Ethiopia promises to help in Sudan’s reconstruction

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 25, 2005 (ENA) — Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says Ethiopia will carry on with its support for sustainable peace and reconstruction efforts in the Sudan.

Prime Minister Meles made the pledge here on Friday during talks with Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha. Ethiopia will further its assistance in the efforts to bring about sustainable peace in the Sudan, including support in the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement signed between the government of Sudan and SPLM/A recently, Meles said.

A senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who attended the meeting quoted Meles as saying that Ethiopia will do all it can to support the reconstruction activities in the Sudan.

Ethiopia is member in the ministerial committee formed under the auspices of the African Union for the reconstruction in the Sudan. The committee is scheduled to meet next month.

Sudanese First Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha has expressed appreciation for the efforts Ethiopia has been deploying to assist in peace efforts in the Sudan.

After talks, Osman Mohamed Taha told journalists that activities got well in the pipeline to implement the comprehensive peace agreement. He said a meeting of donor countries will be held in Norway in April this year to discuss the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement.

He said the bilateral cooperation between Ethiopia and the Sudan has now been taken to a new height.

The first vice-president, who paid a brief stay here, was seen off by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tekeda Alemu and other senior government officials at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.