• Taskforce formed to celebrate 50 Years diplomatic journey
ADDIS ABABA – The principle based and non-interference foreign policy approach of Ethiopia and China develops their half century diplomatic relation to comprehensive strategic cooperation. Taskforce established for the golden jubilee diplomatic anniversary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) disclosed.
The year 2020 is the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relation of Ethiopia and China which started in 1970 and Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing and established a task force to celebrate the anniversary colorfully.
The diplomatic relation of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and The People’s Republic of China was started in 1970 during the era of Emperor Hailessilassie.
Information The Ethiopian Herald obtained from the Asia and Oceania Affairs Directorate of the Ministry indicates that since 1990s the relation of the two countries flourished year by year as the then Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Ethiopia in 1996 for the first time in presidential level.
Especially after the establishment of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the relation strengthens constantly. Meanwhile when Ethiopia hosted the second FOCAC forum in Addis Ababa 2003, the relation developed to higher level and Chinese presence in Africa has increased. Following the second China-Africa Forum, Ethiopia became co-chair of FOCAC for six years which played crucial role in developing Ethio-China ties.
The trade exchange, investment flow, participation of Chinese companies in Ethiopia’s infrastructural investments, and aid and loans became strengthened the development partnership of the two countries. Since then, Ethiopia and China became huge market destinations for each country’s products.
According to MoFA currently China and Ethiopia are strategic allies where their age-old diplomatic relation developed to all inclusive strategic cooperation politically, strategically, economically, socially and people-to-people.
China’s foreign policy has a strong principle of non-interference on the internal affairs of countries and its development aid and loan grants are open without conditions. Similarly the foreign policy of Ethiopia is predictable based on the UN charters of protecting sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference on the internal affairs of others, its foreign policy focuses only for win-win and mutual development cooperation’s to facilitate its economic development.
According to the source this strong principle of the two countries in their foreign policy approach facilitates the diplomatic relation to reach this peak during their golden jubilee anniversary.
According to MoFA the golden jubilee diplomatic relation of Ethiopia and China will celebrate throughout the year in Addis Ababa and in Beijing to appraise the 50 years smooth journey of the relations and to boost the relation to the highest level in their next cooperation.
The ministry is preparing to celebrate the anniversary colorfully considering the warm and strategic cooperation of the two countries and high officials level visits are expected from each other.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 8/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
