ISLAMABAD, Jan 15, 2026: Leading think tanks of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at institutionalising intellectual and policy cooperation to promote innovation and economic growth in both countries.
The MoU was signed virtually by Jafar Bedru Geletu, Executive Director of the Institution of Foreign Affairs, and Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Board of Governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
The signing ceremony was witnessed at ISSI in Islamabad by Oumer Hussein Oba, Ambassador-designate of Ethiopia to Pakistan, while Atif Sharif Mian, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, attended the event from the IFA headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will establish a structured framework for cooperation in diplomatic training, professional development, research and policy analysis. The partnership will include exchanges of delegations, joint conferences, co-publications and collaborative research initiatives.
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Congratulating both sides on the milestone, the IFA Executive Director said Ethiopia and Pakistan have shared a long-standing relationship rooted in mutual respect, South-South cooperation and a common aspiration for global stability and prosperity.
He said the partnership would combine IFA’s expertise on the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region with ISSI’s strengths in regional and strategic research. He noted that the collaboration would help align perspectives on maritime security, trade routes, regional stability and counter-terrorism, while producing policy recommendations aligned with contemporary challenges.
Speaking on the occasion, the ISSI Chairman described Ethiopia as a gateway to Africa and emphasised the importance of building strong academic and research linkages. He said enhanced cooperation through joint research, delegation exchanges and policy dialogue would be mutually beneficial for both countries.
Ambassador Oumer Hussein Oba highlighted the positive momentum in Ethiopia-Pakistan relations and urged the two think tanks to actively collaborate to fully utilise each other’s institutional strengths. He stressed the need to reinforce political and economic cooperation and called for close coordination within the framework of the MoU.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Atif Sharif Mian, also noted steady growth in bilateral relations. He pointed to recent developments including the opening of the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad, the launch of Ethiopian Airlines operations in Karachi, increased exchanges of delegations across sectors, and the Pakistan Single Country Exhibition held in Addis Ababa in October 2025.
