On the Occasion of the Visit to Ethiopia of
His Excellency, Ismael Omar Guelleh
President of the Republic of Djibouti

Welcome Remarks by

K. Y. Amoako
Executive Secretary of the
Economic Commission for Africa

UN Conference Centre
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4 November 1999

Your Excellency, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Honoured Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations community in Ethiopia, and on my own personal behalf, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you, Mr. President, to the United Nations Conference Centre and to ECA.

Mr. President,

Your country typifies the development challenge that faces many African countries in their quest for development. Djibouti is small in size and its people are few, yet it faces problems of high population growth, poverty and unemployment. The small market size of your country compounds the challenge of diversifying the economic base. You have also experienced internal conflicts that have impacted negatively on poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Yet, Djibouti is also a country that is rich in opportunities. It is strategically positioned in the Horn of Africa and the Arab world. Your seaport, which is only one of three active ports in the sub-region, provides an important gateway for regional transshipment and trade. Djibouti’s economy is growing faster than its population. Your Government’s outward-looking development strategy is a good example of the benefits of crafting and pursuing policies that look beyond national boundaries.

You have articulated a clear sense of your country’s role in the sub-region and the continent. Djibouti has a clear sense of its role in the sub-region and the continent. It is in this context that it is fitting that your country is the home of the Secretariat of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). IGAD is playing an important role in addressing issues that are common to its member states, among them food security, conflict resolution and peace building, and sub-regional trade and economic integration.

At ECA, we have long advocated the benefits of regional cooperation and integration. We have argued that the choice between intra-regional integration arrangements as opposed to active participation in the global economy is a false choice – that the two are interdependent and must be pursued in parallel. We will continue to work closely with IGAD, to enhance its role as an important building block for the African Economic Community.

Let me end these brief welcome remarks by again thanking you, Your Excellency, for being with us today.

Thank you.