The newly elected Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn today paid a courtesy visit to President Paul Kagame in New York.

President Kagame meets new Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn- New York, 28 September 2012

This was an opportunity to be introduced as a leader of Ethiopia but also renew the close partnerships Rwanda and Ethiopia share. Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Louis Mushikiwabo, said the meeting was vital in reiterating the existing relations between the two countries and cooperation in various domains such as the work of the African Union and other issues facing the African Continent.

“Courtesy calls are always an opportunity to also look at some of the other collaborative efforts particularly for Rwanda and Ethiopia when it comes to the organization of the African Union which is headquartered in Ethiopia but also collaboration on some of the global issues. It was also an opportunity to re-commit and advance our interests in terms of strictly bilateral matters including technical support for our airline, we have training of Rwandans in Ethiopia in defense and security, and we were looking at stepping up collaboration in the agricultural sector.”

Hailemariam Desalegn was sworn in as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister earlier this month, after the death of the late Meles Zenawi who died in August following a long illness in Belgium.

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