Ankara’s relations with “brotherly Ethiopia with which it has strong historical ties” and other African countries are based on partnership, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu highlighted on Monday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new Ethiopian Embassy building in the capital Ankara, Çavuşoğlu looked back on the two nations’ strategic partnership, noting that Turkey opened its first embassy in sub-Saharan Africa in 1926 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. “However, our diplomatic ties date even further back,” he said, explaining the ties between countries date back to 1896, making it 125 years since the launch of diplomatic relations.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, who also attended the ceremony, said that the new embassy will draw the people of the two states together and enhance bilateral relations while promoting cultures.
“Ethiopia and Turkey enjoy a friendship and all-around cooperation. Over the years, the two governments have extended numerous high-level visits that produced very important outcomes that helped expedite the development of joint cooperation on both sides,” Mekonnen said, adding that Ethiopia is ready to deepen and strengthen cooperation with Turkey. The Ethiopian foreign minister also invited Turkish companies to invest in his country.
Over the years the landlocked country in the Horn of Africa has become a primary destination for Turkish investors on the continent. According to the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Turkey is the second-biggest investor in Ethiopia, with an investment capital of $2.5 billion (TL 17.43 billion). The person-to-person interaction and changing perceptions have boosted Ethiopian- Turkish ties and led Turkish companies to employ 30,000 Ethiopians thanks to the multifaceted relations nurtured between the two countries.
Turkey’s top diplomat shared that the countries have set a bilateral trade volume target of $1 billion.
Source: dailysabah.com/
The Ethiopian Herald February 17/2021
