VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (VOI News) - Economic cooperation between Indonesia and Ethiopia has been very well and continues to increase from year to year. Currently, there are 5 Indonesian companies investing in Ethiopia. This has made Ethiopia as the second largest country that receives Indonesian investment in Africa after Nigeria. However, the COVID-19 outbreak affected both the short-term and long-term economic cooperation of the two countries. This was conveyed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Ethiopia concurrently Djibouti and the African Union, Al Busyra Basnur, in a special interview with Voice of Indonesia by telephone, in Jakarta, Tuesday (05/05/2020). He gave an example of the visit of 50 Ethiopian businessmen to Indonesia, which was originally planned on March 30, 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The planned visit of around 50 Ethiopian businessmen to Indonesia on 30 March, and even the business delegation scheduled to be led by a high ranking official, namely the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I myself have coordinated with the Indonesian central government regarding various activities that would be carried out in Indonesia. But, unfortunately, we must postpone this plan," Al Busyra Basnur said.

Ambassador Al Busyra Basnur added the first case of COVID-19 in Ethiopia was on March 13, 2020. Until May 3, 2020, in Ethiopia, there have been 135 confirmed cases, 3 deaths, and 75 recovered cases. Al Busyra said that some of the COVID-19 cases in Ethiopia are from foreign nationals and Ethiopian citizens who traveled from areas affected by COVID-19. According to Al Busyra Basnur, all 163 Indonesians in Ethiopia and 6 Indonesians in Djibouti are in a healthy condition and are not exposed to COVID-19. (VOI / ADVENT / AHM)