The document was signed by the Speaker of the Ethiopian Upper House of Parliament, Agegnehu Teshager, and by the Head of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, during Teshager’s first official visit to Russia.

Matvienko expressed her certainty that the visit will promote the development of the entire range of areas of cooperation between the two countries. She also stressed the fact that Ethiopia has been one of Russia’s key partners in Africa since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

On issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation, she stated that the current trade volume between Russia and Ethiopia still does not correspond to the economic potential of bilateral relations. She also stressed that Teshager’s presence in Moscow is a clear confirmation of the firm commitment to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and called for expanding direct contacts.

The head of the Russian Federation Council also proposed the establishment of a separate group for cooperation with the Ethiopian Chamber which may be led in the near future by Nikolai Vladimirov, a member of this Council´s Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building.

Teshager, in turn, highlighted the active participation of the Ethiopian delegation in the Second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference, held in Moscow last March and other events, and Russia’s unconditional and ongoing support, including economic issues, to Ethiopia and its people.

The subject of interregional cooperation and Russia’s interest in expanding direct contacts with partners from the African country were discussed during the meeting. The training of Ethiopian personnel in various areas was also discussed, as well as the prospects for the development of cooperation in the field of tourism.

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