United Nations Economic Commission for Africa East Africa Director Mama Keta said the body is cooperating with Ethiopia in providing support to the country's diversification of the tourism sector, as well as other issues, Ethiopian media has reported.
According to her, Ethiopia, being the second most populous African nation with a big economy and huge potential in many sectors, in particular tourism, is a key point in facilitating trade and regional economic integration.
"ECA works very well with Ethiopia. Ethiopia is key for AfCFTA [African Continental Free Trade Area] and for Africa as a whole. The size of the economy is big and in terms of population also it is very big. It has also some great skills. So, ECA supports Ethiopia in so many things," said Keta, as quoted in the report.
Thus, the director said, her office is working with the Ethiopian government to develop and diversify the potential of the country.
"So we are, for instance, supporting Ethiopia right now, to develop further the tourism sector to improve the statistics in order to be able to plan well, and to measure the results that are being done," Keta added.
Along with that, the UN official underlined the necessity to get rid of non-tariff barriers and change policies so that free movement of people and goods is allowed in order to intensify economic activities in the region.
The absence of barriers will engender better regional economic integration, more jobs, and favorable markets in Africa, Keta concluded.