Kenya, Ethiopia reaffirm commitment to strategic use of Lamu Port

The governments of Ethiopia and Kenya have reaffirmed their commitment to strategic utilization of Lamu Port as well as the advancement of joint initiatives in technology and green energy.

The two countries, which had called for deeper economic ties and increased investment between them during Ethiopia's New Year 2017 celebrations on Saturday in Nairobi, also reiterated a call for increased cooperation.

The annual celebrations featured dance performances and songs from Ethiopia as well as speeches from diplomats in both countries. 

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya Bacha Debele said the Ethiopian government is committed to opening new opportunities for Kenyans to invest in the country.

“We are committed to ensuring that Ethiopia remains an attractive destination for investors, with a stable and predictable economic landscape. Now the country is more favourable than ever for investment in priority areas such as ICT, manufacturing, mining, tourism and agriculture and invites fellow Kenyans to invest in these Sectors,” Mr Debele said.

One of the top projects that both countries are working on is the advancement and the use of the Lamu Port to increase economic activities and cooperation.

Mr Debele also hailed the signing of agreements between the two countries as part of the process of increasing cooperation. 

“The signing of these MoUs and several agreements is just the beginning. It is now crucial that we move forward with their implementation, ensuring that the agreements translate into tangible benefits for our people. As we do so, we must also explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in emerging sectors such as technology and green energy, to keep our partnership dynamic and forward-looking,” he said. 

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Mr Nasser Okoth, Kenya’s Deputy Director of African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kenya is planning to strengthen its ties with Ethiopia.

“We are committed to strengthening the bond between both countries both at the bilateral level and in the broader context of the African Union. We wish Ethiopia success in its national development efforts. We extend our best wishes to the government of Ethiopia and its leaders good health and we look forward to flourishing of the relationship between our countries,” Mr Okoth said. 

The relationship between Kenya and Ethiopia has flourished since independence. Besides sharing a border with Kenya, Ethiopia was also the first African country to establish diplomatic relations with Kenya in 1963. 

The friendship that existed at the time led to both countries allocating land for embassies to be situated close to their respective national palaces, lifting any visa requirements for their nationals and entering a mutual security pact.

They also have a Special Status Agreement which seeks to establish relations between them focusing on the special needs of either side.

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Ethiopia has a calendar with 13 months, seven years and eight months behind the Western Gregorian calendar, whose New Year is jubilantly celebrated with a jamboree. 

On the Gregorian calendar, the Ethiopian New Year falls on September 11. In contrast, the common New Year is observed on January 1 in most parts of the world. Besides, the counting of time in Ethiopia is quite different. A day in Ethiopia has been divided into two 12-hour intervals.

While the Western clock starts its calculation from midnight, the Ethiopian system starts calculating its time from 6 am, meaning what is 7 am according to the Western clock is the first hour of the day in Ethiopia.

During the celebrations, guests were treated to injera (a flatbread made from teff), wat (a spiced stew), local honey-based wine known as tej, raw meat and freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee—an integral part of the country's rich heritage.

Apart from conventional dishes, people also exchanged bouquets of yellow flowers. 

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