More than 35,000 Ethiopian nationals living in Bahrain could benefit from an official structural framework currently in the works to streamline labour market co-operation and protect worker and employer rights.
The two countries hope to build on this framework to further expand their bilateral ties with trade between the two currently standing at approximately $5 million.
“The number of Ethiopian citizens residing in Bahrain has grown steadily over the years,” Ethiopian Consul-General Shiferaw Geneti told the GDN. “As the labour structural framework and Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries is under process, the co-operative framework remains strong, ensuring legal employment for Ethiopian citizens in Bahrain.
“Until the formal MoU is signed, manpower agencies in the two countries have signed a recruitment agreement and deployed Ethiopian workforce, with recent data showing that more than 35,000 Ethiopian nationals are in Bahrain, mostly working as domestic workers, and some in the trade and hospitality sector.”
The Consul-General added that the Ethiopian Consulate in Manama has been working hard to ensure community members and diplomatic staff are safe and unaffected by the ongoing regional geopolitical situation.
According to Mr Geneti, the consulate has been engaging in community outreach, updating both the local authorities and its citizens on relevant developments.
Its internal processes have been optimised to swiftly process all documentation to secure valid legal visas and facilitate transition between employers where required.
Ethopia has also been working to bolster its economic ties with Bahrain, aiming to establish a Strategic Framework Agreement focused on economic diplomacy, bilateral trade and mutual investment, which could serve as the ‘foundation for private sector collaboration, business partnerships, and increased trade volume’, according to Mr Geneti.
Currently Bahrain imports $4m worth of products from Ethiopia, including fresh mutton and beef, Arabica coffee, oilseeds, pulses and cut flowers.
Bahraini exports to Ethiopia are composed primarily of industrial and processed manufactured goods, including aluminium components, refined hydrocarbon products, electrical equipment and chemical materials, valued at approximately $1m.
“The bilateral relationship between Bahrain and Ethiopia is built on a strong, long-standing foundation of labour co-operation,” Mr Geneti added. “Today, this partnership has grown incredibly robust, expanding dynamically into trade and tourism, with Bahraini markets increasingly enjoying premium Ethiopian agricultural exports such as high quality coffee and cereals, horticultural and meat products.”
When asked how the US-Iran conflict could affect fertiliser levels and food security in Ethiopia and Bahrain, Mr Geneti noted that the market in the kingdom remains stable and well-supplied through the government’s management of the situation.
According to the diplomat, there has been ‘no negative impact’ on farming operations in Ethiopia despite global oil and supply chain challenges, with the Ethiopian government stabilising the situation by subsidising fuel, securing alternative trade routes and distributing fertiliser to farmers to secure the upcoming harvest.
In addition, he noted that Ethiopia is actively building local fertiliser plants back home to eliminate supply chain vulnerabilities.
“Simultaneously, the government has stepped in to shield the agricultural sector from volatile global logistics costs by securing alternative shipping routes and implementing timely emergency measures,” he added.
He also noted that Bahraini entrepeneurs can import food items directly from Ethiopian partners, which could reduce the reliance on shipments, by using Ethiopian air cargo routes.
Meanwhile, the consulate-general office has also been actively engaging in various cultural programmes in Bahrain throughout the year to showcase Ethiopia’s culture, traditions and promote the country as a potential new tourist destination.
Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, is a rugged, landlocked country split by the Great Rift Valley. With archaeological finds dating back more than three million years, it’s a place of ancient culture.
A direct flight from Bahrain to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia takes approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes. The flight covers a distance of about 2,300km.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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