A Week in the Horn 29.3.2019
News in Brief
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark visits Ethiopia
President Sahle-Work attends the 7th Edition of Africa CEO’s Forum
The 2nd High Level Conference on South-South Cooperation
Dr. Hirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture and Tourism, in the UK
Ethiopian companies hold a round table discussion with German companies
The Commission on the Status of Women’s Conference in New York
News in brief
Africa and the African Union
The 2nd High level Conference on South-South Cooperation, the 40thAnniversary of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA+40), was held in Buenos Aires last week (March 20-22). (See article)
Regional experts held a three-day meeting this week (March 25-27) in Kampala to discuss ways to improve the livelihoods and self-reliance of refugees and host communities. The meeting, attended by IGAD member states, humanitarian agencies, international financial institutions, private sector, and refugee representatives, considered issues linked to economic opportunities, access to support services, and regulatory and policy issues. It produced a report for consideration by an IGAD Ministerial meeting held on Thursday (March 28).
Ethiopia
Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Denmark, Princess Mary Elizabeth arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday (March 25) for a working visit to Ethiopia. During her visit, the Princess met with President Sahle-Work Zewde and other ministers to discuss on ways of further strengthening bilateral relations between `Ethiopia and Denmark as well as empowerment of women and refugees . (See article)
President Sahle-Work headed the Ethiopian delegation to the Africa CEO Forum at the beginning of the week in Kigale, Rwanda. During her visit, President Sahle-Work held talks on bilateral and regional issues with President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She also visited the Kibebe Tsehay Orphanage center in Kigali. (See article)
President Sahle-Work Zewde received the credentials of the newly appointed ambassadors of the UK, the UAE, Chile, Angola, Latvia, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Namibia and Botswana on Thursday (March 28). The President underlined Ethiopia’s keen interest to expand the bilateral relations with their respective countries and the importance of further strengthening trade and investment ties.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Dr. Hirut Kassaw, in the United Kingdom last week visited the British Museum on Wednesday (March 20), and the Victoria and Albert Museum on Thursday (March 21). She called for the return of manuscripts and artifacts from UK Museums to Ethiopia. (See article)
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut Zemene briefed ambassadors accredited to Ethiopia on Wednesday (March 27) on the current situation in the country.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut met an EU delegation, headed by Ambassador John Borgstam, EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, on Tuesday (March 26) to discuss cooperation in regional peace and security, good governance, migration and climate change. Mrs. Hirut underlined Ethiopia’s continued commitment to peace and security in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia and South Sudan. Ambassador Borgstam described Ethiopia as one of the EU’s most important partners in Africa. Ethiopia and the EU can look back on over 40 years of constructive bilateral relations in development, trade and economic links, consolidation of democratic institutions, and regional peace and security.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut met Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ms. Ulla Tornaes, on Thursday (March 28). Ms. Tornaes, commended Ethiopia’s reform agenda, and underlined the growing interest of Danish companies to invest in Ethiopia.
The Embassy of Canada in Addis Ababa held a special ceremony to plant trees in remembrance of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 victims on Tuesday (March 26). Ambassador Mahlet Hailu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered condolences on behalf of the people and government of Ethiopia to the people and government of Canada and to the families of the 18 Canadian citizens who lost their lives. Ato Melaku Bedada, Director General of the Americas and Ato Nebiat Getachew, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended the memorial service.
World Bank Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu visited Ethiopia this week. The visit is part of the World Bank Group’s effort to further strengthen its partnership with Ethiopia. The Vice-President held meetings with government officials including the Minister of Finance to discuss further ways of enhancing their working relationship between the Government of Ethiopia and the World Bank Group. She also visited World Bank financed projects including the Bole Lemi Industrial Park and the Modjo Dry Port and met with beneficiaries of the Women Entrepreneurship Development Project.
Commissioner Abebe Abebayehu of the Ethiopian Investment Commission said this week that the reforms in Ethiopia had been instrumental in improving Foreign Direct Investment. Multi-sector reform was catching the attention of investors and he noted the strengthening of diplomatic relations with several countries in recent months as one of the reasons. Others were the decision by the government to privatize state-owned companies, the introduction of institutional reforms and the inauguration of newly constructed industrial parks. The Government of Ethiopia has recently established a steering committee led by the Prime Minister to further increase the inflow of FDI by tackling challenges and facilitating processes.
A Seminar on “Border Security, Integration & Development in the Horn of Africa: Trials and Errors” was held in Addis Ababa at the Hilton Hotel on Monday (March 25). The seminar was part of the Diplomacy Hub, a monthly seminar organized by the Foreign Relations Strategic Information Resources Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Professor Harry Verhoeven from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University in Doha, Qatar, made the keynote presentation.
Ethiopia launched an updated version of its National Electrification Program (NEP 2) at the ‘Africa Energy Forum: Off the Grid’ and ‘Regional Energy Co-operation Summit’ meeting in Addis Ababa on Wednesday (March 27). The NEP aims to achieve universal access by 2025 offering targets and timetables and a sector-wide approach for the coordination of activities and harmonization of sector planning for electrification. It also aims to further attract private sector participation and investments in renewable energy.
Eritrea
Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is visiting Japan this week (March 25-29) at the invitation of the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He will be holding talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. Minister Saleh visited Japan in 2008 when he attended the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV).
This year’s three-day meeting of Expanded Program on Immunization (EP1) managers for East and Southern Africa was held in Asmara last week (March 18-20), under the theme: “Protected Together: Vaccines Work”. Representatives from 20 countries shared technical and professional experiences and discussed the development of immunization plans, the status of vaccination programs and regional developments as well as the role of the community and the introduction of new vaccination programs.
Kenya
President Kenyatta welcomed President Museveni on a state visit to Kenya on Wednesday (March 27), and President Museveni has become the first foreign head of state to travel by train on the Chinese-funded railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi. Mr. Museveni said the railway line had ended landlocked Uganda’s “perennial problems of delays” of cargo at the port of Mombasa, and he hoped that it would be extended to reach Uganda’s capital, Kampala. He said Uganda was looking forward to the extension of the standard gauge railway to Kampala.
Somalia
President Mohamed Abdullahi opened the 5th session of the Federal Parliament after a two month recess on Wednesday (March 27). He called on both the Senate and the Lower House, to redouble their efforts to prepare for one person, one vote polls in 2020, and for a united front against extremist groups. He noted the changes made in the security sector with a biometric registration process to improve the payment system for the armed forces. He underlined his government’s economic progress and emphasized the country has qualified for the IMF debt relief program. He also stressed the government was doing its best to deal with challenges and urged parliament to speed up approval of laws submitted by the cabinet.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday (March 28) adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) for another year. Under Resolution 2461, UNSOM will continue to provide strategic support and advice to the federal government of Somalia and to the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on peace-building and state-building, working for the delivery of “inclusive, peaceful, free and fair one-person-one-vote elections in 2020/2021”.
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre convened meeting on Saturday (March 23) with envoys from the African Union, Britain, the European Union and the United States. Vowing to step up efforts against terrorism after two attacks in Mogadishu, he urged the international community to support Mogadishu in its stabilization efforts. The meeting considered military support and strategies for countering terrorism and threats posed by Al-Shabaab and discussed strategies for recapturing Al-Shabaab strongholds.
An intelligence and information sharing conference aimed at enhancing collaboration among various security actors in Somalia was held on Monday and Tuesday this week (March 25-26) Organized by AMISOM with the support of the United Kingdom Mission Support Team, it discussed intelligence gathering and the effect on security. AMISOM Military Intelligence Officers, representatives of the Somali National Security Forces and other key stakeholders attended.
South Sudan
The Technical Boundary Committee has handed over its report to the IGAD Special Envoy Ismail Wais in Juba on Tuesday (March 26). The Committee had to define and demarcate the tribal areas of South Sudan as they stood on January 1 1956. The report will be communicated to the Independent Boundaries Committee and the Referendum Commission on Number and Boundaries of States to serve as the basis for formulation of the question for the referendum on the number and boundaries of States in South Sudan.
Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth said on Monday (March 25) said that Qatar had expressed readiness to cooperate with South Sudan in the development of oil and gas fields. Mr. Gatkuoth met Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, in Doha for talks on exploration, oil recovery production, capacity building for engineers and cooperation over the oil and gas sector. South Sudan officials say only 12% of the country oil’s reserves have been explored. Mr. Gatkuoth also met with Qatar National Bank officials to discuss ways to fund oil development and infrastructure projects.
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Crown Princess Mary of Denmark visits Ethiopia
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark visited Ethiopia this week (March 25-27). She was accompanied by the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Ms. Ulla Tørnæs. The Crown Princess met and held talks with President Sahle-Work Zewde as well as the Minister of Women, Children and Youth, Mrs. Yalem Tsegaye, and Dr. Fitsum Assefa, Minister of Planning and Development Commission. Discussions covered Danish-Ethiopian cooperation programs and bilateral relations. This is the second visit of Crown Princess Mary to Ethiopia.
One of the key aspects of her visit revolved around the Ethiopian government’s ambitious targets in terms of reform, especially the empowerment of women. The Danish delegation witnessed this in its meetings with female decision-makers, officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs. In Addis Ababa, the Crown Princess met women officials at the Ethiopian parliament, visited St. Paul’s Hospital and toured the new Michu fertility and clinic. She praised ongoing developments in the health sector of the country, especially family planning services and works on reducing mothers and children mortality. Denmark is giving 20 million kroner for internally displaced people in the Somali Regional State to provide better access to reproductive health services.
Crown Princess Mary is Patron of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, “to support the agency’s work to promote maternal health and safer motherhood in more than 150 developing nations”.
The Crown Princess also focused on the refugee situation in Ethiopia which hosts one of Africa’s biggest refugee populations. She and Minister Tørnæs visited a refugee reception center in Shire Endaselassie, in Tigray regional state, as well as a home for unaccompanied minors and a local school all built using Danish aid funds. They also visited a centre for women who are victims of human trafficking and enter into discussions that focus on stability, irregular migration and the green transition. In fact, Ethiopia and Denmark collaborate closely on migration issues through the Valletta action plan, Common Agendas for Migration and Mobility (CAMM), the Khartoum process and Horn of Africa Initiatives. Ethiopia works very closely with UNHCR on this issue and has launched its Comprehensive Refugees Response Framework this year.
Ethiopia and Denmark have a long-standing history of development cooperation. UN Secretary-General Guterres has asked Denmark to take the lead on greening the energy sector following the success of the P4G-summit in Copenhagen last year. Denmark cooperates with Ethiopia in Sustainable Energy for All, sharing experiences and solutions on access to energy and sustainable transitions to renewable, efficient energy. The two countries are mutually committed to the global agenda on climate change and green growth and both countries are founders of the P4G initiative (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals). The government of Denmark has approved concessional loans of 161.4 million Euro to finance the Assela wind farm (100 MW) in an agreement in May last year. A grant agreement amounting to 28 million DKK (approximately 4.5million USD), was signed in December 2016, and is being used to support the effort of diversifying power generation from renewable sources and increase climate resilience.
Denmark launched a first five year (2018-2022) country strategy program with Ethiopia last year, setting aside 1 billion kroner (US$150 million) in aid to help promote democracy, fight poverty and create sustainable growth in Ethiopia. Engineer Sileshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity and Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Ms. Tørnæs, signed an agreement expanding the Danish-Ethiopian strategic sector cooperation and partnership on energy in October 2018. This allows the “Accelerating Wind Power Generation” program which started in 2017 to run to the end of 2020, and Denmark has increased financial support to the program with another 7 million kroner for sustainable development with modern wind energy.
According to the Ethiopian Investment Commission there are 72 Danish investment projects with a total capital of 75 million birr in Ethiopia. Ethiopia would like to see more Danish companies invest in Ethiopia particularly in the manufacturing sector so they could produce export-oriented products manufactured in Ethiopia. It also believes there is room for a considerable increase in trade as well. Total trade in 2017 was only worth US$23.4 million of which Ethiopian exports were worth no more than US$1.3 million
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President Sahle-Work attends the 7th Edition of Africa CEO’s Forum
Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde attended the 7th Africa CEO’s Forum (ACF) in Kigali, Rwanda this week. The Forum is the leading and largest international conference dedicated to the private sector in Africa and it hosted more than 1800 leading CEOs, international investors, experts and high-level policymakers from the continent and beyond on Monday and Tuesday this week (March 25-26). The Forum was opened by President Kagame of Rwanda, and attendees included the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé as well as thirty ministers.
It was the first time the Forum, now in its seventh year, met in East Africa and Amir Ben Yahmed, the President of the Africa CEO Forum and Managing Director of Jeune Afrique Media Group, underlined that economic integration is not an opportunity but rather a necessity which cannot happen without the private sector.
This year’s theme was “The role of leadership and the private sector to realize African’s transformation in the years ahead.”It aimed to draw insights from the East African Community, widely considered the most successful regional model, and to consider what a united Africa must do to better protect its interests and industries. Concomitantly, it allowed influential business leaders in the continent to raise their voices in light of emerging intra-continental trade in Africa and the move towards African Continental free Trade Agrea. President Sahle-Work told the Forum that there was no better alternative for African economic integration other than the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives approved the membership of Ethiopia in the AfCFTA last week, bringing the number of ratifications across the continent to 21. The Agreement needs 22 ratifications to be implemented.
The Africa CEO Forum promotes success stories of the African private sector, offering a high-level platform for dialogue on the development of African enterprise and markets. Debates and discussions were structured around a series of workshops and seminars, and projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars were proposed to funders during the Forum. Dozens of companies presented development plans requiring funding of between $5million and $20million.
The International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s private-sector arm, attended as it did last year, and Serge Pimenta, IFC’s Vice-president in charge of Africa and the Middle East said: “Through the quality of its participants, the ACF is an excellent tool to advance the reforms the continent needs for its development.”
The ACF always makes a number of awards to recognize the outstanding performance of business leaders, companies and investors in Africa. This year Ethiopian Airlines won the African Champion of the Year award. According to the statement, the airline won for its intra-African partnerships, reaching 40 countries on the continent. The award was received by the airline’s CEO Tewolde Gebremariam who promised “to keep up the good work for the good of the African continent.” In his acceptance speech, referring to fatal crash of Ethiopian Airlines ET 302 Boeing 737 on its way from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, he also thanked “everyone who has supported us after the tragic accident that happened two weeks ago.” Other awards were given for the International Company of the Year (Engie Africa); 2019 African CEO of the Year (Mohamed el Kettani of Morocco); Disrupter of the Year (Nigeria’s logistics company, Kobo 360).
At its last Forum in Abidjan, ACF launched a network dedicated to women leaders. Three hundred members have already joined; and this year it also made a Gender Leader of the Year Award (Access Bank, Nigeria) for the company that showed the strongest initiatives for the promotion of female leadership, particularly at the executive level. It also announced this year an “online and offline” network that will bring together ACF participants throughout the year.
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The 2nd High Level Conference on South-South Cooperation
The 2nd High level Conference on South-South Cooperation, the 40thAnniversary of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA+40) last week (March 20-22). All UN Member States, United Nations specialized agencies and other entities of the United Nations system and intergovernmental organizations with observer status participated. South-South Cooperation, technical cooperation among developing countries in the Global South, allows states, international organizations, academics, civil society and the private sector to collaborate and share knowledge, skills and successful initiatives in specific areas, including agricultural development, human rights, urbanization, health, and climate change. It functions by employing experts from the South, sharing best practices, and developing a sense of ownership of the development process in the South.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres reminded participants that the BAPA+40 Conference would enhance the ground-breaking agenda laid out at the first conference 40 years before when the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (BAPA) was adopted. `The Conference provided the opportunity to recommit, develop and strengthen frameworks for South-South cooperation, between the developing countries of the Global South, as well as improve systems and tools, increase transparency, and strengthen accountability. He said South-South Cooperation could support the transformation of economies dependent on fossil fuels, with strategies that reinforced both sustainable development and environmental protection.
Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Program and Secretary-General of the Conference said that BAPA had transformed the dynamics of international cooperation and highlighted the value of different forms of cooperation, based on the exchange of knowledge and appropriate technologies among nations facing similar development challenges. Cooperation, he said, could enable developing countries to learn from each other and grow more quickly, close income gaps and build inclusive, resilient societies.
Mrs. Fortuna Debaco, Director-General of International Organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed the Ethiopian delegation to the Conference. Her statement to the conference underlined the great importance Ethiopia attached to South-South Cooperation. It firmly recognized the role of the South-South Cooperation in promoting economic transformation by sharing knowledge, skills, experience and innovation. Indeed, the promotion of South- South investment was an imperative to promote broader goals for long-term economic growth to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mrs. Fortuna noted the importance of the recently concluded African Continental Free Trade Agreement which Ethiopia ratified this week. This requires the relevant United Nations organs to continue providing their support to developing countries in deepening and enlarging South-South trade, regional economic integration and cooperation arrangements. Similarly, she underlined the necessity of reinvigorating the United Nations Development system in supporting and promoting South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation provides the collaboration through which traditional donor countries and multilateral organizations facilitate South-South initiatives by provision of funding, training, management and technological systems, as well as other forms of support.
The Conference assembly adopted an outcome document which recognized the contribution of South-South and Triangular Cooperation to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It underlined the need for eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, and shared a comprehensive vision of development, including economic, social and environmental aspects. A summary by Secretary-General Achim Steiner said the Conference had launched the necessary momentum and provided a roadmap for South-South and Triangular cooperation. Reflecting on the changes that had taken place in the global economy, in development, and in human wellbeing since the signing of first BAPA 40 years ago, it said it was clear there were no limits to what could be achieved when South-South forces were combined. The forging of new partnerships for current and future concerted efforts provided as spectrum for available opportunities.
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Dr. Hirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture and Tourism, in the UK
Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Dr. Hirut Kassaw, concluded her visit to the United Kingdom last week with calls for the return of manuscripts and artifacts from UK Museums to Ethiopia. She visited the British Museum on Wednesday (March 20), and the Victoria and Albert Museum on Thursday (March 21).
In talks with the British Museum’s Director, Dr. Hartwig Fischer, and other officials, the Minister welcomed the Museum’s offer to renew the previous relationship it shared with the National Museum of Ethiopia. She extended an official invitation to the Director and his team to explore further opportunities for cooperation. The Minister, who viewed some of the Museum’s extensive Ethiopian manuscript collection, now being digitalized, formally requested their return to Ethiopia. She also requested the Museum to return 11 replica Arks of the Covenant, taken after the Battle of Maqdala. These are currently in store at the British Museum. The Minister stressed: “The Arks act as spiritual anchors for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and are more than just artifacts.” She urged the Museum’s Trustees to act on the request and allow the Arks to return to serve Orthodox believers in Ethiopia as soon as possible.
At the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Minister accompanied by Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the UK, Ambassador Fesseha Shawel and the Director of the National Museum of Ethiopia, Efrem Amare, visited the “Maqdala 1868” exhibition, which opened a year ago. During discussions with the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dr. Tristram Hunt, the Minister reiterated her call for all British institutions holding Maqdala artifacts to return them to Ethiopia where they hold far more significance. She emphasized that these artifacts were a vital source of knowledge, culture and wisdom. Once returned, they could provide foundations to drive the future development of Ethiopia. Dr. Hirut said the handover ceremony for the locks of hair of Emperor Tewodros II a day earlier was “a new birth in the relations between Ethiopia and the United Kingdom.” She added: “In the same vein, it is my belief that the return of these precious objects of ‘Ethiopian-ness’ by the Victoria and Albert can act as another special day in the history of our relations.”
The Museum Director, Dr. Hunt, said he sincerely hoped to see these artifacts on display in Ethiopia soon, but said the biggest obstacle to this was the present status of the law in the UK which prohibits restitution. He did, however, commit the Museum to continue consultations with the Minister, her team and the Embassy.
As we noted last week, Dr. Hirut received the locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II, at a ceremony at the National Army Museum. The hair had been taken from his body after the Emperor committed suicide rather than surrender to the invading British army in April 1868 at the battle of Maqdala. Dr. Hirut also visited the resting place of the remains of Prince Alemayehu, son of Emperor Tewodros II, at Windsor where she laid a wreath, and repeated Ethiopia’s request for the remains of Prince Alemayehu to be repatriated to Ethiopia.
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Ethiopian companies hold a round table discussion with German companies
A round table discussion was held between Ethiopian and German Business companies in Berlin on Thursday last week (March 21). The discussion brought together representatives of both business communities to exchange views and look at existing and new business opportunities. The event was organized by “AfrikaVereinDerDeuschenWirtschaft” in collaboration with Ethiopian Embassy in Berlin following inquiries by the German Business Group on the current political and economic environment in Ethiopia following the recent rapid reforms as well as current business opportunities in Ethiopia. The Embassy has briefed the German Business Group on the political reforms, the economic opening up and the process of privatization of public owned enterprises. It also provided information on the measures being taken by the Government to ease doing business in Ethiopia.
The Deputy Head of the Mission in Germany, Mrs. Mulu Worku, also held fruitful discussions with Ethiopia’s Honorary Consuls in Bremen and Hamburg, Mr. Thomas Gerkmann and Mr. Heinrich Köhler. The Embassy thanked both Honorary Consuls for their commendable work in promoting trade, investment and enhancing Ethiopia’s image as well as protecting the rights of the Ethiopian Diaspora in their respective regions. The two Honorary Consuls expressed their commitment to working with the embassy through exchanging information, organizing events, and holding meetings to assess progress. Mrs. Mulu stressed that the Embassy would provide all necessary support for the work of the Honorary Consuls.
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The Commission on the Status of Women’s Conference in New York
An Ethiopian delegation headed by The Minister of Women, Children and Youth, Mrs. Yalem Tsegaye, headed the Ethiopian delegation to the annual conference of the Commission on the Status of Women held in New York (March 11-22). The Conference was held under the theme: “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls”. The Commission on the Status of Women, a Commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, set up in 1946, is a global policy-making body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. Its mandate covers preparation of recommendations for promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social as well as educational fields. In her key note remarks, Mrs. Yalem highlighted Ethiopia’s considerable efforts dedicated to setting up social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and empowerment of women and girls at grassroots levels.
The Ministry of Women Children and Youth, through Ethiopia’s Mission in New York, in collaboration with UNIDO, Partner for Change, UN WOMEN, UNFPA, UNICEF and other stakeholders also organized two side events. One focused on the required sustainable infrastructure to unleash the potential of Ethiopian women and girls showing Ethiopia’s best practice in the contribution of health extension services, the development of child care centers in public institutions, and hostel facilities for rural girls as well as the development of one stop, rehabilitation and training centers for survivors of gender based violence in regard to women and girls’ empowerment in Ethiopia. The second event, “Beyond 50/50”, recognized the role and contribution of women in paid and unpaid work, and detailed the setting up of Jegnit (“She, the Brave One”), a new national campaign launched to support the empowerment of women in Ethiopia.
