The Belt and Road Initiative has brought to Ethiopia

Xi Jinping: The Governance of China 

I’ve been China before and posted here as an ambassador two times for a visit, actually work visit. My first experience, I was part of a delegation led by our former prime minister and that time we have had the chance to visit Beijing, Guangzhou.

I think most of my expectations had been met while I’m here as an ambassador. So I’m very much happy to be here and to be assigned here as an ambassador representing my country, beloved country Ethiopia, a country who has a strong bilateral relationship with China. I hope I will have a lot to accomplish so that the existing strong bilateral relation between the two countries would be further strengthened and deepened. And on top of economic and political，I think the people-to-people relationship would be better trengthened in us.

So I’m really enjoying life here in China, work and life in China. I think the bilateral relationship between China and Ethiopia goes 2,000 years back. But when we consider the formal diplomatic relation, it has been some 53 years, especially the last three decades, I think the bilateral relationship between the two countries elevated to its highest level.

Very recently, it has been debated to following his excellency, our prime minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed to officially visit to China. It’s elevated to the all-weather strategic partnership level.

So the unique main characteristics is a space based on mutual trust. And it’s based on mutual benefit, respect. Ambassador, you know this year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Ethiopia is one of the first countries in Africa to jointly build Belt and Road.

I think BRI as a global initiative from China, is a remarkable  ndertaking that spans continents and transcends borders.It’s connecting economies.It’s facilitating trade, investment, and connecting people.It is enhancing people-to-people relation, cultural exchange,and actually realizing global shared prosperity. So it has a greater role in the global civilization, the global development.

Specifically coming to Ethiopia, I think Ethiopia have been, as you have mentioned, one of the first countries actually joined the BRI initiative and has been actually benefited a lot from this initiative. One showcase is the one that you have mentioned. The Addis-Djibouti electric railway, which is one of the longest electric railways in Africa, which is actually facilitating trade.

We call the Addis-Djibouti a corridor. It’s like our bloodline of our economy. So by giving a boost to our logistics efficiency and ffectiveness, this remarkable and landmark project, under this BRI initiative, is supporting the economic development of Ethiopia. 

Another area is we are striving to develop our production capacity, and we aspire to be the manufacturing hub of Africa. In this regard, the Hawassa Industrial Park, has been actually part of the BRI itiative. And it is supporting our manufacturing capacity and actually assisting our export sector in bringing better foreign currency, which is actually badly needed by our economy.

On top of this, BRI has been actually supporting our economy through the development of telecommunication.

Now we have one of the strongest telecommunications in Africa, which is instrumental in actually supporting our economic endeavor. So this is an iconic showcase part in initiative as far as China-Ethiopia relations is considered, and as far as Africa and China relationship is considered.

So I think this clearly demonstrates the high importance that the Belt and Road Initiative has brought to Ethiopia.

I think elevating the bilateral relation to all-weather strategic partnership level would bring huge opportunity for both China and Ethiopia. I think the relationship and the partnership would be in all spheres, in the investment, it will further enhance it, trade, it will further be strengthened.

Now, tourism is a newly coming industry and area of partnership, so it will for sure, invigorate the sector and the relationship in this area. I think China’s modernization is something well related to its past ancient civilization. It’s good to explain the China modernization, I mean explaining its characteristics.

In this case, I would like to mention two characteristics which most actually impressed me. The first one is the China modernization path is really well-aligned with the reality, the objective situation of China.

It doesn’t emulate any civilization in the world. It pursues its own path, its own way. How can we work together—China and Ethiopia—to better contribute. For example, we are connecting. We are providing electric power to our neighbors. we provided electric power to Kenya, to Djibouti, to Sudan. In the future we will continue to do so for other neighboring countries.

So collaborating with China in the economic sphere will not remain its impact will not remain in Ethiopia, but it will have a far-reaching impact to the neighboring countries.  So in the future, I think we have even a bigger vision so that under the African free trade area, we would like to connect with all African countries.

We are glad and we are grateful for the support of China and other members of the BRICS for supporting Ethiopia to join the BRICS.

I think this will bring a lot of opportunities for Ethiopia.

But for me, it will consolidate the south-south cooperation as China and Africa are parts of the south-south cooperation. It will for sure bring lots of opportunities for Ethiopia, Africa, and BRICS members.  The second most populous country in Africa, being a member of BRICS will for sure bring additional potential, a vibrant economy in Africa coming into BRICS and a huge potential and a bright future.

I can mention one.  The saying goes like this, When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.  This is to indicate the power and the strength of unity and power of coming together.  This can serve unity within a country.  So coming together and uniting together will for sure serve the betterment of humankind.

Author ：Tefera Derbew Yimam