Moroccan king to visit Ethiopia

By Mohamed Tawakkul

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday will start his first official visit to Ethiopia since he became ruler in 1999, a senior Ethiopian source told Anadolu Agency.

The Moroccan king is expected hold talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn during the visit.

He is also expected to witness the signing of 14 agreements between the two countries in various fields, according to the source, who spoke anonymously due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Ethiopia made elaborate preparations for the Moroccan monarch’s visit, decorating the streets of capital Addis Ababa with Moroccan flags, all the way from the airport to the National Palace.

This is the first time the Moroccan flag in Addis Ababa has been raised since 1984, following Morocco’s withdrawal from the African Union, the headquarters of which is in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia opened its embassy in Morocco in May 2015.