Dhaka: Bangladesh has expressed its hope that the newly opened Mission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia will usher in newer avenues strengthening ties with Africa's oldest independent country on all fronts.

The Mission started functioning since 1 March while Ambassador-designate to Ethiopia M Monirul Islam is expected to join the Mission by 15 March, said a Foreign Ministry press release on Monday.

Ethiopia, with consistent GDP growth rate of 6 percent over the decade, is one of the first African countries who recognized Bangladesh soon after the independence of Bangladesh.  

Since then the two countries supported each other on common and mutual interest and different international forum.

Ethiopia also hosts the headquarters of the African Union which is of importance from UN peacekeeping perspective, said the Foreign Ministry release.