Ethiopia’s foreign policy fostering strong relations with regional countries

Addis Ababa, November 16, 2023 (FBC) – Ethiopia’s foreign affairs policy has enabled the country to foster strong relations with the nations of the region, Ethiopia’s Ambassadors to Kenya and Djibouti told ENA.

It is to be recalled that the 4th Regular Session of 3rd parliamentary year of the 6th round has been held on last Tuesday.

The Session deliberated on the responses made by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the questions raised by the MPs.

The premier said the basic objective of the foreign policy of the country is based on ensuring the national interest of the country, sovereignty, geographical, historical and economic benefits.

The policy presupposes prioritizing the relations between the neighboring countries in view of strengthening regional integration, he added.

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Batcha Debele stated that the age old relation between Ethiopia and Kenya has grown over time.

He recalled that both countries are now cooperating on curbing the effects of climate change and added that Ethiopia has replicated the national green legacy initiative to Kenya in 2022-23 by planting trees in the country.

In the meantime, the Ethiopian Ambassador has participated in a national program of planting 100 million trees conducted in Kenya a couple of days back.

Ambassador Batcha mentioned that Kenya has planned to plant more than 15 billion trees in 10 years’ time which demonstrates the commitment of the two countries to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Moreover, in terms of economic relations, based on the agreement reached between the two countries, Ethiopia is now providing hydroelectric power to Kenya, the Ambassador added.

He added that a number of Kenyan investors are eying investment opportunities available in Ethiopia and noted that the fact that Safaricom Company has started operating in Ethiopia indicates a possibility of further investments by Kenyan companies.

The Ambassador mentioned that Ethiopia and Kenya are working on promoting and strengthening cooperation on peace and security in the region.

He said that people to people relations of the countries, particularly in the border areas, is ever growing stating that both countries have inked memorandum of understandings to work together on 35 areas of cooperation.

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Djibouti, Birhanu Tsegay on his part said that Ethiopia and Djibouti have continued to enjoy strong historical relations for over a century.

He remarked that the two countries have continued to maintain strong diplomatic relations in the areas of people to people relations, economy and development of green legacy initiatives.

Djibouti is Ethiopia’s main outlet to the sea for foreign trade and import export transactions, he added.

The ambassador added that based on their common interests, both countries are working together in promoting the objectives of IGAD and other areas of relations.

He stressed that efforts are being made by both countries on working together to scale up the level of their comprehensive relations for mutual benefits of the peoples of both countries.

Pursuant to the priorities that Ethiopia has accorded to further developing her diplomatic relations with the neighboring countries both ambassadors noted that efforts are underway to further develop the diplomatic relations between the two countries to a higher level.