The officials of the United States led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy have met with Ethiopia’s defense minister and other officials to discuss security cooperation between the two countries.
The Assistant Secretary along with Ambassador Michael Raynor and General Thomas D. Waldhauser of U.S. Africa Command has met with Minister of Defense of Ethiopia, Aisha Mohammed on Wednesday.
The two sides discussed opportunities for security cooperation between the United States and Ethiopia. During the meeting, the Assistant Secretary expressed optimism following the countries’ 8th Bilateral Defense Conference on November 15th, that Ethiopia’s reform process opens the opportunity to pursue new areas of cooperation toward a more secure region and to further build the capacity of Ethiopian military forces.
“We appreciate the robust partnerships we have with our Ethiopian partners, We have common security interests, particularly focused on countering the threat of violent extremism in East Africa and ensuring stability for our partners in the region.,” said General Waldhauser,” after the meeting.
“AFRICOM is focused on strengthening mutually beneficial relationships, such as the one we have here in Ethiopia. Alongside our Department of State counterparts and our international allies, we seek to improve and expand upon these relationships to further the security, stability, and prosperity of our African partners,” he said.
In a related development, up on arrival on Wednesday Assistant Secretary Nagy have also discussed with Foreign Minister of Ethiopia Werkneh Gebeyehu about the relationship between the two nations and the ongoing political reform Ethiopia is pursuing.
Assistant Secretary Nagy welcomed Ethiopia’s ongoing rapprochement with Eritrea and Ethiopia’s other constructive regional engagement to open the doors for trade, economic opportunity, and stability in the Horn of Africa.
He highlighted that the future of Africa is its youth, and that all of Africa and the world will benefit when Africa’s young people have the opportunity to achieve prosperity and political inclusiveness for themselves and their nations.