Addis Ababa, (NNN-ENA) : Singapore wants to work in collaboration with Ethiopia in new economic sectors, says the island republic’s Deputy Prime Minister, Teo Chee Hean.

Teo, who is in Addis Ababa on an official visit to Ethiopia, held talks here Tuesday with Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen on bilateral relations. The two countries have started implementing agreements signed earlier on education, information technology, industrial development and trade sectors.

Teo said Singapore wished to work together with Ethiopia in mutually beneficial new areas.

The two nations signed an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation which will help help strengthen trade and investment cooperation during the Ethiopia-Singapore Trade Conference held in Addis Ababa last year.

The economic co-operation between the two countries had been growing since then, he said, adding that the direct flights to be operated by Ethiopian Airlines soon would help to further bolster bilateral relations.

He said Singapore would work extensively with Ethiopia in the fields of tourism, agro-processing, industry and human resources development, noting that the prospects for tourism development in Ethiopia were enormous.

Demeke said Ethiopia’s relations with South East Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore were improving.

He added that Ethiopia wants to work closely with Singapore, which is one of the leading countries in trained human resources and urbanization, in the spheres of trade, tourism and technology.