Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speak at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office on September 1, 2019.
Mon 02 September 2019:
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed struck Sunday with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu agreements and understandings to bolster cooperation and bilateral trade tenfold.
“Ethiopia is looking up to Israeli investors to contribute to key sectors, including irrigation, water, energy, navigation and modernization of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector,” Ahmed said.
He expressed his desire to promote bilateral relations in accordance with their mutual interests and orient them towards strategic partnership.
Cooperation between Ethiopia and Israel exceeds bilateral relationship to reach regional and international issues, he stressed, adding that his country will work through a dynamic partnership to promote regional and international peace and security.
Netanyahu, for his part, described Ahmed as his “best friend,” praising his influential role as a leader over the past year and a half in Africa.
He also hailed Ahmed’s great courage to fortify Ethiopia’s position on the regional and international levels, congratulating him on his achievements.
“You are making efforts to change the Ethiopian economy from within. I congratulate you because I frankly do the same here, and we are seeing results on the ground,” Netanyahu added.
Ethiopia is viewed from a new perspective in Israel, he noted.
“The historical relations between our two peoples are distinguished because they are reinforced by a human bridge consisting of 150,000 Israelis of Ethiopian origin, who bring Ethiopian culture and pride to Israel,” he explained.
“They have also preserved the Jewish people’s culture and pride in Ethiopia,” he further noted.
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