Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and Speaker of the Ethiopian House of Federation Agegnehu Teshager signed the document.
Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko had a meeting with Speaker of the House of Federation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Agegnehu Teshager during his first official visit to Russia. They focused on inter-parliamentary interaction and promotion of Russian-Ethiopian ties.
The Federation Council Speaker noted the intensity of her counterpart’s programme in Moscow. She believes this visit will provide an impetus to the development of bilateral ties in all their aspects. Ms Matvienko recalled that Ethiopia has been one of Russia’s key partners in Africa for 125 years now.
Ms Matvienko went on to praise the dynamics of top and high-level political dialogue. “We are counting on a representative Ethiopian delegation to be at the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg in July,” she said, adding that the summit would include the economic forum where business people can develop contacts and cooperation.
The speakers exchanged views on trade, economic and investment cooperation. Ms Matvienko believes trade between Russia and Ethiopia is not meeting its economic potential at this time.
According to Agegnehu Teshager, Russia has always supported Ethiopia. “Today, Russia is also supporting the Ethiopian people, including on economic issues,” he said, adding that Ethiopia would take an active part in the Russia-Africa Summit. “The July summit will facilitate the development of our relations,” he pointed out.
Valentina Matvienko added that Mr Teshager’s visit to Moscow is a graphic illustration of a firm commitment to strengthen inter-parliamentary interaction between the two countries. She supported the idea to step up direct contact and suggested creating a separate group for cooperation with the House of Federation of Ethiopia. Russian MPs will soon establish the suggested group that may be headed by Nikolay Vladimirov from the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building. She believes the MPs can concentrate on upgrading the legal framework for cooperation.
The Federation Council Speaker noted the Ethiopian delegation’s proactive contribution to the second Russia-Africa international parliamentary conference in Moscow and other events taking place in Russia. “We are looking forward to seeing the Ethiopian delegation at the 10th anniversary Nevsky Ecological Congress in St Petersburg on May 25–26,” she said.
Valentina Matvienko expressed a desire for strengthening interaction in international parliamentary organisations. “We are grateful to our African partners for their decision to grant the Russian Parliament observer status in the African Parliamentary Union,” she said.
The participants in the meeting noted the effective interaction in the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the UN. “We value Addis Ababa’s independent foreign policy. Our countries share convergent or similar positions on many major international issues,” Valentina Matvienko said.
The participants also discussed region-to-region cooperation. According to the Federation Council Speaker, many regions of Russia are interested in expanding direct contacts with their partners from Ethiopia.
They also reviewed education for Ethiopian nationals in many specialties in Russia, and the prospects for developing tourism.
The meeting was attended by Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin and member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Nikolay Vladimirov.
Following the talks, Valentina Matvienko and Agegnehu Teshager signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the House of Federation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Speaker of the Russian Federation Council said the document creates a legal foundation for inter-parliamentary interaction and brings the dialogue to a new level.