Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa’s working visit to Ethiopia

The program of the visit started by a meeting of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Mr. Martin Tlapa with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Markos Tekle Rike. Within the 7th regular bilateral political consultations, the main topics were the development of Czech-Ethiopian relations, focusing on Czech investments in Ethiopia, the prospects for development cooperation and the political and security situation in the Horn of Africa region. The Deputy Minister expressed support to the democratization reforms launched by the new Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy a year ago. ,,With Ethiopia, we are connected through historically long-lasting and friendly relations and we see Ethiopia as a center of the region with an important role in the African Union. We appreciate changes at both the domestic and regional levels that will help to stabilize the region. The Czech Republic underwent a similar development in the 1990s, so we are ready to assist the Ethiopian government in this uneasy position”, said Deputy Minister Tlapa.

With Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Lia Tadesse, the Deputy Minister Tlapa discussed the interconnection of economy and development, the engagement of Czech companies in the modernization of Ethiopian health care sector and the first Czech MEDEVAC mission in Ethiopia. "The ​​health care sector is important for Czech-Ethiopian relations and is one of our priorities within our cooperation", the Deputy Minister added. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of Czech company Linet, who informed the Ethiopian partners about an important contract for 4,200 beds. Both current and future development cooperation in Ethiopia, one of the priority countries of Czech development cooperation, was the main topic of the meeting of Deputy Minister Tlapa with Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation Mr. Admasu Nebebe. In addition to the MEDEVAC program, Deputy Minister Tlapa introduced the new Guarantee Program, which since this year is one of the Czech Republic's other development cooperation instruments.

Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa also visited a team of three Czech biomedical engineers who are currently repairing ophthalmic instruments and train local technical personnel in their maintenance at the Menelik II State Hospital. He also inaugurated the international trade fair MEDEXPO Africa in Addis Ababa, where he supported Czech entrepreneurs in the health care sector. He further held successful lecture on the topic of Czech economic diplomacy to the future Ethiopian civil servants at the Ethiopian Civil Service University. In conclusion, Deputy Minister Tlapa, together with Ambassador Pavel Mikeš, handed Czech and foreign books over to the University Library.