Resumed Ethiopia, Spain Air Link Will Strengthen Economic Growth: Ambassador Palma

Addis Ababa,December 13/2023(ENA)- The recently resumed flights of the Ethiopian Airlines to Spain will help the economic tie between the countries to grow stronger, Spain's Ambassador to Ethiopia Palma told ENA. 

Ambassador Manuel Salazar Palma believes that the flight connectivity which resumed on December 8,2023 between the capital cities of the two countries will promote people-to-people and economic ties.    

“I see it as a very important step to promote both Ethiopia in Spain and Spain in Ethiopia. The air connection will bring together people from both countries and will promote a better knowledge of Ethiopia for Spanish society and Spain to the Ethiopian society.”

Ethio-Spain relations, which started in 1951, has been continuously progressing especially over the past decade.

According to him, the fourth largest economy in Europe has a wealth of expertise to share and partner economically with Ethiopia, particularly in renewable energy, transportation, and tourism.

“We are the fourth economy in Europe and we have a lot to exchange with Ethiopia,” Ambassador Palma said. 

He revealed that Spain has opened an economic and commercial office in Addis Ababa to expedite the economic relations. 

“We opened our economic and commercial office here because our government thought that it would be very good to have an economic presence here to promote business, to promote economic relations of Spain to Ethiopia, but also Ethiopia to Spain.”  

The ambassador further pointed out the need for an Ethiopian embassy in Madrid to further strengthen the relationship. 

I'm sure there will be a chance to have an embassy in the near future, Ambassador Palma, stated adding that in any case relations between the countries are good and expanding continuously.

Moreover, Spain has the presidency of the European Union during this semester; and the ambassador said that Spain is “promoting relations with all African countries. And especially in my case, of course, with Ethiopia. I think there's a lot to do where we can contribute, where we can work together; and we are looking forward to having concrete results on these lessons --- on this economic relations.” 

The Spanish ambassador said his country has well-developed industries in renewable energies and transport sectors. 

“We have a very well-developed industry, for example, in renewable energies. We are number one in the world. We are extremely developed in the transport sector, in any of the sub-sectors. I mean air, road, or railway. We have the second fastest train network in the world. Just only after China,” Ambassador Palma elaborated.

The country has also advanced transport machinery industries and air traffic control systems, in addition to agro-food, IT, and tourism sectors. 

“We are number one in the tourist business. Before the pandemic Spain has received 86 million tourists. Now we are approaching that figure again. And we hope next year to continue expanding and receiving tourists.”  

Like in the other sectors, the ambassador stated that Spain has a lot to exchange with Ethiopia in tourism.