Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Paris this morning to start his first European tour.
After landing, PM Abiy will head to the Élysée to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. He will then speak at a joint press conference alongside the French president.
The invitation to visit France was extended to Abiy on July 13, when President Macron made a telephone call to congratulate him on peace initiative with Eritrea and many other reforms he has undertaken in the home front since he became Prime Minister on April.
The visit will focus on cultural ties and investment and be an opportunity for France to promote its expertise in heritage conservation and restoration. As Ethiopia is in the process of undertaking serious economic reforms, it is a good time for French companies to see possibilities of investment in the country.
Prime Minister Abiy will then leave for Germany to attend the G20 Africa conference in Berlin, a summit that will be attended by nine other African head of States and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The G20 Africa conference aims at discussing progress made with the G20 partnership with Africa and the compact with Africa (CwA) to promote private investment in Africa, including in infrastructure.
Finally, Prime Minister Abiy will address a huge gathering of Ethiopians at Commerzbank-Arena stadium in Frankfurt. According to Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Meles Alem over 20,000 Ethiopians will participate in the meeting.
Ethiopia and Germany also enjoy strong cooperation in development, investment, and trade. Germany is the fifth largest destination for Ethiopian exports.
Source: Ethiopia Observer
