BRUSSELS, Belgium, January 14, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
Today, the HR/VP Federica Mogherini met with MinisterTedros Adhanom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, in Brussels.
The meeting took place following the HR/VP’s visit to Addis Ababa last October where they decided to strengthen bilateral relations. Today, both agreed to move forward on EU-Ethiopia’s strategic engagement. In this respect, Minister Adhanom also met EU Commissioners Mimica, Stylianides, Avramopoulos, and Vice-president Katainen’s team, as well as members of the European Parliament.
HR/VP Mogherini and Minister Adhanom confirmed that the EU will remain the first partner of the country in its reforms for development and to promote social and economic growth. The EU will continue to support Ethiopia through its development cooperation programmes, including by organising an EU-Ethiopia Business Forum this year. Ethiopia also benefits from humanitarian support to help the local populations affected by two consecutive droughts and the current El Nino phenomenon.
The HR/VP Federica Mogherini and Minister Adhanom also discussed the follow up of the signature of the EU-Ethiopia Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) on 11 November 2015, in the margins of La Valletta Summit. It was agreed that the EU and Ethiopia will work together to tackle irregular migration, including return, and to better take advantage of the opportunities provided by well-managed migration.
HR/VP Mogherini recognised Ethiopia’s significant effort in hosting more than 700 000 refugees. Both welcomed the fact that the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa had already started financing projects in Ethiopia.
The importance of a strong civil society, freedom of expression and association and inclusive politics was also discussed, as well as the measures taken by the Ethiopian government related to the recent unrest in Oromyia and Amhara regions.
The situation in the Horn of Africa and the wider Red Sea region was also on the agenda, including the situation in South Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia. Ethiopia is playing a crucial role in the region in terms of peace and security and the EU will continue to support these efforts.
