrial success stories, Jam Kamal invited the Ethiopian delegation to visit Sialkot, describing it as a unique example of private-sector-led development. He noted that the city’s business community, led by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has independently built infrastructure, including an international airport. Sialkot remains a global hub for sports goods, surgical instruments, leather, and footwear, with exports reaching billions of dollars annually, including to the European Union. On trade logistics, the minister stressed the importance of improving connectivity and reducing reliance on third-country transhipment hubs such as Jebel Ali Port. He proposed enhancing direct maritime links through feeder vessels to African ports, which could significantly reduce transit time from over 10–12 days to just 2–3 days. He further highlighted Pakistan’s geographic advantage, particularly Karachi, as a gateway for African exports to Central Asia through regional maritime corridors, including Djibouti Port. The minister also highlighted the immense tourism potential in both countries, stating that Ethiopia’s natural beauty and climate are “truly amazing, ” while Pakistan remains a “sleeping giant” in tourism. During the discussion, Dr Oumer Hussein Oba informed the minister that a Single Country Exhibition of Ethiopia is planned to be held in Islamabad by the end of this year, following the successful exhibition earlier organised in Ethiopia. Jam Kamal welcomed the initiative and appreciated the success of the previous exhibition, terming it an important step toward strengthening bilateral trade ties. The Ethiopian side appreciated Pakistan’s economic progress and acknowledged the country’s skilled human resource base and strong hospitality sector. Dr Oba emphasised that human capital remains the most critical resource and called for deeper cooperation in education, skills, and institutional development. Both sides agreed that Pakistan and African countries stand at a pivotal moment, where diversification, industrial cooperation—including agriculture, engineering, and tractor manufacturing—tourism promotion, and practical business engagement can unlock significant economic opportunities.

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