News in Brief

Ethiopia and Algeria Establish Business Council

Situations in Tigray (Latest Prime Minister Office Press Briefing, August 5, 2021)

Africa and the African Union

The African Union Commission and TRAFFIC sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday (August 03) to combat illegal wildlife trade and support development.
Protecting Africa’s wildlife from unattainable and illegal harvest and trade and the contribution legal trade and use can provide towards livelihoods and development of Africa’s people is at the heart of a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding between TRAFFIC and the African Union Commission (AUC).

Ethiopia

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonen conferred with the new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator ( UNOCHA) Martin Griffiths on Thursday (August 05). The minister briefed the chief on humanitarian assistance operations that have been carried out in the Tigray region by the Government of Ethiopia.

Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Lelise Neme, on Tuesday (August 03) met with Thailand’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sasirit Tangulrat. During the discussion various agendas were raised, including the investment opportunities and ways of increasing Thailand’s investment in Ethiopia, the Commission said.

US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power has expressed concern over the terrorist TPLF’s military movements in the neighboring Amhara and Afar regional states of Ethiopia. At a press conference organized in connection with her visit to Ethiopia on Thursday (August 05), the administrator said her government is concerned about the conflict in Tigray and the challenges of humanitarian assistance to reach the region as well as the internally displaced people in Amhara and Afar regions as a result of TPLF’s continued military movement.

Ambassador Gebeyehu Ganga, Directorate General for American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, bade farewell on Thursday (August 05). Samantha Power upon her departure at Bole International Airport. Among others, the USAID Administrator had talks with the Minister of Peace,  Muferiat Kamil on tackling challenges to humanitarian support in Tigray.

Office of the Prime Minister said despite the government’s efforts to enable a secured passage for humanitarian assistance in the Tigray region, there is still a deliberate campaign to manipulate the international community by some western media outlets. Press Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister, Billene Seyoum told the international media on Thursday (August 5) that in the past weeks there have been continued bravados attempted by some media outlets to undermine the activities being carried out by the government of Ethiopia to provide humanitarian aid in Tigray. (See statement)

Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti, Berhanu Tsegaye paid a visit to Dorlae Multipurpose Port (DMP) of Djibouti on Thursday (August 05) and conferred with the port’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Idris Douhour earlier this morning. During the visit, Idris noted that the Port proffers the utmost care to avoid any hiccups during the unloading, loading, and dispatches of wheat being transported by the World Food Program (WFP) to the northern part of the country. The Ambassador along with diplomats and the Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Port have witnessed trucks loading with wheat that was stored in the Silo warehouse. The Ambassador has also spoken to the truck drivers at the port and received confirmations that they had encountered no problem and were receiving efficient service.

USAID Administrator, Samantha Power has arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday (August 04). She has held talks with the Minister of Peace,  Mufariat Kamil on access to humanitarian support to Tigray. The Minister has briefed Samantha on the destructive efforts of the TPLF that blocked humanitarian aid and caused new displacements on the people of Afar and Amhara.

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Italy,  Demitu Hambisa had a fruitful discussion yesterday on current domestic and regional issues regarding Ethiopia with  Adolfo Urso, president of the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic of Italy. The discussion between the two sides highlighted the destructive activities of the TPLF group, issues of common concern on the Horn of Africa as well as the situation regarding the GERD.

Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association and the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have signed a MoU that establishes Ethiopia-Algeria Business Council on Tuesday (August 03). The establishment of the Business Council is expected to enhance comprehensive economic ties between Ethiopia and Algeria. (See article)

Ethio-Engineering Group (EEG) and the Algerian GISB Group held a successful virtual Investment meeting on 29 July 2021 hosted by the Ethiopian Embassy in Algiers. In the discussion between Ethio-Engineering Group, a government owned Industrial enterprise, and GISB, an Algerian Industrial group, potential cooperation and Investment areas are identified.

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Italy, Demitu Hambisa had a fruitful discussion on Monday (August 02) on current domestic and regional issues regarding Ethiopia with Adolfo Urso, president of the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic of Italy. The discussion between the two sides highlighted the destructive activities of the TPLF group, issues of common concern on the Horn of Africa as well as the situation regarding the GERD.

Djibouti

Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye paid a visit to Dorlae Multipurpose Port (DMP) of Djibouti and conferred with the port’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Idris Douhour earlier this Thursday (August 05).During the visit, Mr. Idris noted that the Port proffers the utmost care to avoid any hiccups during the unloading, loading, and dispatches of wheat being transported by the World Food Program to the northern part of the country.

Somalia

Somali National Army backed by Galmudug State forces killed 200 Al-Shabaab militants in an ongoing military operation in Mudug region on Monday (August 02). SNA Infantry Commander, Mohamed Tahlil Bihi said the joint forces liberated southern parts of Mudug region from the terrorists.

Turkey has decided to donate 30 million dollars to Somalia, which will be divided into 2.5 million dollars per month, as per an international agreement signed between the two countries in July. The decision was published in the Official Gazette on Thursday (August 5) with the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “It has been decided that the Donation Agreement signed between the Turkish Republic Government and Somalia Federal Republic Government on July 1, 2021 takes effect,” read the decision.

Sudan

Ethiopians living in Sudan have made public demonstrations today (July 30), vowing to support the campaign in the northern part of the country in every way possible. The demonstrators rejected the undue external pressures on the government of Ethiopia and other meddling in the internal affairs of the country. Speaking at the occasion, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Sudan, Ambassador Yibeltal Aemero appreciated the demonstrators for rejecting attempts that compromised the wellbeing of the country. He said the corrupt and divisive TPLF should have been condemned for its atrocious acts and using women, children, and the elderly of Tigray as cannon fodders.

South Sudan

Heavy flooding has displaced at least 30,000 civilians in Ayod county of South Sudan, a United Nations relief official said Thursday (August 05). Arafat Jamal, acting humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan told reporters in the capital, Juba that persistent rains have washed away crops forcing women and children to survive on grass.

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Prime Minister Office Press Briefing, August 5, 2021 (Transcript)

Key Highlights of the week include:

1. Latest on Humanitarian Activities in Northern part of the countryAs of yesterday August 4. 2021 – 157 trucks of humanitarian assistance have entered the Tigray Region and reached Mekelle. These trucks contain food and nonfood items with the assistance of humanitarian actors Ike the NIP, other UN agencies and international NGO’s working on humanitarian issues.The work on the part of the Government side to enable a secure passage for humanitarian assistance continues. Nevertheless, there are deliberate efforts to manipulate the international community into thinking that the support provisions put in place by the government to support the delivery of aid are ineffective and that other less accountable and less controlled means of delivering aid are required.That however cannot be as there are clear guidelines and protocols put in place as part of security measures that every stakeholder needs to adhere to.
2. Nature of the TPLF

• The noise being amplified by TPLF is an aim to bypass these protocols and in the nature of the terrorist organization
• In the past week we have seen the continued bravado of the terrorist TPLF’s leadership on some media outlets attempting to discredit the leadership of this government and the efforts being made
• Aided by their digital loot soldiers and operatives, they have continually skewed the narrative posturing as righteous defenders of the people of Tigray in whose name they continue to trade_
• Billy dallying between victor and victim has been their ‘go to strategy in attempts to accuse this administration of everything under the sun. But history does not forget and in time the truth will continue to unveil Itself to those that are momentarily taken by TPLF’s propaganda
• Between 2015.2018 the people of Ethiopia made It clear that enough was enough following TPLF’s 27 years of:

o atrocious human rights violations

o disappearances, killings, forced displacements,

o violent crackdown on opposition

o chocking of democratic prospects for the country

o embezzlement out of proportions

o divide and rule approach and “institutionalization of ethnic profiling”

• This heavy handed and bloody approach characterized the way this organization ruled Ethiopia before it was ousted – giving a fake semblance of stability and peace.

•It has laid down deep networks domestically and internationally which it continues to play like a ventriloquist in its own destructive ambitions; playing “unconquerable victor” when it suits their international audience and then playing “downtrodden victim” again playing into international sentiments, values and principles

▪ I hope the international community will wake up and see this organization for what it is – A terrorist organization that has hijacked the well-being of the people of Tigray as a means to its vicious goals. If truly TPLF was for the people of Tigray, then the millions of Tigrayans it kept suspended for 27 years in food handouts while it overfed itself would not have continued being safety net recipients!

▪ Even though there are some who refuse to acknowledge the Ethiopian people’s designation of TPLF as a terrorist organization, it has continued to show its nature and actions commensurate with such a designation.

– It has assassinated, abducted, wounded members of the Tigray Provisional Administration and looted their properties. Their family members were out last week in Addis to share their pain as it’s not an issue most pay attention to. But these are civil servants who took the risk to serve the people of Tigray.

-It continues to aggressively terrorize people in the Amhara and Afar regions, entering through obscure routes. They have displaced more than 300,000 people in both regions as a result of their belligerent encroachment

-They have orchestrated economic sabotage through their operatives in the capital, hoarding iron estimated by the Federal Police to be worth Birr Sbillion

– They continue using their operatives abroad to disseminate false propaganda online attempting to incite fear about the country while influencing ill-informed policy makers with a distorted narrative.

▪ If these are not some manifestations of terrorism, we would be hard pressed for other ones.

▪ The US Department of Homeland Security in its own Policy Memorandum dated lune 15, 2014 stated, “The TPLF qualifies as a Tier III terrorist organization under INA section 212on the basis of its violent activities before it became part of the ruling coalition and the government of Ethiopia in May 1991.

▪ Today, this same organization has continued in its inherent behaviour of terrorism.

• Lengths gone by the Government to support its people in the Tigray region

– We’ve shared before the efforts made by this administration to address the needs within the region after the TPLF treasonously attacked the Ethiopian National Defence Forces in November 2020. Why the international media and community still question TPLF’s attack is bewildering given a video testimony from among TPLF’s own members.

-In any case, following the TPLF drawing the Government into its rule of law operations in the North, the government has spent almost 8-10 times the region’s budget in relief and repair work

-This includes humanitarian assistance delivery in three rounds before the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire; health care expenditures, expenses related to agricultural activities; water and sanitation service provision, etc.

-The Government of Ethiopia still stands by its humanitarian ceasefire.

4. Problematic Framing of Issues

Nevertheless, there continues a problematic framing of many issues and wrongful accusations directed at the Government. Some of these include a bewildering statement made a day ago referring to situation in the North as “the government’s brutal campaign against the people of Tigray.” For those that know and aspire to understand Ethiopia, that understand the people-cantered policy of this administration and that are open to moving away from pre-conceived notions of what African leaders and countries are like, such statements would not have been made matter of fact. It is regrettable that an African nation with more than 3,000 years of rich history, culture and diverse people that has stood the test of time and with a democratically elected government is portrayed in such simplistic terms.

However, if twitter hashtags continue to be the source of intelligence that key policy makers globally defer to in order to understand a people and a nation, then one ends up taking as truthful for example – the fake Humera massacre that has been trending by TPLF operatives for two weeks now. Our media monitoring flagged this trend on July 22 and an alert was issued that this was going to be made an issue at the global and sure enough a week later deplorable images were being disseminated online, Twitter concerns being shared by officials; botched testimonies by TPLF operatives given to international media to pepper the reporting.

The other problematic framing which is being concocted is that the Tigray region is under a siege or blockade by the Government. Hence why TPLF waged a confrontation on the Afar entry point to give the impression that the government is blocking humanitarian assistance through that route and hence make demands for other routes. Fortunately, as a sovereign nation, the Ethiopian government determines which route is more suitable to deliver in its responsibility of assistance. Those who want corridors for weapons and non-humanitarian goods to be routed to them continue to try and manipulate the realities on the ground in attempts to convince the world that unfettered access is not happening. Nevertheless, this is TPLF’s modus operandi and those who are aware of it know to differentiate the “wheat from the chaffe” in its relentless propaganda.

Lastly on this issue, many have misconstrued statements made by the leadership as directed towards our people of Tigray. Words used by the leadership are being pulled out of context to fit an agenda that rings the sirens of dehumanizing rhetoric. It is very clear to those that read these statements and to those push the alarm that such statements are directed at the TPLF organization which has been designated a terrorist organization in a national Constitutional process. Let’s not forget that both former President Obama and Vice President John Kerry have used similar terminology and phrases in the threat posed by ISIL.

– Again, such fears emanate from not knowing Ethiopia well and from falling into the traps of TPLF propagandists.

5. On Engagements:

The Government of Ethiopia welcomes engagements with all our international partners. These engagements will need to continue not on the path of foregone conclusions and veiled threats but honouring the tradition, culture and respect that an ancient country of more than 3000-year history warrants. If one is looking through the lens of privilege, then one may risk a myopic view of events unfolding in Ethiopia. Underhanded efforts to support a terrorist group’s insurgency tactics and efforts to discredit this government will not be tolerated! There are calls for a negotiated ceasefire — however, even the Government’s unilateral humanitarian ceasefire has not been respected by the TPLF. So weaponizing humanitarian assistance by putting our people in Tigray at risk for the narrow goals of a belligerent group needs to be called out. This is not an engagement of equals where a terrorist organization calls the shots against a legitimate Government. Partners who wish to work constructively, positively, in support of a legitimate, democratic and sovereign government and importantly, in support of the Ethiopian people, will be very welcome.

6. The Government of Ethiopia remains Committed:

-To the territorial sovereignty of the country and the integrity of the country’s borders;

-To upholding the rule of law together with its international obligations

 -The observation and practice of the rule of law is vital to the nation, to statehood and to progress we are making particularly after the new mandate bestowed upon the Government by the people of Ethiopia in the 6th National Elections.

-It is committed to the security and safety of its population in all regions from Tigray to the South Region.

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Ethiopia and Algeria Establish Business Council

Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association and the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have signed an MoU that establishes Ethiopia-Algeria Business Council on Tuesday (August 03). The establishment of the Business Council is expected to enhance comprehensive economic ties between Ethiopia and Algeria.

The Minister of Trade of Algeria, the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Algeria, The Director General of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Algeria, the Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral association of Ethiopia, the Representative of Deputy Director for Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, and representative of the Embassy Algeria in Addis Ababa have attended the program.

In his opening remarks, Algerian Minister of Trade, H.E Kemal Razig, underlined the need to translate the existing strong diplomatic relations between the two countries into a stronger cooperation in the areas of trade and investment. Commending the incredible efforts discharged by the Ethiopian Embassy in Algiers and the Algerian Embassy in Addis Ababa to bring the two countries’ business community closer together, he affirmed the readiness of the Algerian Government to support the work of enhancing trade exchanges between the brotherly countries.

H.E Amb. Nebiat Getachew, Ambassador of Ethiopia to Algeria, on his part underscored the existence of a strong desire to conduct various trade and investment exchanges between the two countries’ business community. He also thanked the two countries’ chambers of commerce and industry for their strong initiative to sign the MOU agreement and taking the process of enhancing cooperation in the field of business.

Algerian Foreign Ministry Director for African Affairs, Miss Lina Ahmimi, recalled the recent visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of Algeria, H.E Ramtane Lamamra, to Ethiopia and underscored strengthening trade and investment relations between the two countries was one of the issues given due emphasis during his discussion with higher Ethiopian officials. She also mentioned readiness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Algeria to support business initiatives from both sides.

Mr. Youssef Ademnur, the Secretary General of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Association, who signed the memorandum of understanding, representing the Chamber, on his part explained his strong belief in newly established business council to play a vital role in strengthening the relationship, and he explained the readiness of his Institution to implement the agreement.

After signing the MOU, the Director General of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Algeria, H.E Madame Bahloul Wahiba, proposed to exchange the copy of the signed agreement and the list of the contacts of the businessmen from both countries who are interested in each other’s markets, through diplomatic channels. The two parties also agreed to hold in person sideline meeting in the coming October, at the Dubai International Expo, where both will be participating.

It is to be recalled that an agreement has been reached to establish a business council to strengthen the relationship between the two countries’ business community during the Ethio-Algeria virtual Trade Promotion event hosted by the FDRE Embassy in Algiers in January 2021.

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