Chinese-proposed initiatives support global solidarity, peace: Ethiopian official

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-proposed Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative will support global solidarity and peace toward stronger partnership and development, a senior Ethiopian government official has said.

"Ethiopia's support to the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative put forward by China, and its readiness to work together with China to implement these initiatives is a testament of our cooperation on a global scale," said Ethiopia's Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide.

The Ethiopian finance minister made the remarks while addressing a special ceremony that was held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa early this week to celebrate the forthcoming 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), proposed by China in 2021 and 2022, respectively, constitute important practical support for the concept of a community of a shared future for humanity, which provides Chinese solutions to pursuing world peace and common prosperity.

Shide assured the Ethiopian government's strong commitment "to further deepen the economic, social, political cooperation with China; and our wish to bring our partnership to new heights in the next few years."

He said Ethiopia and China enjoy a comprehensive and strategic partnership for several decades based on mutual benefit and trust. "China and Ethiopia's practical cooperation has made fruitful achievements on all fronts. China has been Ethiopia's number one source of FDI, biggest trading partner, and largest project contractor for many years."

The two countries' cooperation has been improving and increasing significantly over the years, said the minister, underscoring that cooperation under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also enabled the East African country to realize the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway.

He said the 752.7-km transboundary electrified railway has made "important contributions to Ethiopia and Djibouti's economic and social development goals."

During the previous Ethiopian fiscal year that ended on July 7, about 98 percent of Ethiopia's coffee export was transported by the railway, which helped the country reduce transportation costs and increase income from its primary export product.

He underscored that the bilateral trade and economic cooperation between China and Ethiopia have a brighter prospect, adding that Ethiopia looks forward to continued cooperation and support from China in the East African country's development programs.