Peter Pham says Ethiopia has Enormous Importance to be visited by President Obama

Tigrai Online, June 24, 2015

Africa Centre Director J. Peter Pham says Ethiopia has Enormous Importance to be visited by President Obama

Atlantic Council’s Africa Centre Director J. Peter Pham highly praises the decision by President Obama to visit Ethiopia. In an interview he did recently with Larry Luxner the editor of the Atlantic Council. The Atlantic Council is a think tank related to international security and other political affairs.

Some special interest groups are making too much noise about President Obama’s visit to Ethiopia, but they are not going to make any difference. According to Peter Pham who’s think tank is connected to NATO, Ethiopia is has Enormous Importance to the world in general and particularly to the United States of America.

Why is Ethiopia so important for President Obama to include on his African agenda?
Peter Pham: This is a historic first visit of any sitting US president to Ethiopia. This is a country with which we’ve had diplomatic relations for more than a century. Economically, it’s one of the five fastest-growing countries in the world, with a number of years of double-digit growth. And with its population of ninety million and its tremendous potential for US companies, it’s also an anchor of stability in a very volatile region.

“There will be those who criticize the visit because of one difference or another with the government of Ethiopia,” Pham noted, “but the President’s visit is not so much a ‘Good Housekeeping seal of approval’ as an opportunity to engage a key partner—including on topics on which we might differ—and above all, to advance US strategic interests.” He added.

Please read the entire interview by following this link http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/obama-s-upcoming-visit-to-ethiopia-recognizes-country-s-enormous-importance