Fikremariam Tesfaye
5 July 2009
Addis Abeba — In close association with the Government and people of Ethiopia, a new paradigm of cooperation and partnership in the true spirit of South-South Cooperation created between Ethiopia and India, Ambassador of India to Ethiopia said on Friday.
Ambassador Gurjit Singh concludes his term as Ambassador of India to Ethiopia after serving his office in Addis Ababa from 2005 to 2009.
"There is no doubt that my team and I have worked hard to add new dimensions and depth to the Ethio-India relationship," Said the Ambassador at a press conference on Friday at the Embassy.
"I have great confidence and faith in the direction adopted by Ethiopia for its development. In a true brotherly spirit, I believe that Ethiopia is on the same road for democratic development in a pluralistic society that India has traversed. I am sure following each other and sharing our experiences will contribute to the successful development of Ethiopia," he added.
During his term, the Ambassador has implemented the Pan-African e-Network Project successfully in Ethiopia. The fact that India became the largest investor in Ethiopia was another source of pride. The start of India's lines of credit to support Ethiopia's development goals, the enhancement of scholarships for post-graduate studies and the doubling of the capacity building programmes, the introduction of Indian experience in almost every field of development in Ethiopia have been among some of the ambassador done on his time in Ethiopia.
"We took it upon ourselves to take the message of cooperation with India to different sectors and regions. The establishment of the India Business Forum was an effort to bring together India's private sector with the Embassy through public-private partnerships. With the India Business Forum we travelled to Tigray, Amhara, SNNPRS, Oromia, Gambella, Harar and Diredawa to explore new possibilities and expand the Ethio-India friendship in true measure", Singh said.
High level visits by Prime Minister of Ethiopia three times in the last two years and the visits by many Cabinet Ministers and business delegations besides study missions have added new vigor and intensity to the relationship. The number of Ethiopians going to India for education, medical treatment and business has been steadily rising. The number of Indians visiting Ethiopia has gone, according to the out going ambassador.
In the last three years the number of Indian Ministers who have visited Ethiopia has also increased tremendously. The most significant visit was the historic visit by the Minister for External Affairs in July 2007. The number of Indian investors and businessmen who have made Ethiopia the starting point for their interaction with eastern Africa is a tribute to the growing importance of Ethiopia as a trusted and important partner for India, the ambassador said.
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