The economic reform policies undertaken by the Ethiopian Government opens much room for increased trade and investment relations between Turkiye and Ethiopia, Türkiye Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU Berk Baran said.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ambassador Baran said that Ethiopia and Turkiye are enjoying their 128 years of diplomatic relations in many fields.
Both countries have strong people-to-people relations, which date further than 128 years, he stated, and added: “Since centuries our people have been in contact and we also enjoy the interest of the people with the scholarships.”
Speaking of the various reform initiatives being undertaken by the government, Ambassador Baran noted “after the economic reform policies of the incumbent government of Ethiopia, we are sure that there will be much room for increasing our trade and investment relations.”
“The figure [trade volume between the two countries] is around 700 million USD, which is far behind the potential of course, and when it comes to trade relations; we are never seeking a one-way street, we are seeking to enhance it in both sides,” the Ambassador emphasized.
Ethiopia and Türkiye have a strong relationship that has been built on a foundation of mutual respect and cooperation, and the countries are committed to working together to achieve their shared economic goals, he elaborated.
“When we are having business delegations here, we are not interested only in export but we are also interested in importing from this country. Of course; coffee is among the top commercial products but we know that there is much more potential,” Baran pointed out.
There are several Turkish investors in Ethiopia and created many job opportunities, it was learned.
Besides its strategic location and proximity to the Middle East, Europe, USA, and Asia markets, Ethiopia with a population of 120 million and a rapidly growing middle class, is an ideal location for trading in the global economy.
Source: ENA