UK May More Than Double Bilateral Assistance to Ethiopia, Says Ambassador
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Addis Ababa, November 22/2023 (ENA): The United Kingdom (UK) may more than double its bilateral assistance to Ethiopia next year, Ambassador Darren Welch told ENA.
“We are looking to increase our bilateral assistance may be more than doubling it next year,” he said.
That will help build trade and investment, supporting the government’s plans to reform the economy and make the business environment even better, the ambassador added.
The enhanced support will be directed towards fostering trade and investment opportunities, aligning with the Ethiopian Government’s economic reform initiatives and efforts to enhance the business environment.
Ambassador Welch also emphasized the importance of a robust business environment in Ethiopia.
“We need a strong business environment here,” he underscored.
The UK is actively engaged in supporting Ethiopia’s efforts to secure financial restructuring assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, according to the ambassador.
”We are working very hard with the IMF and the World Bank to see if we can bring Ethiopia support to its macro-economy to help the economy get on a sure footing and to continue to grow.”
He described the long-standing relations between the countries is based on respect and partnership.
“We’ve had bilateral diplomatic relationships. For us, it is also a modern relationship. We have huge respect for Ethiopia and its culture, and we want to build a modern relationship based on partnership.”
Ambassador Welch further pointed out that the UK is actively involved in supporting Ethiopia’s development efforts, particularly in areas of health care, education, humanitarian assistance, and social protection.
“We are working really hard on issues like health. We will be supporting the government’s plans. We are (also) working on education where the government gave us a big reform agenda and we are providing support to that. (Moreover) we are providing financing through the safety net program.”
UK and Ethiopia have long-standing relationships spanning over 165 years.
By Ethiopian News Agency
