Addis Ababa, 2 October 2014 (WIC) - State Minister Ambassador Berhane Gebre-Christos held talks with Ambassador Ukur Yatani Kanacho, the Governor of Kenya’s Marsabit County on Tuesday (September 30).
They discussed issues of promoting peace and stability in the region as well as intensifying trade and investment relations between Marsabit county and Ethiopia and emphasized that the Government of Ethiopia attached critical importance to its relations with Kenya.
Ambassador Berhane reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to enhance peace in the region and to the proper use of resources in line with the Special Status Agreement signed between Kenya and Ethiopia in November 2012.
He shared his hope that the completion of the development of dams and the completion of road construction which are in the pipeline would alleviate power shortages and facilitate free movement of people and goods along the border areas and in the region as a whole.
Ambassador Kanacho, pointing out that Marsabit County had 500 kms of border with Ethiopia, underlined the close historical relations with south-eastern Ethiopia.
Indeed, he said, it shared natural resources, nationalities, culture, languages and customs with that part of Ethiopia.
He stressed the county was prepared to work closely together with the Ethiopian administrators on their common opportunities, interests and benefit, and in tackling the challenges faced on both sides of the border.
Ambassador Kanacho is heading a delegation which is making a three day stay in Ethiopia.
It is meeting a number of government bodies and representatives of the private sector to look at the relationship between Federal and Regional State governments and explore trade and investment opportunities as well as look at the livestock value chain and livestock policies, wind and solar energy development and tourism. (MoFA)