Demeke Appreciates India for Supporting Ethiopia’s Cause at UNSC Meeting

August 28, 2021April 4, 2022 1 min read

ADDIS ABABA – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen spoke to his Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to appreciate India’s principled stance in supporting Ethiopia’s cause at the recent UN security meeting.

“I had a telephone conversation with External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. SJaishankar where I thanked India’s principled stance in supporting our genuine cause during yesterday’s UNSC meeting on Ethiopia,” Demke said in a brief statement poster on his twitter page late Friday.

“We also noted the need to strengthen bilateral ties between our countries,” the foreing minister added.

At the UNSC meeting on Thursday, Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, T. S. Tirumurti expressed his country’s strong commitment to the unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia.

Speaking to Demeke, Foreign minister Dr. SJaishankar reiterated India’s stance which opposes interference in the internal affairs of other countries, according to a statement issued by the ministry of forign affairs after the conversation.

He also said that India supported Ethiopia for it believes in the fact that the country is capable of addressing its internal problems on its own, the statement reads.

GERD

Demeke has also lauded India’s support to the African Union-led negotiation over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

He also called on India to reject Tunisia’s draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council again.

Ethiopia believes the move is against the tripartite agreement to solve matters as per the provisions of the Declaration of Principles (DoP). The DoP was signed on March 23, 2015 by Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan in Khartoum.

India’s FM said it is appropriate for the tripartite to address their differences through dialogue and the principle of African solutions to African problems.

The two sides concluded their discussion underscoring the importance of strengthening the relationship between Ethiopia and India through expanded engagements.