PM Abiy, President Kenyatta Inaugurate Moyale One-Stop Border Post

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Addis Ababa, December 9/2020(ENA)Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Uhuru Kenyatta inaugurated today the 500 kilometres Hawassa-Hagere Mariam-Moyale road project and One-stop Border Post in Marsabit County.

The launching of the border post and the 500 kilometers Hawassa-Hagere Mariam-Moyale Road, a key segment of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa Road Corridor and the Trans-African Highway, it was indicated.

During the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Abiy said the new infrastructure will bring Ethiopia and Kenya to come together to enhance socio-economic ties.

This is one of the key milestones of the two people to exchange experiences, investment, trade and tourism, Abiy said.

“I hope this will continue to the other neighbors to integrate the entire East Africa as one family,” he stated.

Prime Minister Abiy said Ethiopia was open to Kenyan investors and called for the strengthening of trade relations between the two countries.

“Opportunities are now wide open for Kenyan companies to invest in energy and aviation in Ethiopia,” he said.

“Likewise great potential awaits Kenyan investors to explore our agro processing, textile and garment manufacturing throughout the country,” Abiy noted.

He stressed need to work on sustaining peace and security like infrastructure because “peace is the foundation for everything as we are inspiring and transforming the life of our people.”

Prime Minister Abiy also invited President Kenyatta to join him in the ongoing regeneration of Addis Ababa into a green modern city, ideal for urban tourism and the service sector.

Last year, Ethiopia and Kenya have renewed their commitment to the full execution of the LAPSSET projects as key enablers of the transformation of the two economies.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said on his part that the completion of the border post demonstrates the political goodwill to address the challenges facing the business communities of both countries.

In addition to facilitating the trade between the two countries, the border post will enhance mutual interaction among the people and create synergy for unity of purpose, he added.

Noting the substantial untapped trade and investment opportunities in both sides, the President urged the business community from both sides to capitalize on these potentials taking the advantages of infrastructural being developed to enhance trade and investment.

He commended the development partners including African Development Bank (AfDB) and the government of UK for their valuable support.

Commending the two people along the border, he said this community thought generation “nurtured relationship between our two countries and they continued to co-exist as brothers and sisters.”

Premier Abiy and President Kenyatta said the regional infrastructure initiative is central to the unlocking of the economic potential of not only Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan but that of the entire East African region.

The two leaders offered guarantee of their plan to deepen trade and economic ties between Ethiopia and Kenya.

Prime Minister Abiy and President Kenyatta are expected to take off to Lamu County, where they will look over the ongoing construction of the new Lamu Port in South Eastern Kenya.

Ethiopian News Agency
2023