Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the pact aimed to empower local communities to bridge the isolation gap that had been a barrier to development.
“We have learned from the past: we can no longer make policy about our resources without considering our neighbour’s legitimate interests, and doing what we can to accommodate them. That way, we avoid wastage, while building on each other’s strengths,” he said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Desalegn said Ethiopia attached importance to cooperation with Kenya. He said Ethiopia would place great emphasis on ensuring the effort to bring development to the border regions.
The pact came amid rising insecurity along the border that has left several people dead with thousands displaced. The feuds are usually fuelled by fights over water and pasture as well as theft of livestock.
The agreement includes increasing opportunities for trade, investment and tourism, improving infrastructure and facilitating cross-border movement of people in the regions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
