Ethiopia says Japanese premier's visit will boost ties

Apr 28, 2006, 11:41 GMT

Addis Ababa - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's three-day official visit to Ethiopia starting Saturday is expected to strengthen relations which date back to the establishment of diplomatic ties eight dacades ago, Addis Ababa said Friday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit will be the first to Ethiopia by a top leader of Japan since diplomatic relations were set up in the early 1920.

Koizumi is set to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to review bilateral relations aimed at strengthening existing cooperation and to discuse regional and internal issues.

'The Prime Minister's official visit would have its own positive impact on relations and cooperation between the two countries,' the ministry said in a statement.

'Ethiopia is the foremost beneficiary of Japanese development assistance, including food security, agriculture, education and health, water supply environmental protection and infrastructure development,' said Addis Dilnessa, interim head of Asia, Middle East and Australia Department of the Ministry.

He added that Ethiopia was one of the major beneficiaries of he Tokyo International Conference for African Development, through which Japan has pledged to double its annual development aid to Africa.

Addis Ababa at present gets some 50 million US dollars annually in Japanese development assistance, Dilnessa said.

While in Addis Ababa, Koizumi would also visit the headquarters of the African Union and hold talks with Alpha Oumar Konare, chair of the AU Commission, before proceeding late Monday to Ghana on a similar official visit.

Some 70 Japanese journalists were to travel with Koizumi to cover his official visit to Ethiopia and Ghana, according to the Japanese Embassy in Addis Ababa.