PM Junichiro Koizumi, the first Japanese Premier to visit Ethiopia
(April 29 – May 1, 2006)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia announced that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived in Ethiopia on a two-day official visit.
The Ministry said that Junichiro Koizumi, the first Japanese Premier has paid a historic visit to Ethiopia, adding that the visit would have its own positive impact on the socio-economic ties between the two countries.
According to the Ministry, Koizumi met Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to review bilateral relations and bolster existing cooperation and discuss regional and international issues.
The Ministry added that Ethiopia is the foremost beneficiary of the Japanese development assistance including infrastructure development, food security, agricultural productivity, health and education, water supply as well as environmental protection.
Japanese Prime Minister also visited the Headquarters of the African Union and pledged about $8.70 million to help the African Union conduct peacekeeping activities in Sudan and about $10 million through U.N. organizations to provide medical services to refugees forced to flee their homes due to the conflict.
Many Japanese media accompanied to the Prime Minister to cover his visit to Ethiopia. Accordingly, major Japanese TV channels including NHK, Fuji, Nippon-TV, TV-Tokyo, TV-Asahi have broadcasted the visit, and newspapers like Asahi, Yomiuri, Mainichi, Tokyo, The Japan Times and Daily Yomiuri, etc. covered the news in English and Japanese as well.
