Pakistan and Ethiopia discuss trilateral maritime alliance with Djibouti

Islamabad: Pakistan and Ethiopia have agreed to examine the possibility of setting up a trilateral maritime alliance that could also include Djibouti, with the aim of improving trade links between Asia and Africa.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Ethiopian Ambassador Dr Oumer Hussein, who called on the minister for the first time after taking up his diplomatic assignment.

According to the details shared from the meeting, both sides reviewed proposals and steps aimed at broadening bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The discussions focused on ways to strengthen commercial engagement and improve connectivity between the two countries and the wider region.

During the meeting, Junaid Anwar said Pakistan was placing increasing emphasis on expanding maritime connections with African countries. In that context, he proposed a three-country arrangement involving Pakistan, Djibouti and Ethiopia. He also said the framework could later be widened to include additional countries through mutual consultations.

The minister said Ethiopia, despite being a landlocked country, could substantially improve its trade capacity by making use of the Port of Djibouti under an organised maritime arrangement. He added that a formal agreement could be signed after the required groundwork is completed.

Ambassador Oumer Hussein welcomed the proposal and stressed the importance of technical-level consultations between experts from both sides. The two sides designated focal persons to discuss operational modalities and prepare a workable framework for the proposed alliance.

The Ethiopian envoy also appreciated Pakistan’s outreach under its Look Africa and Engage Africa policies, saying these reflected a strong commitment to building lasting partnerships with East African countries.

He further noted that Ethiopia imports pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, garments, fertilisers, rice and food products, and expressed optimism that bilateral and regional cooperation could be expanded further under the proposed maritime framework.

Focus on trade connectivity

The meeting underscored efforts by both countries to explore new avenues for trade cooperation, particularly through maritime connectivity. The proposed arrangement is intended to support stronger commercial links between Asia and Africa while creating a structured mechanism for trade facilitation involving Pakistan, Ethiopia and potentially Djibouti.

The discussions also indicated that any future agreement would depend on technical consultations and preparatory work by designated officials from both sides before a formal framework is finalised.