Joint Statement on Final Ethiopia Side

Joint Statement on
State Visit of Honorable President
of the Republic of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind to the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
(4-6 October, 2017)

At the invitation of His Excellency Dr. Mulatu Teshome, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India, is on a State Visit to Ethiopia from October 4-6, 2017.  The President of India is accompanied by his spouse Mrs.Savita Kovind and a delegation comprising Minister of State for­­­­­­­ Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta, and four Members of Parliament: Shri Virendra Singh, Shri Rakesh Singh, Ms. Roopa Ganguly and Shri Bhubaneshwar Kalita along with other senior Government officials.

2. During the visit, President Kovind was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace, Addis Ababa. President Kovind met and held bilateral discussions with President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr. Mulatu Teshome on 5th October, 2017, who also hosted a State banquet in his honour. President Kovind also met with Prime Minister  Hailemariam Desalegn.  During the visit, the President addressed a business event and also interacted with the Indian origin and expatriate community of Ethiopia. President Kovind visited Addis Ababa University and delivered his remarks there.

3. The discussions between the two sides were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere. President Kovind congratulated President Mulatu Teshome for the election of Ethiopia as a non-permanent member of United National Security Council and election of Ethiopian candidate Dr. Tedros  Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as the Director-General of WHO.

4. During the discussions, both sides acknowledged the long-standing excellent bilateral relations between Ethiopia and India re-affirmed the mutual desire to strengthen economic, commercial, technical, educational, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries. The Ethiopian side appreciated the support provided by the Government of India in education/capacity building of students, professionals and institutions which have been one of the strongest pillars of bilateral partnership between the two countries.

5. Following the talks, Ethiopian and Indian side

  • Commit to reinforce and build upon the successes and achievements of existing bilateral cooperation.
  • Note with satisfaction that bilateral trade in 2016 stood at US$1.37 billion. India is among the top three investors in Ethiopia.
  • Underlining that there was great potential for enhancement and expansion of mutual trade relations, emphasize the need for enhanced private sector investments from India to Ethiopia in a wide range of important sectors.
  • Note with satisfaction the long term concessional credit from India to support the priorities of the Ethiopian government
  • Decide to work on simplification of visa procedures on reciprocal basis with a view to encourage and promote trade and investment relations.
  • Visa procedures on reciprocal basis with a view to encourage and promote trade and investment relations.
  • Acknowledge that defence cooperation had been an important component of bilateral relations in the past and intend to strengthen this cooperation.
  • Agree to establish an Information Communications Technology Centre in Ethiopia by an Indian agency.
  • Explore several broad areas of cooperation in the space sector between Ethiopia and India.
  • Recognize the need to promote cultural exchanges.
  • Express deep appreciation for the contribution of the Indian community in Ethiopia towards Ethiopia’s economic development and promotion of bilateral and people to people relations.
  • Underscore the need to hold regular consultations on consular related issues.
  • Acknowledge the significant role played by Ethiopia for the maintenance of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region. They also acknowledged the significant role played by India and Ethiopia in peacekeeping missions and fighting terrorism in all its manifestations.
  • Share the view that the terrorism poses a grave threat to global peace and stability and reiterate their strong commitment to combat it in all its forms and manifestations.  They stress that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.
  • Commit to fight terrorism and assert that strong measures should be taken against terrorists, terror organizations, their networks and all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups. 
  • Continue to closely engage on regional and international issues of common concern.
  • Support reform of the United Nations Security Council in order to make it more broadly representative, efficient and transparent and thus to further enhance its effectiveness and the legitimacy and implementation of its decisions.
  • Work closely to intensify their cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral forums in order to address current global challenges such as climate change and to foster international and regional peace and security and sustainable development.
  • Welcome launch of International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a common platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries.
  • Acknowledge the leading role played by Ethiopia and India on climate change and maintenance of international peace and security.
  • President of Ethiopia Dr. Mulatu Teshome thanked the President of India for the positive consideration of the LOC request of USD 195.35 million for 400 KV power transmission line to industrial park project in Mek’ele. He also welcomed the generous gesture by the Government of India to announce the grant assistance of 1000 Metric Tonnes of Rice, USD 2 million worth of medicines and one lakh NCERT text books of Maths and Science.
  • President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind thanked President of Ethiopia Dr. Mulatu Teshome for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their stay in Ethiopia and extended an invitation to him to visit India.

 

October 5, 2017
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia