The United Kingdom (UK) has appoints Alastair McPhail to serve as its new Ambassador to Ethiopia.
Ambassador David McFill, who presented letter of credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia today, will also serve as Permanent Representative to the Africa Union, today.
Welcoming Ambassador Alastair McPhail, Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs State Minister Markos Tekle appreciated the UK for offering a wide range of services and funding of various projects in Ethiopia for more than 100 years.
UK was among the first countries to open its embassy in Addis Ababa, while Ethiopia was the first African country to establish an embassy in London.
History recorded that British forces played key role in Ethiopia’s fight against fascism during the Second World War and the sacrifices they made in support of Ethiopian independence.
Sate Minister Markos commended UK’s business, trade, and inbound investment partnership that helped Ethiopia to project a double digit economic growth.
Ethiopia and UK have been collaborating on multiple areas for over a century. Today Ethiopia is the second largest recipient of UK development support after India.
The total development aid that Ethiopia receives from the UK, nearly 80% of it goes to the provision of social services such as education and healthcare and other direct development-related activities, according to Ethiopian government report.
Ambassador Alastair McPhail on his part stated that UK supports the multifaceted economic, political reforms in Ethiopia, which have “indeed laid down solid and firm foundation for national consensus unprecedented in modern history.”
He highlighted the true friendship and common vision both countries enjoyed including collaboration on a plethora of issues of mutual concern at regional and global levels.
“A wind of hope has ushered in Ethiopia pertaining to positive developments in security, normalcy and stability in the region as well engulfing continental Africa in particular,” he said, according to the state news agency ENA report.