ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timothewos, has reinforced the nation’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with Japan, underscoring a relationship that has spanned over a century. During a meeting held today with the Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Shibata Hironori, the Minister emphasized the importance of deepening economic and technical cooperation between the two countries.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Gedion highlighted the historical ties between Ethiopia and Japan and expressed appreciation for Japan’s ongoing support in economic development and technical assistance. He specifically thanked Japan for its contribution to Ethiopia’s Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programs and called for continued collaboration in these areas.
The Foreign Minister detailed Ethiopia’s current comprehensive economic reforms and invited Japanese enterprises to explore emerging investment opportunities in the country. He reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), acknowledging the conference’s role as a critical platform for fostering Africa-Japan relations.
Ambassador Shibata Hironori reciprocated the sentiments, reiterating his commitment to enhancing bilateral ties, particularly focusing on economic collaboration. He recognized Ethiopia’s significant role in promoting regional peace and security and assured Japan’s continued support in these endeavors.