Her Excellency Madam Gifty Abasiya Ababulgu, Ethiopian Ambassador to Ghana, has said Ghana and Ethiopian have a long standing cordial political and diplomatic relations that is yet to be strengthened economically.

She said there was an excellent prospect for economic cooperation which needed to be further explored.

Ambassador Ababulgu disclosed this at a reception held to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the overthrow of the military regime (Dergue) in Ethiopia and the National Day of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Accra.

She said the economy of Ethiopia has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa with the economic growth rate of 11 per cent over the past eight years and double over the last five years.

Ambassador Ababulgu said the Ethiopia Government has embarked on a five year Growth and Transformational Plan (GTP 2011-2015) which was aimed at fostering broad based development in a sustainable manner to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

She said the GTP would envisage major transformation of the economic structure, seeking to double agriculture production and significantly increase the share of industry in the economic and social development Ethiopia.

Ambassador Ababulgu said Ethiopia as a young democratic country has done a lot in ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability, and that the success achieved so far in the economic sector was to be matched with good governance.

She said Ethiopia with regards to regional stability, along the IGAD and other partners has tried to stabilize the situation in Somalia and on the Sudan issues, mediating the two sides.

Ambassador Ababulgu said Ethiopia shares the same people and common borders with the two Sudanese, and it believes that the situation should be handled in a manner that could not give the chance for conflicts to start again.

She said Ethiopia in its principle to maintaining international peace and security as well as to deter the conflict in Sudan has deployed 4500 peacekeeping force under the mandate of United Nations (UN).

Ambassador Ababulgu said Ethiopia and Ghana was ready to work in collaboration on bilateral as well as regional and global issues of mutual concern and assured the governments of both countries of working closer in the years ahead.

She called on Government and its business people as well as all stakeholders to join hands on the call to work in collaboration and expressed the Ethiopian government sincere wish for Ghana to hold a free and fair Election.

“I personally call on Ghanaians to exhibits once again, their decency, maturity and civility shown in the previous Elections.”**