Ethiopia, a new member of BRICS, is strengthening ties with Russia.
On the sidelines of the group’s 16th summit in Kazan, Russian President Vladimir Putin received Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday, October 23, marking a new stage in bilateral relations between the two countries.
“Ethiopia’s accession to the BRICS is an important decision that testifies to the prestige of your country. We will continue to support Ethiopia’s harmonious integration into our activities,” Vladimir Putin told his Ethiopian counterpart.
The meeting was an opportunity to celebrate 125 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, marked by a history of friendship and mutual respect, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, noting that the leaders underlined their convergence of views on a number of international and regional issues.
On the economic front, trade between Russia and Ethiopia is growing significantly, with a 65 percent increase forecast by 2023. To strengthen this momentum, Moscow is proposing to expand cooperation in the field of health care, in particular by donating a mobile laboratory through Rospotrebnadzor.
Cultural and educational cooperation is not to be outdone. More than 20,000 Ethiopians have been educated in Russia since the 1960s, and about 200 Ethiopian students are currently studying there. Cultural events, such as the Days of Russian Spiritual Culture held in Addis Ababa in September, bear witness to this special relationship.
Russia has also invited the new Ethiopian Foreign Minister to participate in the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum scheduled for November in Sochi, confirming the implementation of the agreements reached at the Second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg.
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