Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen arrived in Tanzania today as his first leg of a tour in four African countries.
He met Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, and conveyed the message of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
DPM and FM Demeke also had a discussion with the President of Tanzania on bilateral and regional issues.
He explained the implementation status of the Pretoria Peace Agreement and the efforts that the Government of Ethiopia has been undertaking to solidify the peace process.
Speaking on the current state of affairs in the Sudan, Demeke reaffirmed the Government of Ethiopia’s readiness to extend all necessary support to resolve the problem peacefully.
In their discussion about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Demeke noted the need to resume the AU-led tripartite negotiations and rebuked the unnecessary intervention of the League of Arab States.
The Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, appreciated the Ethiopian Government initiatives in solidifying the peace process.
She also expressed her country’s keen interest in strengthening relations, notably in aviation, tourism, and culture.
The two parties have agreed to jointly combat illegal migration and human trafficking.
In connection with that, Demeke asked the President for better treatment of Ethiopian illegal migrants who are found in Tanzanian prisons, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is to be recalled that 2,500 Ethiopian migrants were repatriated from Tanzania in the past few months, and the remaining will be repatriated soon.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister’s trip includes the Union of the Comoros, Burundi, and Uganda.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency