| Newsletter 11 |
| Ethiopia Committed to Promote Objectives of Sana'a Forum As the Sana'a Forum for Cooperation concludes its fourth summit held on December 28-29, 2005 in Aden, Sana'a, Ethiopia reiterates commitment to its objectives and principles. Acting General Director of the Asia, Australasia and Middle East General Directorate, Addis Dilnessa told MoFA Newsletter that the Forum is getting wider recognition as it holds the fourth consecutive Leaders' Summit in Sana'a along side the regular ministerial meeting to follow -up its activities. Despite pessimism it confronted during its establishment in 2002, he said, the Forum has progressively consolidated its position.
Leaders of the Member States of the Forum deliberate on a regular basis
on issues relevant to the objectives of the Forum and a host of tasks
have been undertaken by the sub-committees to promote trade and investment
among member countries. Agreements were also signed on export trade, cultural,
sport and youth as well as agricultural cooperation, among others. Present at the Summit were Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Republic of Yemen, President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir of the Republic of Sudan, and President Abdullahi Yusuf of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. The Sana'a Forum for Cooperation is an open Forum with the objective of ensuring peace, stability and economic cooperation among member States Ethiopia, Yemen, the Sudan and Somalia. |
| Ethiopia keen to Boost Cooperation with Slovakia Slovakia and Ethiopia have agreed to strengthen economic and political cooperation. After talks with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Edurd Kukan, on December 22, 2005 Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said the two countries have ample opportunities to enhance their relations in business and trade. Foreign Minister Seyoum also mentioned the long-standing relations and close friendship of the two states and particularly cited how the former Czechoslovakia demonstrated its solidarity with Ethiopia during the fascist Italian invasion of Ethiopia, which he said will remain fresh in the minds of many Ethiopians for generations to come. Slovakian Foreign Minister Edward Kukan on his part said the Republic of Slovakia is keen to cooperate with Ethiopia in various areas of common interest. He also expressed his country's strong desire to extend support to Ethiopia's education sector. Matador Addis tyre factory and other similar ventures of cooperation would serve to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. Kukan was once the Ambassador of the former Czechosloviakia to Ethiopia. |
| Ethio-Turkey Commercial Ties Gaining Momentum The Turkish Embassy in Ethiopia said the volume of trade between Ethiopia and Turkey is expected to exceed 140 million USD at the end of the year 2005. Commercial Counselor with the Embassy, Alper Subasi said economic and commercial ties between Ethiopia and Turkey have gained a considerable momentum over the past five years. Subasi said the annual average trade volume between the two countries stood at 76 million USD between 2001 and 2005 and is expected to hit over 140 million USD at the end of 2005. Subasi said it is gratifying to note that the trade volume has increased five folds since the year 2002. However, he added, the existing volume of trade is still much lower than the actual potential. The Counselor said the target is to increase the current volume to at least 500 million USD in the shortest time possible. He attributed the increase in the volume of trade between the two countries to the trade development strategy with African countries which Turkey launched in 2003. Subasi said Turkey imports oil seeds and agricultural raw materials worth about 28.4 million USD from Ethiopia, while it exports 93.2 million USD worth iron and steel, electrical machinery, metal products, garment and chemical products to Ethiopia. |
| Over 2 Million Family Heads Take Part in Water Projects The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says over 2.2 million heads of peasant households took part in water harvesting and irrigation projects. Over 543,000 hectares of land was cultivated using small scale irrigation schemes, sinking of water wells and erection of reservoirs in Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and Southern People's Nations and Nationalities regional states. Farmers engaged in the irrigation schemes have produced 29 million quintals of crops, fruit and vegetables. The peasants are producing highly marketable products by harnessing water using family labor. According to the ministry, development agents are also highly involved in overseeing and extending technical support to the peasants. |