President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin received on May 16 Chairman of the Federation Council of the Ethiopian Parliament Mr. Agegnehu Teshager, who is in Moscow on an official visit.
In his welcoming remarks, Sergei Katyrin drew attention to the fact that economic ties are the main issue dealt with by the Chamber. He noted the importance of exchanging information about the capabilities of the two countries and stressed that few people in Russia know about the changes taking place in Ethiopia. “I would like the Ethiopian colleagues to know about the possibilities of Russia,” he said. It is necessary to work with the business community to establish information exchange, the head of the Chamber noted.
Sergey Katyrin also spoke about the opportunities of Expocentre, a subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the largest organizer of exhibitions with international status, and invited business representatives from Ethiopia to take part in them. He also informed the African guest about AFROCOM, a structure that successfully operates under the RF CCI on the continent and should be used to develop bilateral ties. The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation noted that the regional structures of the Chamber exist throughout Russia and it should be taken into account how we can conduct exchanges at the regional level, especially in terms of small and medium-sized businesses.
Chairman of the Federation Council of the Ethiopian Parliament Mr. Agegnehu Teshager noted that there are good security relations between the two countries. "Russia has always been with Ethiopia in difficult times," he recalled. According to him, relations in the field of trade and investment should be developed. “The country opens itself to foreign investment and is always open to Russia,” said the representative of Ethiopia, who specifically pointed to the importance of Russian investment at a time when the global trading system is going through turbulent times. "Ethiopia has great potential to develop trade with Russia," Agegnehu Teshager said. This is not only abundant minerals (gold, lithium), but also the export of flowers and coffee, which until recently passed through Europe.
The representative of Ethiopia said that he was ready, as he put it, to "act as a bridge" for the development of contacts between the businesses of the two countries. And he invited to organize a Russian business mission to Ethiopia. According to him, all African countries are interested in developing relations with Russia. In this regard, Sergey Katyrin noted the importance of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum scheduled for July 2023, which will be held in St. Petersburg. The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation said that the Chamber is actively preparing for the Forum and will take part in it.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Constitutional Interpretation and Inspection of the Federation Council of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Tsehay Vorasa, Charge d'Affaires of Ethiopia in Russia Roza Yerkune and other accompanying persons.
Press Service of the Chamber
