Ambassador of Ethiopia, Dr Jemal Beker Abdula on Monday hosted a grand reception to celebrate ‘New Year’ of Ethiopia (2018), inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and the Unity Day.
A large number of guests, close to 500 including parliamentarians, officials of the MoFA, a large number of the diplomatic corps, members of civil society and academia, business representatives and African nationals attended the reception and greeted Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula on the historic occasion.
Chairman of the Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, was the chief guest. Federal Minister for Defence and Aviation, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for National Heritage & Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Masood Malik, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture & National Heritage Farah Naz Akbar Additional Secretary (Africa) Hamid Asghar Khan, Spokesperson for President, Murtaza Solangi were among the distinguished guests.
In his address, Dr Jemal Beker Abdula extended New Year greetings, explaining about Ethiopia’s unique calendar system, with 13 months.
“By attending today gathering, all of us in this room got seven years younger… because Ethiopia is celebrating the start of 2018 today,” he added.
The Ethiopian ambassador emphasized that Enkutatash symbolizes hope and optimism. He also spoke on Ethiopia’s rich heritage as the origin of humankind and coffee, highlighting its history of religious harmony, diverse culture and tourism.
He also noted Ethiopia’s role in pan-Africanism and regional integration.
He further detailed the Medemer philosophy of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed which stressed on synergizing all resources.
“This philosophy is the driving force behind Ethiopia’s political, economic, social and legal reforms since 2018, which have contributed to its economic growth,” he said while describing the inauguration of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a powerful manifestation of Medemer.
The GERD is entirely financed by Ethiopians, he said, adding the dam would not significantly harm any downstream countries, underscoring Ethiopia’s dedication to equitable and reasonable water utilization for regional energy connectivity.
He reaffirmed the friendly relations between Ethiopia and Pakistan and noted growing cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, education, and cultural exchange, climate change, peace and security.
Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that Pakistan and Ethiopia shared centuries-old trade and cultural linkages, which are being reinvigorated under Pakistan’s Look Africa Policy.
He further stated that both Pakistan and Ethiopia share the same objectives: ensuring peace, prosperity, and dignity for every citizen. Looking ahead, he expressed hope for closer partnerships in renewable energy, agricultural innovation, and parliamentary exchanges.
