Ethiopia, China have to work hard for common aspirations: Ethiopian president

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Ethiopia, China have to work hard for common aspirations: Ethiopian president

(Xinhua) 08:37, October 31, 2013

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ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 30 -- Ethiopia and China have common aspirations and agendas of fast growth and prosperity, said Mulatu Teshome, newly elected President of Ethiopia, on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua here on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the president said Ethiopia and China have been enjoying relations and cooperation in different areas, adding that many Chinese companies are engaged in different sectors here in Ethiopia.

"The cooperation we are enjoying with the People's Republic of China, we have got many investors from China. We have got our development partners; different companies especially, in the construction of roads, railways, and also in the hydro electric power generation and in the construction of transmission lines so and so forth. Even in the telecom we have the cooperation of Chinese companies. That is very important link between our two countries," said the president.

He said the economic cooperation between the two countries has been strengthened more than ever before.

"We have been enjoying traditional friendship; political, economic, diplomatic. But, it was not as such substantiated with the strong economic interaction. Now, we are doing that," said Mulatu.

The president, who had stayed in China for more than 10 years for studies and diplomatic mission, called for more efforts from both sides to further the cooperation.

He said he was mindful of attracting more Chinese investors to Ethiopia while he was in China for a year and half in serving diplomatic mission more than a decade ago, when there was no such a level of Chinese investment in Ethiopia.

"But, today the Chinese already have come to know Ethiopia's importance that both countries, both peoples can work for a common goal, for mutual benefit. If Chinese companies come to Ethiopia, definitely they have to be sure that they will benefit; they will not lose.

"From our part, we also have to make sure that any investor be it from China or from any part of the world will be successful. We shouldn't see any failed investor. Because if that investor fails, we are not getting any benefit out of it. If the investor is successful, if he is having more profit, the country benefits from the success. So, in bringing Ethio-Chinese business communities together in bringing Chinese investors to Ethiopia and in trading with each other, I think both countries will benefit and individual businesses will benefit and the individual business companies will benefit," he said.

"So, we have common aspirations, that are fast growth, prosperity for our nations, for our countries; prosperities for our peoples and peace and stability in our countries and in our regions and to the world at large. So, we have got a lot of common agendas, common aspirations and we have to work hard for that," said the President.

Asked about the Sino-African relations and cooperation, Mulatu said China is a development partner of Ethiopia and also other African countries.

"If Ethiopia already has an attractive sector, be it mining or in manufacturing sectors, we make our call for Chinese development partners or investors to be our partners; in that where there is a common interest, mutual benefit, the Chinese companies will come, they will benefit from what we are producing; and our countries will benefit also. So, this applies to all African countries," he said.