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Addis Ababa could become logistics hub for Russian business — envoy

Cham Ugala Uriat also welcomed the decision made by the Russian government that Moscow now should look forward to work and make business with Africa, Asia, and Latin America

MOSCOW, September 26. /TASS/. Russia’s decision to expand cooperation with the African continent in business area is right, as Addis Ababa could become a great logistics hub for Moscow, the republic's Ambassador to Russia Cham Ugala Uriat said in an interview with TASS.

"The decision made by the Russian government that Russia now should look forward to work and make business with Africa, Asia, and Latin America, is, I think, the right decision to make," he said. "Addis Ababa is also the seat of the African Union. All the African nations have embassies in Addis Ababa. So if somebody has made business in Addis Ababa, he can connect to all Africans, because they have representatives in Addis Ababa. So Addis Ababa could become a great logistical hub," the diplomat added.

The African continent is "a potential area for business," he stressed. "If you combine the whole African population, it will be <…> almost a billion. And the population of Africa is very young. <…> 60% of the Ethiopian population is young, you know, below 30 years. So it is very good for them to be productive," the ambassador said.

President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin told TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) earlier that the Chamber had reached an agreement with the Economic Development Ministry on more active efforts of the Russian private sector in the work of intergovernmental commissions with African countries. The government supported a corresponding decision, he added.