African Millennium Renaissance

Addis Ababa, April 26, 2008 (WIC) -

The celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium as an African Millennium is an expression of African identity that points to the future economic growth of the continent, it was underscored.

The above remark was made yesterday in Abuja, Nigeria, by Dr. Bamanga Tukur, President of Africa Business Roundtable & Chairman of NEPAD Business Group at the celebration of African Millennium and Ethio-Nigeria Business forum.

The contribution of Ethiopia for the independence of other African nations is an honor to Africans, he said, adding that the millennium celebration is a new chapter that intertwines the continent.

The contribution of Ethiopia to Pan Africanism, formation of OAU and AU is always remembered, Dr. Tukur said further noting that the country has also been contributing toward mobilizing Africans under the banner of the millennium.

Africans can register sustainable development in trade, investment, infrastructural development and other sectors by marching through the new cooperation route of Africans, which is the African millennium, he elaborated.

Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Suleiman Dedefo, on his part said the celebration of the millennium would have significant historical contribution toward boosting the unity and cooperation of peoples of the continent.

Though the western media have been portraying the country negatively, Ethiopia is a country that never submitted to colonists, which introduced coffee to the world and home of great athletes.

Launching the African millennium celebration in Nigeria would transform the relations between the two countries to a new chapter and help the two countries work jointly in trade, investment and other economic sectors in the years ahead, according to the ambassador.

Ethiopian Investment Agency Director, Abi Wolde-Meskel, said on the occasion the country’s annual income and foreign direct investment is growing fast owing to its economic growth over the years.

The agency has also improved the efficiency of its investment services, according to him.

Registration of investors and issuance of permits take only few hours, Abi said, adding that the country has also a bilateral agreement with international institutions such as World Bank and various countries to ease the process.

The director finally called on Nigerian investors to inject their capital in Ethiopia and pledged that his government would provide all the necessary support.

Panel discussions, photograph exhibition, musical shows were part of the African millennium celebration, it was learnt.

(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia








Saturday, April 26, 2008