News in Brief

DPM and FM, Demeke calls on 17^th IGF forum to monitor ideas raised in the conference and turn them into results

Scholars in the UK Recommit to Establish the Global Black Centre in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia and Sudan on a Path of Understanding

Africa and the African Union

Public health officials, experts, researchers, and scientists around Africa gathered at a major conference at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the past week to take stock of how ready, in a post-COVID-19 world, African countries are to face up to the next disease threat, confirmed Africa CDC. ‘Beyond COVID-19: Pathogen Genomics and Bioinformatics for Health Security in Africa’ was hosted by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the autonomous health institution of the African Union (AU).

The African Development Bank (AfDB) recognized Ethiopia as one of the 10 best-achieving countries in Africa in industrial development. The Bank unveiled a numeric report showing the industrial development performance of African countries from 2019 to 2021 compared with their achievements in 2010. AfDB cited the industrial development sector as a crucial component for holistic growth on the continent.

Ethiopia

President Sahle-Work Zewde on Friday, (December 2) hailed Tanzania for engineering peace and harmony on the continent. The Ethiopian President further said Tanzania is also a good place and a model for promoting gender equality, as she congratulated President Samia Suluhu Hassan for being awarded an honorary doctorate degree, saying she deserves it because of her admirable leadership. She was speaking at the 4th Intergenerational Retreat of the Young Women Leaders—African Women Leaders network, held in Zanzibar.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, who attended the closing ceremony on Friday, December 02, of the 17th Global Internet Governance Forum, appreciated the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, its partners, and participants for making the IGF 2022 a success. He called on the 17th IGF forum to monitor ideas raised in the conference and turn them into results. The 17th IGF, hosted by Ethiopia, successfully concluded in Addis Ababa on December 2. (See article)

State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano, said on Wednesday (December 7) that Africa has been at the receiving end of the threat posed by extremism and violent terrorism more than any other region. Ambassador Birtukan noted the importance of collective action, as no state is able to deal with the challenges of violent extremism and terrorism alone. Ambassador Birtukan made the remarks while addressing the 9th High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa in Oran, Algeria.

Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray region, has been reconnected to the national power grid, according to Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).Moges Mekonnen, communications director at Ethiopian Electric Power, told the media on Thursday (December 7) that, “power is now being supplied to Mekelle from the national grid.” Connecting the city to the national power grid, he says, will allow EEP to centrally control power supply to and from Mekelle.

The Ministry of Health stated that the Government of Ethiopia has been providing humanitarian response and reinitiating essential services in Tigray in collaboration with partners for the last month. A total of 158.3 metric tons of essential medicines and medical supplies were brought to Mekelle and the nearby health facilities by international and UN partners from Mekelle and other cities. EPSS is preparing additional supplies to be sent soon, the Ministry announced on Wednesday (December 7).

Field Marshal Berhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, met with Somalia’s Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama on Thursday (December 8). During the discussion, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula highlighted the sacrifices made by the Ethiopian Defense Forces through international and regional peacekeeping missions and regular deployments to eliminate Al-Shabab and ensure peace and security in Somalia.

The 8th Ethio-Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting concluded on Thursday (December 7) in Addis Ababa, in the presence of Belete Molla, Minister of Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia, and Evgeny Petrov, the Head of the Russian Federation delegation to the Ethio-Russia Joint Ministerial Commission. In his concluding remarks, Belete said that the deliberations were fruitful and the meeting was held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding to promote cooperation between two countries at the highest level.

Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) and the European Union Business Forum affirmed the need for continuous dialogue for a strong partnership between EIC and EU businesses in Ethiopia. EIC and the EU Business Forum held a discussion on partnership opportunities and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows from the European Union zone. According to the EIC’s post on Twitter on Friday, (December 8), the meeting also deliberated on aftercare support areas for existing EU investments.

Scholars, authorities on black history, dignitaries, and prominent individuals in the United Kingdom have renewed their commitment to establish the Global Black History, Heritage, and Education Center (GBHHEC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the first anniversary of launching such an important project at the Ethiopian Embassy in London on November 26, 2022. (See article)

Ethiopia and Sudan have had a long-standing historical relationship that extends back millennia. The two nations have strengthened their economic linkages through the Higher Level Committee, the Steering and Economic Committees, the Joint Border Development Commission, and the projected Free Economic Zone along their shared borders, which will boost people-to-people interactions. The two nations have signed more than 50 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding. Nevertheless, other issues, including the boundary conflict between the two nations, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations, and the challenges of Ethiopians in Sudan, call for our enlightened leadership and negotiated solutions. (See article)

On Thursday, December 8, France returned to Ethiopia the 740 artifacts it had borrowed in the 1960s, handing them over to the Ethiopian Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritages. The artifacts are said to be between 10 thousand and two million years old.

Ethiopia has earned 526 million USD from coffee exports in the last four months, said Adugna Debela, Director General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, on Thursday (December 3). The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) is deliberating with experts from various coffee producing countries, including Colombia and Spain, in Addis Ababa. The ECTA DG, Adugna Debela, gave an explanation regarding the marketing of Ethiopia’s coffee products in the last four months of the current fiscal year.

Kenya

500 professionals from leading African and international banks, financial institutions, and banking associations converged in Nairobi on Thursday, December 9, to enhance investments across the region. The 5th East African Banking and Microfinance Forum was organized by the Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The annual event brought together experts from development banks, microfinance institutions, central banks, and commercial banks.

Somalia

Government forces and allied militias in Somalia have recaptured a strategic town that the al-Shabab armed group had controlled for six years. Pro-government forces entered the town of Adan Yabal in Hirshabelle, about 220 km (140 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, after the al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters withdrew without resisting, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a televised address on Tuesday (December 6).

The IMF praised the Somali Government for the progress made in the process of financial reform and debt relief. The International Monetary Fund has released an evaluation report on the ECF (Extended Credit Facility) program for Somalia’s financial reform and debt forgiveness process. The IMF said that the Federal Government of Somalia has exceeded all the conditions set to advance the process of reforming the Somali economy known as ECF, which is also a process to guide debt forgiveness issues.

Researchers have discovered at least two minerals that have never been found on Earth. The minerals came from a meteorite found in El Ali, a town in Somalia and the namesake of the meteorite. The El Ali meteorite is about 6.6 feet long, 4.3 feet tall, and 3.3 feet wide. It weighs about 16.8 tons, or over 33,000 pounds, making it the ninth-largest meteorite ever discovered. A 70-gram slice of the meteorite was sent to researchers at the University of Alberta, and another piece was sent to researchers at UCLA for classification based on what it was made of. Researchers determined that the El Ali meteorite was primarily made of the mineral iron.

South Sudan

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir presided on Thursday (December 8) over the opening of the 8th Command Council conference of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) in the country’s capital, Juba. The meeting, the office of the president said in a statement, deliberated on a number of strategic objectives, including reviewing the progress in the implementation of the security arrangements as well as recommending the SSPDF’s transition into a professional and conventional defense institution.

On Thursday (December 8), South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir met with a delegation from the Sant’Egidio community to discuss the resumption of Rome peace talks between the government and the holdout groups.South Sudan’s Presidential Affairs Minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, said Kiir and the delegation discussed the importance of political dialogue between the government and the holdout groups to end the violence.

Sudan

Head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan praised China’s support in international forums and vowed to develop and strengthen bilateral cooperation. Xi Jinping and al-Burhan met on the sidelines of the first China-Arab States Summit held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, (December 8).

The UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) has started working with the international community to prepare a raft of measures to support the transition in Sudan. Volker Perthes briefed the Security Council on Wednesday (December 7) on the recent signing of a framework agreement by the Sudanese stakeholders, paving the way for the second phase of talks before forming a new transitional government within a month.

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DPM and FM, Demeke calls on 17^th IGF forum to monitor ideas raised in the conference and turn them into results

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, who attended the closing ceremony on Friday, December 02, of the 17th Global Internet Governance Forum, appreciated the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, its partners, and participants for making the IGF 2022 a success. The 17th IGF, hosted by Ethiopia, successfully concluded in Addis Ababa on December 2.

Demeke expressed his delight that the IGF 2022 took place in Ethiopia when the peace agreement was reached to end the two-year conflict in the north. He added that Ethiopia’s government is assiduously carrying out the peace agreement, humanitarian assistance is being delivered, and efforts are being intensified to restore services. Demeke pointed out that Ethiopia is working to build a digital economy and expressed his belief that the forum will monitor the ideas raised in the conference and turn them into results.

The 17th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was held in Addis Ababa at the UNECA compound, hosted by the Government of Ethiopia with the support of UN ECA and UN DESA under the theme “Resilient Internet for a Shared Sustainable and Common Future.” The forum was held over the course of the week under five main themes. In a hybrid format, the IGF brought various stakeholders, including representatives of governments, businesses, civil society, the academic community, and international organizations, together to discuss public policy issues relating to the Internet.

It is to be recalled that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed remarked a week earlier at the opening of the 17th Global Internet Governance Forum, stated that Ethiopia’s ICT and digital transformation journey, is reaching key milestones that align with the 17th IGF’s five subthemes.

Further underscoring the importance of the forum and updating developments in global internet governance, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, likewise stated in his remarks that the future of digital must be human-centered and that the internet should be free, safe, secure, and inclusive. Antonio Pedro, the Acting Executive Secretary of UNECA, for his part, lauded Ethiopia’s efforts to deploy innovative capabilities in robotics, machine learning, big data management, local language processing, and computer vision through its AI Institute.

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Under Secretariat, Mr. Li Junhua, said that 60% of the African population is offline, whereas 89% of Europe is connected. He expressed his hope that the IGF forum will help accelerate Africa’s transition to a digital future.

Taking into consideration the fact that Ethiopia has been in a state of conflict in its northern part for almost two years, by hosting the 17th Annual Internet Governance Forum successfully, Ethiopia reassured that peace and stability has been a priority, as has its unwavering and unrivaled stature as a conference tourism destination.

After the peace deal struck in Pretoria between the Ethiopian Government and the TPLF last month, Ethiopia’s hosting another major event, the 17th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF), from November 28 to December 2 proves once again that Ethiopia has started to enjoy its peace and stability and is open for business.

At the closing, the United Nations Under Secretary-General, Li Junhua, said in a video message that we should work together to solve problems related to Internet governance. Further stressing this, the Acting Executive Secretary of the UNECA, Antonio Pedro, indicated that the forum was attended by a large number of Africans.

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Scholars in the UK Recommit to Establish the Global Black Centre in Addis Ababa

Scholars, authorities on black history, dignitaries, and prominent individuals in the United Kingdom have renewed their commitment to establish the Global Black History, Heritage, and Education Center (GBHHEC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the first anniversary of launching such an important project at the Ethiopian Embassy in London on November 26, 2022.

Speaking at the first anniversary, Ambassador Teferi Melesse reminded the gathering that “As you might all recall, this time last year, there was a strong momentum among everyone of you to go straight to Addis Ababa and meet the relevant high-level officials of both the African Union and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Many of you have gone to the extent of depositing 100 pounds to kick start the process of traveling to Addis to launch the project.”

Now that the Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF have signed a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) in Pretoria, South Africa, and the senior commanders of the two sides have signed the modalities for its implementation in Nairobi, Kenya, the Ambasador said a new dawn has come to Ethiopia, and at long last, peace has prevailed in this proud nation, whose resilience has stood the test of time. “It is with these winds of change and sparkle of hope that today we celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of the Initiative for establishing the Global Black History, Heritage, and Education Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” he added.

Ambassador Teferi noted that it would not be an overstatement to say that it is so befitting and appropriate to establish the Global Black Center in Ethiopia, a country that has sacrificed dearly for the independence and liberation of Africa. He underlined that Ethiopia has both the historical and moral assets to exhibit profusely in the center once it is established and becomes operational.

The Ambassador further noted that Ethiopia has always been committed to preaching the virtues of Africanness and the greatness of Pan-Africanism, adding that this commitment is reflected not just in the words of its leaders and intellectuals but also in the historic deeds of its people, who, throughout their lives, promoted and defended the interests of Africa and its heritages.

While mentioning some of the fundamental historical bases that define Ethiopia as the guardian of black history and civilization, Ambassador Teferi said Ethiopia is the only African nation that stood up to colonialism, fiercely resisted it, and defeated it in every field of battle. The victory of Adwa, among others, had long served to galvanize all blacks around the world against slavery and colonialism. Christian communities in Southern Africa, who suffered racial segregation for practicing their faith in white churches, commenced the movement of “Ethiopianism” because they found a unifying force in ‘Ethiopia’ following the victory of Adwa.

In addition, he recalled that when the newly independent African states rattled over what form and extent of unity Africa should take after the total independence of its states, it was Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie who brought contending factions together and enabled them to establish the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Today, Ethiopia, as the headquarters of the African Union and other international organisations, has got a lot to exhibit to the black people around the world.

Furthermore, the Ambassador underscored that Ethiopia supported the fight against apartheid and greatly contributed to the total liberation of South Africa. It provided both material and moral support to South Africans. Ethiopia, he said, remained steadfast to its principle of African independence; it trained Nelson Mandela, enabled him to travel around the world using an Ethiopian passport; protected him from hired assassins of apartheid, and finally helped him realize the liberation of his country.

Last but not least, the Ambassador went on to underline that Ethiopia organized African states into a single front, joined the Non-aligned Movement, and spearheaded the anti-colonial movement on all platforms where it had the privilege to speak up.

Ambassador Teferi finally thanked the scholars for believing in the potential of Ethiopia to safeguard and exhibit the history of Africa and all black people through the establishment of the Global Black Center in Addis Ababa. In such score, he called upon all members of the initiative to renew their commitment and keep the momentum going forward.

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Ethiopia and Sudan on a Path of Understanding

Ethiopia and Sudan have had a long-standing historical relationship that extends back millennia. The two nations have strengthened their economic linkages through the Higher Level Committee, the Steering and Economic Committees, the Joint Border Development Commission, and the projected Free Economic Zone along their shared borders, which will boost people-to-people interactions. The two nations have signed more than 50 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding. Nevertheless, other issues, including the boundary conflict between the two nations, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations, and the challenges of Ethiopians in Sudan, call for our enlightened leadership and negotiated solutions.

Relations between Ethiopia and Sudan have improved since a fruitful meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, between FDRE Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Upon Burhan’s arrival in Bahir Dar to participate in the Tana High-Level Forum, Abiy Ahmed gave him a cordial welcome, which was followed by a productive conversation and an understanding to resolve the issues between the two nations amicably. As it is to be recalled, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also hosted a delegation headed by Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Jaber, a member of the Sudan Transitional Sovereign Council, and they spoke about subjects of shared interest.

An Ethiopian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, held a bilateral discussion during the 48th ordinary IGAD meeting of the council of ministers with Sudan’s transitional sovereign council’s president, Abdul Fattah Alburhan; Sudan’s transitional sovereign council’s Vice President, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo; and Acting Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq. During the meeting, Demeke congratulated Sudan on being re-elected as a UN Human Rights Council member and expressed appreciation for the stance adopted by Sudan and other African countries in rejecting the extension of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts’ mandate to Ethiopia.

The agreement between Ethiopia and Sudan will have implications not only for bilateral relations but also for the trilateral negotiations over the GERD. It will also create an opportunity for other neighboring countries to collaborate in bilateral relations between the countries, making regional organizations such as IGAD stronger and better able to tackle mutual concerns cooperatively. In addition, the IGAD region, or the East African countries, will have the capability to make their voices heard in continental and global arenas.

The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia welcomes the signing of the Political Framework Agreement in the sisterly country of Sudan between the military and the civilian political forces. The agreement is a crucial step towards the formation of a civilian government that would lead the country to a free and fair national election. While Ethiopia fully supports the agreement and its implementation, it also has full confidence in the wisdom of the Sudanese forces to successfully guide their nation toward a democratic transition and meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people.