Amb. Palese, 310 million invested in cooperation in Ethiopia

(ANSA) - ROMA, 17 DIC - "The Mattei Plan in Ethiopia is going fast, we have implemented the project for the rehabilitation of Lake Gimma, which had almost completely dried up. The lake has come back to life and the project has given work to 4 thousand people who have been working night and day". This was stated by the Italian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Agostino Palese, on the sidelines of the annual Ambassadors' Conference at the Farnesina.
    "The project, which will be completed in about two months' time," the ambassador added, "has become an example for all the neighbouring areas, the Ethiopian government itself and the private sector". "In two and a half years, Italian cooperation has committed 310 million euro," Palese continued, "and this has contributed to the stabilisation of the country. In some ways it has curbed irregular immigration and Ethiopia has now become a country of destination rather than of origin". "It is not exhaustive to do only this, but it is important to continue working in this way, carrying out a work that was asked of us by the Ethiopian government, placing ourselves on an equal footing, at the service of the country's needs," the ambassador concluded.