Please accept my warmest and most sincere greetings for the upcoming Ethiopian New Year 2017!
Russia and Ethiopia are linked by close historical ties. There are not many other examples of such interstate relations in the world, which over the centuries have been invariably marked by friendship, mutual trust and help. Our strong relations are based on common values and interests that are developing and continue to bind us, on mutual trust and assistance, solidarity, friendship and respect.
Ethiopia, without exaggeration, is one of Russia’s key partners in Africa, with whom we have accumulated solid experience of interaction on a number of issues on the bilateral and international agenda. This is largely due to the coincidence and proximity of our approaches to solving global and regional problems. We share the common view that international relations should have uniform rules of the game for all, recognize the leading role of the UN, and jointly advocate for expanding the representation of developing countries in global governance institutions.
It is gratifying that today Russian-Ethiopian relations are acquiring even greater dynamics. The outgoing year was marked by Ethiopia’s accession to BRICS. I am confident that this will give a powerful impetus to the further development of our cooperation around the world and in a variety of areas. There is no doubt that Ethiopia’s interested participation in BRICS can give the association’s work an additional incentive, will significantly expand its interaction with the countries of the Global South and East, and will promote the dissemination of BRICS ideas and practices at the pan-African and regional levels.
Inter-parliamentary ties and cooperation between the ruling parties are actively developing. There are good prospects for expanding interregional ties. In close contact with the Ethiopian side, we are consistently improving the legal framework of our relations. We especially value the achieved trusting nature of the bilateral political dialogue with Addis Ababa at the highest level.
Regular meetings of our leaders – the President of the Russian Federation V.V.Putin and the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed – are fundamental in this regard. Contacts between the foreign ministries of the two countries play an important role.
The potential of Russian-Ethiopian relations is enormous, and we will continue to make every effort to fully reveal it, bring trade, economic and investment cooperation between our countries to the proper level and further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my most sincere wishes to the people of Ethiopia. May 2017 be filled with fruitful events, brilliant achievements, success in all endeavors and bring peace, harmony and prosperity!
BY EVGENIY E. TEREKHIN (Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ethiopia)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2024
