Islamabad: The ambassadors from six African countries urged Pakistan to adopt a diversified approach to enhance bilateral relations. During a seminar organized by by the Institute of Regional Studies, Roots MIUC, and the Foreign Office, the envoys from Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Somalia, highlighted the untapped potential in sectors such as trade, defense, science and technology, tourism, and education. They emphasized that leveraging these opportunities would allow Pakistan to deepen its historical ties with Africa and foster mutual growth. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, in his keynote address, highlighted the Pakistan’s contributions to Africa’s liberation struggles and peacekeeping missions. He noted that these shared legacies remain largely unknown to the people of both regions. He called for leadership-driven initiatives to facilitate travel, encourage cultural exchanges, and strengthen people-to-people connections to bridge the gaps between Pakistan and Africa. Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, the President of the Institute of Regional Studies, shed light on the growing trade volume between Pakistan and Africa, which has surpassed $5.6 billion. He stressed the need to expand cooperation across various domains, including commercial ties and intellectual exchanges. Saleem also emphasized the importance of engaging youth from both regions to foster sustainable collaboration, while expressing hope that Pakistan’s expanding diplomatic presence in Africa would serve as a foundation for stronger ties. The African ambassadors identified challenges such as language barriers and limited global connectivity as significant impediments to deeper relations. They praised Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with African nations and called for enhanced knowledge-sharing mechanisms to unlock mutual opportunities. The envoys expressed optimism that Pakistan’s support could propel bilateral relations to unprecedented levels of connectivity and cooperation. Director General of ISSI, Ambassador Sohail Mehmood, highlighted Pakistan’s enduring commitment to Africa’s liberation movements and the need for continued collaboration. Additional Secretary Hamid Asghar Khan from the Foreign Office stressed the role of improved communication channels in strengthening existing linkages. Walid Mushtaq, CEO of Roots, underlined the importance of creating an enabling environment to capitalize on emerging opportunities. The seminar drew a large audience of researchers, intellectuals, and students, underscoring the growing interest in Pakistan-Africa relations.
