World Bulletin / News Desk

Relations between Turkey and Ethiopia can be described as excellent, the envoy from the East African country said on Tuesday.

Ayalew Gobezie, Ethiopia’s ambassador to Turkey, told Anadolu Agency that the Turkish government "does not exploit Africa but supports the African people".

In an exclusive interview in the Turkish capital Ankara, Gobezie thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government for supporting stronger ties between the two countries.

“The Turkish government has principles for its diplomatic relations: win-win, not to exploit but to support the African people and African development. We also share this perspective," he said.

Gobezie underlined the deep roots of ties between Turkey and Ethiopia, which go all the way back to the Ottoman Empire.

"In 1912 the first Ottoman-Turkish Consulate in Ethiopia was opened in the town of Harar," Gobezie said, adding that the Republic of Turkey’s first embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa opened in 1926 -- just three years after Turkey’s foundation -- also in Ethiopia.

"The Ethiopian government opened its embassy in Ankara in 1933. There is a long-standing relationship,” he explained.

“Turkey and Ethiopia have had bilateral relations more than 100 years. Today the relations between our two countries can be described as excellent, both politically and economically."