Press Release: First visit of EU Commissioner Piebalgs to Ethiopia and the African Union

Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development, paid his first official visit to Ethiopia on 6-8 May 2010. He visited the headquarters of the African Union to hold a meeting with Jean Ping, President of the African Union Commission, and other AU Commissioners. On 8 May, he met Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and other government members, as well as representatives of Ethiopian civil society. He notably discussed the progress of the EU-AU partnership, the preparations of the meeting between the two colleges of the European Commission and the African Union Commission due to take place on 8 June, as well as the upcoming EU-Africa Summit in November. Political and international issues in the region, including piracy, were part of the discussion. As regard aid cooperation with Ethiopia, the Commissioner signed four financing agreements with the Ethiopian Minister of Economy.