Ethiopia posts $16 mln trade surplus with Israel in 2006

26 March 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia registered a trade surplus of 16 million U.S. dollars with Israel last year with exports amounting to 26.3 million dollars and imports totalling 10. 4 million dollars, an Israeli diplomat said Monday.

Israel exports machineries, electronic and telecommunication equipment, metal and plastic products while agricultural products constitute about 80 percent of Ethiopia’s exports to Israel, said Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia Yaacov Amitai.

He said the investment and trade relations between the two countries have considerably improved in the recent years.

Attracted by Ethiopia’s prevailing conducive investment policies, several Israeli investors have been working in Ethiopia and many others are undertaking preliminary activities to come and invest in Ethiopia, particularly in the flower sector, the ambassador said.

Amitai also said the two countries are enjoying an excellent government to government and people to people relations more than ever before.

Israel has provided tailor-made training opportunities for Ethiopian experts in sectors like irrigation development, water harvesting, animal husbandry and capacity building, he said.

(Xinhua)