INDIA -ETHOPIA PARTNERSHIP

India and Ethiopia are no strangers to each other.

Many millennia ago, Africa and India were joined as one landmass. Today we are separated by the waters of the Indian Ocean but our connections are deep and they have brought in their wake rich and varied exchanges in the ebb and flow of history.

Indian traders flocked to the ancient port ofAdulis, trading silk and spices for gold and ivory. A sizeable Indian community consisting of merchants and artisans came and settled in this ancient land in the latter part of the 19th century.

There was movement in the other direction too. Thousands of people of Ethiopian origin have settled as an integral part of Indian society along the West Coast of India. The fort of Murud Janjira in the State ofMaharashtra stands as a symbol of African influence inIndia.

These exchanges have produced remarkable and often overlooked similarities in our traditions and cultures.

Relations between India and Ethiopia have expanded impressively in the last few decades. We attach high importance to our relations with Ethiopia.

Our development and economic partnership is progressing well.

Education and capacity building are high priorities for both our countries.

The Pan-African e-Network project in Ethiopiaimplemented by India has connected Addis AbabaUniversity with the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

India has agreed to the early establishment of a Vocational Training Centre in Ethiopia.

In the infrastructure sector, India has assisted in a rural electrification programme in Southern Ethiopia which has brought benefit to hundreds of thousands of people in rural Ethiopia.

India has provided a line of credit of 640 million US dollars for the development of Ethiopia’s sugar industry.

People must  support the new Ethio-Djibouti Railway project to promote regional integration. We have decided to extend a line of credit of 300 million US dollars for this important project.

India is one of the largest foreign investors inEthiopia. More than 450 Indian companies have committed upwards of 4 billion US dollars in investment in Ethiopia.

India-Ethiopia  bilateral trade is on course to reach the target of 1 billion US dollars by 2015.

political ties are close. Indian troops were part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia andEritrea to secure peace and security. Military training is a valued area of our cooperation.

India and Ethiopia must work to address the challenges of food security, energy security, health security, sustainable development and climate change. We have to learn to solve our own problems by collaborating with each other.

Our farming communities and scientists should collaborate to usher in a second Green Revolution. This is the lasting solution to the scourge of hunger that afflicts millions in both our countries.

Providing affordable health care to our people, particularly in rural areas, is another major challenge. Indian pharmaceutical companies are known for providing cheap and good quality generic drugs. I am happy they have begun to invest in Ethiopia.

It is essential for rich countries to share the financial burden of combating climate change, participate in research and development and promote the transfer of technology to ensure green growth. Prime Minister Zenawi has made an invaluable contribution to these issues as co-chair of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing.

India owes a debt of deep gratitude to Africa for it was here that Mahatma Gandhi experienced his political and spiritual awakening. It was in Africa that he first experimented with the philosophy of non-violence and passive resistance or satyagraha that shook the colonial powers of that time.

The struggles for freedom in India and Africaand the collaboration of our leaders were glorious chapters in our history. After we attained freedom, we worked shoulder to shoulder to fight apartheid and strengthen the Non-aligned Movement and the United Nations. India supported liberation movements such as the African National Congress and South West Africa People’s Organisation. We fought to build a just, equitable and democratic international order.

This is the legacy of friendship that we have inherited from our forefathers. Our empathy with our African brothers and sisters is of long standing and comes from our hearts and minds.

India and Ethiopia are pluralistic and diverse societies. We share the belief that democracy and respect for the free will of the people are the only durable basis to find solutions to our problems.

We believe that similar principles should be applied in the conduct of international governance.

The Horn of Africa is today faced with threats from piracy and terrorism. International piracy in the Red Sea and off the coast of Somalia has become a well organized industry. It is important that the United Nations takes the lead in developing a comprehensive and effective response to this threat. Simultaneously, the international community should continue with efforts to restore stability in Somalia.

As a littoral State of the Indian Ocean, India is ready to work with Ethiopia and other African countries in this regard. We would all like the Indian Ocean to remain a secure link between Asia and Africa through which international maritime trade can take place unhindered.

The winds of change are blowing in West Asia and North Africa. We believe it is the right of all peoples to determine their own destiny and choose their own path of development. International actions must be based on the rule of law and be strictly within the framework of United Nations Resolutions. We support the efforts of the African Union in bringing peace and stability to the region