Ethiopian Coffee Makes Debut in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Dr. Oumer Hussien Oba, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, inaugurated the first-ever Ethiopian coffee cafe in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday.
The inauguration was preceded by a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony which held in the presence of the Ethiopian community, Embassy staff, and representatives of the media.
Following the ceremony, the Ambassador held an interactive session with the media, highlighting the growing bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Pakistan.
He said the opening marks Ethiopian coffee’s debut in Pakistan through the first-ever dedicated Ethiopian cafe in the twin cities. “From the birthplace of humankind to the home of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia is called the Land of Origins for all the right reasons,” he remarked.
The Ambassador noted that the cafe’s ownership by an Ethiopian-Pakistani couple adds further significance to the initiative, reflecting the growing fraternity between the two nations.
He said the cafe is named “Habasha,” the historic name for Ethiopia, which resonates widely among Pakistanis owing to their deep reverence for Hazrat Bilal Habashi (R.A.) and the King Nejashi who gave shelter to the earliest Muslim migrants during the First Hijra.
Reaffirming his commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, the Ambassador underscored the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries through increased cultural exchange.
Mr. Naeem Hashmi, the owner of the cafe, said through Habesha, we want to create a space that brings Pakistan and Ethiopia closer together, a platform where both nations can share and discover each other’s art, culture, music and tourism.