Poland wants to invest in Africa, not exploit it: president
                
                    
                        PR dla Zagranicy
                    
                    
                        Paweł Kononczuk
                        
                        09.05.2017 12:43
                    
                                 
                
                
                    Poland wants to invest in Africa, not exploit it, Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Tuesday during a visit to Ethiopia aimed at drumming up business.
                
                
                    
                         Andrzej Duda speaks at African Union Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Andrzej Duda speaks at African Union Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
                     
                
                
                
               
                
                         Speaking at an African Union Forum in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Duda said: "We are open to friendly cooperation as partners, offering our extensive experience, among other things in economic transformation. We want to invest in Africa, not exploit it."
The African Union groups all countries in Africa.
Duda added: "We conduct joint business projects and finance development projects, including through the GoAfrica program. Half of the priority partners of our development cooperation programme are African countries."
Later on Tuesday, the final day of his visit to Ethiopia, Duda will seek African backing for Poland's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN security council for 2018-2019, voting on which will take place in June.
On Monday, Duda and his Ethiopian counterpart Mulatu Teshome said trade between Poland and Ethiopia has the potential to be much higher and should be increased.
Duda earlier visited a plant operated by Polish tractor manufacturer Ursus in Ethiopia, and encouraged more companies to invest in Africa.
(pk)
Source: PAP