On 10th April 2018 at 11.00 hours, Mr. Jesda Katavetin, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the Ethiopia - Thailand Trade and Investment Forum, at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. In this regard, Mr. Asfaw Dingamo Kame, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Kingdom of Thailand with residence in New Delhi presided over the Forum and delivered opening remarks. The Forum provided the attendants with a platform for exchanging views and discussing about trade and investment opportunities in Ethiopia. There were approximately 25 Thai and Ethiopian businessmen participated in this Forum.  

 

 

On this occasion, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs delivered keynote address, underscoring the long-standing cordial relations, a close cooperation on various fields, and the considerable trade and investment opportunities, which Thailand and Ethiopia had potentials to promote and advance mutual interests in the near future. Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs also congratulated Mr. Chanin Yensudchai, upon his appointment as the Honorary Consul of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Thailand, whose roles would help promote and enable the relations between the two countries to become more dynamic.

 

 

Ethiopia is a big market in Africa, with over 100 million population, and is home to the African Union’s Headquarters, the biggest international organization of Africa. Thus, Ethiopia could be a potential market for Thailand as well as a new destination for the Thai investment. Moreover, Ethiopia is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), including 19 member states with the population of over 400 million. This would enable Ethiopia to be the gateway of Thailand to the Eastern and Southern African markets.