News in Brief

On Reforming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia

On the Statement of the President of the UN Security Council on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo Christophe Lutundula discusses with Ethiopian, Sudanese and Egyptian Foreign Ministers the resumption of the tripartite negotiations over the GERD

Africa and the African Union

Somali novelist Nadifa Mohamed and South African author Damon Galgut are among the six shortlisted authors for the 2021 Booker Prize – a top literary award. Mohamed’s book, The Fortune Men, is set in the docks of the Welsh capital, Cardiff, in the aftermath of World War Two. It fictionalises the story of Mahmood Mattan, a real Somali sailor who was wrongly accused of murder. “This is a story about the past that has great significance for the present,” said judging chair Maya Jasanoff. The Promise, by Galgut, follows a white family over the decades from pre- to post-Apartheid. “The ultimate question that the novel asks is, is justice – true justice – possible in this world?” Booker panelist Chigozie Obioma said. If it is, then what might that look like?” This is the second year that two African authors made the shortlist.

Ethiopia

A 10-day capacity building training for the Ministry’s staff kicked off on Monday (September 13) at Africa Leadership Excellence Academy. All of the staffers of the Ministry will take part in the training in two rounds. In delivering remarks at the opening session of the Academy,  Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia addressed the most significant issues regarding the reform that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is undertaking right now. (See article)

 Demeke Mekonnen held talks today (September 15) with the  Christophe Lutundula, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of DRC. The discussion between the two sides focused on the resumption of the tripartite negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has been held under the leadership of the African Union. According to tweets from the Minister of Water, irrigation and Energy, Dr. Eng. Seleshi Bekele, the delegation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Congo has also met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed carrying the same agenda items raised during discussions with Demeke Mekonnen. (See article)

The UN said it is concerned that none of the 149 trucks in the convoy that reached Mekelle Ethiopia last week returned. The message on @UNEthiopia on its Twitter page indicated that only 38 out of 466 trucks that entered Tigray since 12 July returned. “We need trucks to deliver lifesaving assistance to people in Tigray,” the message reads. It is recalled that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia issued a statement on 6 September 2021 and said, “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 first EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flight arrived in Tigray on Saturday (September 11) carrying 7 metric tons of nutritional supplies. The flight carried UNICEF’s critical supplies, such as ready-to-use therapeutic food for severely malnourished children.

The Minister of Peace and Chairperson of Emergency Coordinating Committee, Muffrihat Kamil met on Wednesday (September 15) with representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations involved in the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance in the northern part of the country. Briefing the representatives on latest developments in the country, Muferihat said that support being provided by the United Nations and other international humanitarian organizations in Amhara and Afar regions is currently extremely low and needs to be boosted. She added that it is imperative for the organizations to expand support to the two regions in accordance with the spirit of their establishment and the duties they are entrusted with. Like the Tigray region, our people in the Amhara and Afar regions are victims of injuries, displacements, and destroyed infrastructures.

Archbishops and Bishops of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church drawn from eleven dioceses in America and Canada met on Thursday (September 16) with members of the U.S. Congress. The meeting the religious fathers held with the U.S. Congress members is aimed to rectify the biased stance that officials of the U.S. government have towards the current situation in Ethiopia. The religious fathers are also expected to meet senior officials of the US Department of State and senators of various states. According to the Inter-Religious Council, the religious fathers asked the U.S. government to stop pressuring Ethiopia on the pretext of the latest developments in the country.

Senegalese President Macky Sall called for economic interconnectedness among African nations to tap continental opportunities for regional mutual benefit. “Our continent offers many economic opportunities. African unity is essential to take advantage of our interconnected world and weigh on the decisions that govern it. Together, we have to make it happen,” he writes on his Twitter page. Last week, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Macky Sall held extensive talks on bilateral and African issues which included a common understanding of strengthening partnerships for continental growth and integration.

The Government of Ethiopia has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Partial Privatization of Ethio-Telecom to invite proposals from interested parties who can add value to the Company by bringing in best practices in terms of operations, infrastructure management, and next-generation technological capabilities. According to the Ministry of Finance, as part of its Homegrown Economic Reform program, the Government of Ethiopia has laid out the framework for the privatization of public enterprises under the Public Enterprises Privatization Proclamation No. 1206/2020. The objective is to broaden the role of the private sector in the Ethiopian economy, improve the efficiency of public enterprises, enhance their competitiveness, increase their access to capital, and enhance the quality and accessibility of their services.

The German Africa Foundation (DAS) has announced on Wednesday (September 15) that the jury unanimously voted to award Dr. Daniel Bekele with DAS’ highest award in Germany in recognition for “his lifelong advocacy for human rights in Ethiopia”. The Foundation’s statement also recognized the key role Daniel Bekele played “in significantly transforming the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and successfully advocating for the greater independence and expansion of its powers”. The Foundation further stated that the prize will be presented in a formal ceremony in November 2021.

Ethiopian students learning in various higher institutions of China have participated in World Robot Contest Champions in Beijing. Among the Ethiopian postgraduate students, Selamu Yishak has won gold while Abakuma Getachew and Tsegaye Alemu were honored with silver in the “Tri-Co” Robots and Robot Application competition. The other contestants Yohannes Hailemeskel and Henok Seifu have won bronze in a similar area of the contest. They also showcased Robotics technologies at the competition held on September 13, 2021, in Beijing.

Contending parties have joined the “White Envelope to White House” movement and signed the petition aimed to clarify the U.S. and the rest of the world on facts on the ground in Ethiopia. The leaders of the political parties said participating in the movement is inextricably linked with discharging responsibilities of citizenship. They said the “White Envelope Flood to White House” movement will have indispensable significance in countering biased reports of several international media and organizations regarding the current situation in Ethiopia. Chairperson of the Joint Council of Political Parties of Ethiopia, Rahel Bafe (Ph.D.), and veteran politicians including Mamushet Amare, Professor Beyene Petros, and Adem Mussa signed the petition representing their respective parties.

Newly appointed ambassadors of Australia and Denmark and UNHCR Country Representative presented copy of their letters of credentials to the Director-General for Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

Oumer Husen, Minister of Agriculture and Natural resources participated in the CII India Africa agriculture and food processing summit that was held on Sept 14-15, 2021. In his speech, Oumer Husen emphasized that Agriculture is one of the best prospect sectors for growth in Ethiopia and the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) has embarked on a ten-year economic development plan (2021-2030) where agriculture is on the top of priority sectors. He also underlined the potential of Ethiopia’s agriculture and possible cooperation with India in terms of experience sharing and further collaboration.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia pledged to take care of and cover the costs for necessities for 15 children over the new Ethiopian Year (2014). State Minister  Ambassador Birtukan Ayano said the Ministry has to continue to be exemplary in playing its social responsibility roles, besides defending Ethiopia’s interests at the diplomatic fronts. With the new additions, the total number of Children covered under this package will be 29.

Ethiopians living in Kuwait donated more than Birr 1,100,000.00 (One Million One Hundred Thousand) in support of our heroic Defense Force. Upon receiving the collected money from coordinators, Ambassador Hassan lauded the active participation of Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent in Kuwait in responding positively to national development calls and said that the financial support raised by such a movement is a source of pride for our victorious army.

More than $ 10,000 worth of bonds were purchased in Bahrain following the successful completion of the second phase filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to continue supporting the government until the completion of the Renaissance Dam.

In his weekly press briefing on the diplomatic activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spokesperson, Ambassador Dina Mufti said on Thursday (September 16) that a total of 1804 of Ethiopians are repatriated from Saudi Arabia, 1364 from Zambia, 50 from Yemen, 268 from Yemen and 122 from Malawi over the week.

The newly formed FDRE Land Bank and Development Corporation had an online discussion with various international developers and mission leaders in the tourism and hospitality sectors in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and the US. The Corporation presented areas of cooperation with stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Ambassador Demitu Hambisa Bonsa met with Deputy Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic  Ambassador Themistoklis Demiris in Athens and discussed bilateral relations, the current situation in Ethiopia, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and the Ethio-Sudanese border conflict. The two sides highlighted the long-lasting bilateral relations between the two countries and agreed to work together to further strengthen the relationship.

Kenya

The government of Ethiopia and Kenya on Wednesday (September 16) signed the Moyale – Moyale One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) operational procedure manual at a ceremony held in Addis Abeba. Ethiopia through the Ethiopia Customs Commission and the Border Control and Kenya through Operation Coordination Committee signed the operational procedure manual at an event attended by key private and public sector players from both countries. The Moyale – Moyale One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) was inaugurated in December last year. One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) started operations in June 2021. With the OSBP operations manual, border clearance processes will be easier, faster, and cheaper for traders, transporters, and travelers, while maintaining the border regulatory requirements of both counties through coordinated border management operations.

“Platform of Ethiopian Professionals in Kenya for Sustainable Development” (PEPSoD) donated $21,897 to support internally displaced people in Ethiopia. Representing the Platform, Dr. Taye Teferi handed over the money to  Ambassador Meles Alem, ambassador of Ethiopia in Kenya. Ambassador Meles thanked the group for the continued support extended to Ethiopia at its time of need, including the fighting against the COVID19 pandemic and the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Somalia

The World Bank on Tuesday (September 14) projected Somalia’s economy to grow at 2.4 percent in 2021, rebounding from the “triple shock” that ravaged the country in 2020 — COVID-19, flooding, and the locust infestation. In its latest Economic Update, the World Bank said this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term and reach pre-COVID-19 levels of 3.2 percent in 2023. “As Somalia embarks on the road to recovery from the triple shocks, policy interventions that raise productivity, create jobs and expand pro-poor programs will be key,” said Kristina Svensson, the World Bank country manager for Somalia, during the virtual launch of the report.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Thursday (September 16) announced he had withdrawn the powers of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. The presidency said the suspension of powers would remain in place until elections were concluded later this year. “The prime minister has violated the transitional constitution, so his executive powers are withdrawn… especially his powers to remove and to appoint officials, until the election is completed,” the president’s office said in a statement.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General (SG) Amina Mohammed has called on Somali clan elders to support a 30 per cent representation of women in Parliament. The country’s citizens are currently electing their 54 senators followed by elections of 275 Members of Parliament, after which the 329 legislators will vote in the President.

Nine people, most of them members of Somalia’s security forces, were killed in a suspected suicide bombing in the capital Mogadishu on Tuesday, police and witnesses said. The attack took place near a checkpoint frequented by the security forces, police officer Mohamed Ali said. “There are still investigations going on but with all indications so far, a suicide bomber caused the blast,” he said, adding that six members of the security forces and three civilians were killed and 11 other people wounded.

Sudan

Sudanese and Indian navies conducted a joint maritime exercise in the Red Sea near the Sudanese coast, the two countries said on Saturday (September 11). Two Sudanese warships Abdelfadil Almaz and Almak-Nimr took part in the partnership exercise with the Indian Naval Ship Tabar on Friday 10 September. The exercise involved multiple activities covering a wide range of naval operations, including coordinated maneuvering, replenishment at sea drills, helicopter operations, operations for interdicting suspect vessels at sea and communication procedures. “The exercise enhanced inter-operability between the two navies significantly and widened the scope for combined operations against common maritime threats in the future,” said the Indian navy.

South Sudan and Sudan have pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation and jointly maintain peace and stability in the region. Defense ministers of the two Sudan wrapped up two days of talks between delegations from the two countries on security cooperation, border and trade. Speaking to the media on Friday, South Sudan’s Defence Minister Angelina Teny said the two delegations have agreed to elevate their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era between the two neighbors.

South Sudan

The need to expedite implementation of the security arrangements was top of the agenda at a meeting between the UN Under-Secretary-General, Jean-Pierre Lacroix and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir in the capital, Juba. “We discussed the situation regarding the efficient and effective implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement. We appreciated the efforts that have been made in this regard since the signing of the agreement and reiterated our support for further progress to be made,” said Lacroix after the hour-long discussion.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday (September 12), it secured $5.9 million to support humanitarian air operations in war-torn South Sudan. The European Union funds will be used to support the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) and the WFP-led Logistics Cluster, a mechanism designed to ensure efficient and effective emergency response in South Sudan.

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On Reforming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia

The Government of Ethiopia has been undertaking a multifaceted reform process in many institutions and their working modalities for the last three years. The Federal Government understands the needs of the Ethiopian people, who voted for a better and dignified life in the 6th General Elections.  To meet these expectations, the Federal Government is committed to registering tangible and better results in the lives of the public.

To this end, the Federal Government has started a reform process with a paradigm shift in providing public services and positively impacting the moral, legal, and organizational structure of institutions. We have observed better working environments and advanced public services in many government offices and public institutions following the reform process.

For the last six months, in line with the spirit of the reform process, the Government of Ethiopia has also been taking measures to transform the structure and working modalities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. The Government has established a committee to study the modalities of the proposed reform under the auspices of high-level government officials. The committee has considered many points in undertaking the reform, such as,

•           Lessons learned from reform experiences in the past

•           The need to transform our diplomatic activities

•           The need to follow new modelling in appointing diplomats

•           The need to measure the performance of our missions in line with the purpose of their establishment

•           The need to respond to the quests for change by our staffers

•           The need to either rightsizing or opening new missions based on our needs

The committee also considered new realities in the international arena, such as the shifting priorities and the changes in the geopolitical interests of countries. It was imperative to adapt oneself to these new realities and advance national interests accordingly.

The advent of the Internet has widened the diplomatic landscape and created new opportunities for effective communication between our missions and stakeholders. Our diplomats can easily create grassroots communication with Ethiopian Diaspora communities. New public service arrangements have also enabled our diplomatic missions to address the needs of people virtually. Above all, social media platforms are becoming the new venues of communication and diplomacy that hugely influence decision-makers. Such changes necessitated institutional transformation, making them fit their purpose.

The immense impact of COVID-19 on multifaceted sectors has also opened the eyes of many countries to new ways of doing diplomacy. One of the lessons is that they had to enforce austerity measures and control excessive expenditure in foreign currency to withstand the economic burden of the pandemic. The other lesson is that diplomats might not necessarily be required to meet stakeholders and others in person to advance the interests of their country. The global scourge showed us that we could run our diplomatic activities remotely and cost-effectively. The proposed reform has taken this reality into account too.

The inconvenience that our employees may face during the implementation process of the proposed reform, which does not follow the usual way of recalling diplomats off of their duty, is regrettable. However, we have to make decisions for the sake of the country and the public at large. Since the reform process is to the benefit of the country, we are confident that our employees and the people would understand that we are not after the interests of any individual or group. We encourage our staffers to see the big picture and support the reform process. In implementing the reform, we will make efforts to consider the needs of our employees in a way that does not compromise the spirit of the reform process.

We assure our staff members and the people of Ethiopia that the institution is adopting a merit-based approach. We are committed to being transparent in putting the right person in the right place.  The Government of Ethiopia is determined to serve its people, both here and abroad, and protect the interests of our country at bilateral and multilateral levels. We urge the public and our staffers to stand with us to support the new working modalities of our institution and make our country’s future bright and prosperous.

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On the Statement of the President of the UN Security Council on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

The Government of Ethiopia notes the statement of the president of the UN Security Council on the matter of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). In an unprecedented manner, the statement is released nine weeks after the open meeting of the UNSC on the GERD.

Ethiopia welcomes council members for directing the matter to the African Union led trilateral negotiation. Nonetheless, it is regrettable that the Council pronounces itself over an issue of water right and development that is outside of its mandate.

Tunisia’s historic misstep in advancing the Council’s pronouncement undermines its solemn responsibility as a rotating member of the UNSC on an African seat. Ethiopia commends those Council members that played a part in rectifying breaches against the integrity of the working method of the Council in processing the statement.

Transboundary water resources provide an opportunity for realizing the common good and regional cooperation. Ethiopia’s stance over the Nile is just and aspires to realize its lawful right and to build amity between peoples of the riparian countries. Ethiopia believes the time is now for the Nile Basin countries to brace for and foster basin-wide cooperation.

Ethiopia will not recognize any claim that may be raised on the basis of the presidential statement.

Office of the Spokesperson

15 September 2021

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo Christophe Lutundula discusses with Ethiopian, Sudanese and Egyptian Foreign Ministers the resumption of the tripartite negotiations over the GERD

Christophe Lutundula, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo paid a visit to Ethiopia Sudan and Egypt over the week. He met high level government officials to discuss the resumption of the tripartite negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has been held under the leadership of the African Union.

On Wednesday (September 15) Lutundula met Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. On the occasion,  Demeke expressed his appreciation for the positive role played by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the trilateral negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. He also affirmed Ethiopia’s determination to continue the tripartite talks as soon as possible.  Demeke further expressed Ethiopia’s strong desire for equitable and reasonable water use, noting that the Nile Basin should be a source of cooperation rather than conflict. He said the previous trilateral negotiations had yielded tangible results, adding that it would be possible to narrow the differences between the three countries by resuming the negotiation as soon as possible.

 Christophe Lutundula, for his part, expressed his delight over the peacefully concluded national elections in Ethiopia. Regarding the GERD negotiations, he lauded Ethiopia’s commitment to continue participating in the talks. He said the Democratic Republic of Congo strongly believes in the principle of “African solution to Africa’s problems” which should guide the Renaissance Dam talks that could start shortly.

According to tweets from the Minister of Water, irrigation and Energy, Dr. Eng. Seleshi Bekele, the delegation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Congo also met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed carrying the same agenda items raised during discussions with Demeke Mekonnen. He said, “Lutundula discussed on the resumption of GERD negotiation, brought a file prepared by DRC and the AU experts as guided by President Felix Tshisekedi, the current chair of the AU.”

Lutundula was also in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum on Wednesday (September 15) where he handed over to Mariam al-Mahdi, the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, a document prepared by African Union experts ahead of the resumption of African Union-led negotiations. Meeting Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo on Thursday (September 16), Lutundula said, “My visit to Cairo, Khartoum and Addis Ababa comes upon directives of President Tshisekedi to deliver a message of hope and trust to all sides.”