News in Brief
Ethiopia hosts the 16th Ethiopia-Djibouti Joint Ministerial Commission meeting
The African Youth Summit convenes in Addis Ababa
AU-Canada High Level Dialogue held in Ottawa
Africa and the African Union
Chairperson of the African Union Moussa Faki Mahamat announced on Thursday (November 03) that the peace agreement between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front is an important step towards peace and stability in Ethiopia. The AU remains determined to support the efforts, he said, and he thanked the AU Panel and the South African Government for hosting this round of talks.
The first African Union-Canada High Level Dialogue was held for two days (October 27–28) in Ottawa, Canada. High level delegation from both sides, including the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau; Mélanie Joly (MP), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada; Mary Ng (MP), Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development of Canada; and Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, attended the high level dialogue. (See article)
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) strongly condemns the Saturday (October 29) twin terrorist attacks that occurred in Mogadishu this afternoon, leading to the loss of lives and properties. These attacks underline the urgency and critical importance of the ongoing military offensive to further degrade Al-Shabaab.
The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Workneh Gebeyehu, congratulated on Thursday (November 03) the Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF on the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in Pretoria. He said by signing this agreement to silence the guns and end the armed conflict, the people of Ethiopia now have the opportunity to establish a long-lasting peace. Dr Workneh commended the leadership and commitment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Government to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Ethiopia
President Sahle-Work Zewde held a discussion with her Ivorian counterpart, President Alassane Ouattara, on Wednesday (November 02) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. During their meeting, the two sides acknowledged the excellent cooperation between Ethiopia and Cote d’Ivoire and discussed ways to consolidate and strengthen relations, in particular through the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday (November 03) the peace agreement signed between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) in South Africa solidifies the historic victory gained on the ground by gallant Ethiopians. He remarked that after the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front signed an agreement on Thursday (November 03) for lasting peace and a permanent cessation of hostilities. Speaking to the public at Arba Minch Town Stadium, the prime minister revealed that Ethiopia’s proposals were fully accepted at the peace talks in South Africa.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, at the closing ceremony on Wednesday (November 02) of the first African Youth Summit held in Addis Ababa, presented awards to the families of former African leaders who had made outstanding contributions to the Pan-African movement. He also remarked that the continent’s potential to become conducive to all of its citizens will be enabled, particularly by young African leaders. As a result, “I entrust you with bringing Africa’s hope to fruition.”
The Ethiopian Prime Minister’s Office issued an expression of gratitude for the conclusion of the peace talks between the Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF on Wednesday, (November 02). It stated, among other aspects, that the agreement signed today in South Africa is monumental in moving Ethiopia forward on the path of the reforms we embarked upon four and a half years ago. “Our commitment to peace remains steadfast. And our commitment to collaborating on the implementation of the agreement is equally strong.”
The African Youth Summit convened from October 29–November 31 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit was attended by high-level guests and more than 200 youth representatives drawn from all over Africa. The official opening session on Friday (October 29) was held in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, as well as other notable dignitaries from across Africa. In his opening remarks, DPM Demeke said that Africa should work for the advancement and benefit of the youth by taking advantage of the favorable opportunities available at the continental level. (See article)
Africa needs to have strong and viable institutions, both for intra- and continental interactions, with a view to realizing sustainable African solutions to continental problems, Director General of Ethiopian Diaspora Service, Mohammed Indris said on Sunday (October 30). In his presentation paper on African Solutions for African Problems, Interventions, and Consequences at the African Youth Summit being held in Addis Ababa, Mohammed said we must have viable institutions for sustainable African solutions. All that matters is the institution.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to China, H.E Ambassador Teshome Toga discussed ways of cooperation on Wednesday (November 02) with Ambassador Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). During the occasion, Ambassador Teshome briefed on the peace agreement reached between the Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF that was concluded in South Africa.
The Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC) signed an agreement on Thursday (November 03) that will enable the organization to open its offices in Addis Ababa. State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma, and Secretary-General of the Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC), Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam, signed the agreement.
Ethiopian Airlines commenced a new flight to Zürich, Switzerland, on Monday (October 31). The commencement of the new flight will help to further strengthen the economic, social, and political relations between African and European countries, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said. According to the CEO, Zürich will be the second destination after Geneva in Switzerland.
Djibouti
The 16th Ethiopia-Djibouti Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting was held for three days (October 26–27) in Addis Ababa with the presence of high-level delegations from the two countries, focusing on further enhancing the wide-ranging excellent bilateral, regional, and economic cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
Somalia
Somalia’s President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, arrived in Khartoum on Sunday (November 30), where he met with the Minister of Defense of Sudan, Major General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin. Villa Somalia said that the President’s visit to Sudan focused on shoring up support to fight the al-Qaeda-affiliated armed group al Shabab.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud chaired on Friday (October 28) a two-day National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in Mogadishu. It is the third NCC summit since Mohamud took office in mid-May 2022. Prime Minister Hamze Abdi Barre, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, mayor of Mogadishu Yusuf Hussein and the country’s five regional state leaders attended the meeting. One of the main items on the agenda was federal-state level cooperation on the offensive against Al Shabaab and agreeing to a national security framework.
The UN Security Council expressed worry over the ongoing risks posed by Al Shabab terrorists as it unanimously voted on Monday (October 31st) to prolong the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) for an additional year. “The Council requested UNSOM to maintain and strengthen its presence across Somalia and to continue to cooperate with that country and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).”
South Sudan
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and the Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Sudan, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan have pledged on Wednesday (October 28) commitment to peacefully resolve the final status of Abyei. South Sudan’s security affairs advisor, Tut Gatluak Manime said he held discussions with Sudanese authorities and relevant institutions on ways of resolving Abyei’s final status.
Sudan
Sudan and South Sudan must continue their political engagements for implementing security and administrative arrangements in the wake of the revival of violence and attacks in Abyei, a United Nations official said. The Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Departments of Political and Peace building Affairs and Peace Operations, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, said such engagements are key in achieving acceptable solutions on the final status of the disputed oil-producing region. She said the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei (UNISFA) is ready to support the shared objectives for Abyei, citing its work with communities and leaders in Khartoum and Juba.
Vice-President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lt-General Mohammed Hamdan Daglo chaired, on Tuesday (October 27) in the Republican Palace, the meeting of the National Higher Committee to Follow up the implementation of Juba Agreement for Sudan Peace with the participation of the representatives of the parties of the peaceful process and the Chairman of the Peace Commission in the presence of the Southern Mediation delegation led by the Security Advisor of the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Tut Galwak. Tut Galwak said, in a press statement, that the meeting discussed the evaluation of the implementation of the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan, especially the items that have been implemented, and what have not been implemented, noting that the agreement is proceeding smoothly thanks to the cooperation of all parties.
Sudan’s Defense Minister, Major Gen. Yassin Ibrahim has lauded Juba’s role in ensuring peace and stability prevails in his nation. He made the remarks while meeting members of the Juba Peace Mediation Committee on Tuesday to review progress made in implementing the Juba Agreement signed in October 2020
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Ethiopia hosts the 16th Ethiopia-Djibouti Joint Ministerial Commission meeting
The 16th Ethiopia-Djibouti Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting was held for three days (October 26–27) in Addis Ababa with the presence of high-level delegations from the two countries, focusing on further enhancing the wide-ranging excellent bilateral, regional, and economic cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
On Tuesday, (October 27) the 16th Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was held in the presence of Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti.
In his remarks, at the conclusion of the 16th Joint Ministerial Commission Meeting, DPM Demeke said the deliberations were successful and productive as they were guided by the spirit of brotherhood, mutual trust, and shared strategic interests. According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke, the progress witnessed in the past years in forging strong economic ties between our two sisterly countries based on the cooperation achieved in various political, economic, social, and cultural sectors is indeed encouraging. Nevertheless, much work remains to be done to exploit the existing untapped opportunities and potential of our two countries for the mutual benefit and prosperity of our two peoples, he underlined.
Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, for his part, stressed that the 16th Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was yet another expression of the commitment of the two countries to nurture their existing multifaceted cooperation. The Minister also urged the expedited implementation of agreements reached during the deliberations to further expand the ties between the two countries to a higher level.
During the three days of deliberations, the main agenda items, among others, included political matters, transport, logistics, trade and commerce, port related issues, agriculture, border security, and infrastructure. During the opening of the 16th Joint Ministerial Commission meeting, Ambassador Fesseha Shawel, Director General of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, also said that the peoples of Ethiopia and Djibouti have strong and longstanding relationships, which could be reflected by intertwined culture, religion, language, tradition, and history. “I am confident that this meeting will further strengthen the deep relations between Ethiopia and Djibouti,” he said.
Mahdi Abseih, Head of the Djibouti Delegation and Director of Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on his part, expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to him and the delegation. He mentioned that the ties between the two countries have always been dotted with the spirit of the unique brotherly bonds between their peoples.
In its various successful sessions, the Joint Ministerial Commission has enhanced cooperation between the two nations and inked a power purchase agreement.
The joint commission was established on March 21, 1981, and it has been held 15 times before. The last Ethio-Djibouti Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was held in Djibouti in 2019.
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The African Youth Summit convenes in Addis Ababa
The African Youth Summit convened from October 29–November 31 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit was attended by high-level guests and more than 200 youth representatives drawn from all over Africa. The official opening session on Friday (October 29) was held in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, as well as other notable dignitaries from across Africa. In his opening remarks, DPM Demeke said that Africa should work for the advancement and benefit of the youth by taking advantage of the favorable opportunities available at the continental level.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Demeke briefed the Ethiopian government on its wide-ranging efforts underway to engage the youth in various voluntary services. He also asserted that the forum hosted by Ethiopia this time is an ideal platform to create networks among the youth leaders and to build partnerships. The Deputy Chairperson (DCP) of the African Union Commission, Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, on her part, remarked that Africa should use the potential of the youth to build hope and development for the continent. She emphasized the importance of utilizing young people’s potential to advance global and continental change.
This month, declared “The African Youth Month,” is being celebrated with the theme “Breaking the Barriers to Meaningful Youth Participation and Inclusion in Advocacy.”
On the second day (October 30) of the African Youth Conference, young African representatives have discussed a range of topics. The State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma, stated that Africans can significantly contribute to advancing security and upholding peace. He encouraged the continent’s future leaders to strengthen their ties with one another and work towards common goals. The best way to provide durable solutions, according to Ambassador Tesfaye, is for African problems to be solved by Africans.
He underscored that the system by which the African continent should be represented on the UN Security Council needs to be reviewed. Zadig Abreha, Minister of Democracy System Building Center at the Prime Minister’s Office, gave a presentation on the idea and history of pan-Africanism during the discussion.
On the final day, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed graced the closing ceremony of the Youth Summit and presented awards to the families of former African leaders who had made outstanding contributions to the Pan-African movement. During the event, among other aspects, he noted, “Our continent’s potential to become conducive to all of its citizens will be enabled, particularly by young African leaders.” As a result, “I entrust you with bringing Africa’s hope to fruition.”
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AU-Canada High Level Dialogue held in Ottawa
The first African Union-Canada High Level Dialogue was held for two days (October 27–28) in Ottawa, Canada. High level delegation from both sides, including the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau; Mélanie Joly (MP), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada; Mary Ng (MP), Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development of Canada; and Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, attended the high level dialogue.
Mélanie Joly, in her opening remarks, expressed that “for over five decades, Canada has been committed to working with African countries on shared priorities.” She also reiterated that the AU-Canada High-Level Dialogue comes at a critical time, as democracies and peace processes are challenged globally. She expressed that it was an honor for Canada to host the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and his delegation in Ottawa for the historic event. She noted that the dialogue is the first of its kind for Canada and assured that Canada looks forward to a new era of cooperation with the African Union. Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business, and Economic Development of Canada, on her part, also reflected that “the Canada-African Union Commission High-Level Dialogue was an unprecedented opportunity to see how we can strengthen our partnership and work toward a more prosperous and inclusive Africa that has greater food-system resilience and can better withstand climate change, conflict, and other shocks.”
On Tuesday (October 27), the high-level dialogue consisted of thematic discussions during which the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki, the three Canadian ministers, and high-level officials from the African Union Commission and Canada held discussions while identifying opportunities for increased collaboration on issues of peace and democracy, sustainable development, and economic cooperation. The Government of Canada has shown commitment towards strengthening the Canada-African Union Commission partnership based on common priorities and with due recognition of the strategic vision provided by the African Union’s Agenda 2063. They announced the proposal to hold regular high-level dialogues as well as sectoral dialogues on trade and development.
A day before the High Level Dialogue, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat held a meeting on Monday, (October, 26, 2022) prior to the high-level dialogue. The two sides discussed shared priorities on the agenda for the dialogue. Among the priorities they discussed were democracy, gender equality, economic growth, trade and investment, the fight against climate change, and peace and security. Regarding the high-level dialogue, Prime Minister Trudeau, highlighted the historic nature of this event as an important step in the development of a structured partnership between Canada and the African Union Commission and as a sign of the commitment of Canada and the African Union to engage further and work closely together to address the global challenges of our time. He also reiterated Canada’s support for the economic recovery efforts of African countries in the post-pandemic context, including for the economic empowerment of women, agricultural transformation, financial inclusion, and access to market value chains. He also reiterated Canada’s readiness to support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
In their meeting, Prime Minister Trudeau and Chairperson Mussa Faki further discussed their commitment to protecting and strengthening democracy and the key role of the African Union Commission in that regard. The Prime Minister emphasized Canada’s commitment to strengthening its partnerships with African countries, institutions, and stakeholders to advance democracy and protect human rights. The two leaders noted the urgency to act in response to the climate change crisis, which was reaffirmed as disproportionately impacting African countries. They discussed Canada’s commitment to supporting African states in their climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. A few days ahead of COP27, which will be held in Egypt, the Prime Minister emphasized that Canada recognizes the importance of the issues that will be discussed at the conference, and he reiterated Canada’s commitment to contribute to its success.
Finally, Prime Minister Trudeau and Chairperson Moussa Faki, also mentioned after the preparatory meeting ahead of the dialogue, that they are very confident that the first High Level Dialogue will yield productive discussions to advance the common interests of Canada and the African Union and lay the foundation for a strong partnership that will benefit Canadians and Africans in the years to come.
The Government of Canada has on-going cooperation with Africa in a range of categories, which, among others, include: (1) over $223 million in project funding to support various priorities shared with African countries; (2) over $37 million to be allocated for peace and security initiatives, including to respond to conflict-related sexual violence; (3) over $18 million to bolster economic development and to support small and medium-sized businesses; and also (4) over $168 million to be earmarked for sustainable development initiatives with a focus on ensuring all interventions work towards gender equality, including climate-change adaptation, access to education and jobs, and COVID-19 vaccine delivery.
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