News in Brief

Ethiopia Stands in Solidarity with Sudan in Their Current Self-led Political Process

Ethiopian Ambassadors Annual Retreat Winds Up Shedding Light on Critical National Issues

Africa and the African Union

The 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly will be held in Addis Ababa under the topic “Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation.” Under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Union aspires to increase economic cooperation among member countries (AfCFTA). State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Ambassador Birukan Ayano, stated in her media briefing on Thursday (January 26) on Ethiopia’s preparations for the AU summit that electing a director for the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will be one of the primary agenda topics, among others. The State Minister stated that the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, has established key directions to ensure the summit’s success. According to Ambassador Burtukan Ayano, preparations are being made to ensure the success of the AU Summit, based on plans developed by more than 30 stakeholders from various institutions.

The private sector is recognized as an indispensable stakeholder in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), especially given its ability to catalyze sustainable economic development and job creation. “Africa’s private sector accounts for 80 percent of total production, two-thirds of investment, and three-quarters of credit, and employs 90 percent of the working-age population,” said Stephen Karingi, Director of Regional Integration and Trade at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Speaking during the opening of a three-day Africa Prosperity Dialogues on 26 January in Ghana, Mr Karingi called on captains of trade and industry to “own and drive the implementation of the AfCFTA by supporting their governments but also by holding them to account.” The maiden Africa Prosperity Dialogues is organized by the Africa Prosperity Network in collaboration with the ECA, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and the Government of Ghana.

African Development Bank (AfDB) stated that the continent’s economies are expected to grow faster than global projections this year, but budget and trade deficits will continue to weigh down most of the countries as risks persist. In its Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook report, the AfDB said the continent’s GDP growth rate decelerated to 3.8 percent in 2022. It is expected to improve to 4 percent this year, the report said. AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina said that this recovery and resilience of the continent’s economies, however, come with “cautious optimism” as there are several headwinds still facing the globe’s emerging markets.

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), led by its President, Chief Fortune Charumbira, has arrived on Tuesday (January 24) at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for preparatory meetings related to the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (Ministerial Session) and the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly (Heads of State and Government Session), scheduled to take place from February 15–19, 2023. According to PAP, the Pan-African Parliament was invited to make a presentation to the 45th Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC). The exercise marked the return of the continental parliament to the full process of the AU Summit following a two-year hiatus, PAP stated.

Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Government recognized on Thursday (January 2023) 52 Ethiopian diaspora associations from 25 countries that actively support their homeland in times of need. President Sahle-Work Zewde says the recognition is for all Ethiopians in the diaspora who stood by Ethiopia and its people. As per the president, the government has established a welcoming climate for the Ethiopian diaspora to further engage with critical issues facing the country and its people. President Sahlework Zewde also urged the Ethiopian diaspora to get involved in the peacebuilding and restoration process. At the official recognition event, a book that archives a list of Ethiopian diaspora associations was officially launched. The work done by Ethiopians all over the world for their homeland when their country faced hardships and obstacles will be recognized in history, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen. The minister too urged the diaspora community to play a positive role in the country’s peacebuilding and restoration efforts.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, held a telephone conversation on Wednesday (January 25) with the French President, Emmanuel Macron. Their conversation covered a wide range of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Prime Minister Abiy stated that the cooperation between Ethiopia and France is built based on mutual trust and respect that spans 125 years. “Always good talking to my friend President Emmanuel Macron. The cooperation between our two countries spans 125 years based on trust and respect. Today we have discussed various facets of our cooperation’, PM Abiy tweeted after his discussion with the French president.

Demeke Mekonen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan Jrgensen in his office on Tuesday (January 24).During the discussion, Demeke reiterated that Denmark is Ethiopia’s key development partner, further stating Ethiopia’s desire for the two countries to strengthen their relations in various fields of cooperation. For his part, Dan Jrgensen reflected on the years of development cooperation between Ethiopia and Denmark and said that his country wants to elevate this relationship. He expressed hope that the TPLF and the Ethiopian government’s signing of a peace accord would contribute to the establishment of a long-lasting peace in the nation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen has met with the U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, Robert Piper, at his offices today (January 27). The discussions focused on the efforts to counter internal displacement and the efforts the government has put in place to curb the existing challenges.

The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) briefed military attachés of different countries based in Addis Ababa today on the implementation of the peace agreement. ENDF Cooperation and Foreign Relations Director, Major General Teshome Gamechu, demonstrated the level and general process of the implementation of the Pretoria and Nairobi peace agreements signed between the Federal government and TPLF. The military attachés of different countries from across the world have attended the briefing, the FDRE Ministry of Defense confirmed via a Facebook post. The military attachés stated that the Ethiopian government has demonstrated its commitment to the observance of the peace agreement in its various activities, adding that it is meaningful and commendable.

Ethiopia Capital Market Authority (ECMA) disclosed on Friday (January 27) that it has finalized preparations to launch the Ethiopian Capital Market within the coming two years. On the sidelines of Invest Origins (IO2023), an Ethiopian global investment forum, the Director General of Accounting and Audit Board of Ethiopia and Board Member of Ethiopia Capital Markets, Hikmet Abdela, told the media that preparations are well underway to launch a capital market in Ethiopia. The director general added that the authority is conducting pre-launch preparations to implement the new market platform where securities such as shares or equities, bonds, derivatives, or other related securities are bought and sold.

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s leading carrier, is set to launch a new passenger flight to Copenhagen, Denmark, as of May 22, 2023. The new flight will be operated five times a week except on Tuesdays and Sundays.

A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Spain, working with two colleagues from France and another from Germany, has discovered an obsidian handaxe-making workshop from 1.2 million years ago in the Awash valley in Ethiopia. In their paper published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, the group describes where the handaxes were found, their condition, and their age.

Ethiopian Airlines Group has partnered with MailAmericas (MA), a private postal operator, to develop competitive cross border e-commerce services within Africa and the Middle East using Addis Ababa as a hub. According to this partnership, Ethiopian Airlines will offer air transport services for carrying goods across its wide network, while MailAmericas will provide its market expertise and know-how gained in Latin America and Africa, where it has networks in over 40 countries. Regarding the partnership, Ethiopian Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said, “As the leading air cargo service provider in Africa, we are glad to team up with MailAmericas in launching e-commerce logistics services across Africa and Latin America.”

On Thursday, (January 26, 2023), the Ministry of Finance and the World Bank signed two Financing Agreements amounting to a total of 745 million US Dollars (approximately 39.8 billion ETB), both in the form of grants. The first Grant Agreement amounting to 445 million US dollars will finance to implement/ Program for Results (hybrid) for Strengthening Primary Health Care Services. And the second $300 million grant agreement will be used for the implementation of flood management projects.

Ethiopian Investment Commission Deputy Commissioner, Temesgen Tilahun, participated in the first annual assembly of African Investment Promotion Agencies (IPA) organized by Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in Accra, from January 26-29, under the theme “the role of IPAs in facilitating inter-African trade in the framework of AfCFTA.” The assembly discussed ways to promote Africa as the most reliable and sustainable investment destination for investors by improving the capacity of IPAs to attract, retain, and expand investment.

The 4th Ethiopia International Trade Exhibition has been inaugurated in Addis Ababa’s Millennium Hall with the attendance of senior government officials and ambassadors of various countries. The main goal of the expo is to bring together professionals from various sectors to showcase their wide range of products and equipment in the concurrent Build Expo, Auto Expo, Power and Energy Expo, Solar, Food and Kitchen Expo, Made Expo, Light Expo, Plastics Expo, Printing and Packaging Expo. Kasahun Gofe, state minister for the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, has launched the exhibition.

Eritrea

President Isaias Afwerki on Thursday (January 26), received at the State House a Russian delegation led by Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting, President Isaias indicated that the illusion of generating a global uni-polar system has totally failed and called for an integrated effort to resist and combat the hegemonic and colonial histories that had put the world in jeopardy. President Isaias also said that the war in Ukraine is vivid evidence and the ultimate attempt of their erroneous hegemonic and dominance policy. Regarding bilateral relations, Lavrov expressed his country’s readiness to cooperate with Eritrea in the sectors of energy, mining, information technology, education, and health.

Djibouti

A pair of Chinese companies recently announced they were teaming up to build a massive new spaceport in Djibouti. HKATG and Touchroad signed a memorandum of understanding with the Djibouti government to build and operate the spaceport. Construction is expected to begin after the three parties sign a formal agreement in March. Touchroad  International has been “conducting businesses in Africa for over 20 years with exposure to various industries and projects, including the development and construction of special economic zones in the Republic of Djibouti, mineral extraction, international trade, cultural exchange, and tourism, HKATG said.

Kenya

The Kenyan Ambassador to South Sudan, Maj. Gen. Samuel Nandwa, says Kenya is ready to ensure effective clearance of goods coming to South Sudan through Kenya. Ambassador Nandwa made the remarks while meeting the governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, in Juba on Thursday (January 26).

Somalia

The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Barre on Thursday (January 26) closed the Conference of Somali Scholars which lasted for four days in Mogadishu. PM Hamza praised the Somali scholars for their achievements at the conference and for their interpretation of the war against the Al-Shabaab militants, and he pointed out that their statement was directed at all sections of the Somali community. The conference brought together Somali scholars from both within the country and abroad. It focused on the relationship between the government and religion, the duty of the Somali government to protect religion and culture.

U.S. Special Operations commandos killed a senior leader of the Islamic State militant group by helicopter raid in a remote area of northern Somalia on Thursday (January 27), U.S. officials said. The Pentagon identified the leader as Bilal al-Sudani. U.S. officials said he was operating in Somalia but that his influence as one of the terrorist group’s top financial operatives extended across Africa, into Europe, and even to the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan that carried out the August 2021 bombing at Kabul’s international airport that killed 13 American service members.

The sky over Somalia will become active after a 30-year hiatus following ICAO’s reclassification of airspace over the country and the surrounding region to Class A. Air traffic control services went live over Somalia at one minute past midnight on the dawn of Thursday (January 26). According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which said the development would lead to significant improvements in safety and efficiency, the Mogadishu Flight Information Region (FIR), is important because some of the region’s “busiest airways, linking the African subcontinent south of Ethiopia with the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent as well as Western Europe with the Indian subcontinent and Indian Ocean islands, traverse Somalian airspace.”

The East African Community (EAC) dispatched a verification team to assess Somalia’s readiness to join the regional bloc. A team of experts from the partner states will be in Somalia from January 25 to February 3, 2023. The team will, among other things, seek to establish the country’s level of conformity with the criteria for admitting countries as provided in the Treaty establishing the EAC.

South Sudan

The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicolas Haysom, has confirmed that he has received from the government a formal request for electoral assistance, days after the government urged the world mission to step in. The government earlier this week wrote to the UN mission asking for electoral assistance as it begins to take preparatory steps for the conduct of the elections slated for the end of the transitional period under the revitalized peace agreement.

A cargo plane on Friday morning (January 27) crashed in the Referendum suburb of Juba City shortly after taking off from Juba International Airport (JIA). The director of JIA, Kur Kuol, said the LET-410 aircraft owned by Fly Air Africa, which was headed for Lankien town in Jonglei State, developed a mechanical problem and crash landed near a small swamp after taking off. He said the plane had five people on board, including two crew members, who all survived. 

The program manager at the African Trade Center is urging South Sudan to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement to reap dividends. In an interview with the media in Juba on Wednesday, Batanai Clemence Chikwene, said the ratification of the AfCFTA agreement is currently the most critical step for South Sudan. Chikwene is the program manager of the Africa Trade Policy Center’s Regional Integration and Trade Division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

The United Nations and the Government of South Sudan announced the formation of the Cooperative Peacebuilding Steering Committee (JSC) to steer the implementation of South Sudan’s peacebuilding funds. “We are going to make this steering committee functional for such efforts to be amplified and supported,” said Kuol, Minister of Peacebuilding, as he addressed the media during the launch of the Joint Peacebuilding Fund Steering Committee in Juba on Wednesday (January 26). The committee was formed to ensure that there is coordination between the government and its partners on activities to be given priority.

Sudan

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who arrived in Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Thursday (January 26), met General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. “The two leaders have held a summit today, discussing the bilateral issues and how to boost the ties between the two nations and the common regional issues,” the Sudanese presidency said in a statement extended to the media. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, for his part, shared Ethiopia’s solidarity with Sudan in the political dialogue process that they have embarked upon. He also praised the wisdom and ability of the Sudanese people to successfully lead the process without any intervention. (See article)

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Ethiopia Stands in Solidarity with Sudan in Their Current Self-led Political Process

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, paid a one-day visit to Khartoum, Sudan, on Thursday (January 26). Upon arriving in Kahrtoum, Abiy wrote on his social media pages, “I’m pleased to come back again and be amidst the wise and vibrant people of Sudan. My appreciation to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for the warm welcome Ethiopia continues to stand in solidarity with Sudan in their current self-led political process.”

The aim of the visit of Abiy Ahmed and his accompanying delegation, according to a joint communiqué issued by the two sides, was “to show solidarity and stand with the government and people of Sudan and their support to reach a Sudanese-Sudanese consensus that leads to the stability of the transitional period, given that the Sudanese are the most capable of solving their internal problems, and the Ethiopian side expressed its aspiration to reach an agreement to form a civilian government and other transitional institutions, leading to a democratic transition and access to elections.”

During his stay in Sudan, Prime Minister Abiy met with the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Al-Fattah Al-Burhan, and a number of senior officials. During their discussion, Abiy and Burhan noted the need to promote and strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and boost spheres of joint cooperation to realize the interests of the Sudanese and Ethiopian people. The two leaders affirmed the necessity of preserving and developing eternal and historical relations between the peoples of the two countries, asserting the importance of maintaining stability and security.

“The two sides expressed their commitment to continuous consultation and reflection in everything related to the bilateral aspects between them, and joint coordination on regional and international issues,” the joint communiqué reads. “The two sides emphasized addressing bilateral issues through dialogue and understanding, including the issues of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and borders, in accordance with existing mechanisms, in the interest of the peoples of the two brotherly countries and other relevant parties, leading to comprehensive integration between the two neighboring countries.” Welcoming the Ethiopian peace agreement concluded in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, on November 2, 2022, between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray Liberation Front, the Sudanese side said that the agreement was an important step that promotes stability and peace by ending the war in Ethiopia, which reflects positively on Sudan.

Prime Minister Abiy also met with several political forces in Sudan, including the Revolutionary Front and Revolutionary Committees. In his various discussions with the Sudanese parties, both those that signed and those that did not sign the political framework agreement, Abiy urged them to resolve their differences and work together to achieve reconciliation, peace, and stability.

Accordingly, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with the leadership of the Revolutionary Front, headed by members of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Malik Agar and Al-Taher Abu-Bakr Hajar, in the presence of Khaled Shawich and the Front’s official spokesman, Osama Saeed. Saeed said in a press statement that the meeting reviewed a number of issues, among them the position of the RF concerning the ongoing political process, and its support for the Political Framework Agreement. “The RF delegation briefed the Ethiopian Prime Minister on the outcome of the workshops held recently in support of the political process in Sudan,” Saeed said. He underlined that Abiy Ahmed affirmed his government’s support for the Sudanese- Sudanese-dialogue, referring to the call for urging African leaders to support the political process in Sudan to realize the interests and aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also met a delegation of resistance committees. Representative of the Declaration of Principles of the Glorious December Revolution Al-Tayeb Mohamed Salih said in a statement that the delegation handed over to the Ethiopian Prime Minister the vision of the resistance committees, their position on the ongoing political process and the framework agreement, and a copy of the Declaration of Principles of the Glorious December Revolution. Salih emphasized that the resistance committees’ support for the framework agreement depends on its inclusion of the Declaration of the Principles of the Glorious December Revolution.

Abiy, in meeting with a delegation of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) Central Council, led by retired Major General Fadlallah Barmah Nasser, the Chairperson of the National Umma Party, discussed the deep-rooted relations between Ethiopia and Sudan. Al-Wathiq Al-Barir, Secretary-General of the National Umma Party, said in a press statement that the Ethiopian Prime Minister called for accelerating and concluding the political process to bring Sudan out of the crisis, while welcoming the FFC delegation’s upcoming visit to Ethiopia. Al-Barir said FFC welcomes the visit of the Ethiopian Prime Minister to Sudan, stressing that the meeting dealt with the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue without any external interference and with support for the political process in the country.

Prime Minister Abiy also had a meeting with a delegation of the trilateral mechanism that includes the African Union, IGAD, and the United Nations. Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sudan and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, said in a press statement that the delegation briefed the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, on the position of the tripartite mechanism facilitating dialogue and the ongoing talks to support the political process in Sudan. He added that the Ethiopian Prime Minister affirmed his country’s full support for the political process and the framework agreement, so that Sudan can enjoy stability. He said that the Ethiopian Prime Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation for the efforts of the tripartite mechanism, in facilitating the process of dialogue and talks that will lead to a comprehensive political agreement and a smooth democratic transition in Sudan.

General Abdel Al-Fattah Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, bid farewell to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the end of his one-day visit to Sudan.

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Ethiopian Ambassadors Annual Retreat Winds Up Shedding Light on Critical National Issues

The annual performance evaluation and planning retreat of senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia was held at the African Leadership Excellence Academy in Sululta town from December 26, 2022, up to January 16, 2023.

The annual retreat kicked off with visits to various institutions and continued with different types of training based on multiple topics regarding diplomacy, communication, security, building a new mindset, etc. In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, highlighted the internal and external challenges that Ethiopian diplomacy faced during the last two years with respect to the conflict in the northern part of Ethiopia, negotiations on the construction and filling of the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam, and the Ethiopia-Sudan Border conflicts.

The DPM and FM also appraised the ambassadors and diplomats for the effective actions that they have been taking in preserving the national interests of Ethiopia and by living up to Ethiopians’ aspirations and the country’s rich heritage.

The retreat’s objectives were to assess the activity and performance of the embassies, provide guidance for future work, outline what is expected of the ambassadors in terms of enhancing the capacity of some institutions, and provide training that will help them effectively manage their diplomatic missions as well as other related issues.

Administrative and Protocol Issues

A total of 10 directorates general, including those affiliated institutions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, have reported on how their respective departments performed during the 2014–2015 (EC) fiscal year. They have highlighted certain areas where performance may have been better and emphasized the value of departmental collaboration.

Regarding departmental collaboration, the DPM and FM stated that coordination and collaboration among Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other ministries in the country, and various missions abroad are required to foster a sense of shared ownership over Ethiopia’s diplomacy and adequately address critical issues.

A presentation on protocol and related topics, as well as diplomatic pouches, was tabled by Mekbeb Mengesha, Deputy Director General of Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Daniel Zegeye, Director General of IT at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Discussing Ethiopian Economy

The economic perspective of the retreat started with a discussion on intellectual property rights tabled by Ermias Yemaneberhan (Ph.D.), Director General of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA).

The Ethiopian Investment Commission presented a briefing on the country’s investment potential and the legal reforms being implemented in the sector. The discussions address investment challenges and prospects for attracting foreign investors to Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Industry, Melaku Alebel, for his part, tabled a presentation focusing on Ethiopia’s manufacturing industry. His presentation highlighted Ethiopia’s standing in the manufacturing sector compared to the historical and current standings of global manufacturing hubs, including opportunities and incentives for investment in Ethiopia in the sector. Finally, the Minister discussed Ethiopian diplomats’ expectations in supporting the country’s ongoing economic reforms, specifically meeting the manufacturing sector’s goals.

The Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, also presented and discussed Ethiopia’s economic diplomacy and homegrown economic reform policy. He said the role of mission leaders is critical in ensuring that the country’s homegrown economic reform policy achieves its objectives. Despite its resilience, several challenges at national and international levels have put Ethiopia’s economy to the test, he added. According to the minister, the government’s action to end the conflict in the country’s north peacefully will furnish opportunities to boost the country’s economy, and mission leaders should do more to attract investment, enhance development and economic cooperation, and gather economic resources.

In connection with the presentations on Ethiopia’s economic challenges and prospects, the ambassadors and officials of the ministry and affiliated institutions visited textile and malt factories in Bole-Lemi Industrial Parks.

Ethiopia’s Diplomacy on the Political Front

Ambassador Minelik Alemu, Policy Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussed multilateral relations; challenges, current questions, new ideas in the area, and the future of multilateralism.

Ambassador Fisseha Shawel, the Director General of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reflected on diplomacy and regional integration in the Horn of Africa and said Ethiopia’s relationship with neighboring countries is based on the principle of mutual benefit. In his presentation, the ambassador explained the nature, performance, and challenges of the East African Intergovernmental Organization (IGAD) integration program.

In his explanation titled “Ethiopian Diplomacy in the Changing World Order,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonen noted the need to direct efforts on economic, political, cultural, and sports diplomacy and coordinate and utilize key national institutions like Ethiopian Airlines to achieve better results. Demeke explained that foreign policy will overcome international challenges by focusing on neighboring countries and paying special attention to regional and pan-African ideas.

Since one of the contemporary issues in Ethiopia is the Nile issue, Wuhibegezer Ferede tabled a presentation on “The Nile and the Red Sea: The Confluence of Hydro and Geopolitics.” The other point on which Ethiopia is advised to focus its efforts is combating the effects of climate change in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region, which is largely a global issue. The Director General of the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority briefed the diplomats on climate change diplomacy and Ethiopia’s priorities.

 Dereje Befekadu, a Georgetown University lecturer, gave a presentation on his upcoming book series on the Nile River Basin and the GERD, which will be published in six volumes and cover a variety of topics, including legal and managerial perspectives on the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, as well as historical issues concerning the River Basin.

Intelligence and Security Issues

Ethiopia’s Minister of Defense, Abraham Belay, focused his presentation on the reforms being implemented by the Ministry of  Defense and urged Ethiopian ambassadors all over the world to work to strengthen the reforms implemented. The minister advised Ethiopia’s ambassadors to make every effort to offer the required support so that the nation’s military forces are equipped with the latest physical, intellectual, technological, and informational resources. The mission leaders and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and affiliated institutions also paid a visit to the institutions undergoing reform in the Ministry of Defense and Federal Forces.

Capacity Building

Meheret Debebe, Chief of the Africa Leadership Excellence Academy, spoke in detail on the topic of “The Thinking Diplomat” and the relationship between trust and diplomatic activities to the Heads and Deputy Heads of Missions, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and executives of affiliated institutions of the Ministry.

Adrian Richard Finighan, a presenter and reporter for the television channel Al Jazeera English, has trained Ethiopian mission leaders, senior officials of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and affiliated institutions about media engagement techniques. He described how to establish essential messages during an interview, why to interview, how to anticipate questions, and control strategies on various platforms during the interview.

Fisseha Yetagesu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EBC, also tabled a presentation on doing diplomacy in the age of digital media, focusing on issues such as diplomatic communication in the modern era, interview concerns, and crisis communication.

Diaspora and Migration

The Director General of Ethiopia’s Diaspora Service, Mohammad Idris, made a presentation on how to increase the participation of the diaspora and compared the potential of Ethiopia’s diaspora and the contribution they are making to the country with the experience of different countries.

Tegegnwork Getu, a member of the National Consultation Commission, stated that a discussion will be held with diaspora bodies in different parts of the world. He stated that preparations are being made to undertake the consultation. Mission leaders were also asked to play an exemplary role in order for the commission to achieve its mission.

One of the topics discussed was the Ethiopian Immigration, Nationality, and Vital Events Agency’s (EINA) last year’s performance, challenges, and way forward. Among the topics covered during the presentation were citizen migration, consular affairs, critical events, and ongoing efforts to advance the technological advancement of consular and visa services.

As part of the retreat, diplomats visited a number of institutions, investment sites, tourist attractions, and security agencies. The last leg of their tour was the ongoing Gorgora lodge project in Gondar. They were led by the State Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano, during the visit. The initiative, along with the Wenchi and Koisha projects, is a national one proposed by Prime Minister Abiy to improve Ethiopia’s tourism industry.