Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Ethiopian Premier meets President Kibaki

Written By:PPS ,    Posted: Tue, May 24, 2011
President Mwai Kibaki who is in Ethiopia for the 2nd Africa-India Forum Summit, Tuesday met and held discussions with the country's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
The meeting  was a follow-up to talks the two leaders held in Kampala, Uganda last week on harmonious co-existence of communities living along the common border.
Tuesday's talks set out the agenda that will be discussed at a Joint Ministerial meeting between representatives of the two countries. This includes the issue of beacons along the common border and the sustainable use of shared resources like the Lake Turkana.
The two leaders also discussed regional issues including peace and security in the Sudan and Somalia. They called for patience and tolerance in Sudan that has entered a critical stage in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that set out the roadmap for stability in the country.
During the discussions, President Kibaki and the Ethiopian Premier also expressed the need for fast-tracking infrastructural projects connecting the two countries.
President Kibaki briefed the Premier on progress Kenya is making on the Isiolo Moyale Road whose construction to bitumen standards is currently underway. The road will connect the two countries at the Moyale border post.
Earlier, President Kibaki joined 14 other African heads of government and state for the 2nd Africa-India Forum Summit to review implementation of the partnership projects agreed upon during the first Summit in India three years ago.
The Summit which brought together the African leaders invited by the African union to represent the continent and Indian Premier Dr. Manmohan Singh will also consider modalities of strengthening cooperation between the two partners on the three pillars of capacity building and skill transfer, trade and infrastructure development spelt out under the framework of partnership.
The Premier, in his address, pledged loans totaling five billion US dollars for the next three years under new lines of credit to help achieve development goals in Africa.
India will offer an additional 700 million US dollars to establish new institutions and training programmes in consultation with the African union, the Premier said.
Accompanying the President on his visit are Internal Security Minister who is acting Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. George Saitoti and Trade Minister Chirau Ali Makwere and legislators George Nyamweya and Eric Omondi Anyanga.

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