ADDIS ABABA: The Ethiopia government said in a statement released on Monday that Ethiopian and Sudanese female members of Parliament plan to work together on regional issues after meeting in the capital, Addis Ababa on Friday. “House of Peoples Representative (HPR) Deputy Speaker Shitaye Minale noted that the Women Caucus in the Ethiopian Parliament which was established 8 years ago has been working to enhance the capacity of women MPs,” the government statement read. She said currently out of the 547 members of Parliament, 152 MPs are women, which are “actively engaged in various standing committees.” Sudanese Women MP Caucus Chairperson Samia Hassan said that the “forum has helped Sudanese women MP's share important experiences in ensuring women's benefits from their Ethiopian counterparts.” Hassan also praised Ethiopia for its “significant role in helping the two Sudan's reach a cooperation deal in Addis Ababa.” Parliament women caucuses of the two countries agreed to work closely with a view to form coalition of African parliamentary women. Minale's office told Bikyamasr.com on Monday that they hope that by coordinating and developing ideas on women's empowerment, governance and the role of women in both societies, “they can build a strategic alliance that will boost women's visibility in the public sphere.” Both groups of female MPs believe that women and the economy are vital to the sustainability of both respective countries' future.