President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti arrived in Jimma in south-west Ethiopia on Saturday (December 8) for an official visit. They were welcomed on arrival at Jimma’s Abba Jiffar International Airport, by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen and other senior Government officials. Their visit to Ethiopia followed invitations from Prime Minister Dr. Abiy when he met the two presidents earlier in Djibouti in August and in Khartoum in September when making his first visits to their respective countries. During those visits, the leaders agreed to further elevate and cement the already-existing all-round, multi-dimensional relations already existing as well as give impetus to the actual realization of fast economic integration in the Horn of Africa, a concept well-articulated a few years earlier. Last weekend’s tripartite meeting was a part of regular consultations now being held on issues of common interest among leaders of the countries of the region.
During the official visit last weekend, Prime Minister Dr, Abiy Ahmed, President Omar al-Bashir and President Ismail Omar Guelleh inaugurated the Jimma Industrial Park on Saturday December 8. The Park, dedicated to textile and garment production, was built on 1.5 million square meters of land at a cost of 61 million US dollars. The three leaders also launched the construction of the 79 km Jimma-Agaro-Dedesa road project, to be built at a cost of 1.37 billion birr.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy said that the two development projects showcased Ethiopia’s strong commitment to transform Jimma and its surroundings by creating and expanding industrialization. The Jimma Industrial Park, built by the China Communications Construction Company, is expected to host investors in light manufacturing sectors, mainly agro-processing, textiles and apparel. The park, which has nine manufacturing sheds, aims to attract foreign investors to Ethiopia’s agro-processing sector. Inaugurating the park, the Prime Minister said it would help the Western Ethiopia zone to become one of Ethiopia’s industrial powerhouses. The Jimma Industrial Park’s strategic location as a source of Ethiopia’s major natural resources, including the major export commodity of coffee, would benefit the local community as well as the economy in general.
During their time in Jimma, the three leaders also visited the Jimma Cultural Centre, where they launched the start of the construction of the Al-Bashir Cultural Centre; and the “Saka (Saqaa) Water Fall” on the edge of the city. They inaugurated a medical center and hospital at Jimma University and attended a student graduation ceremony.
The discussions between President al-Bashir and President Guelleh and the Prime Minister aimed at further strengthening already existing friendly relations and considering the wider implications of regional peace and development. The peoples of Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti share a common heritage, languages, cultures and traditions. The interconnectedness is underlined by their joint march towards an economic union blessed with permanent fraternal links and the strong bonds of people naturally and historically linked, and with relations based on trust and a win-win approach. It offers a model for other countries in the region.
The resumption of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the recent trilateral meeting of the Presidents of Eritrea and Somalia with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy, and now the visit of the Presidents of Sudan and Djibouti, will certainly help to create more stability, furthering the diplomatic thaw between the countries of the region. It will also pave the way for a greater contribution towards regional stabilization through integration in various bilateral and regional sectors, including the regional body, IGAD.
