State Minister Mrs. Hirut Zemene received the newly appointed Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic, Ambassador Luciano Pezzotti.
The two sides discussed on issues of common interest in the Horn of Africa and briefed each other on the rapidly changing peace and security situations in the region.
Mrs. Hirut, commending Italy’s effort in helping stabilize the region said “we need your support and understanding in our effort to deter fundamentalism and terrorism in the region”.
While noting the recent incursion made by terrorist factions in Northern Ethiopia State Minister Hirut said there was a need to check the distractive effort of the Eritrean regime to distabilize the Horn and in particular Ethiopia.
“We need your close cooperation in our effort to voice Africa’s concern’s in the United Nations Security Council” Mrs, the State Minister added.
Ambassador Luciano Pezzotti on his part noted the long standing relation and cooperation the two countries, adding: “we should deepen our relation and consider broader area of cooperation beyond the Horn of Africa”.
Commending Ethiopia’s hospitality in accommodating huge number of refugees and noting the fact that migration from the Horn of Africa accounts 25% (only to Italy) where 70% of them are Eritreans, the Ambassador said “we also should strengthen our cooperation in areas of mitigating the challenge of migration.”
