ADDIS ABABA, Jan 27 (NNN-ENA) — Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin says Britain is the major development partner of Ethiopia.

Speaking during talks here Tuesday with British Minister of State for African Affairs Glenys Kinnock, he added that the support which Britain had provided towards a wide range of development activities in Ethiopia was exemplary.

Seyoum also urged the international community to extend support to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, Ethiopia’s southeastern neighbour.

Seyoum also briefed Kinnock on the situation in the Sudan and said the situation in Darfur in western Sudan had been improving. The joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Dafur (UNAMID) was working closely in the efforts to ensure peace in the area, he said.

Seyoum expressed the belief of the Ethiopian government and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the realization of the 2005 peace agreement which ended the fighting between northern and southern Sudan.

The two officials also discussed the forthcoming 14th AU Summit. Seyoum also told Kinnock that the Ethiopian government was committed to ensuring that the upcoming national elections would be free, democratic and fair.

Kinnock on her part said she discussed with Seyoum issues related to Somalia and Sudan.
She also discussed about the 14th AU Summit due to be held in Addis Ababa.

She said her government would further continue its support to Ethiopia. — NNN-ENA

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