On May 6, 2022 Ethiopian Embassy in Beijing organized Ethiopian Coffee Promotion virtual discussion under the theme of “Coffee from the Land of Origins” where more than 92 Ethiopian and Chinese Coffee enterprises attended. Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, Coffee and Tea Authority and from the Chinese side Chinese Coffee Association, Beijing Coffee Association and Ethiopian Coffee Culture Center also participated on the discussion.
In his opening remark, Ambassador Gebeyehu Ganga – Director General of Middle East and Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Ethiopia and China are strategic partners and that the two countries will continue to cooperate in all sectors under the framework of Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
In a message delivered through his representative, His Excellency Mr. Kassahun Goffe, State Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration highlighted on the historic relationship between the two countries and noted that China is Ethiopia’s top investor source country and major trading partner. He added that the Ethiopian government has undertaken many reforms to effectively facilitate and fast track developments in the trade and investment sector of the country and called on Chinese coffee enterprises to buy large volume of Ethiopian coffee and supply to the huge Chinese coffee market.
Ambassador Teshome Toga – Ethiopian Ambassador to China on his part highlighted on the huge potential of the Chinese coffee market to Ethiopian coffee and elaborated on the Chinese government’s commitment to open “green lanes” for African agricultural exports to China to reach 300 billion US dollars in total imports from Africa in the next three years and that China will provide 10 billion US dollars of trade finance to support African export under the framework of FOCAC. He also noted that this shows China’s commitment to support African exports and called on Ethiopian coffee producers and trader to make good use of this opportunity.
From the Chinese side, Ms. Lucy Fujingya – Secretary –General of the Chinese Coffee Association said that Ethiopian coffee is very much liked by the Chinese coffee consumers and added that there is a huge demand for Ethiopian Coffee in the Chinese coffee market. She also reiterated that her association will closely work with Ethiopian coffee producers and traders to import more Ethiopian coffee to the Chinese market and she made a commitment to encourage more Chinese Coffee buyer to buy Ethiopian coffee.
Both sides also had successful business to business discussions.
