Pakistan seeks faster pharma market access in Ethiopia talks
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has called for faster regulatory approvals for Pakistani pharmaceutical companies seeking entry into the Ethiopian market, putting Pakistan Ethiopia pharma market access at the top of bilateral trade talks in the federal capital.
Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Oumer Hussein Oba called on the commerce minister in Islamabad. The two sides discussed expanding bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation, with Khan highlighting Pakistan’s growing pharmaceutical industry and its interest in selling to African markets.
The minister stressed that timely approvals and transparent procedures were essential to building confidence among exporters who want to enter new markets.
Pakistan’s pharma market access push in Ethiopia
Khan pressed for expediting regulatory approvals for Pakistani drug companies seeking access to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian ambassador said he had taken up pending pharmaceutical registration issues with the Ethiopian health authorities and had received positive assurances on their early resolution.
The meeting also reviewed Ethiopia’s ongoing accession process to the World Trade Organisation, with the commerce minister underscoring the importance of reciprocal market access for both countries. Both sides discussed a proposed visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, a step that would ease business travel between the two countries.
Why Ethiopia matters for Pakistan’s drug makers
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s larger pharmaceutical markets, and Pakistan’s drug manufacturers have been looking further afield for new export destinations as compliance demands tighten in Western markets. Pakistan’s pharma industry already supplies healthcare products to African buyers, and industry watchers see the continent as a growth frontier for Pakistani medicines.
Ethiopia’s own drug regulator is certified at World Health Organisation Maturity Level 3, which signals a structured oversight system. For incoming exporters, that makes a transparent and predictable approval process all the more important: a clean registration pathway in Ethiopia could open doors not just to Addis Ababa but to neighbouring markets in the Horn of Africa as well.
For Pakistan, every new export market for pharmaceuticals means foreign exchange earned through manufacturing rather than borrowing — a shift policymakers have been pushing as part of the wider move from aid dependence to trade-led growth.
What comes next
The ambassador’s assurances on pending registration cases will be the first test of the talks. If Ethiopian health authorities clear the backlog, Pakistani drug firms could move from paperwork to shelf presence — and Islamabad will have a working template for regulatory negotiations with other African markets.
FAQ
Who met whom in the Pakistan-Ethiopia pharma talks?
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan met Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Oumer Hussein Oba in Islamabad to discuss bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.
What did Pakistan ask for?
Pakistan asked Ethiopia to expedite regulatory approvals for Pakistani pharmaceutical companies seeking access to the Ethiopian market, stressing that timely approvals and transparent procedures build exporter confidence.
What did Ethiopia promise?
The Ethiopian ambassador said he had raised pending pharmaceutical registration issues with Ethiopian health authorities and received positive assurances about their early resolution.
What else was discussed?
Ethiopia’s World Trade Organisation accession process, the importance of reciprocal market access, and a proposed visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.
