By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Indian Prime Minister in his first visit to Ethiopia, one of the Africa’s most populous nations on Wednesday called for a strategic bilateral relationship.
“The Global South is writing its own destiny, and India and Ethiopia share a vision for it,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi told parliamentarians during a special address.
“Our vision is of a world where the Global South rises not against anyone, but for everyone; a world where development is fair, where technology is accessible, and where sovereignty is respected,” he added.
The leaders signed a number of memorandums of understanding and promised to cooperate on the training of United Nations peacekeepers, education, and the establishment of a data centre at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He also pledged to help Ethiopia navigate its growing international debt profile under the G20 Common Framework and to combat terrorism.
Modi was on Tuesday conferred with Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, the “Great Honor Nishan Ethiopia,” by his Ethiopian counterpart, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
He was the first foreign head of state to receive the recognition.
Ethiopia became a full-fledged member of the BRICS bloc last year, joining nations such as Iran and Egypt, as it seeks new partnerships after emerging from a two-year civil war in its northern province of Tigray. India is set to host the 18th BRICS summit next year.
The Ethiopian government has been looking for new partners as its relationship with the United States wanes. Washington suspended Ethiopia’s duty-free access to the American market in 2022, a move that affected its once-growing economy, and recently ended humanitarian assistance following the cancellation of USAID-funded programs.
India is a popular destination for medical tourism and higher education for many Ethiopians seeking affordable services not readily available at home.
