A Week in the Horn 19.7.2019
Sudan’s TMC and the Forces for Freedom and Change sign agreement
Progress of the Ethio-Kenya Cross-Border Program
Universal condemnation of a terrorist attack in Kismayo port in Somalia
US Ambassador: US and Somalia can achieve peace and prosperity together
The 43rd World Heritage Committee session in Azerbaijan
Ethiopia-Kuwait diplomatic relations “very strong” and “growing steadily”
Ethiopia takes part in Global Conference on Media Freedom
News in brief
Africa and the African Union
The first Global Conference on Media Freedom was held in London last week (July 10-11). Attended by more than 1,500 ministers and officials, the diplomatic community, journalists, academics and members of civil society, from over 120 countries, Ethiopia was represented by the Ambassador to the UK, Ambassador Fesseha Shawel and Press Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms. Billene Seyoum. The Conference agreed to speak out and take action through a Media Freedom Coalition in the future, harness the power of diplomatic networks through a new Media Freedom Contact Group, and reinforce international initiatives to champion Media Freedom. (See article)
Major General Mehari Zewde, Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA) has strongly condemned an “unprovoked” attack by a group of unknown armed men on UNISFA peacekeepers. In a statement on Tuesday (July 16), UNISFA said the attack left five civilians killed, including two women; one Ethiopian peacekeeper dead and another critically injured. General Mehari, who warned that any attack on peacekeepers constituted war crimes, reaffirmed UNISFA’s commitment to continue working with all communities within Abyei, seeking the cooperation and support of all within the area to enable the mission to carry out its mandated task of providing security for the people and protection of civilians.
The 43rd World Heritage Committee session was held in Baku, Azerbaijan this month, attended by more than 2,500 delegates from 180 countries. Ambassador Henok Teferra, Ambassador of Ethiopia to France and Permanent Delegate of Ethiopia to UNESCO, led the Ethiopian delegation. Ethiopia is one of the African candidates, along with Mali, for the next UNESCO World Heritage Committee election in November. (See article)
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed arrived in Asmara, Eritrea, on Thursday (July 18) for a two-day working visit. He was welcomed by President Isaias on arrival at Asmara’s International Airport. Discussions covered further enhancement of the all-rounded cooperation between the two countries as well as regional and other matters of mutual interest. The Ethiopian delegation included Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and other officials.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed presided at the signing of a MoU for a $100 million grant from the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development on Monday (July 15). The MoU was signed by State Minister of Finance, Admassu Nebebe and the Chairman of the Khalifa Fund Board of Directors, Hussain Al Nowais. The grant will provide support for micro, small and medium enterprise sector development and job creation, particularly focusing on innovation and technology.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedu Andargachew on Thursday (July 19) held discussions with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, Ambassador Sami Jamil Abdullah on ways and means of further bolstering Saudi investment in Ethiopia. The Ambassador noted that preparations are well underway to host Ethiopian Muslim pilgrims for Hajj.
Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, presented a letter from Prime Minister Dr. Abiy to Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait on Tuesday this week (July 16). The Kuwait News Agency said the letter focused on ways to expand bilateral relations, as well as inviting the Amir to visit Ethiopia.
State Minister of Finance, Admasu Nebebe, and UNICEF Representative to Ethiopia Ms. Adele Khodr, under the umbrella of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF 2016-2020), signed the Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2012 annual work plans worth US$ 49 million on Wednesday (July 17). The Country Representative of UNFPA, another UN agency signing annual work plans with the Government, also attended the ceremony. State Minister Admasu Nebebe stressed the need for alignment and coordination at all levels among UN agencies to increase efficiency.
The EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Johan Borgstam signed a contribution agreement this week with UNIDO Ethiopia for €45 million to support the government’s reform agenda and assist the government in creating 400,000 new jobs in agro-industrial parks.
The EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Johan Borgstam signed a contribution agreement this week with UNIDO Ethiopia for €45 million to support the government’s reform agenda and assist the government in creating 400,000 new jobs in agro-industrial parks.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kuwait Abdulfatah Abdullahi Hassan, told the Kuwait Times that while bilateral relations were growing steadily and cordially, he wanted further cooperation and diplomatic and bilateral ties with Kuwait and he was there to assist his compatriots and further strengthen relationships in every aspect. (See article)
Ethiopian Airlines launched thrice-weekly direct passenger flights between Addis Ababa and Garowe, the capital of Puntland state on Monday (July 15). The flights will also land at Bosasso.
Kenya
The latest consultative meeting on the Ethio-Kenya Cross-Border Program was held on Thursday last week (July 11) in Nairobi. The meeting considered the progress made and agreed on the importance of all parties focusing on an integrated and comprehensive approach to turn borders in the region from barriers into bridges. (See article)
Somalia
The AU Peace and Security Council at its meeting on Wednesday this week (July 17) called on Somali leaders to foster peace and reconciliation. The Council, which condemned the attack in Kismayo on Friday last week, encouraged the Somali government and federal member states to continue to work towards lasting peace. It also reiterated its full support to AMISOM and its personnel, and paid tribute to the troops and police-contributing countries for the sacrifice they continued to make.
An Al-Shabaab attack on a hotel in Kismayo on Friday last week (July 12) left 26 people dead and dozens injured. The attack was condemned around the world, and President Mohamed Abdullahi expressed his condolences to the families and relatives who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to survivors. (See article)
US Ambassador to Somalia, Ambassador Donald Yamamoto, emphasized this week that the peace, stability, and prosperity of Somalia were important to the United States. He underlined that the US stood by the Somali government and people in the fight against al-Shabaab, to protect and stabilize communities, and develop governance institutions for long-term prosperity. (See article)
The UN envoy to Somalia, James Swan, on Wednesday this week (July 17) visited Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle state where he held discussions with Hirshabelle officials. This followed visits to Jubaland at the beginning of the week and to Puntland earlier.
Sudan
The Transitional Military Council and the Forces for Freedom and Change formally signed the agreement on the Political Declaration for the transitional period on Wednesday this week (July 17). They are now considering the details of the Constitutional Declaration, defining the attributions and powers of the three organs of the transitional authority. (See article)
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Sudan’s TMC and the Forces for Freedom and Change sign agreement
The two sides formally signed the agreement on the Political Declaration for the transitional period, which they reached last week, on Wednesday this week (July 17). This week the Transitional Military Council and the Forces for Freedom and Change are considering the Constitutional Declaration, defining the attributions and powers of the three organs of the transitional authority. Once this has been agreed, a final signing ceremony attended by regional leaders will take place. The political declaration covers the three institutions of the sovereign council, the government and the legislative council. It also deals with some of the tasks of the transitional period, including peace, economic reforms and humanitarian relief as well as reaffirming investigation of crimes committed against civilians after the collapse of the previous regime.
The signing of the political document came after intense overnight talks over the details of the agreement. As we noted last week, the agreement allows for a joint military-civilian Sovereign Council. The actual roles of the Sovereign Council and of the cabinet will be defined in the Constitutional Declaration which will also cover a number of other points that have been matters of discussion.
The Special Envoy of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Ambassador Mahmoud Dirir congratulated the people of the Sudan for reaching at such a historic moment. He took note of the “united front that represents the gallant army of the Sudan, the Transitional Military Council, and the revolutionary youth, intellectuals, pioneers who have taken to the streets to stand for democracy and for change in this country,” adding: “The Sudan deserves this moment.”
AU Special Envoy, Mohammed el-Hassan Labatt, said: “The signing of the document is a huge achievement representing a very decisive step towards an all-inclusive agreement amongst all the forces in Sudan,” adding, “It ushers a new era and paves the way for the upcoming step … consideration and deliberations over the constitutional document for the transitional period.”
Indeed, Ethiopia has been actively engaged in trying to help Sudanese stakeholders come to a common understanding on the way forward. It has been working closely with the African Union in engaging with the Sudanese stakeholders. Following the signing of the agreement between the TMC and the Forces for Freedom and Change, hundreds of Sudanese were out on the streets of Khartoum raising Ethiopian flag in jubilation and appreciating Ethiopia’s role in the recent mediation breakthrough.
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Progress of the Ethio-Kenya Cross-Border Program
The latest consultative meeting on the progress of the Ethio-Kenya Cross-Border Program was held on Thursday last week (July 11) in Nairobi, on the side-lines of last week’s Conference on the Prevention of Violent Extremism and Conflict. Attending the meeting were Ethiopian and Kenyan officials as well as representatives from the European Union, UN agencies, and other state and non-State actors. They agreed on the importance of all parties to focus on an integrated and comprehensive approach to turn borders in the region from barriers into bridges.
Eugene Wamala, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Devolution, in his opening remarks said the program had helped conflict resolution and peace building efforts in the region and along the Kenya-Ethiopia border. He underlined the commitment of Kenya to further support the projects. Mr. Wamala underlined the role of peace in strengthening development and stressed that Kenya was working for a borderless world. Ambassador Meles Alem, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya underlined the importance of the program for addressing violent conflict and extremism through building the resilience of communities in the borderlands and improving their livelihoods. He said this required a multidimensional and multifaceted approach, and emphasized that the program did just that.
The Cross-Border Program, the “Integrated Program for Sustainable peace and Socio-economic Transformation: Marsabit county (Kenya) and Borana and Dawa Zones (Ethiopia)”, was launched over three years ago in December 2015. It was signed in Moyale by President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn and launched with co-funding from the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, IGAD and the UN.
Historically, communities along the border were far from decision-making centers, and decisions taken had minimal effect on the problems and potential of the border region. In fact, remarkable progress has been achieved in the last three years in promoting development and decreasing the frequency of conflicts along the common border, with Ethiopia and Kenya seriously attempting to address the drivers and causes of the cross-border conflicts and contain violent extremism while ensuring development. In April last year, a two-day peace conference in Addis Ababa, attended by officials of national and local governments, agencies, cross-border peace committees, traditional community leaders and youth and women’s groups, produced a clear consensus on the respective areas of responsibility for lasting peace and the need for a wider approach to issues. The meeting agreed on the importance of prevention, resilience building and reduction of vulnerability. The EU agreed to spearhead support for cross-border areas through a €68 million programme covering the entire length of the Kenya-Ethiopia border, as well as extending south-west Somalia and the cross-border area between Western Ethiopia and East Sudan. The program offers investment in peace-building, socio-economic development and regional cooperation. The UN Country Teams also committed themselves to assist in the program.
Another stage in the Cross-Border Program came in April this year with the opening of the first field coordination office between Ethiopia and Kenya; in Moyale Two other field offices will be opened in Turkana –Omo at the Kenyan and Ethiopian Border and Mandera –Gedo –Doolow at the Kenyan, Ethiopian and Somali borders in the future. The Moyale office will be working closely with local authorities, communities, civil society, and the private sector to provide cross-border technical support to address the drivers of conflict, irregular migration and displacement as well as enable implementation of livelihoods, peace building, and capacity building activities in the border areas. It will be a joint UNDP-IGAD office for two of the elements of the Cross-Border Program: the “Cross-border Cooperation between Ethiopia and Kenya for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building in the Marsabit–Moyale Cluster” and “Support for Effective Cooperation and Coordination of Cross-border Initiatives in Southwest Ethiopia–Northwest Kenya, Marsabit–Borana and Dawa, and Kenya–Somalia–Ethiopia.” The latter started in February last year, funded by the EU, UNDP and the UNEP, and aims to strengthen regional policy frameworks, structures and protocols for cross-border cooperation between national and local governments, the private sector, civil society and partners in development; build up capacities to fully engage in development planning processes and results; and ensure effective cooperation and coordination, monitoring and evaluation of cross-border initiatives.
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Universal condemnation of a terrorist attack in Kismayo port in Somalia
Twenty-six people died in the Al-Shabaab attack on the Asasey Hotel in Kismayo on Friday evening last week (July 12). The attack came as community elders and lawmakers were discussing next month’s state presidential election. At least four al-Shabaab extremists attacked the hotel after a suicide car bomb detonated at the entrance gate.
President Mohamed Abdullahi expressed his condolences to the families and relatives who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to the survivors. He condemned the cowardly attack and called on government security agencies to be extra vigilant in Jubaland regional state, directing security forces to be put on high alert to maintain peace and foil al-Shabaab attacks planned to harm the public.
In a statement, IGAD condemned the heinous attack in the strongest terms and expressed deepest sympathy and condolences to families of victims. “IGAD continues to stand in support and solidarity with the People and Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia in their fight against the menace of terrorism,” the statement added.
The AU Peace and Security Council at a meeting on Tuesday (July 16) also strongly condemned the attack noting that the hotel, a civilian compound, had been deliberately targeted. The Council reiterated its full support to AMISOM and its continued solidarity with the people of Somalia. It encouraged the leadership of both the Federal Government and the Federal Member States, “to continue to work steadfastly towards lasting peace, reconciliation and development”.
The “senseless and heinous” attack was also strongly condemned by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Ambassador Madeira, who described the attackers as a group of people “with a criminal, murderous and destructive agenda who could not claim to be fighting to bring good governance to the country. UN Secretary-General Guterres reaffirmed the support and solidarity of the United Nations with the people of Somalia, and the UN Security Council which reaffirmed that terrorism constituted one of the most serious threats to international peace and security underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to justice.
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US Ambassador: US and Somalia can achieve peace and prosperity together
The US Ambassador to Somalia, Ambassador Donald Yamamoto, said this week that the peace, stability, and prosperity of Somalia were important to the United States. A strong and resilient Somalia could resist terrorism and stop the country being used as a platform for terrorism in the region, in Africa or more widely. He said Somalis were taking back their country, and the partnership of the United States with the people of Somalia was key to this. Ambassador Yamamoto said the Federal Government was mobilizing the Somali National Army and its military resources, and with its partners, including Federal Member State leaders and clan elders, AMISOM, and the United States, was making an unprecedented combined joint effort to defeat al-Shabaab in parts of Lower Shabelle. Three strategic towns had been retaken, allowing communities to resume life free from terror and al-Shabaab’s control. Nevertheless, there was also still much to be done and the US stood by the Somali government and people in the fight against al-Shabaab, to protect and stabilize communities, and develop governance institutions for long-term prosperity.
Ambassador Yamamoto spoke of the increase of US assistance to help address the threat of drought and hunger, with an estimated 5.4 million people expected to face food insecurity by September. USAID announced an additional $185 million in humanitarian assistance in June. This was not the first time the US had helped in this – in 2016-17 it had provided emergency food assistance and water, addressed acute malnutrition, and responded to urgent health needs. He spoke of the need to educate Somalia’s youth, especially girls and provide employment. The US, he said, was committed to help and he detailed the US AID programs and assistance. Again, though, more needed to be done, and he noted that the US had a goal of educating more than a million children and youth. USAID, he noted, was also working to create economic opportunities across the country by partnering with Somali businesses to increase productivity, jobs, and incomes.
The Ambassador underlined that good governance, job creation, and education were the keys to peace and prosperity. The US, he said, was supporting the Federal Government and the Federal Member States as they worked together, and with Somalia’s vibrant civil society, to rebuild communities and establish credible governance. He emphasized again that the US was committed to developing a long-term partnership with Somalia, building on successful efforts to combat insecurity and producing sustained prosperity for the Somali people. He said the US would continue to work with the Somali government and international partners, “to harness commitment and motivation to realize the vision of the peaceful and thriving nation that the Somali people deserve”.
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The 43rd World Heritage Committee session in Azerbaijan
Ambassador Henok Teferra, Ambassador of Ethiopia to France and Permanent Delegate of Ethiopia to UNESCO, led the Ethiopian delegation to the recent 43rd World Heritage Committee session in Baku, Azerbaijan (June 30-July 10). Participants included more than 2500 delegates from 180 countries, including ministers, executives, representatives and ambassadors of international organizations in Azerbaijan. The Ethiopian delegation briefed the World Heritage Center and its advisory bodies about the efforts made by Ethiopia for conserving the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, the Axum Obelisks, and the Simien Mountains National Park. It detailed the progress of the process of inscribing the Bale Mountains National Park as a World Heritage Property; the Park is currently inscribed on the tentative list. The Ethiopian and Kenyan delegations also updated the World Heritage Center advisory bodies about the efforts made for conservation in the Lake Turkana National Park.
During the 43rd session, the “Priority Africa: Sustainable Development and World Heritage” agenda attracted the attention of both the African Group and participants from other regions attending the session. Africa faces a dilemma between the development needs and aspirations of rapidly evolving demographics and socio-economic needs and the importance of integrating protection of World Heritage properties with the inclusive and sustainable development needs aligned with the 2030 Agenda and Africa 2063 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The session also stressed the importance of cooperation between State Parties to the Convention and their development partners in mobilizing resources in capacity building to spearhead research into innovative solutions for sustainable development. The aim should be to provide measures at the operational level that could guide and coordinate African State Parties to the World Heritage Convention.
The Committee examined the state of conservation of 166 sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List, 54 of these also figure on the List of World Heritages in Dangers. During this year’s session, the World Heritage Committee added a total of 29 new sites to the World Heritage List, one in Africa, two in the Arab States, ten in the Asia Pacific region, 15 in Europe and North America and one in Latin America.
Earlier this month, the African Union Extraordinary Summit which took place in Niamey endorsed Ethiopia’s candidature for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The Executive Council accepted the endorsement of Ethiopia and Mali as African candidates for the election to be held in November. Ethiopia ratified the World Heritage Convention in July 1977. The next session of the World Heritage Committee will be held in 2020 in the city of Fuzhou in China.
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Ethiopia-Kuwait diplomatic relations “very strong” and “growing steadily”
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kuwait Abdulfatah Abdullahi Hassan, who presented his credentials in January to Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, told the Kuwait Times, he was there to make the life of every Ethiopian in Kuwait more vibrant, and wanted further cooperation and diplomatic and bilateral ties with Kuwait. He said “I was appointed by the government of Ethiopia to assist our compatriots and further strengthen our relationships in all aspects.” Ambassador Abdulfatah said bilateral relations are growing steadily and cordially. He praised the wise leadership of the Amir of Kuwait for the stable political and economic climate, not just in Kuwait but also in other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. He noted Ethiopia had benefitted from the generosity of the Amir, who had financed several infrastructure projects in Addis Ababa including the airport terminal through the Kuwait Fund.
Ambassador Abdulfatah noted Kuwait and Ethiopia shared a lot of common interests in culture, trade and commerce, tourism and manpower. They had a long history of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations just over 50 years ago in 1967. He pointed out Ethiopia was strategically located in the African region, where multinational companies thrive. Geopolitical issues were important for both countries, and both shared common positions in the global affairs of the United Nations and Afro-Arab regional groupings.
The Ambassador detailed the diversification of Ethiopia’s economy and the initiatives of Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy. He noted the World Bank had commended Ethiopia for the creation of jobs and opportunities in the industrial parks, and the foreign direct investment, thanks to reforms including the opening up of the telecom sector. The number of Kuwait investors in Ethiopia was growing, from none in the 1970s to around 21 new licensed investors in agricultural and manufacturing sectors. Ethiopia wanted to attract more Kuwait investment as the country was now very competitive; and its manpower was being trained and prepared for the job market. Ambassador Abdulfatah noted that Ethiopia was renegotiating recruitment of Ethiopian domestic helpers with the Kuwait authorities. He hoped they might sign a bilateral agreement similar to that signed by the Philippines with Kuwait. Ethiopia, he emphasized was in the process of training people so that when they were deployed they would be more effective. The great majority of Ethiopians in Kuwait were engaged in domestic work, but the Ambassador stressed that Ethiopia was also open to sending skilled and semi-skilled workers.
The volume of trade between two countries had been increasing, Ambassador Abdulfatah said, despite the fact that there was no trade protocol between the two countries. The balance of trade was currently very much in favour of Kuwait. Ethiopia imported 100% of its oil and gas products from Kuwait and exported coffee and livestock products. There was a huge disparity, and the Ambassador hoped to see a balance in the future. He also stressed Ethiopia would like to encourage Kuwaiti tourists to visit the ‘Land of Origins’, the cradle of humanity. Ethiopia was only 3.5 hours away from Kuwait. It had fantastic scenery and a number of UNESCO natural and cultural world heritage sites. It embraced all cultures and religions, and was never colonized. Kuwaitis could get visas on arrival in Ethiopia and there were daily flights to and fro Addis Ababa.
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Ethiopia takes part in Global Conference on Media Freedom
More than 1,500 ministers and officials, the diplomatic community, journalists, academics and members of civil society attended the first Global Conference on Media Freedom, held in London last week (July 10-11). Organized by the UK and Canadian governments, the Conference attracted delegations from over 120 countries; Ethiopia was represented by its Ambassador to the UK, Ambassador Fesseha Shawel and Press Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms. Billene Seyoum.
UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, delivered a keynote speech arguing that media freedom was “a universal cause”. He announced the UK would commit £18 million to improving media freedom across the world, with a new Global Media Defence Fund, to be administered by UNESCO, to support, train and provide legal support for journalists in the most dangerous parts of the world. Other measures to help protect journalists included a High Level Legal Panel on Media Freedom, a group to work with governments and other partners to advise on legal measures to allow journalists to do their jobs freely and hold those in power to account.
The UK’s International Development Minister, Ms. Harriet Baldwin, announced a new UK aid package of up to £15 million that will help promote media freedom in developing countries around the world. Ethiopia is one of the countries that will benefit. One element of this will assist independent media outlets to develop better business models, cut production costs and find new funding streams; another will encourage community groups and journalists to work together to develop strong, independent media outlets.
Speaking at the plenary session on the second day of the Conference, UK Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and UNESCO Director-General, Ms. Audrey Azoulay, both commended the “dramatic and courageous reforms” that have taken place in Ethiopia to ensure media freedom. Over the last year, Ethiopia has made spectacular progress in press freedom with many journalists and bloggers released from prison and hundreds of previously banned media outlets allowed to operate freely. In May, the 26th World Press Freedom Day was celebrated in Addis Ababa, reflecting the current social and political transformations in Ethiopia. Speaking on the occasion, President Sahle Work-Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made a commitment to promote and defend press freedom in the country.
The Conference concluded with a pledge by government representatives to work together to protect media freedom. They agreed to speak out and take action together, through a Media Freedom Coalition; to harness the power of diplomatic networks, through a new Media Freedom Contact Group; and reinforce international initiatives to champion media freedom; as well as meet annually to renew their commitments and to address emerging threats and opportunities in regard to Media Freedom.
On the side-lines of the conference, Prime Minister Abiy’s Press Secretary, Ms. Billene met Matt Tee, CEO of the Independent Press Standards Organisation, independent regulator of most UK’s newspapers and magazines. They exchanged views on media freedom and regulations and the need to further enhance cooperation between media regulatory bodies in Ethiopia and the UK. She also met German State Minister, Michelle Müntefering, to discuss Ethiopia’s commitment to the democratisation process, media freedom, ethical journalism, and Germany’s support for the ongoing changes in Ethiopia.
