Ethiopian official urges stronger cooperation with China

ADDIS ABABA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- A senior Ethiopian government official has called for further augmenting Ethiopia-China cooperation through common platforms and initiatives.

Ethiopia and China have enjoyed a longstanding relationship that spans over five decades, and there is a need "to enhance cooperation and foster enduring friendship between our two nations," Gebeyehu Ganga, director-general of the Middle East, Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a symposium on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) held Wednesday in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

He said Ethiopia is committed to further strengthening cooperation with China by harnessing the opportunities presented through the BRI and other China-proposed initiatives.

"Initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative underscore our joint efforts in driving the implementation of key programs under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)," Ganga said.

He said that as a vivid manifestation of the ever-expanding Ethiopia-China ties, the two countries elevated their relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in October last year.

The upgrading of the ties "signifies a new chapter in our bilateral relations," Ganga said.

He stressed Ethiopia's role as a key player in cementing wider Africa-China cooperation.

"Ethiopia, as a gateway to Africa, stands as a pioneer in China-Africa cooperation, serving as a vital connecting hub on the continent and steadfast partner of China in promoting collaboration through common platforms and initiatives such as the FOCAC, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), among others," he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan, in his New Year message in January, said China-Ethiopia cooperation has been gaining momentum across various fields of partnership.

By 2023, China had sent 22 batches of more than 500 teachers to various agricultural vocational colleges in Ethiopia to cultivate talents for local agricultural development, Zhao said.

China has so far sent 24 cohorts of medical teams to help the East African country's efforts in public health, he said.

The ambassador said that Chinese investment in Ethiopia has created 560,000 local jobs, and thousands of Ethiopian students were provided with opportunities to study in China.