Ethiopia, Germany Expert Level Meeting Kicks off

January 28/2020 Ethiopia and Germany on Tuesday launched a two-day expert-level meeting in Addis Ababa in preparation for the first Joint Ministerial Commission.

The experts will deliberate on five areas of engagement that enhance Ethio-Germany bilateral relations.

These include foreign and security affairs, economic cooperation and development, migration, social development cooperation and economic affairs, energy and climate change.

Addressing the opening session, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mahlet Hailu praised the centennial long diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Germany.

“The establishment of the Joint Ministerial Commission is a clear demonstration of the historic friendship between the two countries,” she noted.

Mahlet also reaffirmed her hope that the Joint Ministerial Commission would encourage German private sector’s engagement in Ethiopia.

Taking the long standing relations between the two countries into consideration, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and Sahel at the German Federal Foreign Office, Robert Dölger, underlined that the two countries “should expand their cooperation into high-yielding and mutually beneficial sectors.”

The Director appreciated Prime Minister Abiy for winning the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize saying the award "was one of the testaments to what role Ethiopia has been playing in ensuring peace and stability in the region."

The session brought together about 43 German and 35 Ethiopian experts, it was indicated.