Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received to the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
- Post published : August 18, 2023
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a raft of agreements on a number of fields after their leaders held talks over enhancing bilateral ties through sustainable development initiatives on Friday.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is on an official visit to Ethiopia as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a high-level delegation accorded a warm welcome to the UAE President upon his arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
Later, Abiy and Al Nahyan held a bilateral meeting, during which both leaders acknowledged the ever-strengthening ties between Ethiopia and the UAE.
They also expressed commitment to build stronger bridges for the benefit of both peoples, the PM Office says.
“The growing relations between our two countries is rooted in deep mutual respect and a shared vision for mutual progress,” PM Abiy said. “We will continue collaborating in pursuit of sustainable development.”
The two leaders later presided over a signing ceremony of 17 agreements involving various sectors, including industry, agriculture, investment, and finance.
The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, established the foundations of Emirati-Ethiopian relations.
Since then, the ties between the two countries have grown stronger, especially after the opening of the Ethiopian Consulate in the UAE in 2004, followed by the UAE Embassy in Addis Ababa in July 2010 and the Ethiopian Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2014.
These steps have boosted the two countries’ cooperation in various fields, including political, economic, investment, and cultural spheres.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi told Emirates News Agency (WAM) that his country’s leadership had directed the country to strengthen its relations with African nations, especially Ethiopia.
The two countries traded non-oil goods worth US$1.4 billion in 2022, and the UAE invested $2.9 billion in Ethiopia especially in chemicals, food and beverages, aluminum, and pharmaceuticals sectors, per the Minister.
In Addis Ababa, President Al Nahyan said his latest discussion with Abiy aimed to further strengthen bilateral ties to serve the “aspirations of our peoples through economic and sustainable initiatives.”
“The UAE is committed to building bridges of cooperation that foster prosperity and stability for all,” the UAE President said in a tweet.