Mike Pompeo concludes three-day Ethiopia visit
Addis Ababa, February 19, 2020 (FBC) –The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has concluded his three-day official visit to Ethiopia and departed to Saudi Arabia.
Pompeo is seen off at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew and other high-level officials.
Ethiopia and the United States have enjoyed more than a century of diplomatic relations dating to 1903. It is one of the US Government’s oldest on the continent, second only to Morocco.
To date, the United States has mobilized more than $37 million to support the National Elections Board of Ethiopia’s efforts to organize a multi-party, credible elections process, and to engage civil society and youth to address issues of national concern leading up to the elections.
Ethiopia and the United States partnered in $1.8 billion in total trade in 2018. Goods exports totaled $1.3 billion; goods imports totaled $445 million. The U.S. goods trade surplus with Ethiopia was $863 million in 2018.
The United States government allocated more than $117 million in the last two years to expand economic opportunity in Ethiopia, improve the business climate, create a level playing field for all investors, and encourage entrepreneurship and U.S. investment.
Ethiopia hosts the largest numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers in Africa and the US has provided over $494 million in humanitarian assistance efforts to support vulnerable and displaced populations in the region.
Ethiopia is a valuable security partner, thanks to its prolific support to international peacekeeping and regional crisis-response operations, its strategic geographic location, and its central role in promoting regional stability and counterterrorism.
The US has provided material, logistics, and training support to Ethiopia as the world’s largest troop contributor to peacekeeping forces.
Ethiopia has deployed more than 8,000 soldiers in support of United Nations missions in Sudan and South Sudan, and more than 4,000 soldiers to Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
U.S. engagements with the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have grown significantly since Prime Minister Dr Abiy took office, and are largely focused on advancing security sector reform, institution building, and promoting U.S. military best practices and professionalism.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided life-saving humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable populations in Ethiopia for decades. The Truman Administration initiated the U.S.’s development partnership with Ethiopia in 1951.
USAID has provided $4 billion to Ethiopia over the past five years, to help accelerate economic growth, improve access to good quality health and education, strengthen community resilience to droughts and other shocks, and promote good governance.
In 2019, the United States provided more than $797 million to support emergency humanitarian needs, food security, health, agriculture and economic growth, women’s empowerment, education and youth, democracy, governance, and conflict mitigation.
Health indicators in Ethiopia, particularly those related to child health and malaria, have improved significantly in the past decade thanks to our partnership.
The United States invests in high-potential crop and livestock value exports, nutritional activities targeting chronically food insecure households, and pastoral lowland communities.
The United States supports Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Plan, which focuses on fostering private sector investment and jobs creation for one of Africa’s youngest populations.
As climate change, conflict, and land tenure disputes continue to threaten stability, economic growth and food security, we are working with the Government of Ethiopia and local communities to prepare and adapt to crises by investing in early warning systems. This helps the government reduce their dependence on donors by facilitating preparedness, response, and recovery from large-scale emergencies.