Foreign Ministry says bolstering Ethiopia’s foreign diplomacy

Addis Ababa, June 21, 2012 (WIC) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has been bolstering Ethiopia’s foreign diplomacy by boosting its bilateral and multilateral relations.

The Ministry has delivered its ten-month performance report to pertinent standing committee of the national parliament.

Presenting the report, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn said Ethiopia has been able to register remarkable results in the area of foreign diplomacy during the reported period.

The Ministry is bolstering Ethiopia’s political diplomacy at bilateral and multilateral forums to create conducive environment for the country’s development and democratization process, he said.

Aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership that the country has with IGAD-member countries and 16 other selected countries, the Ministry has scaled up diplomatic relations globally.

Hailemariam said Ethiopia has been working with these countries to ensure peace and security in the Horn of Africa region.

The role the Country has assumed in ensuring peace and stability in the Horn of Africa in general and in Somalia and the two Sudans in particular testifies to the success the nation has gained in international diplomacy, he said.

Ethiopia has also lobbied the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions against Eritrea for its destabilizing acts in the region.

Hailemariam said efforts are underway to improve Ethiopia’s lukewarm relations with countries like Canada and Sweden.
According to  ERTA ,He also hailed efforts made to promote Ethiopia’s investment opportunities over the past ten months.

“335 foreign investors selected by our missionaries have made a pre-investment visit to Ethiopia. More than 350 foreign investors with an aggregate capital of 61.3 billion Birr have been licensed to run about 392 investment projects, 163 of which have begun operation over the past ten months,” said Hailemariam.

“Improving weakening bilateral relations was another important thing. We have given due attention to resume ties with Canada, Qatar and Sweden.”