ADDIS ABABA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde left here on Tuesday for a one-day state visit to Nairobi, capital of Kenya, amid growing overall Ethiopia-Kenya diplomatic and economic ties.
The Ethiopian President's Office, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that Zewde received a "warm welcome" upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by high-level Kenyan government officials as well as Ethiopian nationals residing in Nairobi.
Ethiopia's Ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem, speaking ahead of the Ethiopian president's visit to Kenya, stressed that "the relationship between Ethiopia and Kenya is exemplary to other countries."
Amid growing diplomatic and economic relations, the two East African countries had in March this year announced an agreement to establish a free trade zone and enhance infrastructural development.
Leaders of the two countries, in a trade and investment forum that was held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from March 1 to 2 this year, also vowed to boost the existing trade and economic relations.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said during the forum that over the past years his country had taken significant steps in enhancing bilateral relations in the fields of cross-border trade, infrastructure and energy development.
"We plan to transform the Moyle region (trading area along the Ethiopia-Kenya border) to a commonly administered economic hub of East Africa," Ahmed said.
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, who called on business leaders from both countries to work together for mutually beneficial cooperation, also indicated Kenya's aspiration to establish the Moyale free trade zone, which he said would benefit both counties.
According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Ethiopia and Kenya have lived in mutual respect without interfering in the internal affairs of each other, and without threatening each other."
