- MoU Signed Between IFA Ethiopia and ISSI to Promote Joint Research, Training, and Policy Dialogue
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 aimed at driving innovation, informed policymaking, and sustainable growth in both countries.
The MoU was signed virtually by H.E. Jafar Bedru Geletu, Executive Director of the Institution of Foreign Affairs (IFA), Ethiopia, and H.E. Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).
The signing ceremony was witnessed at ISSI, Islamabad by H.E. Dr. Oumer Hussein Oba, Ambassador-designate of Ethiopia to Pakistan, while H.E. Ambassador Atif Sharif Mian, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, attended the event from the IFA Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Under the MoU, the two institutions will establish a comprehensive framework for cooperation in diplomatic training, professional development, research, and policy analysis. The collaboration will be advanced through exchanges of delegations, joint conferences and seminars, co-publications, and collaborative research initiatives.
Felicitating both sides on this important milestone in bilateral relations, the Executive Director of IFA noted that Ethiopia and Pakistan share a long-standing relationship founded on mutual respect, South-South solidarity, and a common aspiration for global stability and prosperity.
“By combining IFA’s deep expertise on the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea with ISSI’s regional research strengths, we are creating a platform for meaningful collaboration—one that can align perspectives on maritime security and trade routes, develop joint approaches to stability and counter-terrorism, and produce policy recommendations responsive to contemporary challenges,” H.E. Jafar Bedru Geletu remarked.
Highlighting Ethiopia’s strategic importance as a gateway to Africa, ISSI Chairman Ambassador Khalid Mahmood emphasized the need for robust academic and policy linkages. He underlined that strengthened cooperation in joint research, delegation exchanges, and policy dialogues would bring tangible benefits to both nations.
H.E. Dr. Oumer Hussein Oba welcomed the agreement, noting the positive trajectory of Ethiopia–Pakistan relations. He called upon both think tanks to actively collaborate and leverage each other’s strengths, stressing the importance of reinforcing all pillars of bilateral engagement—particularly political and economic cooperation.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Ambassador Atif Sharif Mian highlighted the growing momentum in Pakistan–Ethiopia relations, citing key developments such as the opening of the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad, the launch of Ethiopian Airlines operations in Karachi, increased exchanges of delegations across sectors, and the successful Pakistan Single Country Exhibition held in Addis Ababa in October 2025.
The MoU marks a significant step toward deepening strategic understanding and enhancing people-to-people and institutional linkages between Ethiopia and Pakistan through sustained intellectual and policy engagement.
BY: The Times Union
