Azerbaijan, Ethiopia Share Respect for Sovereignty, Non-Interference Principles: Charge d'Affaires

Addis Ababa November 24, 2021 (ENA) Azerbaijan and Ethiopia share the principles of "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and non-interference in internal domestic affairs", Azerbaijan's Charge d'Affaires to Ethiopia Ruslan Nasibov said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ruslan Nasibov said Azerbaijan, which is the current chair  of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), shares the same principles and values with Ethiopia.

“I would like to mention the most important principles. First, I would like to mention that respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity of the states. Second, non-interference in the internal domestic affairs of countries. We are promoting these fundamental principles of the NAM.”

The Charge d'Affaires added that NAM will restart social programs for African countries and now "we are in ways of providing scholarships for members of the Non-Aligned Movement, including African countries and Ethiopia."   

Speaking about cooperation at the international arena, Nasibov said “we have also enjoyed mutual support with Ethiopia; and we thank members of NAM, including Ethiopia, for their firm support to our just position, especially in the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict.”  

Sharing his country's experiences in fake news the Charge d'Affaires said “we still face the bias of the media and fake news. This vividly showed during the 44-day Patriotic War.”

He underscored that “our society at individual level, civic society and government fight against the spread of fake news at the time in unity.”

According to Nasibov, Ethiopia and Azerbaijan relations have very big prospect in the future.

“Now we are working on developing relations in almost all fields, including political, economic, humanitarian. And we are working with all Ethiopians, friends and colleagues on ways of  strengthening bilateral relations as well as public service,” he stated.

He recalled that relations with Africa have been developing since the Soviet times, adding that many students from Africa were going to the Soviet Union to receive education. Among them, 8,000 from Africa received education in Azerbaijan. Of these 10 percent or about 800  were from Ethiopia.

Diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan began in 1992.