Just two years in the nation, he is excited with his posting that included a visit of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, shortly after his tenure began in 2018. That was when his nation held the rotating Presidency of the Council of European Union. Just last week, Alexander Schallenberg, the Austrian Foreign Ministry also visited Ethiopia, solidifying a relationship that he hopes will be bilateral and beneficial to both nations.
“As it is the duty of each diplomat, I try my best to further promote the political, economic and cultural ties between Ethiopia and Austria. I very much hope that at the end of my tenure I can say that I have contributed to this task”, he told The Reporter looking ahead to a few years of Austrian diplomacy in Addis Ababa.
In the last two years, the ambassador has been in few parts of Ethiopia, including the historic Lalibela in which he sees much potential for tourism and he sees a role for himself.
“On a private level, each and every excursion to the cultural and scenic beauties of Ethiopia constituted an extraordinary experience, the visit to Lalibela having been probably the absolute highlight”, he told The Reporter.
“Speaking about present cultural trade and cultural relations there is still a lot of room for improvement. I very much hope that I can contribute to this improvement, first by organizing cultural events in Ethiopia after we have overcome the COVID crisis and secondly by pushing our bilateral trade”.
To him, there is something that links both nations that is historical and dear to him.
“With regard to the historical, cultural and trade relations between our two countries, I would like to refer to the Maria Theresa Taler. The silver coin named after the Empress of Austria in the 18th century was used as currency both in the Habsburg Empire and in Ethiopia and hence played a very important role for trade”, he further reflected.
