Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Thursday inaugurated the first phase of the Ogaden Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project in Calub, Somali Region, marking a major milestone in the country's push to unlock its energy potential.
The facility, with an annual production capacity exceeding 100 million liters, is set to play a pivotal role in Ethiopia's strategy to leverage its vast natural gas reserves for economic development.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony, Ahmed hailed the project as a symbol of deepening cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
"It's clear that we do have a very strong relationship with the government of China. Our diplomatic relationship, also economic relationship, is one of the exemplary ones on this continent. And today is a great day for Ethiopia, because it shows the friendship between Ethiopia and China. The investment, which is taking place in the Ogaden area today, will transform the energy sector in Ethiopia. It will also enhance our development. There is a huge amount of advantages that we're going to harness from this investment," said the prime minister.
The project is a joint venture between Ethiopia's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and GCL Group, a leading Chinese private energy company.
"After this project is operational, it will greatly benefit Ethiopia's entire industry, agriculture, transportation, and all other sectors. Its driving effect on the national economy is very significant," said Zhu Gongshan, chairman of GCL Group.
Ethiopia inaugurates first phase of Ogaden LNG project co-developed with China
A delegation of foreign diplomatic envoys visited south China's Hainan from Wednesday to Saturday, learning about the province's rapid development and exploring potential areas of cooperation.
The trip, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brought together over 30 ambassadors, chargés d'affaires, representatives of international organizations, and senior diplomats from countries including Kenya, Serbia, Spain and Vietnam.
In Sanya's Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, the delegates gained insights into China's independent innovation in the seed industry and the country's agricultural technological transformation in response to climate change.
"We can invite a lot of the persons from this institute to come to Dominica to teach us some of the advanced technologies and the practices that we should employ in agriculture," said Martin Charles, Dominica's Ambassador to China.
The delegates also toured the innovative drug and medical device exhibition, as well as health and wellness institutions in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone.
Hailed as China's sole "medical special zone", the pilot zone is home to over 30 top-tier domestic and international medical institutions.
"The medical advances are the ones that have struck me most for the moment. There are so many fields where we can cooperate," said Javier Garcia-Larrache, Spain's charge d'affaires ad interim in China.
The delegates also visited villages to experience folk culture, including Li brocade from the Li ethnic group, traditional Chinese medicine sachets, and bamboo pole dances, immersing themselves in the province's rich and vibrant local cultures.
Foreign diplomatic envoys visit Hainan
Foreign diplomatic envoys visit Hainan
