Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos discussed regional conflicts and safety of Ethiopian workers with Waleed Elkhereiji, Saudi Arabia’s vice foreign affairs minister, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced today.
According to the MoFA statement, Gedion told the Saudi official that the protection of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia and the expansion of legal employment opportunities for Ethiopian workers are priorities.
Gedion also said that, interconnected by history, the two countries share convergent positions on issues of mutual importance.
Waleed Elkhereiji emphasized that legal labor migration would help ensure the safety of Ethiopians working in Saudi Arabia, the statement added.
The officials, who met against the backdrop of the Middle East conflict, which is currently in limbo, reiterated that dialogue is the only option for resolving various conflicts. The Middle East conflict, involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, has directly affected the Gulf region and indirectly affected Ethiopia due to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.
