High-Level AU Institutional Reform Retreat Held in Nairobi
Ease of Doing Business in the Wake of Macroeconomic Reforms
Ethiopia Hosts Second Round of International Quran and Azan Competition
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ethiopia
The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from January 27-29, with the presence of several African heads of state, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Amina Mohamed, and Presidents of the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and several other multilateral banks. An Ethiopian delegation, led by Taye Astke Selassie, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and including Abraham Belay, Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands, participated in the summit. (See article)
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Gedion Timothewos, met with a delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Burhanettin Duran, on Thursday (February 6). They discussed the upcoming technical negotiations on implementing the Ankara Declaration.
FM Gedion received at his office, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, on Tuesday (February 4). They discussed ways of further strengthening the longstanding cooperation between Ethiopia and the African Union in the maintenance of peace and security. They also deliberated on the preparations for the upcoming 38th AU Summit.
Minister of Mines Habtamu Tegegne led Ethiopia’s delegation, including representatives from the private mining sector, at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2025, which officially commenced on Monday (February 3) in Cape Town, South Africa.
Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands, Abraham Belay, held discussions with the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the State of Israel, Eli Cohen, along with his delegation, on Wednesday (February 5). Their discussions focused on sectoral strategic cooperation and key areas of mutual interest.
Minister of Health, Mekdes Daba, led the Ethiopian delegation at the 156th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board that commenced on Monday (February 3). In her remarks, she highlighted Ethiopia’s commitment to advancing health with a focus on primary health care, local manufacturing, the health and care workforce, as well as health financing.
Ambassador Mesganu Arga led a delegation that held a series of engagements from February 3–4, including the 8th Political Consultation in the Czech Republic, strengthening trade, investment, and defense ties. He met Prime Minister Petr Fiala to discuss bilateral relations and announced the exhibition of Lucy in Prague. The delegation also engaged with Czech officials on economic cooperation and promoted Ethiopia’s investment opportunities.
The Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), Zeleke Temesgen, appeared exclusively on the 7th episode of the 10-part series Ethiopia in Focus and discussed the recent macroeconomic reforms aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). (See article)
Addis Ababa hosted the second round of the International Quran and Azan Competition. Organized by the Zayd Ibn Sabit Quran Association under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs of Ethiopia, the event took place at the Addis Ababa Stadium on Sunday (February 2) with local and international participation. (See article)
Ethiopia launched the Digital Agriculture Roadmap (DAR) 2025-2032 on Tuesday (February 4) with a view to revolutionizing the sector. The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Gates Foundation, led the launch.
Djibouti
Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed received a delegation from the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), led by its Executive Secretary, Rola Dashti, on Monday (February 3). They discussed areas of cooperation between Djibouti and ESCWA.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, was received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday (February 2). Their discussions focused on bilateral relations and prospects for cooperation. He also met with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel Aty.
The Foreign Minister also visited Senegal on Friday (January 31) and was received by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. During the meeting, he delivered a message from Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh.
Kenya
President William Ruto held a telephone conversation with His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom on Monday (February 3). Their discussion covered the long-standing and close ties between Kenya and the United Kingdom, with a shared emphasis on nature and climate conservation. They also exchanged views on regional peace and security and Kenya’s role in promoting stability.
Ambassador Redwan Hussein, Director General of Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service, and Noordin Mohamed Haji, Director-General of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), led high-level security consultations on Tuesday (February 4). The discussions focused on implementing security agreements aimed at combating terrorism, contraband trade, and the illegal trafficking of people and arms.
Somalia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received Finland’s Special Envoy for Peace Mediation in the Horn of Africa, Suldaan Said Ahmed, on Saturday (February 1) at Villa Somalia. Their discussions focused on strengthening Somalia-Finland relations and enhancing cooperation on regional peace and security, with an emphasis on dialogue and mediation efforts to promote stability in the Horn of Africa.
Africa and the African Union
A Retreat of the Extended Bureau on the Implementation of the Institutional Reforms of the African Union was convened in Nairobi from January 26 to 27. The retreat was organized under the auspices of William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and current Champion of the AU Institutional Reforms. (See article)
African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, was received by President Denis Sassou N’Guesso in the Republic of the Congo on Monday (February 3). They held discussions on key continental issues.
Ethiopia Unveils Plans to Double Power Generation and Expand Regional Connectivity at Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit
The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from January 27-29, with the presence of several African heads of state, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Amina Mohamed, and the presidents of the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and several other multilateral banks. An Ethiopian delegation, led by Taye Astke Selassie, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and including Abraham Belay, Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands, participated in the summit.
Mission 300 is a collaborative initiative between the World Bank, AfDB, and partners that aims to ensure access to electricity for 300 million Africans by 2030 and accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7. The initiative, dubbed a game changer, has the ambitious goal of addressing energy poverty and driving economic growth by expanding the electricity grid through the deployment of mini-grids and solar solutions.
In his statement, President Taye highlighted that Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in energy generation using renewable energy sources. He further noted that, with the completion of the ongoing projects, Ethiopia aims to double its power generation from the current 6,000 MW to 13,000 MW of installed capacity in the coming years.
However, despite the progress made in power generation, President Taye highlighted that there is still a long way to go to ensure electricity access for the entire populace. According to him, Ethiopia needs to connect 3.5 million households every year to achieve universal electrification, which requires an annual spending of $1.8 billion until 2030. Therefore, he said, initiatives like Mission 300 are essential to achieving this goal, while also underscoring the critical role of domestic resource mobilization through innovative approaches, including the diaspora bond.
He stated that the government is building one of the largest dams in Africa, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, by raising close to one billion dollars of the total five-billion-dollar estimated cost from the general public. Discussing the challenges of ensuring access to electricity, President Taye emphasized the need to pay due attention to the affordability of energy. He also noted that Ethiopia has put in place an enabling regulatory environment for private sector participation, while underlining the commitment to ensuring energy efficiency by upgrading aging transmission lines to further expand access to electricity.
On the other hand, Deputy Secretary-General Amina, in her opening remarks, emphasized the critical role of energy in achieving all 17 SDGs and highlighted that Mission 300 is an important initiative to reduce by half the 685 million people living without electricity in Africa.
President of AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, argued that ensuring access for the 685 million cannot be seen merely as an issue of energy transition; rather, it should be considered a lynchpin for having a dignified life.
The President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, underlined the important role of the private sector in energy generation, transmission, and distribution to close the gap in access to electricity across the continent. President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu, discussed the progress Tanzania has made in access to electricity and the commendable success in advancing clean cooking solutions through a partnership with the private sector.
Discussions across several panels focused on ways to strengthen partnerships to achieve SDG 7, which sets the universal goal of access to modern, reliable, and affordable energy. Several speakers underlined the critical importance of energy in improving health, education, creating sustainable livelihoods, combating the adverse impacts of climate change, and improving the well-being of people.
With the increasing impact of climate change affecting hydropower dams, several speakers emphasized the importance of having the right energy mix, which combines hydro, solar, and geothermal energy sources. On the other hand, several participants emphasized that the required $1.3 trillion in financing needed to achieve universal electrification by 2030 requires additional resources through grants and concessional finance from multilateral development banks. In addition, the importance of reducing the cost of capital by removing structural barriers was highlighted as a key enabler to accelerating energy development.
Acknowledging the huge funding gap in infrastructure development in Africa, several speakers underscored the critical role of the private sector in availing the necessary finance for power generation, transmission, and distribution. To that end, it was noted that improving the regulatory framework, addressing governance bottlenecks, and de-risking private investment are critical steps to boosting private investment.
During the two-day discussions, several delegations recognized Ethiopia’s efforts to promote regional power connectivity through power trade to Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania as a successful model of realizing the Continental Energy Master Plan and African Single Electricity Market plans of the African Union (AU).
In addition, partners, including the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the Government of Italy through the Mattei Plan, pledged to support Ethiopia’s universal electrification program. At the end of the second day of the meeting, several African leaders signed the Dar es Salaam Declaration, in which the AfDB and the World Bank pledged $48 billion in finance for the Mission 300 initiative. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the OPEC Fund, the AIIB, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the Rockefeller Foundation also committed to providing close to $5 billion to support projects aimed at achieving Mission 300.
Furthermore, the two-day meeting saw a presentation and discussion of the National Energy Compact of the twelve African countries selected to be the beneficiaries of the first-phase funding of Mission 300.
High-Level AU Institutional Reform Retreat Held in Nairobi
A Retreat of the Extended Bureau on the Implementation of the Institutional Reforms of the African Union was convened in Nairobi from January 26 to 27. The retreat was organized under the auspices of William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and current Champion of the AU Institutional Reforms.
Following the 37th Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2024, President Ruto was appointed to this role, succeeding President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. His mandate includes finalizing key reform priorities for the African Union, particularly the restructuring of remaining AU organs and institutions, as well as analyzing the Division of Labour among the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Member States. He is expected to report on these matters at the Ordinary Session of the Assembly in February 2025.
The retreat aimed to galvanize political will among African Union Heads of State and Government while providing updates on the status of AU reforms, highlighting achievements, challenges, and ongoing initiatives.
President Taye Atske-Selassie attended the meeting along with Heads of State and Government and Foreign Ministers of African Member States.
Discussions at the retreat focused on several critical areas of reform, including peace and stability, funding mechanisms, the reform of the Pan-African Parliament, and the operationalization of the African Court of Justice. Significant emphasis was placed on the Division of Labour between the AU, RECs, and Member States, as well as the finalization of the restructuring process for AU organs and institutions.
Reflecting on the AU reform journey, President Taye highlighted the progress made in revitalizing the Peace Fund, from which member states have mobilized nearly $400 million. He stressed the necessity of financial reforms to ensure the Union’s sustainability and the importance of innovative financing strategies, including attracting private investment. “The African Union can stand on its feet only if we can cover 75 percent of our program budget and 25 percent of peace support missions,” he stated.
President Taye also welcomed advancements in securing predictable financing for AU-led peace support operations through UN-assessed contributions, following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 27-19-2023. He advocated for the establishment of an AU Peace Support Directorate akin to that of the United Nations, emphasizing the need for a structure that mirrors the UN Security Council’s peace support operations.
While acknowledging the progress made, President Taye pointed out the significant challenges that remain, including delays in operationalizing various AU institutions and implementing critical decisions from the reform process. He underscored the need for financial sovereignty, self-sufficiency, and a comprehensive study on the Division of Labour.
In his concluding remarks, President Taye called for a collective political will and concerted effort from all stakeholders for the success of the reform. ‘It is incumbent upon us, as member states, to implement the decisions we have made together.”
He finally reaffirmed Ethiopia’s unwavering support and commitment to the successful completion and implementation of the African Union’s Institutional Reform Agenda.
The retreat concluded with recommendations for establishing a panel of experts tasked with enhancing Africa’s conflict response and financing mechanisms, as well as forming a committee of Heads of State and Government to support the AU’s Champion for Institutional Reform.
Ease of Doing Business in the Wake of Macroeconomic Reforms
The Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), Zeleke Temesgen, appeared exclusively on the 7th episode of the 10-part series Ethiopia in Focus and discussed the recent macroeconomic reforms aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).
In the interview, Zeleke highlighted that over the past six years, comprehensive reforms have significantly improved the ease of doing business in Ethiopia. Notable among these reforms are the successful implementation of a one-stop service system and legal and policy changes that have transformed the investment environment.
As a result of these reforms, Ethiopia has seen substantial growth in FDI, especially in key sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, ICT, mining, and tourism. Zeleke also emphasized the country’s strategic location, large market, and affordable energy as key competitive advantages, alongside the development of industrial parks and special economic zones. He pointed out that the recent liberalization of the foreign exchange regime has been crucial in boosting investor confidence.
Ethiopia’s previous closed economy, with its restrictive investment legal framework, had overrelied on manual processes rather than digital systems. Zeleke described the country’s past approach as being “closed off from global markets” for many decades. However, the economic reforms of the past six years, he said, have paved the way for significant FDI growth.
Key reforms in Ethiopia’s business environment include an amended Investment Law that expanded the scope for foreign direct investment, moving away from the previously restrictive “positive approach.” In addition, existing industrial parks have been upgraded into special economic zones (SEZs), creating more attractive investment opportunities. The liberalized foreign exchange system has replaced the earlier system, which was plagued by shortages and significant gaps between official exchange rates and the black market. Investors can now access foreign currency from commercial banks to import capital goods and construction materials, offering a more reliable alternative to the former Franco Valuta system. Furthermore, repatriation of dividends has been made easier, facilitating smoother financial operations for foreign investors.
Looking to the future, Zeleke expressed optimism about Ethiopia’s investment climate. He stated that a stable and predictable environment, a reduction in bureaucratic hurdles, and full government support will continue to shape the country’s growth in attracting FDI. He emphasized that the government remains committed to creating a favorable and secure investment climate for both local and foreign investors.
However, Zeleke pointed out that Ethiopia is looking for investors who bring value-added contributions, knowledge and skills transfer, job creation, and enhanced export earnings. He added that investors should not exploit the country’s resources, underscoring the importance of responsible investment.
Ethiopia Hosts Second Round of International Quran and Azan Competition
Addis Ababa hosted the second round of the International Quran and Azan Competition. Organized by the Zayd Ibn Sabit Quran Association under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs of Ethiopia, the event took place at the Addis Ababa Stadium on Sunday (February 2) with local and international participation.
The competition saw the presence of contestants from 59 countries, including the United States, France, Norway, Russia, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti and Yemen. A panel of 11 internationally recognized Quranic judges oversaw the event, ensuring a high standard of evaluation. Ethiopia was also well represented, with participants from various regional states competing in different categories.
On the occasion, the President of the Supreme Council of Ethiopian Islamic Affairs, Haji Ibrahim Tufa, thanked the government for all the necessary support extended for the success of the event.
Algerian professor Kamal Kida, on his part, lauded Ethiopia’s longstanding tradition of religious coexistence and hospitality. Professor Kida praised Ethiopia as a land of peace and resilience, describing the country as a blessed land and praising the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The competition was a grand success, attracting over 40,000 spectators, alongside embassies from various countries. Ethiopian contestants also performed commendably, securing third place in both the women’s Quran memorization (Hifz) category and the Azan (call to prayer) category. Beyond the competition, foreign participants were given the opportunity to explore Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage.
The participants enjoyed organized tours facilitated by the Ministry of Tourism and the Oromia Tourism Commission, visiting historical landmarks such as the National Museum, the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, the Abajifar Palace in Jimma, and notable sites in Bishoftu.
The event highlighted Ethiopia’s role in strengthening its global cultural and religious ties. By hosting such events, Ethiopia continues to promote diversity and peaceful coexistence among different faiths.
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