Ambassador Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula, Ethiopia’s top diplomatic representative in Pakistan, has been honored with the title of “Ambassador of Margalla Hills National Park” by Islamabad authorities, recognizing his efforts to champion environmental conservation and promote a cleaner, greener city.
The distinction was conferred by Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, during a recent meeting at the CDA Headquarters. The two leaders discussed avenues for future cooperation, particularly in smart city solutions, urban greenery initiatives, and capacity building through institutional partnerships and technical knowledge sharing.
Ambassador Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula shared details about Ethiopia’s transformative corridor development project, which is an ambitious urban initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali. The project emphasizes infrastructure improvements, extensive tree plantations, and the aesthetic enhancement of riversides, all aimed at raising the quality of life in Ethiopian cities.
To deepen bilateral ties, the Ambassador proposed formalizing a sister city arrangement between Addis Ababa and Islamabad, with an eye on boosting both cultural exchanges and commercial connections.
He also announced that the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad will soon launch a tree plantation drive as part of Ethiopia’s well-known #GreenLegacy initiative. The Ambassador invited the CDA Chairman to participate, highlighting the campaign’s goal of raising climate change awareness in the Pakistani capital.
Chairman Randhawa responded by sharing updates on the CDA’s development achievements and ongoing projects in Islamabad. He reiterated the authority’s strategic objective to build a modern, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable capital city.
The CDA chief praised Ambassador Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula for his leadership in supporting numerous clean and green campaigns, notably his involvement with the Margalla Hills National Park. Randhawa also expressed a strong interest in learning from Ethiopia’s approaches to sustainable urban expansion and riverside regeneration.
The meeting underlined a shared commitment from both sides to enhance environmental stewardship and leverage international cooperation in pursuit of sustainable urban development.
