Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin revealed that Ireland has been seeking a stronger investment and trade links with Ethiopia.
The deputy prime minister and foreign minister was in Ethiopia last week for an official working visit which aimed at taking a three-decade bilateral ties to a higher level of cooperation.
Approached by ENA, Martin underscored that Ethiopia and Ireland have been enjoying longstanding bilateral ties.
‘We have a long standing partnership and relationship with Ethiopia. Some 30 years ago, we established diplomatic relations with Ethiopia and our embassy essentially established here in Addis Ababa,’ he stated.
According to him, over those years, the two countries have maintained a consistent and steady partnership in terms of development cooperation in supporting many initiatives of the government of Ethiopia.
In this regard, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister mentioned some initiatives that Ireland supports Ethiopia in the spheres of product
ive safety net program, health, education and food production systems.
He further expressed Ireland’s commitment that the country has been working hard in order to foster its trade and investment relations with Ethiopia.
‘Into the future we’d like to see stronger investment in Ethiopia from Irish companies, and we would like to see stronger trading links between Ireland and Ethiopia.’
Acknowledging Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Reform Program, Martin said we are very impressed with the significant reform being carried out in the country.
For him, the Homegrown Economic Growth program of Ethiopia has become instrumental for countries including the European Union to consolidate economic cooperation with Ethiopia.
Particularly, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister hoped that the ongoing Ethiopia’s economic reform will attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and enhance trade.
‘I had a very good meeting with Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and his point was that the reforms at macro level are happeni
ng now in Ethiopia. So I think the opportunities will grow in Ethiopia. So the reform itself attracts FDI and extra trade between Ireland and Ethiopia as well as between Europe and Ethiopia.’
Speaking on Ethiopia’s reconstruction endeavors following the war in the northern part of the country, Martin urged the various global financial institutions to support the efforts including the European Union.
Noting that reconstruction is very important, he noted that the world has to support Ethiopia in that aspect, adding that ‘we have to get behind Ethiopia in terms of the reconstruction and recovery.’
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
