MISGANAW ASNAKE — East African Pastoralists praised the recent pastoral expo for bolstering relationships, integration and peace amongst themselves.

The East African Pastoralist Expo that held in Addis Ababa between January 26 and February 5, was a good opportunity for pastoralists to know one another and bolster relationship, participants said.

They told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the expo builds cooperation, peace and integration amongst them.

The expo is a big platform to help pastoralists know each other, said Ugandan Pastoralist Tebanyang Emmanuel who came to Addis Ababa to showcase his culture manifested by pastoral tools like plates, milk serving gourd bottle, fishing tools, and traditional clothes.

He expressed that the pastoralists came to Addis responding policy makers' advice about the necessity of creating an enabling environment and governing policy to connect with Ethiopian counterparts.

Pastoralists want to develop infrastructure to access foreign market since they have only small market at local level, he said.

Ethiopian Pastoralist Blusha Guyo said, "We are happy for displaying our product here. This expo is a big opportunity that meet together pastoralists in one place and helps us to learn a lot of lessons and experience and also share our challenges."

She said that the government in collaboration with IGAD is supporting pastoralists through creating them market access for their animal products.

However, she expressed that the pastoralists yet need basic facilities such as road, school, hospitals and water.