The Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) produced its fourth progress and status report on implementation of the Revitalized South Sudan Peace Agreement at the beginning of the week. Chaired by its interim chair, Lt. General Njoroge, the RJMEC noted overall progress in terms of implementing the peace agreement and of establishing institutions and mechanisms. It emphasized the need to expedite establishment of the other commissions and called for financial support from partners for the implementation of the peace agreement. The RJMEC made it clear there had been delays in disengagement of forces, in the release of all political…
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President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti arrived in Jimma in south-west Ethiopia on Saturday (December 8) for an official visit. They were welcomed on arrival at Jimma’s Abba Jiffar International Airport, by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen and other senior Government officials. Their visit to Ethiopia followed invitations from Prime Minister Dr. Abiy when he met the two presidents earlier in Djibouti in August and in Khartoum in September when making his first visits to their respective countries. During those visits, the leaders agreed to further elevate and cement the already-existing…
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Djibouti’s Second International Trade Fair, taking place December 3-10, offered a warm and vibrant celebration of “Ethiopia Day”on Wednesday (December 5). Foreign Minister of Djibouti, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Mrs. Hirut Zemene, the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Djibouti, Ambassador Shamebo Fitamo, and the Chairs of the Chambers of Commerce of Ethiopia and Djibouti as well as ambassadors of various embassies in Djibouti were in attendance. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali praised the leaders of both Djibouti and Ethiopia for their unremitting efforts to expand relations to new heights. He described the ties between Ethiopia and…
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The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) held its 2nd Board meeting on Thursday (November 29) in Khartoum; in attendance were the signatories to the peace agreement, South Sudan Government, the SPLM/IO, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Other Political Parties (OPP), Former Detainees (FDs), Women, Academia, Youth, and Civil Society representatives as well as IGAD, represented by Ethiopia, Kenya, UNMISS, and the Troika, China and Japan. CTSAMVM’s incoming chairman, Major General Desta Abichu, chairing the meeting of the board for the first time, noted that CTSAMVM ‘s Technical Committee had now met four times to deal…
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The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries of the world’s largest economies and the European Union Commission. The only African member is South Africa but among those attending the Summit in Argentina were President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in his capacity as Chair of the African Union Assembly as well as President Macky Sall of Senegal, Chair of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee, and Dr. Tedros Adhanom, the Director-General of the World Health Organization.This year’s summit was held under the theme ‘Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable…
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The second IGAD-UN High-Level Dialogue was held in Kampala, Uganda at the end of last week (November 29-30), under the theme of “Deepening Partnership in a Changing Horn of Africa”. The main objective of the dialogue was to review the dynamic political changes in the Horn of Africa, and the growing involvement of the Gulf states in the region. Those attending included Uganda’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oryem Okello; Ambassador Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD; UN Assistant Secretary General for Department of Political Affairs Taye-Brook Zerihun; Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Djibouti, Chair of the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors, Ambassador…
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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Tibor Nagy after his visit to Ethiopia last week continued his regional tour, arriving in Djibouti on Saturday (December 1). He held talks with President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf during a visit aimed to further promote the longstanding U.S. and Djibouti relationship which is guided by mutual strategic interests and commitment to address shared challenges. Ambassador Nagy also met young Djiboutians who have attended the US Young African Leadership Initiative and alumni of the US International Visitor Leadership Program. The Assistant Secretary of State met and…
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Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz arrived in Addis Ababa on Thursday (December 6) for an official visit. Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, Chancellor Kurz was welcomed by Foreign Minister Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu and other senior government officials. Chancellor Kurz’s visit to Ethiopia followed an invitation from Prime Minister Dr. Abiy when the two leaders met earlier in the year on the side-lines of the G20 Investment Summit held in Berlin, Germany. On that occasion, the two leaders agreed to expand the relations between Ethiopia and Austria.Following his arrival, Chancellor Kurz held discussions with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy onbilateral and multi-lateral issues of…
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Headlines Ethio-Eritrea rapprochement: a new chapter in peace and stability for the Region Eritrean Airlines makes a historic inaugural flight to Addis Ababa The IGAD-led South Sudan Peace Process takes another step forward UK Defense Secretary visits the Horn of Africa UK announces support for Jobs Compact and Tax System Transformation programs Somalia’s Security Sector Reform Plan Somali electoral officials’ workshop for electoral systems and boundary delimitation Thanksgiving for the Reconciliation and Unification of the Two Holy Synods Africa and the African Union The peace deal and rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea have paved the way for improved bilateral…
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Leading Ethiopian botanical scientist, Professor Sebsebe Demissew, has been elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, becoming the first ever Sub-Saharan African scientist to be elected in the Society’s 357-year history. On 13th July, the Professor was formally admitted to the Society at the Admissions Day ceremony, where he signed the Charter Book and the Obligation of the Fellows of the Royal Society. This follows an announcement, in May 2018, that sixty eminent scientists from around the world have been elected as Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society, in recognition for their exceptional contributions to science.…