Ethiopia, Russia sign diplomatic, service passport free visa agreement

Addis Ababa, Dec. 11(ENA)--Ethiopia and Russia have signed a diplomatic and service passport free visa agreement.

The agreement was signed here on Wednesday by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda Alemu and the Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Valery N. Lipnyakov.

According to the agreement, a citizen of one of the two countries bearing eligible diplomatic or service passport can enter the other country without a visa for a stay of upto 90 days.

The agreement stands as a testimony of the mutual trust existing between the peoples of the two countries, Dr. Tekeda said, adding Ethiopia earlier had signed similar agreements with Kenya, Djibouti and the Sudan.

Ambassador Lipnyakov on his part said the agreement would be instrumental in further strengthening the cooperation between Ethiopia and Russia.

Russia had signed similar agreements in Africa with Namibia, Senegal and Morocco, according to the Ambassador.

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