Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria Ramtane Lamamra
H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, received at his office on Wednesday (July 29) H.E. Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Foreign Affairs and National community Abroad of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.
At the onset of their meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister appreciated the historical relationships between the two countries and congratulated Algeria for conducting a successful election.
He also stated Ethiopia’s readiness to host the 5th Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), which was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Demeke has also delivered a briefing on the current developments in the Tigray region and underscored the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to the humanitarian ceasefire.
Speaking on the GERD, Mr. Demeke said Ethiopia conducted the second filling according to the Declaration of Principles (DoP), which was signed by the tripartite in 2015.
The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed Ethiopia’s firm commitment to resume the trilateral negotiations over the Renaissance Dam under the auspices of the African Union.
Mr. Demeke asked the Algerian Foreign Minister to play a constructive role in correcting the Arab League’s misperceptions on the GERD underscoring Ethiopia’s intentions to fair and equitable utilization of the Nile water.
The discussion between the two sides also emphasized the need to expand engagements in trade, investment, and tourism between the two countries.
In this regard, the Deputy Prime Minister expressed his hope that Ethiopian Airlines would start a direct flight from Addis Ababa to Algiers and noted Ethiopia’s interest to welcome investors from Algeria.
Mr. Ramtane Lamamra will also visit Sudan and Mr. Demeke asked him to persuade Sudan to solve its border issue with Ethiopia peacefully according to existing joint mechanisms and refrain from using force since it would never settle the matter amicably.
Ethiopia and Algeria established diplomatic relations in the late 1960s.
