It is interesting to note that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul did not go to the monstrous Davos World Economic Forum event, but visited Kenya and Ethiopia last week. Absorbed by the Davos show, mainstream media reporting on Wadephul was minuscule. Arriving in Kenya on Jan. 21, Wadephul announced that Germany wants to expand economic cooperation with African countries. “I see opportunities, and indeed necessities, for cooperation, particularly in the fields of renewable energies, hydrogen, health, mechanical and plant engineering, and e-mobility,” he said, emphasizing that Kenya and Ethiopia are among the top ten African economies, with Kenyans recording around 5% growth last year and Ethiopians 7%. There are 120 German enterprises present in Kenya.
During his visit to Ethiopia on Jan. 22, Wadephul met with the Director of Ethiopian Airlines Lemma Yadecha, discussing prospects of cooperation between both countries, which, with the German participation (KfW Ipex bank) in the construction of the airport in Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa, which will be the biggest in the continent when it is completed. Construction, which began this month, is expected to be completed in 2030. The airport will be able to handle up to 60 million passengers annually during the first phase of operation, increasing to 110 million during the second phase. The state-owned airline Ethiopian Airlines is responsible for the project, contributing 30% of the total costs of $12.5 billion. The African Development Bank and numerous lenders from Europe, the U.S. and Dubai will invest as well.
