News in Brief

A New Ethiopian Year Message from Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia

Humanitarian Response Update in the Afar, Amhara and Afar Regions and Continued Violence by the terrorist TPLF (Excerpts from the Prime Minister Office Briefing)

TPLF must stop using the humanitarian card to mislead the International community

Diplomatic Triumphs and Challenges over the passing year (Excerpts from Ambassador Dina Mufti’s weekly press briefing)

Africa and the African Union

The 3rd AU-China Human Rights Dialogue will be hosted virtually by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC) on Friday (September 10). The Dialogue will be led by the AUC/PAPS Ag. Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention and the China Special Representative for Human Rights in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The AU-China Human Rights Dialogue is intended, among others, to establish a platform for sharing experience and best practices in the area of the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights.

Ethiopia

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his delegation have paid a working visit to Senegal (September 07) and Ghana (September 08) respectively. The Prime Minister held talks with President Macky Sall of Senegal and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on a wide range of issues including bilateral and continental issues of mutual concern. The weekly briefing of the Prime Minister office reported these visits and highlighted the humanitarian situation in the Northern part of Ethiopia and the continued violence perpetrated by the TPLF. (See excerpts of the briefing)

Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia had a discussion with on Monday (September 06) Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. On the occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Said the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has been playing a very constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in Abeyi despite facing various challenges. He also Expressed Ethiopia’s disappointment at the recent letter sent by Senator Bob Menedez to the Secretary-General of the United Nations which failed to portray the contribution of Ethiopian peace-keeping forces who are serving to maintain peace and security under the blue helmet. Pierre Lacroix, for his part, appreciated the role of Ethiopia in the UN peacekeeping mission and expressed the interest to extend the longstanding relations between the UN peacekeeping missions with Ethiopia in the future.

Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia received the President of Rotary International, Dr. Shekhar Mehta on Wednesday (08 September) at his office. During their discussion, Mr. Demeke said it is in the interest of the Ethiopian government to support Rotary International as the organization works in line with the Ethiopian government’s priority areas.

State Minister, Ambassador Redwan Hussein had paid a two-day official visit to Somaliland. During his stay, he had a meeting on Friday (September 03) with Musa Bihi, President of Somaliland to discuss security and immigration issues at border areas and ways to strengthen cultural exchanges & enhance people-to-people relations.

Ambassador Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in his weekly press briefing on Thursday (September 09) a new wave of false allegations is being lodged by TPLF operatives giving falsified accounts to what are considered reputable International media outlets. This time, he said the allegations revolve around “the death of 150 people of famine in Tigray,” “the recovery of dead bodies of Tigrayans at the banks of the Setit/Tekeze River in Sudan,” and reports of character assassinations of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. He said all of the news reports and opinions on the Prime Minister have not been substantiated at all and they are simply parts of the propaganda campaign that aimed to delegitimize the Ethiopian Government.

Ambassador Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has presented the diplomatic achievements and challenges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia has faced and tackled over the passing Ethiopian year during his weekly press briefing on Thursday (September 09). (See article)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia issued a statement calling on the international community to stop listening to TPLF’s unsubstantiated claims that aimed to exploiting the humanitarian situation in Tigray to advance its political interests. The statement detailed improved practices that would facilitate the humanitarian process. The statement also narrates the atrocities in Afar and Amhara regions made by the TPLF and called on the international community to condemn the criminal group and support affected people. (See article)

Ambassador Reta Alemu, Ethiopia’s ambassador to Israel met with Colonel Aviezer Segal, the Defense Attaché of the Israel Defense Forces to Africa. The two held discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on current issues of common concern. Col. Aviezer noted that Ethiopia is one of the countries that have strong historical ties with Israel and the cooperation in the military and defense matters has been given due attention at all levels. Ambassador Reta said the two countries enjoy the partnership in various sectors and bilateral ties would continue to flourish.

Ethiopian artifacts, including a Bible, crosses and an Imperial shield, looted at the Battle of Maqdala1868 are to be returned to Ethiopia thanks to The Scheherazade Foundation, which purchased the items through a UK-based auction house and private dealers. Speaking on the occasion at a reception held at The Athenaeum Club, Ambassador Teferi Meles thanked The Scheherazade Foundation for their work in acquiring the precious items and renewed calls for museums, collectors & holders of Maqdala1868 heritage to return them to Ethiopia. The Scheherazade Foundation CEO, Tahir Shah said he knew what the return of the objects would mean to Ethiopians and that through his Foundation, he hopes to build bridges between the two nations.

Eritrea

The Ministry of Information of Eritrea on Thursday (September 09) announced that Eritrean nationals in Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand commemorated the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle for Eritrea’s independence with patriotic zeal. At the commemoration event the Eritrean community held in London on 4 September, Mr. Estifanos Habtemariam, Eritrean Ambassador in Great Britain and North Ireland, gave a briefing on the significance of 1 September in the history of the Eritrean people as well as on the objective situation in the homeland.

Djibouti

The 27th Ethio-Djibouti Joint Border Administrators and Commissioners Meeting was held on Saturday (September 4) at Arta town, Djibouti. The meeting mainly focused on major areas comprising border trade and Security, Immigration and Movement of people, human trafficking and irregular migration, transport, customs and illicit Trade, Human and Animal health as well as issues of agriculture and live stocks. At the opening session of the meeting  Mrs. Frealem Shibabaw, State Minister of Peace of the FDRE thanked the wise and enlightened leadership of the two governments and highlighted the success achieved in establishing multi-sectoral cooperation that showcased the deep strategic partnership that goes beyond commercial relations.

The government of Djibouti has approved a draft law outlining the terms and conditions for the legal sale of a partial stake in the country’s state-owned fixed and mobile operator Djibouti Telecom to a ‘first-rate strategic partner’. In a statement, the government stated that opening up the PTO’s share capital is a sign of its determination ‘to implement a proactive policy to modernise the country’s economy, increase global competitiveness, and optimise the governance and management of state-owned enterprises (SOE)’. The government will now seek to appoint international advisors to oversee the process which is expected to go ahead later in the year.

Somalia

The African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has started providing electoral assistance to the Federal Republic of Somalia, as the country prepares to hold Federal Elections for the Upper and Lower Houses of the People as well as the President. The electoral assistance comprises financial, operational and technical support and is being provided in response to a request from the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, the Federal Electoral Implementation Team (FELT) and the Federal Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development. Three senior African electoral experts were deployed on 2 September 2021 to provide continuous technical and advisory support to the Federal Electoral Implementation Team.

Members of Somalia’s security services are undergoing extensive 6-day training at the Banadir Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to provide them with the specialist skills needed to secure the country’s ongoing national elections. Drawn from the Somalia Police Force (SPF), the National Intelligence Agency (NISA) and the Somalia National Army (SNA), the 45 officers will receive training in forensic investigations and intelligence-led policing.

Sudan

The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Sudan has issued a statement regarding the news reports about a “seizure” by Sudanese Customs authorities of “Weapons” onboard Ethiopian Airlines on 04 September 2021. The Embassy said the shipment in question was transported and delivered via Ethiopian Airlines following the necessary legal procedures, with prior knowledge and approval by the relevant Sudanese authorities including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy said there appears to be a deliberate and concerted effort by some actors and media outlets to intentionally misrepresent facts in view of tarnishing the reputable image of Ethiopia and its proud flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines also issued a statement on Monday saying that its transport of weapons to Sudan was a “legal and commercial” shipment of hunting guns. Later on Monday, Sudan’s interior ministry said the shipment, which included 290 rifles and belonged to a licensed trader, Wael Shams Eldin, had been checked and found to be legitimate.

South Sudan

Ethiopia’s ambassador to South Sudan, Ambassador Nebil Mahdi had a discussion on Saturday (September 04) with the South Sudanese Interior Minister Hon. Paul Mayom Akec on bilateral and regional issues. Ambassador Nebil expressed his congratulations to the Transitional Government on the inauguration of R-TNLA and the Council of States of the Republic of South Sudan. He also presented current issues in Ethiopia, including the GERD negotiations and the situation in Tigray. Hon. Paul Mayom Akec, for his part, said that the Tigray issue is an internal Ethiopian issue and stressed that invisible hands try to use this group as an agent in exacerbating the instabilities in the Horn of Africa region and this need to be addressed diplomatically through regional platforms. He reiterated that South Sudan can’t allow its territory to be used against the interests of Ethiopia.

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A New Ethiopian Year Message from  Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia

September 11, 2020

Dear Ethiopians,

It is with immense pleasure when I extend to you this Ethiopian New Year message on behalf of myself and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. As a manifestation of change in the spirit of Ethiopians, the New Year also comes around with sunshine and the colourful landscape of our beloved Ethiopia. I wish you all a New Year where you will be uplifted by new spirits and adorned with the ideals of fraternity and unity.

This past year, we have handled issues related to the construction, operation, and filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in a way that reflected our unity and determination to protect the sovereignty of the country. We have never lagged in contributing our level best, both in terms of financial donations and in technical support, in order to build the dam. In this regard, I am also delighted by the critical roles played by Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent that are living abroad. I urge you all to continue supporting this flagship project and to help us register even more spectacular results in the years ahead.

In this connection, we should also applaud our diplomats and experts from various walks of life for contributing their fair share in all matters related to the GERD. Following a series of discussions with President Felix Tshisekedi, Chairperson of the African Union (AU), they have helped us maintain the spirit of “African Solutions to African Problems.” We appreciate their patriotic struggle to make the AU-led process and the DoP decide the course of the trilateral negotiation over the GERD. The second filling of the dam was also a milestone in fulfilling our quest to stimulate economic growth and lift many Ethiopians out of poverty. However, we should not spend too much time focusing on our success and lose sight of the final objective. A lot remains to be done and with a united front, we will achieve our dreams of a prosperous Ethiopia.

Dear Ethiopians,

This past year was a year that Ethiopians showed their resilience and unshakable spirit in the midst of internal and external challenges. Ethiopians will remember the night of November 4, 2020, as one of the darkest moments in Ethiopian history that shocked the nation to its core. We have lost many of our brave soldiers of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces at the hands of the short-sighted and murderous TPLF clique. None of our soldiers deserved that horrible death. Nevertheless, we should show our ultimate respect to their sacrifice by standing resolute and combating the challenges posed by the country’s worst enemy. Creating a united front against our adversaries is the ultimate honour we can give to our soldiers. 

The challenges posed by the TPLF are not over. We have yet to make sure that our people in the Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions are free from the grip of the terrorist group. We need to make sure that the IDPs are back home and affected people return to their normal lives.

I am deeply affected and saddened by the recent aggression and inhumane killings of innocent civilians, including the elderly, women and children in Amhara and Afar Regions. I call on all peace-loving human beings to join me in condemning in the strongest terms these senseless killings to stop once and for all. It is inevitable that our wounds will heal with time and we will compel the forces of darkness to choose either peace or face their inevitable faith. 

Aside from making us vulnerable to external pressure from opportunists, our enemies have also launched attacks on the economic front. However, we will not allow them to impoverish us by hoarding items and transacting hard-earned foreign exchange through illegal financial institutions. It is time to say no! I urge Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent living abroad to support Ethiopia using legitimate financial institutions when sending money to their loved ones in Ethiopia. In this connection, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Ethiopian Diaspora and all friends of Ethiopia who stood by our side for the truth, integrity and sovereignty of Ethiopia.

Dear Ethiopians,

Although we witnessed the plight of many Ethiopian migrants in the Middle East, we never stopped providing the necessary assistance to some of them and repatriating many others. The pandemic coupled with the sheer number of the migrants stretched our capacity to reach out to all of our citizens who need help. However, I would like to affirm that our Ministry will continue to collaborate with national and international stakeholders to alleviate the problems of our citizens and reach lasting solutions.

Dear Ethiopians,

Many had doubted our capacity to hold a credible and peaceful election. Nevertheless, given the commitment of Ethiopians for peace, the 6th General Elections proved to be the most transparent election that helped Ethiopians exercise their free will. The results of the elections are expressions of confidence in and expectations of Ethiopians from the new government to be established in late September of the Ethiopian New Year. Ethiopians have chosen peace, prosperity, and unity, so we have to deliver that. To this end, we will provide the ground for an all-inclusive political dialogue and accelerate the multifaceted reform we have been carrying out for the last three years.

At this juncture, I call upon every one of us to stand firm and join hands with the view to ensuring our solidarity through combined efforts from all walks of life in a bid to realize a self-reliant and prosperous nation. 

As one of the principal institutions of our country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia is expected to benefit from the ongoing reform process currently underway. It is my hope that our institutional reform will arm Ethiopians with strong and effective diplomatic staffs that befits the country’s rich diplomatic history. In this connection, I also call upon all Ethiopians and Ethiopians origin to rally around and defend the country as envoys of the motherland. It is also my hope that the reform will help us protect and promote the interests of our beloved country in both the bilateral and multilateral spheres. 

May the New Ethiopian Year bless you all with good health, happiness, and prosperity!

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Humanitarian Response Update in the Afar, Amhara and Afar Regions and Continued Violence by the terrorist TPLF (Excerpts from the Prime Minister Office Briefing)

Afar:

More than 76,500 people have been displaced from Fantí Rasu. GoE and WFP are mobilizing resources for the IDPs. As of Aug. 31, NDRMC and WFP distributed 7,655 qtls of food for 45,000 IDPs. WFP has allocated 3rounds of food up to October 2021.

Amhara:

The IDPs are mainly from Waghamera, N. Gonder, S. Gonder & N. Wollo Zones. IDPs displaced from N. Wollo, due to TPLF provocations and attacks currently sheltered in Desse Town have reached > 150,000 of which > 140,000 received 23,852 qtls of food  as of Aug. 31

8,600 qtls of food are dispatched to Wag-hemera zone region for 51,000 beneficiaries. 2,000 qtls of food assistance has been delivered to IDPs in N. Gonder, Debark who have been displaced by TPLF’s belligerence which could serve up to 13,000 beneficiaries.

GoE works with partners to further coordinate the humanitarian response in North Wollo & Wag-Hemra zones and N.Gonder Zone. Incident Command Post has been established in Dessie town to oversee the humanitarian response in North and South Wollo to continue in North Gonder Zone Debark town.

Tigray:

As of 04 September 2021, 535 trucks of humanitarian support have entered the  region. Around 70 aid convoys are still not accounted for after having entered the region. Yet today TPLF posted a statement with images of their fighters on trucks resembling the ones deployed.

Humanitarian flight for personnel, cargo, and cash is still ongoing and movement is being undertaken from Addis to Mekelle through UNHAS flight. As of Aug. 31, NDRMC approved for 31 partners to transport ETB 114.2M to Mekelle for humanitarian operation.

Humanitarian partners: WFP and JEOP (CRS lead consortium) are currently operating in Tigray region and dispatching food to woredas and distributing to beneficiaries.

Humanitarian cargo movement continues to be facilitated through Semera to Abala corridor.

Continued Violence by the terrorist TPLF

In Amhara Region, Chena Tekle haimanot Kebele of Debat Woreda, the terrorist TPLF is confirmed to have committed atrocities on an estimated 200 innocent civilians. GoE denounces these targeted killings. Figures may change after the investigation of the established committee.

These retaliatory attacks are committed by TPLF as they have suffered great losses being routed of Afar and Amhara regions. The Chena massacre is an extension of the Maikadra massacre committed by TPLF’s Samri group targeting over 1000 ethnic Amhara  civilians.

In the past weeks, TPLF fighters with UNHCR ID cards on them have been found in Amhara region. It is this same group GoE alerted to have fled into  Sudan claiming refugee status. And UNHCR itself has admitted a decrease in the number of refugees that it cannot account for.

It is known that TPLF have been pillaging and destroying places of worship, government offices, health centres. The recent destruction is in Sekota where renowned global athlete Haile Gebreselassie had built a school for up to 500 impoverished children in the community.

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TPLF must stop using the humanitarian card to mislead the International community

The Government of Ethiopia has continued its commitment to work closely with humanitarian operators by coordinating and facilitating the movement of humanitarian aid to the Tigray region. Since the declaration of the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire, several hundreds of trucks loaded with food and non-food items including improved seeds, fertilizers, and fuel have continued to reach the Tigray region. Over the weekend, WFP has confirmed that over 100 trucks have arrived at Mekelle carrying 3,500 MT of food and other lifesaving humanitarian cargo. To further ease humanitarian aid, the Federal Government significantly reduced the number of checkpoints for humanitarian convoys. It also increased the amount of cash humanitarian organizations can possess while operating in the region. The Federal Government has taken these measures despite the grave obstacles posed by the destructive acts of the TPLF.

It should be recalled that the TPLF has deliberately invaded the adjacent Amhara and Afar regions compounding the humanitarian problem and affecting the security of the humanitarian corridor into Tigray. This callous act by the TPLF has displaced over 500,000 people and disrupted the lives of about 4.5 million people in those regions. The TPLF killed many civilians and decimated villages in the two Regions. This has clearly demonstrated that the TPLF is bent on creating havoc contrary to the spirit of the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire declared by the Federal Government. It should be underlined here that one of the objectives of the humanitarian ceasefire was to allow farmers in Tigray to make use of the farming season.

As has been reported in the international media outlets, the group has completely destroyed the small rural farming community of Agamsa in Qobo, Amhara region, and also killed many innocent civilians in Gondar, Wollo, and Wag Hemra. In the same vein, in the Afar region, deliberately targeting civilians, the TPLF killed over 200 people, including more than 100 children, in attacks on displaced families sheltering at a health facility and a school. TPLF has also targeted the livelihoods of communities in the Afar and Amhara regions by deliberately shooting livestock, looting financial centers, health facilities, banks, and religious institutions besides disrupting telecommunication and electric power services.

The group did not spare educational centers. The Minister of Education of Ethiopia recently announced that the futile war of the TPLF damaged more than 7,000 schools in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions forcing more than 1.42 million students to drop out of school for a considerable time to come.

What the invading force has been doing in the neighboring regions is by no means in the interest of the people of Tigray. It has killed and threatened the lives of aid workers in the areas that it invaded. It also takes revenge actions on the civilian community to retaliate the swift and humiliating defeat it sustained in the hands of the ENDF in Tigray.  As indicated by USAID Ethiopia, the TPLF has emptied USAID warehouses and looted food and non-food items reducing the chances of affected people getting timely aid. Nonetheless, the TPLF has proven its disregard to the interest of the people of Tigray as high-energy biscuits of USAID were found in the pockets of its captured soldiers which should have been distributed to affected people in Tigray back in February 2021. They were storing the biscuits for rations for their soldiers by snatching them from those in need.

The TPLF has tried to expand the conflict by entering the Benishangul Gumuz and Amhara regions crossing the long Sudanese border. All of its attempts in these areas have proven futile but new evidence has come to the surface. Some TPLF soldiers infiltrating from the Sudanese side have already been captured carrying UNHCR ID cards. It is a clear violation of international law and UN Conventions governing the handling of refugees. This is happening while the international community has yet to condemn the TPLF’s use of child soldiers as young as 11 years old.

With all its destructive acts, the group unashamedly points its finger at the Government of Ethiopia for blocking aid to the Tigray region. The first logical step should have been to refrain from creating insecurity in the neighboring regions where the aid routes are heading into Tigray. Despite the havoc created against these communities, the Federal Government has never faltered in its commitment to open routes for humanitarian aid delivery to the Tigray Region.

The international community should take note of the group’s refusal to return several trucks that entered Tigray carrying aid to affected people. Given the irresponsible behavior of the TPLF and its disregard for the lives of the people of Tigray, it is logical to suspect that the unreturned trucks are being used to transport its invading soldiers.

The international community should understand that this criminal group is trying to remain legitimate in Tigray while advancing an expansionist policy into neighboring regions. People who are pressing the Federal Government to give unhindered access to humanitarian aid ironically are soft on the TPLF’s invasions of neighboring regions, disrupting the aid corridor in the process. The international community should note that the invasions of the TPLF in the neighboring regions not only obstruct aid from reaching Tigray but create new aid recipients who are robbed of their livelihood and their precious time which could have been spent on farming.

Although the Federal Government is committed to peace, the group has shown no intention to stop hostilities. The TPLF has rather recently announced its alliance with the Shene terrorist group and other so-called disgruntled groups with the objective of destabilizing the whole country. The only challenge it has encountered in fulfilling its evil desire is the unity of Ethiopians and their unequivocal support to the Federal Government.

The Federal Government of Ethiopia calls on the international community to put pressure on the TPLF to stop the aggression, killing of innocent civilians, and looting properties. Pointing fingers at the Federal Government while refusing to condemn the crimes of the invading terrorist group would not be helpful for sustainable peace. The group should not be allowed to play its remaining card in a cynical way, by trying to profit from the misery of innocent people affected by the humanitarian situation.

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Diplomatic Triumphs and Challenges over the passing year (Excerpts from Ambassador Dina Mufti’s weekly press briefing)

Diplomatic achievements and challenges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia faced and tackled over the passing Ethiopian year.

GERD

– We were able to withstand all the pressures to take the GERD file to the UN Security Council and to further internationalize and securitize it

– We showed our confidence in the ability of the African Union to lead the negotiation over the GERD guided by the principle of, “African Solutions to African problems.”

Tigray

–         Following the unwarranted attack of the TPLF against the ENDF members stationed in Tigray, the government took a successful law enforcement operation where many ring leaders are neutralized and the threat posed against the sovereignty of the country curbed

–         We have seen unfair external pressure and negative portrayal of the government’s narrative by the media and some corners of the international community considering the Tplf as a victim whitewashing almost all of its misdeeds while delegitimizing the Ethiopian government on almost all fronts

–         However, truth, at last, is prevailing with our concerted effort in shaping the social media narrative and influencing some reluctant bodies to officially condemn the wrongs of the terrorist group

–         We hope with the establishment of the new government in early October and all-inclusive dialogue with relevant bodies, peace will be returned to the affected people in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions

Ethio-Sudan border dispute

– We have handled the situation regarding the border conflict between the two countries with the utmost patience and civility

– We, once again, call on Sudan to withdraw from our territories and sit for discussions for a lasting peace according to existing conflict resolution mechanisms

Election

– We have conducted a transparent and credible election disproving the doomsday prophesies that predicted bloodshed and violence in the country

– The African Union Observers and others have also lauded the peaceful conduct of the election

– The results of the election and the civilized manner that the Ethiopian people have participated in the process sent a clear signal to our friends that Ethiopians are committed to rallying behind their elected leaders to defend any external and internal challenge that may threaten the sovereignty of the state

Green Legacy Initiative campaigns

–         The Green legacy initiatives have helped our diplomats to positively portray the image of the country besides adorning Ethiopia with billions of planted seedlings

–         Our embassies in the neighboring countries have also been busy sharing seedlings sent from Ethiopia to the countries that they represent in addition to sharing experiences on the project

–         Ethiopia’s commitment to share the Green Legacy Initiative showed Ethiopia’s goodwill to its the development of its neighbors, positively and collectively impact the environment and strengthen regional integration 

Diaspora Participation

–         The year has been spectacular since it showed us how Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origins abroad are committed to the development and sovereignty of their country

–         The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Ethiopia are grateful for the extremely valuable results that were achieved by the Ethiopian Diaspora community during the Hands off Ethiopia movements and campaigns that were made together with the Eritrean Diaspora community in supporting the ENDF and refusing undue pressures, the active social media participation to counter the widespread misinformation and disinformation campaign launched against Ethiopia, the financial donations and moral support extended to the Gebeta Lehager Projects and the all-inclusive support to the construction and filling of the GERD.

–          We hope our community that live abroad will positively respond to the recent call by the Government of Ethiopia for them to send money to their loved ones only through legitimate financial institutions to support the foreign currency reserve of the country

Ethiopian migrants

– The government shares the plight of our citizens who have suffered in the countries that they reside

– We have repatriated tens of thousands of Ethiopians from the middle East despite our meagre resources and the challenges posed by the Covid19 pandemic

– The Ministry of Foreign affairs and the Government of Ethiopia will continue to do their level best in the upcoming New Year to further alleviate the challenges that our citizens face abroad

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