Ethiopia keen to learn from China’s economic transformation: official

Ethiopia is keen to learn from China’s economic transformation as the east African country embarks on its own ambitious economic reform program, Ethiopian official said.
Tagesse Chafo, speaker of the Ethiopian Parliament, made the remarks during discussions he held with China’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Zhao Zhiyuan, according to a press release released by the Press Office of the Ethiopian Parliament.
“Ethiopia and China have long-standing friendship and strong relationship spanning five decades. Ethiopia hopes to learn a lot from China in terms of transforming its economy,” Chafo remarked.
Ethiopia and China established diplomatic ties in 1970, with the two countries in recent years forging closer economic, political, social, medical and cultural ties.
Chafo also commended China’s assistance in Ethiopia’s fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zhao Zhiyuan said China and Ethiopia have been steadfastly cooperating with each other since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was detected about one year ago.
Ethiopia has as of Sunday afternoon confirmed 141,453 COVID-19 cases and 2,145 COVID-19 related deaths.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation, has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the east African region.
The Chinese government as well as Chinese private firms have given several rounds of COVID-19 medical supplies to Ethiopia to help the east African country fight the spread of the pandemic.
Zhao also said China has built many projects and deployed 50,000 Chinese citizens in various fields to help the east African country become the largest economy in Africa.
“Chinese companies in Ethiopia have created more than 1 million jobs in various sectors, highlighting China’s Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership with Ethiopia,” he added.
Hauwa Mustapha