Addis Ababa, — South Africa is pursuing strong bilateral ties with Ethiopia, with renewed focus on boosting cooperation in tourism sector through the BRICS alliance, Ambassador Nonceba Losi affirmed.
Speaking to ENA, South Africa’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Losi said the two countries have long enjoyed cordial relations in multifaceted spheres.
There is a growing potential for tourism collaboration under the broader BRICS framework, following Ethiopia’s admission during the 2023 summit hosted in South Africa.
“There is a track of tourism ministers under BRICS, and we would love to ensure these countries work with each other and visit each other. The population within BRICS is massive, and we can leverage that for economic development and increased tourist flows,” she said.
Ambassador Losi also highlighted the opportunities for technical collaboration, citing South Africa’s experienced park rangers who could assist Ethiopia in protecting and preserving its natural reserves.
“We have highly qualified rangers in Kruger Park and other national parks. We are willing to exploring cooperation in that area,” she added.
According to her, South African Embassy in Ethiopia will work to develop concrete proposals and programs to boost tourism exchanges, including bringing more South African tourists to Ethiopia.
She recalled that just last month President Cyril Ramaphosa praised the renewal development and projects in Addis, stating “I have received so many calls of South Africans who would love to visit Ethiopia.”
Echoing this sentiment, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Tourism, Sileshi Girma, emphasized the importance of BRICS as a global tourism alliance.
“We are very lucky to be part of BRICS. Think of India, Brazil, China, South Africa and others together that’s a significant portion of the world’s population,” he said.
Ethiopia and South Africa have vast untapped potential in tourism cooperation, and BRICS presents a strategic platform to realize that potential, the two officials affirmed.
Recently, Ambassador Losi along with other ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic corps based in Addis Ababa visited the Bale Mountains National Park.
