Brussels, 18/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Thursday 18 April, during his first official visit to Europe, the Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn, received the assurance of Herman Van Rompuy, European Council President, and José Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, of their interest in further deepening the EU's political and economic relations with Ethiopia. They also stressed their commitment to increasing cooperation in order to meet security challenges in the Horn of Africa and to tackle global climate change.
“The EU is by far the most important trade partner for Ethiopia with over 40% of Ethiopia's exports going to Europe. The EU is an important investor with 300 European companies active in Ethiopia and the EU stands ready to support the government in the long-term vision leading to growth and increased investment”, Van Rompuy said. He gave his assurance that the EU is ready to support Ethiopia's accession to the WTO, and underlined the importance of upholding human rights.
Addressing the press, Barroso said that Europe is the leading donor for Ethiopia. In the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), greater emphasis will be placed on health, and the EU has agreed to make “an additional allocation of €30 million for maternal health”, he announced. Relations, however, go further than development cooperation. Ethiopia, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, represents a partner of choice for the EU for making progress at the G20, in UN climate talks and for the preparations of the EU/AU summit in 2014. Barroso has announced that he will be in Addis Ababa next week for the meeting of the European Commission and the AU Commission. The Ethiopian prime minister thanked the EU for its aid which has borne fruit in the field of infrastructure, basic services, agriculture and food security. He noted the common resolve to strengthen trade and investment in the future. Answering questions put to him by the press, he denied the existence of human rights violations against journalists and trade union members, saying that no-one has ever been arrested because they were journalists or for their opinions, but for their crimes. (AN/transl.jl)