Washington DC Mayor Embarks On Five-day Visit to Addis Ababa

November 10, 2019

ADDIS ABEBA – Mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, is in Ethiopia in a bid to renew her District’s sister city agreement with the capital, Addis Ababa.

The mayor started her five-day diplomatic and trade mission to Ethiopia on Saturday.

Upon her arrival at Bole International airport, the mayor and the business delegation that accompanied her were accorded a warm welcome by Takele Uma, Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Mayor Bowser and her delegation to Addis Abeba,” said Takele.

“After months of discussions, we have settled on multiple areas of partnership between Addis and Washington, DC as we renew our Sister Cities agreement,” he said.

The Sister City Agreement, which was formed in 2013, encourages collaboration to develop solutions that serve the residents of both cities.

Mayor Bowser came to Ethiopia’s capital at the invitation from Takele during his recent visit to Washington, DC.

Her mission, with a delegation of about 70 government and community from Washington DC, include meetings with business leaders, educational leaders, and government officials in Addis Ababa as well as Lalibela, according to her office.

Mayor Bowser is expected to meet Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahlework Zewde.

“We are continuing our efforts to reach beyond the borders of Washington, DC and establish relationships around the world,” Mayor Bowser said before she left DC for Addis Ababa.

“We particularly value our special relationship with Ethiopia, which has been strengthened by the substantial Ethiopian population in our city and region,” she said.

Washington DC is home to more than 30,000 Ethiopian immigrants, and the DC metropolitan area has the largest population of Ethiopia-born people in the United States.

She said the mission gives her and the delegation the “opportunity to build relationships and explore innovative strategies to grow the District’s economy through tourism, transportation, health care, and more.”

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[Photo AA Mayor’s Office]