The long standing relations between Ethiopia and the European Union (EU) are improving from time to time.
The Union has been working with Ethiopia on multi-faceted areas such as social and economic development, trade and investment, human rights, democracy and rule of law, regional peace and security matters, countering terrorism and violent radicalism as well as climate change.
The Union has also been backing the efforts exerted by the government of Ethiopia financially and technically in order to ensure lasting peace and stability across the country.
Just to mention, three months ago – in July, 2023- the Union joining hands with its member States, granted 7 million Euros- that is equivalent to 385 million Birr – to support the activities carried out by the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) to bring lasting peace and reconciliation to Ethiopia.
The Union has continued its strategic engagement with Ethiopia and is working closely with the government bearing in mind the commitment that the government has shown to maintain peace and stability across the country, the determination to implement the peace agreement signed in Pretoria through national dialogue and transitional justice.
And currently the two parties are undertaking a number of activities to heighten the level of partnership and step their cooperation forward.
Consequently, merely in the current year, 2023, the EU has allocated a total of 82.5 million Euros to humanitarian projects to support conflict- and drought-affected populations.
In her recent discussion with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, on the sidelines of the 78th the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), EU Commissioner for International Partnership, Jutta Urpilainen also expressed Union’s appreciation on Ethiopia’s peace efforts, its commitment and the progress that has been witnessed so far in consolidating peace in Ethiopia.
She also reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to further strengthening its diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. “As a strategic partner, the European Union attaches special value to its cooperation with Ethiopia and appreciates the huge political commitment of the Ethiopian government,” she reiterated.
And as part of this cooperation and partnership, the EU yesterday launched a 650 million Euros Multi-Annual Indicative Program that will be used to assist the people of Ethiopia and the efforts made to consolidate peace. The priorities of the 650 million Euros Multi-Annual Indicative Program, 2024-2027 for Ethiopia, as it was stated, are green growth, inclusive human development, governance and peace building.
In actual fact, Ethiopia is one of the EU’s important strategic partners on the African continent with strong partnership; and the EU is a strategic development partner for Ethiopia through backing its overall peace and development endeavors.
As Ethiopia is striving to beat its social, economic, peace and security challenges, the longstanding relations with the EU and other development partners should be further strengthened in all areas; be it financially and technically.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2023
