On behalf of the Government and people of India,Ambassador of India to Ethiopia and the African Union H.E. Anurag Srivastava handed over a consignment of medicines worth US$2 million to the Government of Ethiopia on 13thNovember 2019. H.E. Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin, State Minister of Health, while accepting the consignment on behalf of the Government and people of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, conveyed gratitude and appreciation for this assistance. The handing over ceremony was held at the premises of the Embassy of India and was attended by officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, other dignitaries and media persons.

The donation of medicines was made in fulfillment of announcements made during the State Visit of H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India to Ethiopia inOctober 2017. During this historic visit, which was the first foreign visit the two countries re-affirmed their mutual desire to strengthen bilateral economic, commercial, technical, educational, scientific and cultural cooperation. In the spirit of warm and friendly relations between the two countries and particularly as part of India's development partnership with Ethiopia, announcements were made for grant assistance of 1000 Metric Tonnes of rice, USD 2 million worth of medicines and one hundred thousand school text books of Maths and Science.

India's cooperation in the health sector with Ethiopia includes support for training and capacity building, supply of equipment and medicines, telemedicine facilities and continuing medical education for health care professionals as well as facilitation for treatment at tertiary care facilities in India. India has donated a 64-Slice CT Scan machine to Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa and provides fully-paid training opportunities to hundreds of Ethiopian doctors, paramedics and other health care professionals under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme as well as the India-Africa Forum Summit initiative. The Government of India would also be supporting an artificial limb fitment camp in Addis Ababa this month which will benefit over 500 persons with disabilities.

India's development partnership cooperation with Ethiopia is also carried out under the framework of India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) III held in New Delhi inOctober 2015. The commitments under this framework which are being implemented with partner countries in Africa, including Ethiopia are:(i) concessional credit of US$ 10 billion over the next five years which is in addition to ongoing credit programme; (ii) grant assistance of US$ 600 million that includes an India-Africa Development Fund of US$ 100 million and an India-Africa Health Fund of US$ 10 million; and; (iii)fully paid 50,000 scholarships/training opportunities in India over five years.

India and Ethiopia have recently celebrated 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries through a series of events and activities. A number of initiatives and programmes have been put in place to strengthen bilateral ties through enhanced cooperation in political, economic, commercial, scientific, cultural and educational spheres.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Embassy of India, Ethiopia.