Addis Ababa — Ethiopia's efforts to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been quite encouraging, the newly appointed Country Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said.

UNDP Country Representative Fidele Sarassoro said yesterday that Ethiopia has been registering remarkable achievements toward realizing the MDGs, especially in the health and education sectors.

Country representative of the UN agency made the statement while presenting his credentials to President Girma Wolde-Giorgis at a ceremony held at the National Palace.

He said UNDP would continue assisting Ethiopia to the efforts geared towards implementing the MDGs in general and in attaining food self-sufficiency in particular.

Speaking on the occasion, President Girma said that Ethiopia has been undertaking various activities during the last ten years to ensure dependable peace and stability in the country.

Girma also said that the country has registered encouraging results in infrastructural development especially in road construction and power supply during the reported period.

The government of Ethiopia has been exerting utmost efforts in reducing poverty across the nation, he said, adding the country needs the assistance of development partners to successfully achieve the MDGs.

In fact, the President said, Ethiopia has been registering over 7 per cent economic growth per annum with a view to meeting the MDGs as per schedule.