ADDIS ABABA, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has held talks with senior Ethiopian government officials and African Union (AU) leadership on strengthening Russia-Ethiopia and Russia-AU ties.
Lavrov, on an official visit to Ethiopia, on Tuesday met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as well as his Ethiopian counterpart Gedion Timothewos in the East African country's capital, Addis Ababa.
The two foreign ministers, during their meeting, underscored the deep historical roots linking the two nations and expressed optimism for future collaboration, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued late Tuesday.
Lavrov and Timothewos exchanged views on current regional and global issues of mutual interest, as well as on ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, and technology transfer, it was noted.
The two sides further emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation within multilateral diplomatic platforms, including BRICS, and reaffirmed their commitment to closer coordination on issues of common interest.
As part of his official visit, Lavrov and AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Tuesday conducted high-level consultations at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, aiming to review the two sides' ongoing cooperation while also exploring fresh avenues to enhance their partnership.
According to a joint statement released following the high-level consultations, the meeting provided an opportunity for an open and constructive exchange of views on international and regional developments, including the evolving global geopolitical landscape, the state of multilateral cooperation, and global governance reform. ■