A Week in the Horn 21.6.2019
News in Brief
IGAD Council of Ministers meets to consider the situation in Sudan and South Sudan
The 50th anniversary of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention and World Refugee Day
The World Bank’s IDA 19th Replenishment Meeting takes place in Addis Ababa
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa visits Somalia
Ethiopia and Eritrea honored with the “Luxembourg Peace Award”
Ethiopia attends a UNESCO Disaster Risk Workshop in Kenya
Ethiopia: a starting point for Korean investment in Africa
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya on the need to empower youth for development
News in Brief
Africa and the African Union
IGAD convened an Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers meeting in Addis Ababa on Wednesday (June 19) to discuss the situation in Sudan and to consider the implementation of the revitalized peace process in South Sudan. (See article)
World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20 and this year it coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the adoption of the 1969 OAU Refugees Convention, and with the choice of the 32nd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in February of its theme for 2019: “Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa.” (See article)
An AU Ministerial meeting chaired by Egypt met to discuss Sudan at AU Headquarters on Friday (June 21).
Ethiopia
President Sahle-Work Zewde opened the second International Development Association (IDA) replenishment meeting in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. She noted IDA assistance to Ethiopia’s agriculture and the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) had brought remarkable results. IDA provided $5 billion for Ethiopia in grants and credits for 2017-2019. Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, noted the World Bank was Ethiopia’s largest development financier and was providing support to the ongoing reforms. The three-day meeting targets to raise $80 billion, most of which would be channelled to the Horn and Sub-Saharan Africa.(See article)
President Sahle-Work held talks with Kristalina Georgieva, Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank during the IDA meeting. The President thanked the World Bank for its continued support to Ethiopia’s development. Ms. Georgieva, who said the World Bank was financing more than 13 billion birr of development projects in Ethiopia, pledged that the bank would continue supporting Ethiopia in various sectors.(See article)
President Sahle-Work opened the first ever Water and Energy Week in Ethiopia on Monday (June 17), emphasizing the need to have Cultural Revolution to deter problems related to hygiene and sanitation in both rural and urban areas. She underlined the government’s efforts to increase access to water and energy to foster socio-economic development. The President also held talks with Tim Wainwright, CEO of the UK’s Water Aid, which is working to support government efforts to widen access to pure water, sanitation and hygiene.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed met Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Head of Political Affairs and Presidential Advisor, Yemane Gebreab, on Wednesday (June 19). They reflected on the milestones achieved over the past year in ceasing of hostilities and discussed the next steps to be taken to further strengthen the relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy met with Italy’s Vice Foreign Minister Emanuela C. Del Re on Thursday (June 20). According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Vice Foreign Minister is currently in Ethiopia as part of a delegation that will visit the Axum obelisks to elaborate on strategies related to restoration works. Ms. Del Re conveyed Italy’s continued support to Ethiopia in various areas. The delegation she is leading will also be determining support to build the technical and human capacity of Ethiopia in its readiness to effectively respond to natural disasters.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Markos Tekle met with State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Audun Halvorsen on Wednesday (June 19). Mr. Halvorsen noted that Norway was a strong development partner of Ethiopia; he commended Ethiopia’s reform agenda and promised Norwegian support.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Aklilu Hailemichael met the President of the World Investment News Inc, Pascal Belda, on Wednesday (June 19). Discussions covered ways to promote Ethiopia’s investment potential and tourist attractions to the rest of the world.
Ambassador Mahlet Hailu, Permanent Secretary to Europe, America, Asia and Multilateral Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Alfredo Ramos Gonzalez, Columbia’s Foreign Affairs Director for Asia, Africa and Oceania on Wednesday (June 19) to discuss bilateral issues as well as necessary preparations for the opening of a Colombian embassy in Addis Ababa.
Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide and World Bank Country Director to Ethiopia Ms. Carolyn Turk signed agreement for a $500 million grant to finance the implementation of climate action through a landscape management program aimed at increasing adoption of sustainable land management practices and expanding access to secure land tenure in non-rangeland rural areas of the country. Ms. Turk said the project was expected to benefit rural households living on degraded land and would support around 5,000 localities in Ethiopia’s highlands.
Ambassador Zenebe Kebede, Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organization’s in Switzerland is elected as Chairperson of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee on Program and Finance which was held on Wednesday (June 19) in Geneva, Switzerland. The candidature was presented by Namibia which secured unanimous support from the Member States.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Algeria, Ambassador Amin Abdulkadir presented his credentials to the Algeria’s Interim President, Abdelkader Bensalah. The Ambassador noted that the growing strategic partnership between Ethiopia and Algeria and importance of strengthening bilateral ties in trade, investment, and tourism. President Bensalah said the opening of an Ethiopian embassy in Algiers was vital to advance African unity, and expressed Algeria’s keenness to scale up existing bilateral cooperation.
Ethiopia and the UNDP on Tuesday (June 18) signed a $40 million project document to strengthen democracy and hold credible elections. $34.6 million is pledged to be funded by development partners, $2 million will come from UNDP itself and $3.3 million will be mobilized during the project period.
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, visiting Ethiopia this week, noted Ethiopia’s strong record of welcoming refugees, hosting over 900,000. He said: “We need a 180-degree shift in attitudes. Wealthier nations must share the heavy cost, dig deep and support generous countries like Ethiopia to ease the human suffering of millions fleeing from conflict worldwide.” World Refugee Day was celebrated on Thursday (June 20).
The International Telecommunication Union Council, meeting in Geneva has announced that Ethiopia will host the 2021 World Telecommunication Development Conference. The conference, held every four years, is expected to be attended by 5,000 delegates. The last conference was held in Buenos Aires.
At this week’s Paris Airshow, Ethiopian Airlines was given the most prestigious award in the airline industry: Skytrax- Best Airline in Africa.
Kenya
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew met and held discussions with Minster of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, Dr. Monica Juma on Thursday (June 20). The two sides discussed at length on ways and means of further strengthening the longstanding bilateral ties between Ethiopia and Kenya. The two ministers have also underlined the importance of working more closely on multilateral platforms including IGAD, African Union and the United Nations.
Somalia
Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled opened the four-day Diaspora conference in Istanbul at the end of last week. He said it was important for the Diaspora to increase their role in rebuilding the country, in trade and in local development.
The 3rd International Somali Global Diaspora Conference ended in Istanbul on Monday (June 17). The three-day conference brought together Somalis from around the world and from all professions, including artists, activists, businessmen, doctors, religious leaders, philanthropists, and diplomats. The conference was attended by former president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. UNDP estimates that Somalis in Europe and North America send home close to $1.6 billion a year, helping to play a major role in the state-building process, conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance and mitigation of the impacts of drought and famine.
The United States has announced it is reopening the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Somalia, closed in January 1991. On Monday (June 17), USAID also announced nearly $185 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Somalia, to mitigate food insecurity and malnutrition, as well as delivering safe water and emergency health care services to people affected by conflict and prolonged drought. Abdirahman Omar Osman (Engineer Yarisow), Mayor of Mogadishu and Governor of Benadir Region, said the restoration of the USAID office in Mogadishu was proof of the deepening ties between Somalia and the United States, and a testament to the progress and development of Mogadishu.
AMISOM organized a four-day workshop this week on electoral security and dispute resolution for senior Somali government officials involved in election planning and management. The workshop held in Kampala aimed to develop a common strategy on how to organize and manage Somalia’s next elections to ensure they are peaceful, credible and inclusive. The National Independent Electoral Commission chairperson, Halima Ismail Ibrahim, stressed security would be a major factor in Somalia’s quest to achieve universal adult suffrage in the next election.
South Sudan
The Interim Chair of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Ambassador Njoroge, told the Monthly Plenary of the RJMEC in Juba on Tuesday (June 18) that the African Union High-Level Ad hoc Committee for South Sudan, the C5, (South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda) will provide support for implementation of security arrangements particularly cantonment of forces. He said the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission (JMCC) had conducted assessment visits to cantonment sites and trained personnel to operate the sites. The Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) has taken the planning process forward; and the Area Joint Military Ceasefire Committee (AJMCC) and the Joint Monitoring Ceasefire Teams (JMCTs) were operational. Ambassador Njoroge urged the Security Mechanisms to open the cantonment sites and ensure that all forces report to the designated sites.
Sudan
The Force Commander of UNAMID, Lieutenant General Leonard Muriuki Ngondi of Kenya briefed the UN Security Council on Tuesday this week (June 18) on cooperation with the Government of Sudan. He said the country’s difficult times since December 2018 had an impact on the closure and handover of team sites for civilian use; however, the government had assured UNAMID of cooperation to facilitate operations and provide a smooth exit in 2020. The drawdown, closure of team sites and handover to the Government was proceeding in a timely manner. He also updated the Council on UNAMID’s protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, on the mediation between the Government and non-signatory armed movements, and its support for mediation of intercommunal conflict.
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IGAD Council of Ministers meets to consider the situation in Sudan and South Sudan
IGAD convened an Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers meeting in Addis Ababa on Wednesday (June 19) to discuss the situation in Sudan and to consider the implementation of the revitalized peace process in South Sudan. The meeting was chaired by Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew, Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers. It was attended by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Djibouti; Dr Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Kenya; Ahmed Isse Awad, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia; Nhial Deng Nhial, Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Sudan; Ambassador Elham Ibrahim Ahmed, Acting Foreign Minister of the Sudan; Henry Okello Oryem, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda; Mrs. Hirut Zemene, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia; and Ambassador Tom Amolo, Political and Diplomatic Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya. Others attending included; Siraj Fegessa, IGAD Director for Peace and Security; Dr Ismael Wais, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan; Dr. Mohamed Ali Guyo, IGAD Special Envoy for Somalia, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden; and Lt General Njoroge, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission for South Sudan as well as representatives of the UN, the European Union, IGAD Partners Forum, the Troika (Norway, UK and USA), and China. Speakers in the closed session included Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir, Special Envoy of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy to the Sudan and Professor Mohamed El-Hacen Lebatt, Special Advisor of the Chairperson of AU Commission.
In opening the session, Foreign Minister Gedu noted the importance of encouraging the Sudanese stakeholders to return to negotiation and finalize their discussions on the remaining outstanding issues with a view to ensuring a smooth and peaceful transition to respond to the needs and aspirations of the Sudanese people. Stakeholders must negotiate in good faith and a spirit of compromise. It was crucial the unity of both sides was maintained and that every effort should be made to accommodate the views and aspirations of all Sudanese. International convergence was also important. He said the session offered the opportunity to IGAD to work to enhance the efforts of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and the deployment of a Special Envoy to assist the parties reach a peaceful solution. He called on Sudanese stakeholders to refrain from inflammatory statements and de-escalate tensions. On South Sudan, Foreign Minister Gedu underlined the importance of taking all necessary steps to accelerate the implementation of the pending tasks within the extended non-renewable timeline in South Sudan’s peace process. He said the Council could not afford to overlook the situation in South Sudan or allow any relapse. It should continue to encourage the parties to remain committed to implementing the agreement they signed and provide all necessary support in this regard.
After extensive deliberations on the situation in the Sudan, the Council called on the Transitional Military Council to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further loss of lives and on all other parties to avoid actions to escalate tensions. It called on actors to conduct themselves in the spirit of compromise and refrain from any act of violence as while working towards the timely formation of a mutually acceptable civilian-led transitional government. It commended the initiative of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to mediate between the Transitional Military Council and the Forces for Freedom and Change and supported the continued engagement of Special Envoy Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir in the process. It also commended the work of the Special Advisor of the AU Commission chairperson.
In the communique on its deliberations, the Council appreciated the progress in the negotiations between the two sides but underlined the urgent need to reinstate order and ensure stability in the Sudan. It expressed concern over the interference of other external actors and proliferation of initiatives. It called for all external actors to rally behind the IGAD and AU mediation process and for all IGAD Member States to make maximum efforts towards bringing lasting peace. The Council said it was committed to bring all actors in the Sudan together urgently, to solve differences and ensure an all-inclusive, Sudanese-led process to resolve the situation in the Sudan. It said it would assume a leading role to coordinate all efforts to bring about sustainable peace and called on the international community to support the IGAD initiative. It also decided to coordinate efforts with the Special Advisor of the Chairperson of AU Commission on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity, to ensure coherence and synergy between IGAD and the AU Commission in the spirit of African solutions to African problems.
The Council also considered the status of implementation of the pre-transition tasks for the peace process in South Sudan. It considered the report of the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan and heard a statement of the Interim Chairperson of R-JMEC. It noted the positive developments in the implementation of the R-ARCSS and calls on all Parties to the Agreement to continue their engagement. It endorsed recommendations of the Special Envoy and the R-JMEC Interim Chairperson and called on the Government of South Sudan and all Parties to the Agreement to provide special protection to women and girls. It reiterated the importance of the special role of women in the peace process. It urged the Government of South Sudan to disburse urgently the pledged funds for implementation of pending tasks, and noted the progress in implementing the pledges of IGAD Member States, of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to provide logistical and technical support to the cantonment process. It called on the international community to reinforce their support for peace process.
The Council finally considered the report of the IGAD Special Envoy for Somalia, Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden following the Council session in February in Djibouti. It appreciated the Special Envoy’s work and commended the Secretariat for the support given to the Special Envoy and the IGAD Task Force on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It welcomed the synergy created by coordination between IGAD and the AU.
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The 50th anniversary of the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention and World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20 and this year it coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the adoption of the 1969 OAU Refugees Convention, and with the choice of the 32nd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in February of its theme for 2019: “Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa.” To promote and raise support for the theme the AU also appointed the President of Equatorial Guinea, President Theodoro Obiang Nguema as the theme’s Champion. President Nguema arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday this week making a state visit to Ethiopia as well as taking part in the occasion of World Refugee Day. He also took part in the commemorative meeting for the 50th anniversary of the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems.
President Sahle-Work Zewde, addressing the meeting to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the OAU Refugees Convention, thanked President Nguema for his wise political leadership and relentless efforts in carrying out his crucial responsibility as champion of the AU theme for 2019, as well as for his visit to the Tsore Refugee Camp in Assosa, which houses over 14000 refugees. President Sahle-Work pointed out that this commemoration of the OAU Convention was the more significant because this year was also the AU’s “Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”. It provided an opportunity, she said, to take stock of the past, assess present conditions and define the future direction on the situation of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.
President Sahle-Work noted that what made the 1969 OAU Convention special was that it had been meticulously drafted to govern specific aspects of the refugee problem in Africa. It provided a framework for a humanitarian response to the problem of refugees in Africa and was a collective decision of Member States to receive, host and protect refugees. It was a concrete demonstration of the commitment of Africans to respond to all refugees without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, nationality or political opinion. She stressed Ethiopia’s long history of hosting refugees, currently hosting over 900,000 largely from the immediate neighborhood, noting that it had been given the award of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in April this year. She also noted Ethiopia had taken important steps to respect the needs of refugees by advocating its out-of-Camp policy and recently adopting a legal regime to improve the dignity of refugees and reduce dependency on handouts. It allowed refugees to obtain work permits, access primary education, obtain drivers’ licenses, legally register life events and access financial services. Ethiopia was, she added, also working with all stakeholders to give hope to refugees and irregular migrants by building industrial parks that would provide employment opportunities to refugees and host communities.
President Sahle-Work said it was important that African countries made every effort to provide better treatment for refugees and other migrants in line with traditional African hospitality. The mechanisms adopted would have full meaning if refugees felt safe and could get the right treatment in each other’s territories. This was particularly important as the overwhelming majority of African refugees and migrants remain within Africa. She stressed the need to strengthen unity in advancing the causes of Africa in multilateral and other fora concerned with migration and refugee protection. A unified African position would go a long way to address the root causes, including conflict, climate change and poverty, and to mitigate the problem, providing for humane treatment and sufficient protection for refugees and migrants.
President Sahle-Work concluded by reassuring the audience that Ethiopia would continue to make every effort within the African framework and with all relevant stakeholders to address all aspects of the issue of refugees and irregular migrants.
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The World Bank’s IDA 19th Replenishment Meeting takes place in Addis Ababa
The Nineteenth International Development Association (IDA 19) replenishment meeting took place in Addis Ababa this week (June 17-20). The World Bank’s IDA partners meet every three years to review IDA’s policies and replenish IDA funds with contributions from developed and developing country donors, as well as from two other agencies of the World Bank Group: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation. To ensure that IDA’s policies are responsive to country needs and circumstances, representatives of borrower countries from each IDA region take part in the replenishment negotiations. The IDA 19 replenishment cycle concludes with a financing package for the fiscal years 2021-2023.Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Chief Executive of the World Bank told reporters that the meeting was taking place in Addis Ababa because of the country’s performance.
The meeting was opened by President Sahle-Work Zewde who commended the IDA for its life-changing assistance to Ethiopia. She said its assistance to Ethiopia’s agriculture and the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) had brought remarkable results. Ethiopia’s progress and achievements had been possible because of the sound and appropriate policies adopted by the government with the firm support of development partners, of which the IDA has been the largest. But, there is a long way to go to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. Improved progress on the 2030 agenda and the goals of reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity require significantly more mobilization of finance and stronger global partnerships. The IDA remains a reliable and stable source of affordable funding to improve the wellbeing of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. IDA countries rely on IDA’s timely initiatives, catalytic resources, technical support, and capacity building to transform their economies. Robust Replenishment of IDA19 offers a significant opportunity for development partners to recommit themselves to the eradication of poverty and the promotion of shared prosperity. The President said it was her firm belief that with the concerted effort of IDA donors, beneficiary countries, committed global leaders, and institutions such as the World Bank, substantial progress would be made.
The IDA has committed over $20 billion to more than 70 projects in Ethiopia since 1991, working to promote economic growth and address systemic poverty challenges. Current IDA financing in Ethiopia has net commitments of nearly $11.6 billion.IDA resources have been instrumental for the gains Ethiopia has made in the last decades, and the funds are crucial to the ambitious goals the government has set out. Ethiopia has made significant progress in agricultural productivity, through multiple agriculture projects, including the Agricultural Growth Program. The Rural Productive Safety Net Program has been instrumental in promoting food security in rural areas, reducing vulnerability to drought and shocks. With enhanced support from IDA and other partners to the education sector, primary school enrollment has risen from 40% in 2000 to 85% in 2015; and enrollment is moving closer towards parity.
Prime Minister Abiy’s administration is focusing on leveraging the gains of past years while making the necessary adjustments to enable the country to continue its rapid growth trajectory, introducing reforms in the economic, social, and political changes that support the renewed optimism of the population for reinvigorating the economy. It has embarked on a comprehensive economic reform agenda to provide private sector engagement in former state-only sectors, boosting domestic resource mobilization, reversing export stagnation and promoting increased agricultural production and productivity. Privatization includes partial and full privatization of critical state assets in telecommunications, energy, logistics, railways, sugar, air transport, and other sectors.
Objectives include promoting efficiency in the economy, enhancing private sector participation, improving competitiveness, and raising more resources for development, as well as ensuring fiscal sustainability and generating jobs for millions of Ethiopians, especially youth. Key strategic elements include general improvements to the business environment, addressing specific constraints affecting the effectiveness of private capital, promoting more FDI flows, and implementing the Public-Private Partnership framework effectively. The complexity of the challenges involved in implementing and managing reforms means the government is committed to work with development partners, including the World Bank, to support the reform process. The World Bank’s continued engagement through a budget support operation remains critical.
The International Development Association was established in 1960 and has consistently helped the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low-to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. It is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s poorest countries. Since its inception, IDA has provided half a trillion dollars for investments in 112 countries; annual commitments currently average about $19 billion, with about 50 percent going to Africa. Its resources are critical for the development needs of IDA countries. Between 2011 and 2018, the IDA helped to provide essential health services to 657 million people; gave access to better water services to 86 million people; provided immunization for 274 million children; recruited and trained 8.5 million teachers; and constructed, rehabilitated or upgraded 140,000 kilometers of roads. IDA is working to integrate women and other vulnerable citizens into society as equals. Hundreds of millions of people have escaped poverty through the creation of jobs, access to clean water, schools, roads, nutrition, electricity, and more. Helping countries build the institutions and capacities to help themselves and putting them on a path to fund their own development is a priority for IDA. It can be seen in the results on climate change, gender, fragility, conflict and violence, jobs and economic transformation, and governance and institutions. Indeed, 35 countries have “graduated” to the point where their economic development means they are no longer reliant on IDA support; some have become IDA donors.
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UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa visits Somalia
The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Ms. Bintou Keita, finished a five-day visit to Somalia on Sunday (June 16). She arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday (June 12) and held meeting with Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre and other senior federal government officials. Discussions focused on the participation of women in the country’s political process and economic reforms, and relations between the UN and the Federal Government. Ms. Keita said: “We discussed the vision around where the country has to be in the medium term, and it has a lot to do with political governance, the establishment of federalism as well as the economic situation, particularly the decision point for debt relief.” Ms. Keita expressed satisfaction with the state of relations between the UN and the federal government and said that cooperation will be further bolstered by the arrival of the recently designated Special Representative of the UN Secretary- General for Somalia, James Swan. Ms. Keita concluded her five-day working visit to Somalia by visiting Kismayo to hold talks with senior Jubaland state officials.
In a meeting with Somali women leaders, Assistant Secretary-General Keita urged women to fight for their rights and vote for female candidates who vie for positions of leadership in order to increase their participation in the country’s decision-making process. Thanking Ms. Keita for her visit, the chairperson of the Somali Women’s Leadership Initiative, Asha Abdulle Siyad, appealed to the international community to continue supporting the women of Somalia in their quest for gender parity. She said they needed an article in the constitution that specifically said the minimum 30% of parliamentary seats should be (reserved for) women. Implementation of such a principle also remained a challenge. After the 2016 electoral process, female representation in parliament rose from 14% to 24%, but it was still short of the 30%goal.
This was Ms. Keita’s first visit to Somalia since she was appointed Assistant Secretary-General at the beginning of this year. She said: “I started as Assistant Secretary-General for Africa on January 1 as part of the implementation of the reforms of the Secretary-General, and now I am dealing with all the countries in Africa.” One of these was Somalia and she said she wanted to find out what were the dynamics in Mogadishu and see the dynamics in one of the member states. That was why she had visited Kismayo. Her visit came at a time when the state was preparing for legislative and presidential elections scheduled for July and August. The UN and AMISOM are helping preparations to ensure the voting is free, fair and peaceful.
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Ethiopia and Eritrea honored with the “Luxembourg Peace Award”
The Schengen Peace Foundation and the World Peace Forum have awarded the Luxembourg Peace Award to Ethiopia and Eritrea for their outstanding efforts and initiatives to promote peace. The two countries were nominated by delegates of the World Peace Forum, an annual event connecting peace activists and sharing initiatives, and selected by the Luxembourg Peace Prize Committee of the Schengen Peace Foundation. The award was received by Ambassador Grum Abay, Ethiopian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, EU institutions, and the Baltic Countries, and by Ambassador Negassi Kassa, Ambassador of Eritrea to EU and Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.
Ambassador Negassi, who thanked Mr. Dominicus Rohde, President of Schengen Peace Foundation, Madame Vicky Hansen, President of the World Peace Forum Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Peace Prize Committee for selecting Eritrea and Ethiopia for their effort and initiative to promote Peace and their outstanding peace achievement, said Eritrea valued this acknowledgement of the bilaterally achieved and exemplary Peace Agreement signed in Asmara, Eritrea, on 9th July 2018 by President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea and Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia. He said the Peace Agreement had paramount importance for the two countries and the Horn of Africa for sustainable peace and security, economic growth and regional cooperation.
Ambassador Negassi said the award was timely because a new era of peace and friendship had been opened, heralding great hope and aspiration, as well as wide-ranging opportunities, for the peoples of the two countries and the region, and beyond. He said the people and Government of Eritrea were committed to consolidate and sustain the Peace Agreement and redouble their effort and endeavors to recoup the lost time and opportunities. Eritrea called upon partners and friends of the two countries and the international community in general for solidarity and support.
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Ethiopia attends a UNESCO Disaster Risk Workshop in Kenya
Following the wild fires at Mount Kenya National Park in February and at Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains National Park in April, UNESCO organized a capacity-building workshop in disaster risk management for World Heritage site managers and other stakeholders from Kenya and Ethiopia. It was held last week (June 11-14) at the Mount Kenya World Heritage site. Thirty World Heritage professionals including management authorities, representatives of NGOs, practitioners, and community stakeholders from all seven World Heritage sites in Kenya and from the Simien Mountains World Heritage site in Ethiopia participated in the three-day workshop, which was supported by UNESCO.
It aimed to enhance the capacities of participants in disaster risk reduction techniques and mitigation strategies, including increased exposure to climate change impacts such as extreme weather events. The workshop reviewed recent disasters at World Heritage sites, and discussed the impact of such disasters on the wellbeing of surrounding communities. World Heritage properties play a significant role in contributing to sustainable development through the provision of ecosystem services. A UNESCO presentation focused on the alarming impact of climate change on World Heritage properties and the importance of stakeholders integrating climate change impact in risk planning at the local level. Kenya Wildlife Services shared first-hand experiences of responding to the recent wild fires on Mount Kenya. UNESCO shared lessons learnt from other World Heritage sites. Other presentations discussed the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and its application for World Heritage properties. The workshop highlighted the critical role played by civil society organizations and communities in assisting governments in disaster mitigation, preparedness, responses and post-disaster recovery.
Among key recommendations of the workshop was the need to develop standard operational procedures for preparing and responding to disasters, as well as the need to devise strategies with clear indicators on how to mitigate the impacts of hazards. It also developed a roadmap to contribute to better protection and management of the natural and cultural World Heritage assets.
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Ethiopia: a starting point for Korean investment in Africa
Africa launched a single economic bloc last month, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and it aims to be a global powerhouse by 2063 under the Agenda 2063. Ethiopia’s Ambassador to South Korea, Ambassador Shiferaw Shigutie told the Korea Times in a recent interview, that Ethiopia could be a starting point for Korean investors and businesses to tap into this African market. Ethiopia had a history as a symbol of collective African identity, with the pan-African colors of green, gold and red, inspired by the flag of Ethiopia, and with Addis Ababa as the headquarters of the 55-member African Union as well as other international organization. Ambassador Shiferaw stressed: “We’re the gateway for the African market. Potential investors should come because seeing is believing.” It’s location in the Horn of Africa also gave the country “a competitive edge…We’re in the middle of Africa, Europe and the Middle East, making it easier for traders to sell their products to the European and American markets.”
Ambassador Shiferaw, who presented his credentials to President Moon Jae-in in March, underlined his three main aims as ambassador. One was to bolster investment and business opportunities in Ethiopia. He planned to invite more Korean investors to Ethiopia as the country’s investment potential still remained untapped. He pointed out Prime Minister Abiy was currently conducting massive economic and political reform in Ethiopia. This included opening up government-owned public enterprises such as telecommunication and airlines, to allow the private sector to boost an already fast-growing economy and create jobs for the hundreds of thousands of young Ethiopians entering the job market each year. The development strategy aimed to modernize productivity in the agricultural sector and produce export-oriented light manufacturing. With some 65% of the population aged below 29 years old, there was a competitive young labor force suitable for labor-intensive light manufacturing. Ethiopia has become a preferred destination for foreign direct investment and an emerging hub for manufacturing in Africa. Trade was another area of focus and Ambassador Shiferaw said he hoped Ethiopia’s high-value agricultural exports to the Korean market, including coffee, sesame seeds, flowers, textiles, leather and livestock, would increase.
Other areas of focus included education and technology transfer. Education, Ambassador Shiferaw said, was a key area for development; Ethiopia would like to share Korea’s experiences. He said he planned to expand scholarship programs for Ethiopian students and enable the creation of more opportunities for Ethiopian students to study in Korea. The Ambassador said he wanted to work on cultural exchanges and tourism, to promote Ethiopia to the young generation of Korea through cultural exchanges. Ethiopia Airlines, he said. had direct flights from Incheon to Addis Ababa five times a week, and from there to other parts of Africa. Bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Korea date back to the 1950-53 Korean War when Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie sent three successive battalions of Ethiopian troops to join the U.N. forces. The two countries established full diplomatic ties in December 1963.
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Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya on the need to empower youth for development
Ambassador Meles Alem, Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya, has underlined the need for youth, in Kenya and in Ethiopia, to be empowered, to be better educated and to be given improved access to health services. He said Ethiopia and Kenya had made significant progress in realising free education and healthcare but this had tended to be concentrated on specific areas. He noted that Africa would, by 2050, have the largest number of working-age persons of any continent. The population growth of African countries would increase significantly while those of some developed countries in Asia and Europe would decrease. In the past, he said, population growth, when referring to Africa, conjured up Picasso-like images, of unemployment, insecurity, uncontrolled birth rates and increased numbers of rural-urban migrants and other negatively-loaded terms. In fact, however, research had shown population increase could positively provide a basis for demographic dividend and produce real benefits.
The African Continental Free Trade Area came into force at the end of last month, on May 30. This offered real hope for the youth of tomorrow, if the combined effect of a youthful workforce does help to spur a demographic dividend for Africa, and if Africa’s leaders meaningfully committed themselves to achieving the AU’s Agenda 2063 goals. The fact that all but three countries intended to ratify the AfCFTA was a sure sign that Africa’s leaders were on the right path. Equally, it was of critical importance to find a formula to translate youth population aims and actions into actual development achievements.
Ambassador Meles said the leaders of Ethiopia and Kenya were contributing to the creation of conditions allowing youth to visualise and chase dreams across each other’s national border – and to do so visa-free! Youth, he said, need to be empowered, be better educated and have improved access to health services. One focus had been on the early phase of education and another on the late phase of healthcare. This needs to be adjusted and all areas covered equally.
Youth, said Ambassador Meles, have demonstrated that they can add some brush strokes in the directions the continent is moving, but engaging them in development must be a priority. The links between political integration and economic development have been discussed for years; now, it was time to bring population structure into development and put youth where it belonged.
