| Home | Politics | Human Rights | Water | Economy | Education | Sci & Tech | Culture | Sport |
05 July, 2007
Addis Ababa, July 5, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - In what is regarded a milestone move as part of efforts to vitalizing their amicable relations and partnership, Ethiopia and India signed on Thursday pacts for cooperation in five sectors.
Amidst the four-day visit of an Indian high-level delegation led by the External Affairs Minister, the Far East country -- proving to be one of the few fastest growing economic muscles in the world -- pledged to provide a loan amounting to 640 million US Dollars for helping upgrade the surag industry in Ethiopia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin and Indian External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee signed the agreements.
The pacts include establishment of a Joint Ministerial Commission, an Investment Promotion and Protection package, cooperation in the fields of science and technology, an education expertise exchanges program as well as a Protocol for consultations between the two foreign affairs ministries.
The protocol for the ministerial consultations is believed to enable the two countries to cooperate closely and sustainably in bilateral and international concerns.
The agreements would enable Ethiopia benefit from the rich experiences India has mustered, especially in the areas of sugar industry, textiles and small-scale industries, Foreign Minister Seyoum said after signing the agreements with his Indian counterpart.
Seyoum said Ethiopia supports India’s bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.
Ethiopia and India have age-long friendship and cooperation, he said, the agreement would further strengthen the existing relations between the two countries.
Pranab Mukherjee said on his part the purpose of his visit to Ethiopia is to build on an initiative that has been taken in recent years.
The agreements would further underscore the countries' commitment to jointly develop their partnership in meaningful and sustainable manner and in as many sectors as feasible.
“We wish to add substance to our partnership and provide a foundation of a sustained and rapid development taking in to account the numerous complementarities that our two countries share,” Mukherjee said.
He said the bilateral relations that exist between the two sisterly countries is based on mutual benefits.
The Ethiopian News Agency