Friday September 8, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, Salah Ahmed Jama, and his Ethiopian counterpart, Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, have concluded the first meeting of the Somalia-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC), which took place in Mogadishu on September 5th and 6th.
During this meeting, the two neighbouring countries signed agreements related to trade and cooperation, marking a fresh beginning aimed at expanding mutual benefits across various sectors.
Prime Minister Jama expressed Somalia's eagerness to strengthen its bilateral ties with Ethiopia, grounded in mutual respect, to foster growth and capitalize on opportunities that will be advantageous for the citizens of both nations.
He underscored that the inaugural meeting of the Joint Committee in Mogadishu represented a positive step toward enriching the lives of both countries' populations and unlocking development opportunities for both nations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, emphasized the need to expand Ethiopia-Somalia relations beyond political and security matters to encompass more mutually beneficial areas of cooperation. He commended the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, for his efforts in combating al-Shabaab militants.
"Somalia and Ethiopia share culture and high values that will always be an eternal, unbroken bond, stressing the importance of strengthening the relationship of people to people by exploring new ways of cooperation that represent a natural extension of this historical link, expressing the Ethiopian government's continued commitment to facilitating and enhancing all aspects of cooperation between the two countries," he added.
Hamza Aden Hadow, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, noted that Somali businesspeople stand to benefit from Ethiopia's substantial market, with a population of over 120 million. He emphasized that various products, including fish, will find markets in Ethiopia, while Ethiopian businesses will reap rewards from the Somali market.
