Ethiopia to send 50,000 workers to UAE

Ethiopia will send 50,000 people to the UAE, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Monday as the Gulf country seeks to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa.

"Ethiopia is considering short-term measures to reduce unemployment in Ethiopia and to cope with the growing demands of our population for employment," Abiy told parliament in parliament in Addis Ababa, the capital.

"One of these short-term programs is sending our skilled workforce to foreign countries," said Abiy, who has sought to open his country to foreign investment since his entered into office last year.

According to this agreement, 50,000 workers would be sent to the UAE during the 2019-2020 biennium and discussions were underway to send 200,000 over the next three years.

Workers would receive training in various sectors, including driving and nursing, earn higher wages and "build capacity," Abiy said.

Discussions are underway on similar agreements with Japan and European countries, said Abiy.

He added that the fastest growing economy in Africa would be helped by a young and skilled workforce trained abroad.

The United Arab Emirates recently called for closer relations with the countries of the Horn of Africa, thus helping to negotiate with Saudi Arabia a historic peace agreement between Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Eritrea, its former enemies, last year.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia hope to negotiate peace in the region, a sign of the increasing importance that Gulf countries are giving to East Africa as they fight against Huthi rebels backed by Iran in Yemen.

Last year, the UAE pledged to invest $ 3 billion in aid and investment in Ethiopia.