Addis Ababa, Dec.5(ENA)--U.S. Government officials, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have announced readiness to enhance support for Ethiopia's Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The U.S. Government, WB and IMF senior officials made the announcement in a separate meetings they held with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is in Washington leading a high-level delegation upon the invitation of the U.S. President George W. Bush, held separate talks with the U.S. Secretary of Trade Department, Samuel Bodman, WB President James Wolfensohn, IMF Director Hosrt kohler, and US Representative of Commerce Ambassador Robert Zollick.

The U.S., WB and IMF officials said their relations with Ethiopia should be bolstered with a view to supporting the country's poverty reduction endeavors in a more meaningful and sustainable way.

Having been briefed by Prime Minister Meles about the current situation in Ethiopia and the kind of assistance his country needs, the senior officials of the U.S. Government and the international financial organizations pledged to coordinate their efforts with the Ethiopian government.

In addition to the poverty reduction issues, Meles briefed the officials about the current drought induced emergency situation in Ethiopia, the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the kind of support Ethiopia needs from the U.S. Government and the international financial institutions to reverse the current problems and sustainably address the development issues.

Discussions between Meles and the US business officials focused mainly on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as to why the private sector in Ethiopia couldn't make use of the opportunity as well as on ways of assisting Ethiopia to exploit the opportunity in the future.

The U.S. officials pledged to provide technical and other assistance to improve Ethiopia's capacity to make use of the opportunity, Europe and America Affairs Director with the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Girum Abbay told journalists.

The U.S. officials expressed readiness to support Ethiopia's capacity building endeavours and also other prrograms launched to alleviate the humanitarian impact of the current drought and the food shortage in the country.

The WB and IMF officials on their parts told Meles that they were closely following and supporting peace and democracy developments as well as the measures being undertaken to bring about sustainable economic development by the Ethiopian Government

The officials pledged to support and also to coordinate donor response for Ethiopia's "Education for All" policy, emergency relief activities as well as HIV/AIDS intervention.

Girum told journalists that the talks between prime minister meles and the U.S. officials as well as the international financial organizations were productive and constructive.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi also held talks with CEOs of U.S. companies engaged in infrastructure development, power generation where by the later expressed willingness to investment in Ethiopia.

The prime minister has requested the US comapnies to submit their project proposals to his government.

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