Newsletter 17
Ethiopia, Kenya Support Somalia Force
Seyoum Says Ethio-Russian Relations Exemplary
Somalian Ambassador urges Eritrea to stop Interference
Ethiopia Keen on Indian Investment
Ethiopia, Kenya Support Somalia Force
Ethiopia and Kenya renewed firm support for the deployment of East African peacekeepers in Somalia.
In talks also aimed at boosting ties between their two nations, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said the regional peacekeeping mission should go ahead as planned.
They also urged the continuation of a strained Arab League-mediated dialogue between the Somali transitional government and the Islamists, set to resume in Sudan later this week.
The two leaders reiterated their support for the decision of the Inter African Group on Development/ IGAD/ summit to deploy a peace operation in Somalia.
Kibaki and Meles said the force was needed "to safeguard the gains achieved in political settlement in that country" following the creation of the transitional government two years ago in Kenya aimed at ending years of chaos in the Horn of Africa.
In addition to Somalia, the two leaders sought to jointly work to maintain security along the Ethio-Kenya border.
Prim Minister Meles Zenawi and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki (file)
Meles made a stop over in Kenya after his two-day visit in Kampala, Uganda.
After meeting with the Ugandan president Yuweri Museveni both leaders said that they wanted an urgent regional summit to further consider the deployment of regional force.
Seyoum Says Ethio-Russian Relations Exemplary
Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin says the Ethio-Russian sets good example to other nations.
While
conferring with his visiting Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavarov, Seyoum
said the visit is the revelation of longstanding and strong ties between
Ethiopia and Russia.
He said the visit by Evanov will further enhance the bilateral relations.
Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavarov on his part said that Ethiopia is a reliable partner of Russia and the visit will bring new content to it.
The Russian Federation appreciates the diplomatic and political relations and believes it will bring the trade relations to bilateral a new high, he said.
H. E. Ato Seyoum Mesfin (File)
The delegations led by Seyoum and Lavarov discussed bilateral issues.
The Russian delegation led by Lavarov earlier visited the Dejazmach Balcha Memorial Hospital and the National Museum.
Somalian Ambassador urges Eritrea to stop Interference
The Ambassador of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, Abdikarin Farah ,told MoFA Newsletter that the State of Eritrea ,which has no strategic relations with Somalia has to play constructive role to bring all Somalia parties to a round table negotiation, instead of funning the conflict.
Ambassador
Abdikarim said Eritrea would be affected from the instability it is
creating in the Horn of Africa, adding that, the motive of Asmara to
forge alliance with the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC) is a major concern
to members of the regional grouping, Inter Governmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) and the international community at large .
IGAD and the government of Ethiopia in particular are playing key roles for lasting peace in Somalia. The people of Somalia are grateful to Ethiopia for resolving the recent strain among the leadership of the TFG.
Ambassador Abdikarin condemned the report by some international media which portrayed the current situation in Somalia as a conflict between Christians and Muslims. He said “Ethiopia is a country where Muslims and Christians coexist in harmony irrespective of their religion.”
H. E. Amb.
Abdikarin Farah (File)
Ethiopia Keen on Indian Investment
Ethiopian Ambassador to India, Genet Zewdie, said that Ethiopia is keen to attract Indian investment in energy and other sectors and is considering a direct Ethiopian flight to connect Calcutta with the East African nation.
Speaking
at a seminar on India-Africa project partnership, organized by the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Calcutta,
Ambassador
Genet said Indian companies can explore opportunities in coffee, tea,
cotton, horticulture development as well as leather, textiles, paper
products, building materials and mining sectors in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Airlines, which operates flights from New Delhi and Mumbai, plans to include Calcutta in its India operations, she said.
The ambassador said Indian companies could take advantage of Ethiopia’s treaties with European and American countries to access their markets by setting up a base in Ethiopia.
About 180 Indian companies with a total investment capital of 380 million USD are already operating in Ethiopia.
Gas Authority of India (GAIL) recently bid for an oil well in eastern Ethiopia while another Indian company, Kirloskars, has also expressed interest in the irrigation sector.
Preparation for Ethiopian Millennium Kicks off
Director General of the Secretariat for the Preparation of the Ethiopian
Millennium, Seyoum Bereded says his office has launched activities that will
lead to the glamorous celebration of the Ethiopian millennium. 
Seyoum
said the Secretariat has opened up office in the diplomatic and political
capital of
Africa,
Addis Ababa, and plans to expand its activities
to the remaining regional states.
Underlining the unique feature of the Ethiopian millennium which he said is an African celebration, he called on all Africans to join hands and make the festivity a remarkable chapter in their history.
The celebration would enable Ethiopia, a nation with long history of independence, bring forth its real image as the cradle of mankind endowed with peculiar historical relics and natural resources.
Seyoum called on governmental and non-governmental organizations and religious institutions to contribute for the successful celebration of the Ethiopian millennium.
The celebration will create an unprecedented platform to discuss issues of common concern for all Ethiopians focusing among others on health, environment and education irrespective of differences in outlooks.
Diaspora Investing in Growth
The Ethiopian Investment Agency has said that Ethiopian born investors residing abroad had engaged in projects worth more than 11 bn birr (about $ 1.3 bn) over the last 14 years.
Tilahun Gemechu, Investment Promotion Team Leader with the Agency said his office had issued licenses to overseas Ethiopian-born investors to engage in 1057 projects.
Projects ranged from agriculture, construction, education, health and social works, hotel and restaurant, manufacturing, mineral exploration, transport, real estate development to wholesale and retail trade.
Tilahun said the agency started licensing Ethiopians in the diaspora since July 1992 and added that most of the capital was invested in Addis Ababa.
He said that 45,364 temporary and permanent jobs were created.
Most of the investment was made in real estate development and equipment and tools leasing.