From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Thu May 07 2009 - 15:53:05 EDT
president says stability basic requirement for development in Eritrea
www.chinaview.cn 2009-05-07 23:51:43 Print
By Guo Chunju
ASMARA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki on
Thursday underscored that stability is the most important factor to
promote economic and social development in the African country.
Isaias made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead
of the upcoming 16th anniversary of the founding of the State of
Eritrea.
"Many may underestimate the importance of stability, but talking
about achievements, you have to talk about the preconditions for
achievements, and we believe stability is a basic requirement. Without
stability, it is very difficult to talk about achievements in the
economy, achievements in social programs and other sectors," the
Eritrean president noted.
He added that his country has been able to consolidate the stability
based on the long political tradition in Eritrea, in spited of the
regional and international challenges.
Isaias also mentioned the achievements in the infrastructure in the
past years since independence as his government has adopted a strategy
to guarantee the development of infrastructure in the sectors of mining,
agriculture, tourism and industry among others.
Eritrea is "in the right track of putting in place a viable
infrastructure that will create a conducing framework for investment and
then development", taking consideration of the timespan and the
limitation of resources, he noted.
Isaias also explained that his country started from nothing in the
field of social service, including healthcare and education, while such
service is currently being provided to the Eritrea people in the above
fields.
On the recent development of the bilateral ties with China, the
Eritrean president said that the strategic partnership between the two
countries has developed at a high speed, which was successful in many
fields, as the relation between the two countries went beyond the
establishment of diplomatic ties on the exact day of Eritrea's
independence.
He expressed the intention of his country to expand cooperation with
China in critical economic sectors with priorities on mining,
infrastructure and agriculture, as well as service.
On the implementation of the eight major moves China would take to
develop relations with Africa, which was announced at the Beijing Summit
of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006, Isaias said the Forum
boost the strategic partnership between China and Africa to a higher
level.
The president said that many countries in the Africa see the fruits
and achievements, with the understanding that China will bring changes
to Africa, promote the economic development in the continent.
He also expected China and Africa to grasp the opportunity during
the current global economic crisis to strengthen the bilateral
cooperation, as African countries appreciate the investment style of
"mutual benefit and common development" initiated by China in Africa as
a "two-way cooperation."
African countries should boost coordination to adopt realistic
polices to meet the challenges facing the continent and the Sino-African
cooperation and benefit from the Chinese investment and the strategic
partnership, Isaias noted, calling for more efforts to develop Africa as
a viable market.
The Eritrean president also praised the successful handling of the
serious earthquake in Wenchuan in China's southwest province of Sichuan
in May 2008, which made China more prepared to deal with natural
disasters in the future.
On the upcoming 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic
of China in October, Isaias sent congratulations to the Chinese people
as China has developed into a major world economic power in the past
years and made contributions to world peace and prosperity.
"We, not only here in Eritrea, but along the continent in
everywhere, would wish the Chinese people to continue along the same
path so that we see more of positive change and cooperation between
China and other peoples, " he concluded.
Eritrea, which currently has a population of about 5 million,
formally announced its independence from Ethiopia in 1993
Editor: Yan
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/07/content_11332563.htm
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