Ethiopia to send high level gov't delegation to 2nd Belt and Road Forum: official

Updated: February 15, 2019 Source: Xinhua News Agency
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Ethiopia is to send a high level government delegation to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation that will be held in Beijing in April, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday.

Speaking to Xinhua, Nebiat Getachew, Spokesperson at Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said Ethiopia and China already enjoy multifaceted ties, expected to be further strengthened at the meeting in April.

"In January, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed held talks with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi," he said.

"Earlier this month, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu held talks with visiting Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong. Both meetings show the high regard Ethiopia and China have to their bilateral relationship," Getachew told Xinhua.

"Ethiopia is a strong partner of China in the African continent. Ethiopia's expected attendance at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is a further testament to the strong bilateral ties," said Getachew.

Launched in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which seek to serve as a platform for international cooperation, and create new drivers for shared development to benefit more countries and peoples globally.

On May 14-15, 2017, the first ever Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing, attended by state and government leaders of 29 countries. The more than 1,600 participants came from over 140 countries and 80 international organizations.

Editor: 曹家宁