ADDIS ABABA- Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed’s approach to regional issues has opened a unique opportunity for greater cooperation and neighborliness via promoting peace and economic integration in the Horn of Africa, EU Ambassador to Ethiopia said.
Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald in connection with the New Year, Ambassador Johan Borgstam said that EU appreciates in particular the historic peace agreements between Ethiopia Eritrea and stands ready to support the continued implementation of this through relevant instruments and mechanisms.
Ambassador Borgstam stated that the union appreciates the commitment to comprehensive cooperation made among Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia – which also opens perspectives for a better environment for State-building in Somalia. EU hails the role Ethiopia has been playing in ensuring regional reconciliation and encourages it to keep offering facilitation of the dialogue between Eritrea and Djibouti, 2019… he said, adding that the union stands ready to support efforts, using all available instruments to boost regional cooperation on peace and security as well as economic integration.
Concerning EU’s partnership with Ethiopia, the ambassador said that the relations made good progress in 2018 in many areas of the Strategic Engagement through dialogues on peace and security, trade and investments, climate change and migration. Several high-level EU officials including Commissioners on Humanitarian Affairs and on Migration visited the country and the European leaders adopted Council Conclusions on Ethiopia in November 2018.
He pointed out that the EU also made advancement in its economic, climate and cultural diplomacy with Ethiopia and designed new interventions in support of humanitarian emergencies, rural transformation, climate action, job creation and industrialization, among others. At the regional level, the cooperation on the Red Sea region and on the Horn of Africa regional peace and stability was enhanced through intense diplomatic activity.
Ambassador Borgstam said that EU is working to the furtherance of the already in a good shape ties with Ethiopia and set plan to pursue highlevel engagement to further define the ways in which it could provide support to the economic and political reform agendas. About the two sides’ economic ties, the ambassador pointed out that EU is currently re-orienting its development cooperation with Ethiopia towards improving economic governance, macro-economic stability and job creation in key areas.
Trade and investment, rural transformation, food security, agro-industrial parks, industrialization and university cooperation will be among the priorities in EU’s partnership with Ethiopia in 2019. “We also believe that promoting economic diplomacy and cooperation with European investors is important in order to conduct a dialogue on improving the investment climate in Ethiopia in the context of the announced economic reforms.”
Regarding EU’s plan to invigorate the cooperation in promoting peace and stability, Ambassador Borgstam stated that the union has a rich history of managing multi-cultural conflicts and its experience of promoting “unity in diversity” could help support reconciliation, peace and stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa at large.
EU has some ongoing cooperation projects on conflict resolution, political governance, support to civil society and access to justice and it also hopes to support the process of Ethiopia’s forthcoming election, he noted.
European Union’s cooperation with Ethiopia dates back to over 40 years and the parties signed European UnionEthiopia Strategic Engagement in June 2016. The agreement encompasses enhanced cooperation in six key areas: Human Rights and Good Governance, Trade and Investments, Climate Change and Environment, Migration, Peace and Security and Counter-terrorism.
The Ethiopian Herald, January 1/2019
BY BILAL DERSO
