ADDIS-ABABA (Halbeeg News) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will build an oil pipeline connecting Eritrea’s port city of Assab with Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, an Ethiopian state-affiliated broadcaster Fana said on Friday.
The information was revealed during a meeting in Addis Ababa between Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE’s state minister for international cooperation.
Both PM Abiy and Ms. Reem agreed to accelerate the implementation of the project which will be the first to be funded by Dubai since the historic peace agreement between Addis-Ababa and Asmara.
Abiy’s chief of staff, Fitsum Arega, who spoke to Reuters said that the discussion with Hashimy was largely on investment in sectors including “industries, agriculture, real estate, (the) oil pipeline, (and) resorts”.
“Most are under study,” Fitsum said in a message.
HE PM Abiy met today HE Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for Int. Cooperation of #UAE who delivered the message of HH CP Mohammed bin Zayed. The two parties discussed updates on investment & other bilateral issues. #Ethiopia & #UAE agreed to further deepen the existing ties. pic.twitter.com/CoaTAEZdCp
— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) August 10, 2018
The UAE played a behind-the-scenes role in helping Ethiopia and Eritrea end a two-decade state of war last month, Reuters said.
The oil-rich Gulf state, driven by a desire to tap Ethiopia’s growing economy and by a fear that rivals such as Iran or Qatar could gain a foothold, has pushed into the region for more than a decade.
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