Addis Ababa, Dec 17: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Wednesday thanked PM Modi for his two-day visit to Addis Ababa - his first to the African nation - hoping that both countries will remain connected through their historical, cultural, and diplomatic relations.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we will surely get the opportunity to meet again. With this hope, we will always remain connected through our nation's historical, cultural, and diplomatic relations," the Ethiopian PM posted in Hindi on his X account after personally bidding farewell to the Indian counterpart on Tuesday afternoon.

As Prime Minister Modi concluded his two-day visit to Ethiopia and emplaned for Oman for the third and final leg of his three-nation visit, in yet another special gesture, Abiy Ahmed Ali drove him to the airport in his car. In a notable and personal gesture, Abiy Ahmed Ali had also received PM Modi at the airport on Tuesday and himself drove Prime Minister Modi from the airport to the hotel in the country's capital.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for your visit to Ethiopia and for your continued efforts to strengthen India–Ethiopia relations. Our elevated ties to a strategic level marks an important milestone and opens a new chapter of deeper cooperation and shared progress between our two countries," he wrote in another post on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi and his Ethiopian counterpart planted saplings at the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives, as part of 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and Ethiopia's 'Green Legacy' initiatives.

Prime Minister Modi also addressed a Joint Session of Ethiopian Parliament which was a special honour accorded to him on his first bilateral visit to the country.

PM Modi thanked the people and government of Ethiopia for bestowing on him the highest award - Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia. Given the salience of the relationship, the Prime Minister expressed deep satisfaction that the age-old ties between the two countries have been elevated to a strategic partnership during the visit.

"Recalling the civilizational ties between India and Ethiopia, the Prime Minister underlined that both the countries combine ancient wisdom with modern ambition. In this context, he noted that India’s national song 'Vande Mataram' and the Ethiopian national anthem both refer to their land as the mother," the Indian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) noted.

"Alluding to the shared struggle of the two countries, the Prime Minister highlighted the contribution of Indian soldiers who fought alongside fellow Ethiopians for their liberation in 1941. He expressed that it was an honour for him to pay tribute to the Adwa Victory Monument that symbolizes the sacrifices of the Ethiopian people," the statement added.

--IANS