News in Brief
A new Chair for IGAD at its 13th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly
Ethiopia’s Public Diplomacy Team in Uganda
Ethiopia to get an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP)
A Sudan Public Diplomacy Team in Addis Ababa…
…underlines Ethiopia’s commitment to strong people-to-people relations
The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Durban
Ethiopia’s Second International Mining Conference
Ethiopia attends the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’ Summit in Germany…
Ethiopia attends the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’ Summit in Germany…
… and a German business delegation and Business Forum in Ethiopia
An Ethio-Kuwait Business-to-Business Forum in Kuwait City
Ethiopia calls for stronger partnership with UN to support IDPs and migrants
Africa and the African Union
IGAD held its 13th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Friday (November 29), its first Ordinary Session for over a decade. The Summit elected Sudan as Chair of the organization and adopted a new structure. (See article)
The 17th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was held in Durban, South Africa (November 11-15), under the theme “Taking Action for Environmental Sustainability and Prosperity in Africa”. (See article)
The third conference of the Compact with Africa was held last week in Berlin (November 19-20), attended by delegates from a dozen African countries. Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Engineer Sileshi Bekele, led the Ethiopian Delegation. (See article)
The Youth for Peace Africa (Y4P) Program of the Peace and Security Department of the AU Commission, in collaboration with IGAD and Ministry of Peace of Ethiopia, convened a two-day dialogue this week with youth representatives from Ethiopia and across the region under the theme: “Youth for Peace Ethiopia: Cross regional dialogue and experience sharing workshop,” at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia
President Sahle-Work Zewde attended the Global Gender Summit in Kigali on Monday (November 25). Organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB), under the theme “unpacking constraints to gender equality”, Rwanda was the first African country to host the biennial event which brought together leaders from government, development institutions, private sector, civil society and academia. President Sahle-Work said it was “time to move from rhetoric to actions,” pointing out that there was “a door of opportunity in Ethiopia that has been opened, and the onus is on us to sustain this great progress that has been registered in Ethiopia in just a year and a half.” She added: “What has happened in Ethiopia is a miracle of what political will can lead you to. And the work has just started. There is no Africa we want if young women are not a part of it. Believe in what you can do.” Rwandan President Kagame noted “Change of mind-set is what is required to ensure gender equality is achieved. Narrowing gender gap is everyone’s responsibility”.
President Sahle-Work held talks with the visiting Sudanese Public Diplomacy Team on Saturday (November 23). She welcomed the delegation and appreciated the Sudanese people’s reception and welcome for Prime Minister Dr. Abiy when he visited Sudan. She emphasized it has always been in Ethiopia’s interest to see a peaceful and stable Sudan. Ms. Mahgoub, Secretary General of the International Friendship Council of Sudan appreciated the warm reception her group has received and said it shows the courtesy of Ethiopian people. She called for Sudan and Ethiopia to take their relations to a higher level. (See article)
Jack Ma, co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group arrived in Addis Ababa on Sunday (November 24) leading a large business delegation for a two-day official visit. During the visit, MoUs were signed between Ethiopia and the Jack Ma Foundation to establish an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), as well as provide for capacity building and a comprehensive digital hub implemented by the Alibaba Business School. (See article)
The 60-strong Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Team led by Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives visited Uganda this week (November 26-30). Welcomed by the Chairman of the Uganda Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, the Team met with President Museveni and visited Makerere University, as well as holding talks with many Ugandans to further strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, and people-to-people relationships. (See article)
Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew held talks with Ms. Maymunah Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat on Tuesday (November 26). The Minister thanked UN-Habitat for responding positively to Prime Minister Abiy’s request to assist Ethiopia on the Sheger River Rehabilitation Project and for its assistance to Ethiopia in areas of urban planning, solid waste management, urban resilience and urban monitoring. He urged UN-Habitat to expand its support to Ethiopia in technical and capacity building in urban areas. Ms. Sharif noted UN-Habitat’s efforts to modernize cities in Ethiopia and said it would also focus on cities where Industrial Parks have been built to help reduce air pollution. She mentioned Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Dire Dawa and Kombolcha, where her organization is currently running city-development projects. The Minister and Ms. Sharif also exchanged views on strengthening the partnership between UN-Habitat and Ethiopia.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew met with the Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Tan Jian, on Tuesday (November 26). Discussions covered bilateral relations on trade, investment, tourism and politics.
Ethiopia participated in the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’ Summit meeting, held in Germany last week (November 19).The Ethiopian Delegation was led by Dr. Engineer Sileshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy. During the Summit meeting, four declarations of intent were signed to further strengthen and promote the existing strategic bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Germany. (See article)
Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Economic Affairs Minister of the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg led a 35-member delegation of companies and chambers of commerce to Ethiopia this week. The delegation participated in a Ethio-Germany Business Forum in Addis Ababa on Thursday (November 28). (See article)
An Ethio-Kuwait Business-to-Business Forum was held for the first time in Kuwait City last week (November 19). Organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attracted more than 25 Ethiopian and Kuwait companies specializing in flower, coffee, meat and livestock exports and imports. (See article)
A Sudanese public diplomacy team led by the Secretary General of the International Friendship Council of Sudan, Mrs. Salwa Mohamad Mahgoub, made a highly successful three-day visit to Addis Ababa last week, arriving on Thursday (November 21). (See article)
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nebiat Getachew, focused on Government activities with regard to public, economic, citizen-centered and political diplomacy, in his latest weekly press briefing, emphasizing the Government’s commitment to forge strong people-to-people relations with other nations. (See article)
The second edition of the Ethiopian International Mining Conference and Exhibition (EIMC 2019) opened in Addis Ababa on Monday (November 25). The two-day event was held under the theme “transforming potential into production by creating an attractive mining investment framework.” (See article)
Ethiopia and the Philippines held their first political consultative meeting in Addis Ababa last week on (November 22). Dawit Yirga, Director General for Asia and Pacific Countries Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the consultation would enhance bilateral relations and increase political, economic and diplomatic relations between the two countries. To further strengthen the relationship, the Philippines is preparing to open an embassy in Addis Ababa and use it as a springboard to get access to other African countries.
The African Union (AU) commended the government and people of Ethiopia on Tuesday (November 26) for their efforts to promote and ensure the empowerment and participation of the youth in peace and development initiatives in the country. In his welcoming address to the participants of a workshop on youth and peace, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui lauded the Government of Ethiopia for its commitment towards taking bold steps to widen the political space through releasing political prisoners and inviting exiled opposition parties to return and pursue a peaceful struggle in the country.
Ambassador Zenebe Kebede, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, attended the 110th session of the International Office for Migration Council this week (November 26-29) in Geneva, underlining the complex challenges of migratory flows and the importance of building effective partnership at all levels. (See article)
Ethiopia and the Government of Japan have signed a US$89 million agreement to upgrade the Jimma-Chida and Soddo to Sawla roads. The Ministry of Finance said the project would improve connectivity, and reduce transport costs and travel times.
Ethiopia will launch its first satellite, a Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing Satellite ET-RSS1, into space on December 17, according to the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI). The satellite, which will be launched from China, will have its command and control center in Ethiopia at the Entoto space observatory facility at Addis Ababa. It will provide all necessary data on changes in climate and weather-related phenomena to be used for agriculture, forestry and natural resources conservation activities.
The Government of Ethiopia, in partnership with the EU, Denmark and the Netherlands, formally launched an agricultural commercialization cluster (ACC) program at the ECA. The program, to be implemented with close to €100 million funding, will benefit 5 million Ethiopian smallholder farmers. President Sahle-Work highlighted the importance of the agriculture sector for the development of the country and called for more work to improve the sector as well as more involvement of women in the sector. During the last two years the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency has been testing and expanding the approach of clusters and there are now 1.3 million farmers organized in 30,000 clusters across the country.
A three-day workshop on “Human Rights Diplomacy” was opened on Monday (November 25) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop was co-organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and MFA’s Foreign Relation Strategic Resources Center. Those attending included officials from Parliament, the Human Rights’ Commission, the Attorney General’s Office, the Addis Ababa and Federal Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ombudsman’s Office.
The Government of Ethiopia and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday (November 27) launched a €20 million project in Jigjiga, Somali regional state. The project aims to support efforts to shift the refugee assistance model from a camp-based approach to one focusing on self-reliance and inclusion in local development plans, said UNHCR. The project would help create jobs opportunities for refugees and local community.
The Government released its first Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis report on Thursday last week (November 21). This methodology was adopted in 2018 and the report warns that for the period February to June 2020, 8.5 million people will be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and above unless urgent action is taken. The IPC is a multi-partner initiative aiming to answer four questions: How severe is the situation? Where are food insecure areas? Who are the food insecure people? What are the key causes? It is now the basis for early warning projections and informs emergency and development food security interventions. Over 20 organizations, including regional authorities, federal government partners, NGOs and UN agencies, conducted this year’s analysis. It was introduced in Ethiopia under the framework of an EU funded FAO project – “Support the Government of Ethiopia to enhance food security information, national social protection, and Disaster Risk Management systems.” The government remains fully committed to addressing any gaps in saving lives and livelihoods of the affected populations”.
Eritrea
A Sudanese delegation led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok arrived in Asmara on Tuesday (November 25) for a one-day official visit. The delegation held discussion with President Isaias Afwerki focusing on the development of bilateral relations and the progress of the transition process in the Sudan as well as regional and international issues. They agreed to upgrade ties of cooperation and partnership especially in the economic, health and education sectors. Prime Minister Hamdok thanked President Isaias for his firm support to the people of Sudan. Prime Minister Hamdok’s delegation included the Ministers of Trade and Industry, Internal Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Higher Education, and Parliamentary Affairs.
The National Union of Eritrean Women organized a discussion forum on Monday (November 25) as part of the celebration of its 40th anniversary, focusing on the launch of 16 days of activism about violence against women. The discussion forum was attended by Government officials, members of the diplomatic community, representatives of UN Offices in Eritrea and invited guests.
Kenya
At least 56 people died in landslides caused by torrential rain in the West Pokot region on Saturday (November 23) with dozens more missing. Hundreds of families were made homeless as flooding and mudslides swept away road links, bridges and destroyed houses. More than 500 vehicles were stuck on roads damaged by landslides. President Kenyatta ordered rescue personnel from various agencies including the army and the police to carry out rescue operations and stop any further loss of lives.
Deputy-President William Ruto has called for peaceful coexistence between the Gabra, Borana and other communities living in the border areas of Kenya and Ethiopia. He was attending a cultural festival organized by Kenya’s Gabra Community Professional Association. An Ethiopian cultural troupe presented music shows at the event which was also attended by Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Ambassador Meles Alem.
Somalia
President Mohamed Abdullahi relieved Attorney General Ahmed Ali Dahir of his duties on Monday (November 25) and appointed High Court Judge, Suleiman Mohamed Mohamud as Attorney General. Villa Somalia said the changes were meant to “accelerate judicial reforms and ensure a more transparent justice system throughout the country.”
Ahmed Isse Awad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia, paid an official visit to Turkey on 26-27 November 2019, to discuss bilateral relations between Turkey and Somalia as well as current regional and international developments.
Following their briefing last week, the UN Security Council on Monday (November 25) issued a press statement calling for peaceful, inclusive, credible and transparent one-person-one-vote elections in Somalia. It would be a historic step for the rebuilding of Somalia and assist the country’s continued democratic development. The Council welcomed the commitment by the Federal Government to adopt an electoral law by December this year. It called on all key actors and institutions in Somalia to set aside their differences and engage constructively in discussions. The Council emphasized the election process should be inclusive, allowing for engagement from all clans and regions, and provide for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all stages. It welcomed the role of the National Independent Election Commission in preparing for the elections and emphasized the need for the Electoral Security Task Force to plan as soon as possible for the creation of a safe and secure environment for elections.
Somalia’s ratification of a key convention to protect internally displaced people in Africa is a landmark achievement for the country and the African continent, UNHCR said on Wednesday (November 27).The AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced People in Africa, the Kampala Convention, was signed on 26 November 2019 by Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi. Somalia is the 30th African Union Member State to ratify the convention since 2009.
Somalia has rejoined the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) following the signing of agreements between the Ministry of Agriculture and DLCO-EA on Monday (November 25). The agreement comes amid increased reports of locust swarms in Somaliland and Puntland.
AMISOM held awareness training for Somalia National Army (SNA) personnel in Kismayo on Tuesday (November 26), to educate soldiers on human rights as well as mainstreaming gender in their operations. The training was attended by over 60 SNA soldiers and officers operating in Jubaland State. The training covered security sector reforms, gender mainstreaming, and the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.
South Sudan
Sudan’s Follow-up Committee for the Implementation of the 100-Day Agreement, which includes members of the Sovereign Council and the Transitional Government, arrived in Juba on Monday (November 25) for talks with South Sudanese parties on their plans for the first 50 days to ensure the implementation of the security arrangements and the number and boundaries of the 28 states. The delegation met with President Salva Kiir, and the military and political committees tasked with the implementation of the pre-transitional arrangements in South Sudan. Sudan, with Uganda, is a guarantor of the Agreement.
Sudan and South Sudan agreed on Wednesday (November 27) to extend the agreement on the transit of oil for export through Port Sudan on the Red Sea until 2022. Last October, Juba indicated that it would renegotiate the 2012 oil deal with Khartoum because it would not be able to meet a December deadline of $ 3 billion agreed to help Sudan to cover the financial gap created by the independence of South Sudan in 2011.
The United States has called the U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan, Ambassador Thomas Hushek, to Washington for consultations related to the recent failure of parties to form the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity. The Department said Ambassador Hushek will meet with senior U.S. government officials “as part of the re-evaluation of the U.S. relationship with the Government of South Sudan”.
Sudan
The Sudanese cabinet on Tuesday (November 26) approved a draft law to dissolve the former ruling National Congress Party (NCP), to bar the political activities of its leaders and confiscation of its properties.
Armed groups from Darfur, under the banner of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), on Tuesday (November 26) agreed to form a unified negotiating delegation ahead of the peace talks with the Transitional Government next month. The SRF includes the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), the Sudan Liberation Forces Alliance (SLFA), and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC).
Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) on Saturday (November 23) issued a decree cancelling the registration of 24 organizations known for their relationship with the ousted regime of Omer al-Bashir. The Ministry of Labour and Social Development said there had been irregularities in registration procedures, fundraising and in technical agreements, and the groups had enjoyed exemptions from direct and indirect taxes and been granted lands to build offices or facilities.
The Sudan and South Sudan Joint Technical Committee for Border Demarcation (JTCB) and the Joint Border Commission held a series of meetings in Addis Ababa this week to discuss the five disputed border areas. Jordah and Jebel Megeinis, are located on the border between the While Nile State of Sudan and the Upper Nile region of South Sudan; Kaka is on the border between Sudan’s South Kordofan state and the Upper Nile region in South Sudan; the 14-Mile area is situated between the East Darfur State of Sudan and Northern Bahr El-Ghazal region in South Sudan; and Kafia Kingi is on the border of South Darfur State and Northern Bahr El-Ghazal, not far from the border with the Central African Republic. The Sudan government says it is resolved to settle the disputed border areas and to move forward with Juba to enhance bilateral relations and open the border for the free movement of persons and trade.
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A new Chair for IGAD at its 13th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly
During the opening of the 13th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Friday (November 29), Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, as the outgoing Chair of IGAD, detailed the progress IGAD member states had been making recently towards transforming crises in the region and in the cessation of hostilities. He also underlined the encouraging efforts being made by IGAD countries towards peace and development across the region. He expressed gratitude to IGAD member states which had entrusted Ethiopia with the leadership of the organization for over a decade and welcomed the choice of Sudan as the new Chair of IGAD.
The Summit on Friday was preceded by a session of the Executive Council of IGAD Foreign Ministers on Thursday this week. This laid out the agenda for consideration of the 13th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of States and Government, the first Ordinary Session for over a decade. The Executive Council deliberated on a number of critical issues including the new structure for IGAD, and the nomination of the new Chairperson as well as issues concerning the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
In his opening speech to the Council, Foreign Minister Gedu emphasized that Ethiopia had been honored to chair IGAD for over a decade and, the Foreign Minister underlined, greatly indebted to member states for their unreserved support and cooperation in the discharge of this heavy responsibility. He took the opportunity to thank once again Ambassador Mahaboub Maalim, the outgoing Executive Secretary of IGAD, for his professionalism and dedication to the organization. He stressed Ambassador Maalim’s commitment and devotion to the cause of the region was instrumental in IGAD’s achievements over the years. He also formally welcomed the new Executive Secretary, Dr. Workeneh Gebyhu, and wished him every success in the discharge of his new responsibilities.
In his speech Foreign Minister Gedu noted IGAD had been forced to spend most of its time and resources in recent years working to manage and resolve conflicts in the region and had been unable to achieve as much in economic cooperation and integration as it had hoped. He noted the issues of Somalia, where Al-Shabaab still posed a danger; the conflict in South Sudan where he expressed his confidence the South Sudanese parties to the peace agreement would effectively use the extended hundred days to accomplish the pre-transition tasks and form the transitional government; the normalization of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a major and important development in relation to the peace and security of the region, underlining the fact that this had brought new hope to their peoples and to the region at large; and the successful dialogue between civil society and military forces in Sudan resulting in the signing of the political and constitutional declaration and the formation of the Transitional Civilian Government – that, the Minister underlined, had been an African problem solved with an African Solution with support extended by the AU and IGAD.
Minister Gedu also emphasized the appointment of the IGAD Special Envoy to Red Sea and the Gulf Aden and of a Taskforce composed of diplomats, defense, security experts and analysts on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to develop terms of reference and a Declaration of Principles. He underlined the important results of infrastructure links and the implementation of various programs to fight extremism and terrorism, advance climate resilience and support vulnerable groups. He pointed out IGAD’s current structures dated back to 2004 and the Summit had directed the Secretariat to review these, to address the regional integration agenda. In conclusion, the Minister stressed that the adoption of a new structure, the appointment of a new Executive Secretary and of a new Chairperson, should indeed lead to the revitalization of IGAD and allow it to be more effective in discharging its heavy responsibilities.
Ethiopia’s Public Diplomacy Team in Uganda
The Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Team led by Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives arrived at Uganda on Tuesday (November 26) for a 5-day official visit. They were welcomed by the Chairman of the Uganda Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, Hudd Kuturamu, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Uganda, Ambassador Alemtsehay Meseret, and members of the Ethiopian Community in Uganda. Ambassador Alemtsehay said the visit aimed at strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations between Ethiopia and Uganda, and it would further strengthen the people-to-people relationship by facilitating exchanges of cultural values among the people of the two countries.
On Wednesday, Speaker Tagesse held talks with Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda. They called for improved transport infrastructure across the African continent to improve trade and ease the movement of persons. They also stressed the need to improve existing road, rail and air transport networks and pledged Uganda and Ethiopia to take the lead in this development since their cooperation was strong. Mr. Tagesse who also briefed Ugandan media on the purpose of the visit, noted that visits by Public Diplomacy teams strengthen relations between nations, and expressed his hope that the Ugandan Public Diplomacy Team would also visit Ethiopia.
In talks with Uganda’s Energy and Mineral Development Minister, Engineer Irene Nafuna Muloni, Mr. Tagesse highlighted the opportunities for cooperation. He noted that the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) would have a meaningful impact on Ethiopia’s energy needs, and thanked the Government of Uganda for ratifying the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA). Ambassador Woinshet Tadese, Permanent Secretary for Africa and the Middle East in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, briefed the Ugandan side on the trilateral technical dialogue that Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt are carrying out on the filling and operation of GERD. Engineer Irene Muloni emphasized the trilateral technical dialogue was beneficial in addressing the needs of the three countries, and added that protection of the Nile Basin was crucial to the sustainable use of the river. Uganda, she said, was working to meet its expectations in the sector. Engineer Muloni also stressed that Uganda and Ethiopia should work together to achieve better relations on energy and mining.
The Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Team visited Uganda’s Makerere University on Wednesday (November 27). Mr. Tesfaye Daba, Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Peace Affairs Standing Committee of the House of People Representatives said Ethiopia and Uganda had long-standing ties that needed to be strengthened through exchanging public diplomacy visits. The Deputy Chancellor of the University, Professor Bernabas Nwangwe, said he was delighted to see the Ethiopian delegation and briefed it on the University’s teaching and research activities, and its collaboration with some Ethiopian institutions. Makerere, he said, was conducting various research activities guided by the principle of solving African problems by Africans.
President Yoweri Museveni met with members of the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Team on Thursday (November 28). He emphasized the importance of integrating African countries with strong economic ties. Building infrastructures that can link countries in Africa, he said, would provide people with access to markets and production sites. President Museveni commended the comprehensive reforms in Ethiopia and called for measures to further boost people-to-people relations between Uganda and Ethiopia. Speaker Tagesse, who welcomed Uganda’s commitment to strengthen relations with Ethiopia and thanked it for ratifying the CFA, emphasized that alliances based on fairness, in addition to building infrastructure, would enable Africans to exploit their untapped resources.
Individual members of the 60-member Ethiopian Team also held numerous meetings during the week with Ugandan personnel, including religious leaders in Uganda and members of the Lions’ Club’ of Uganda. The Team which is made up of high-ranking government officials, well known politicians, artists, a World laureate, business and tourism community representatives and the media, also visited Ugandan tourist sites before it finalized its visit on Saturday (November 30).
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Ethiopia to get an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP)
Jack Ma, co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group arrived in Addis Ababa on Sunday (November 24) leading a large business delegation for a two-day official visit. He met with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and a number of local start-up owners at a round table discussion and also had talks with the Minister of Innovation and Technology, Dr. Getahun Mekuria. Mr. Ma came to visit Ethiopia following up meetings held with Dr. Abiy at Davos in January and at Alibaba Headquarters in Hangzhou last April.
On Monday (November 25) three Memoranda of Understanding were signed to establish a partnership of Ethiopia and the Jack Ma Foundation to establish an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), the second in Africa after Rwanda. Overall these are primarily aimed at enabling Ethiopia to provide smart logistics and services, and conduct cross-border trades targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them penetrate markets in China and other parts of the world, as well as serve as a center of excellence for training young entrepreneurs.
The first major initiative of the Electronic World Trade Platform partnership in Ethiopia will be development of a multi-function digital trade hub to serve as a gateway for Ethiopian products to China, a center for cross-border e-commerce and trade within African and a training center. China Commodities City International (CCCI) will partner Alibaba in the development of the Electronic World Trade Platform Hub. The other two MoUs cover capacity building and a comprehensive digital hub. The Alibaba Business School will implement the capacity building and training part of the partnership which will include specialized programs for Ethiopian entrepreneurs’ business leaders and university lecturers.
The signing ceremony at Ethiopia’s ICT Park, located on Goro road in Addis Ababa, was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and Minister Dr. Getahun, and Mr. Ma, as well as Eric Jing, Alibaba Group Director and Financial Services Group Chairman and CEO, Takele Uma, Addis Ababa deputy mayor, and other officials. Prime Minister Dr. Abiy said that the Electronic Trade Platform was part of Ethiopia’s technological development. It was, he said, “a step forward to make Ethiopia among the five economic giants of Africa over the coming decade; as well as expanding the horizon for small and medium enterprises.” A statement issued later from the Prime Minister’s office said eWTP Ethiopia would have advanced technology, infrastructure and services, as well as a customized regulatory framework intended to promote innovation in trade and the digital economy. Minister of Innovation and Technology Dr. Getahun stressed the engagement would greatly contribute to trade facilitation and open new markets to SMEs not only in Ethiopia but in the wider region. It was, he said, “an important step in the development of a digital economy in Ethiopia,” he added.
Jack Ma said: “This is the beginning for Africa to compete with Europe and America,” adding, “In the past, we believed in big sizes; for the future, we believe in small; small is beautiful.” He noted that e-trading platforms motivated small and medium scale enterprises. He also emphasized that in the past, “the world was divided into developed and developing nations; in the future this will change to whether you are e-country or not e-country.”
Financial Services Group Chairman, Eric Jing said it was an honour to partner with the government of Ethiopian to establish the Electronic World Trade Platform Ethiopia Hub. He said: “We will continue to support the creation of a more inclusive digitally-enabled global economy, where small businesses can participate in global trade. We look forward to working together with entrepreneurs and SMEs from Ethiopia and other African nations to seize the opportunities provided by the digital era.”
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A Sudan Public Diplomacy Team in Addis Ababa…
A Sudanese public diplomacy team led by the Secretary General of the International Friendship Council of Sudan, Mrs. Salwa Mohamad Mahgoub, arrived in Addis Ababa for a three-day visit on Thursday last week (November 21). The 50-member Sudanese delegation was composed of government officials, religious leaders, prominent individuals, journalists, and members of the business community, as well as representatives of women associations, the higher education community, artists, and members of political parties. On arrival at Bole International Airport, the delegation was welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tagesse Chafo, and State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut Zemene, and other senior officials and notables.
During its stay in Addis Ababa, the delegation held talks with President Sahle-Work Zewde, House Speaker Tagesse Chafo and other Government officials on ways to boost people-to-people relations between the two countries as well as other issues. At a meeting on Friday (November 22) Speaker Tagesse commended the genuine relations between Ethiopia and Sudan that had, he said, stood the test of time. He welcomed the delegation to “their second home,” adding, “When we talk with our Sudanese brothers, we feel like families living in the same house, not like the people of two countries.” State Minister Mrs. Hirut underlined the friendship between the peoples of Sudan and Ethiopia was strong and growing. She noted that trade relations between the two countries went back to the time of the Merotic and Axumite civilizations, fifteen hundred years ago; and emphasized they should work to further strengthen their economic ties today. She said the establishment of the Transitional Government through dialogue had demonstrated the extraordinary ability of the Sudanese to solve their own problems and appreciated the warm welcome given to Prime Minister Dr. Abiy during the establishment of the Sudanese Transitional Government.
Mrs. Salwa Mohamad Mahgoub, Secretary General of the International Friendship Council of Sudan said she was delighted by the warm reception accorded to the delegation by the Ethiopian people. It was, she said, a testament to the courtesy of Ethiopian people. The visit was aimed to underline and endorse the deep-seated relations between the peoples of Sudan and Ethiopia, and to honour Prime Minister Dr. Abiy for his efforts in brokering the peace deal among political leaders in Sudan. She said the two countries should now take their relationship to a higher level. Their people-to-people relations, she said, should also expand further in different sectors, in education, business and in establishing Ethio-Sudan friendship associations. She invited the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Group to conduct similar visits in Sudan to further enhance people-to-people relations and forge strong political and economic ties between the two countries.
The Sudanese Public Diplomacy group met President Sahle-Work Zewde at the National Palace on Friday afternoon (November 22). The President expressed her delight in welcoming the delegation and thanked the Sudanese people and Government for giving Prime Minister Dr. Abiy such friendly treatment during his presence in Sudan. President Sahle-Work also emphasized that it was always in Ethiopia’s interest to see a peaceful and stable Sudan.
Musicians from the Ethiopian National Theatre and their Sudanese counterparts entertained guests on Friday (November 22) at a music concert designed to underline and praise the historical and cultural ties of the Ethiopian and Sudanese people. Foreign Affairs State Minister Mrs. Hirut, and State Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Bizunesh Meseret, artists and other dignitaries attended the concert. Mrs. Bizunesh welcomed the Sudanese Public Diplomacy team and presented them with a joint photo of the members of the public diplomacy teams of the two countries.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedu Andargachew, hosted a dinner in honour of the Sudanese delegation reception on Saturday (November 24) at the Hilton Addis attended by senior Ethiopian government officials, invited guests and other dignitaries. During its stay in Addis Ababa, the Sudanese Public Diplomacy team also visited Unity Park, the National Museum of Ethiopia, and the Bole Lemi Industrial Park, concluding its welcome and successful visit on Sunday (November 24).
…underlines Ethiopia’s commitment to strong people-to-people relations
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nebiat Getachew, focused on the Ethiopian Government activities with regard to public, economic citizen-centered and political diplomacy, emphasizing the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to forge strong people-to-people relations with other nations at his latest weekly press briefing. He also provided further explanation to questions from journalists.
Mr. Nebiat noted the warm reception given to the Sudanese Public Diplomacy team that arrived in Addis Ababa last week and detailed the meetings they had with both officials and others, including artists and academics to further strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries. He pointed out Ethiopia was now finalizing preparations to send a 50-member Public Diplomacy team to Uganda. The delegation would be led by the Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, Tagesse Chafo, and would include high-ranking officials, religious leaders, prominent figures, intellectuals, artists and media bodies. It would be meeting with a wide variety of members of the public in Uganda as well as officials including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
Mr. Nebiat also underlined recent achievements of the Government in forging economic ties with other countries and the keen interest of foreign investors to invest in Ethiopia. He mentioned the Ethio-Korea Investment Forum held in Addis Ababa and the Ethio-Kuwait Investment Forum held last week. He noted Addis Ababa would now be hosting an Ethio-German Investment Forum and an Ethio-Saudi Business Forum.
He highlighted the meeting held last week in accordance with Article 8 dialogue of the Cotonou agreement between Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew and resident European Union Ambassadors. The Foreign Minister defined the issues that guide Ethiopia-EU cooperation under the Cotonou agreement and, the Spokesperson added: “Following the dialogue, it was stated that the EU’s full cooperation with Ethiopia is exemplary to others, and that the member states will continue to strengthen their cooperation at the level of the Union, as well as individually.” Mr. Nebiat also briefed journalists on the Ethio-Norway Political Consultation held in Oslo last week where Ethiopia and Norway exchanged views on issues of mutual interest to further strengthen their long-standing cordial bilateral relations. Norway reaffirmed that it would continue to support the comprehensive political, economic and social reforms that the Government was undertaking.
The Spokesperson also underlined the Government’s special focus on the situation of Ethiopian citizens abroad, repatriating them where necessary. He noted a hundred Ethiopian women who had been in Sudanese refugee camps arrived back in Metemma town on Thursday (November 21); preparatory work had been finalized to repatriate 103 Ethiopians from Yemen through the joint efforts of the Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti, the Government of Djibouti and International Organization for Migration; and in Tanzania, efforts were underway to repatriate 1300 Ethiopian citizens. Referring to reports of the current situation in Lebanon, Mr. Nebiat said the Government was making every effort to ensure the safety and protection of all Ethiopian citizens.
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The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Durban
The 17th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was held in Durban, South Africa (November 11-15), under the theme “Taking action for Environmental Sustainability and Prosperity in Africa”. It focused on the need for African countries to take practical action, including implementation of policies, relevant regional and global frameworks, in order for the continent to attain environmental sustainability and prosperity as well as achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063. The Ethiopian Delegation was led by Ms. Ferenesh Mekuria, Deputy Commissioner of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Commission and included senior experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, and the Chamber of Commerce. Ethiopia, is a Vice-President of the Conference representing Eastern African Region, and Chairperson of the African Group in Nairobi.
Ms. Ferenesh emphasized the importance of the circular economy is Africa’s way to sustainability and an opportunity for the continent to move to more resource-efficient and environmentally sound technologies and infrastructure. She said that with mounting resource scarcity, environmental challenges, and development needs in Africa, the promotion of the circular economy is paramount to achieve the ambitious goals of the African Union Agenda 2063. Africa’s transition towards Circular Economy, she stressed, would contribute towards the achievement of Goal 12 of the Sustainable Development Goals, “Sustainable Production and Consumption”. Ms. Ferenesh also addressed the conference on the Blue Economy, emphasizing this concept encompassed numerous water bodies ranging from the lakes to the ocean, rivers to seas, and also related to the numerous conventions and regional and bilateral mechanisms for its governance. There were numerous opportunities including transportation, food security, energy security, and tourism, calling for an inclusive and transparent approach for its development.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment to use all policy tools at national and regional levels to achieve strong, harmonized, coherent delivery of environmental and sustainable development-related programs to enable the achievement of Agenda 2063 of the African Union and 2030 Agenda. It ;recognized the value of the circular economy and its potential to improve the way in which goods and services are produced and consumed, reduce waste, create jobs and contribute to sustainable development. It reiterated its commitment to raise awareness of the blue economy by recognizing that oceans and freshwater sources play a critical role in the economic development of the continent as well as to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.
The Ministers also acknowledged the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special reports, which reflected specific circumstances of Africa and the linkage between Africa’s climate vulnerability and development challenges. They reaffirmed the commitment to implementing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, emphasized the importance of implementing Nationally Determined Contributions, and confirmed Africa’s commitment to securing successful outcomes at the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 25, or the UN Climate Change Conference).
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Ethiopia’s Second International Mining Conference
The second edition of the Ethiopian International Mining Conference and Exhibition (EIMC 2019) opened in Addis Ababa on Monday (November 25). The two-day event was held under the theme “transforming potential into production by creating an attractive mining investment framework.” The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Ethiopia in association with the UK based AME Trade Ltd organized the conference which brought together policy makers, investors, industry experts, development partners and other key stakeholders in the Ethiopia’s mining sector.
Delivering a keynote speech at the conference, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Samuel Urkato promised the ministry would keep making the necessary changes to remove uncertainties that had held back the development of the mining industry. Changes to mining policies have been expected since the beginning of the year and a draft policy document indicates the government intends to give increased incentives to investors who develop minerals used in agriculture, such as potash, a key ingredient in fertilizer, as well as minerals used in construction. The Minister said a revised mining law will be announced once the ministry has finalized details on tax and incentive policies.
Ethiopia aims to increase the mining sector’s contribution to GDP from the current 3% to 10%. The government has already cut the corporate income tax rate for miners from 35% to 25% and lowered precious metals royalty rate to 7% from 8%. Despite such changes, Ethiopia faces stiff competition on the continent in attracting investment into the minerals sector, even though the current law guarantees the government no more than a 5% minimum equity stake in projects, less than in many African countries. Access to hard currency remains a big stumbling block for international mining companies, and the lack of foreign exchange is seen as a key barrier to increasing investment in Ethiopia. Analysts say guaranteed access to foreign currency would help attract more mining companies to Ethiopia. There are a number of companies already operating or planning operations. These include the Norwegian fertilizer company Yara which is among those planning to develop potash through its Yara Dallol project in the Afar Regional State; Kefi Minerals’ Tulu Kapi site in the west of the country which is expected to start producing gold in 2021; and U.S. Newmont GoldCorp which is exploring in Tigray Regional State.
While the government has concentrated on encouraging industrial mining, this requires lengthy timelines for development of major projects. It has therefore also enlisted the help of organizations such as the Canadian International Resources and Governance Institute (CIRDI) to develop and increase the value of the artisanal mining sector which produces 60%-80% of the high-value minerals; for construction minerals such as basalt, pumice and limestone, the figure rises to 80%-95%.
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Ethiopia attends the G20 ‘Compact with Africa’s Summit in Germany…
The third conference of the Compact with Africa was held last week in Berlin (November 19-20), attended by delegates from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia. Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Engineer Sileshi Bekele, led the Ethiopian Delegation.
During the Summit meeting, four declarations of intent were signed to further strengthen and promote the existing strategic bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Germany. Dr. Sileshi also held a series of sideline meetings and discussions of mutual interest with those attending.
The Compact with Africa was launched in 2017 by German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the aim of stimulating trade and encouraging German companies to invest in Africa. Germany lags behind France, the United States, and China in terms of trade with Africa with only about 800 German companies that are active in Africa.
One of the key agreements reached during the Summit was the launch of the AfricaGrow Fund, announced by the German Bank for Reconstruction Credit and the Allianz Group. With a budget of €170 million, its role will be to provide financial resources to African private equity and venture capital funds. It aims to finance 150 start-ups and SMEs by 2030, creating 25,000 jobs. The German company DB Schenker, the transport and logistics division of the rail operator DB, announced that it was joining the Pan-African Mobility Alliance. This is an initiative of the German government, bringing together economic, scientific, and political actors to develop the infrastructure and logistics potential on the continent.
… and a German business delegation and Business Forum in Ethiopia
The Ethio-German business forum was held on Thursday (November 28) in Addis Ababa with more than a hundred business representatives from both countries attending including a delegation from the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, led by Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Economic Affairs Minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg State. The Forum aimed to strengthen business-to-business relations and create a platform to consult on knowledge and technology transfer possibilities. Opening the Forum, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Dr. Getahun Mekuria, noting that over 69% of the Ethiopian population is under the age of 30 and was easily trainable, called on companies in Baden-Wuerttemberg to invest in sectors that have the most potential to create jobs and utilize technology for productivity.
Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, who has been leading a 35-member delegation of companies and chambers of commerce to South Africa and Ethiopia this week, visited Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa before Addis Ababa. In a statement before leaving Germany, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut, said German companies were not doing enough to seize the enormous investment potential that Africa offers. She noted that South Africa and Ethiopia, with their political modernization, reform efforts and an established middle class, were among the countries that a study commissioned by her ministry had identified as particularly promising. She said cooperation offered great opportunities to promote jobs and prosperity and key issues around digitization, environmental technology and innovation. In addition to the automotive industry, environmental technology would also be a central focus of her trip. Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut said the broad interest of participating companies showed a great willingness to share know-how and to support African countries improving their living conditions and environmental protection.” She added: “With all the opportunities offered by the African market, the issue of responsible value and supply chain management is of paramount importance to me. To create awareness for this and to have a mutual exchange is an important overarching aspect of my upcoming appointments.”
Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut noted that Ethiopia with a population of around 110 million was one of the most attractive investment locations in Africa and Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed had created a hopeful sense of optimism with economic reforms and peace agreements. The Minister said she saw Ethiopia on a good path to becoming a hub for the economic development of East Africa in the future. It scored with its non-commodity-based economic growth and has become a sought-after investment destination, she said. In 2018, Ethiopia ranked 104th worldwide in terms of exports from Baden-Wuerttemberg, worth around 20m euros. This was largely machinery and chemical products, cars and vehicle parts, data processing equipment and electronic and optical products. There was room for expansion.
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An Ethio-Kuwait Business-to-Business Forum in Kuwait City
An Ethio-Kuwait Business-to-Business Forum was held for the first time in Kuwait City last week (November 19). Organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and aiming to attract Foreign Direct Investment, promote trade and to strengthen business-to-business relations, it attracted more than 25 Ethiopian and Kuwait companies specializing in flower, coffee, meat and livestock exports and imports. The Ethiopian representatives also held meetings with investors, wholesalers and importers as well as business-to-business sessions. In an opening statement, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Ambassador Abdulfatah Abdullahi, stressed the Forum was a testament to the growing relationship between Kuwait and Ethiopia in areas of development, finance, technical cooperation, human resources and institutional capacity building. He underlined the challenges in the relationship, noting the current trade deficit favored Kuwait. He hoped this would become more balanced in the future and that this Forum would kick start the process.
Mr. Emad Al- Zaid, Assistant Director General for Kuwait Chamber of Commerce, in an opening statement said the Forum provided opportunities for the Kuwait private sector to identify business opportunities. He said the volume of trade exchange reached 10 million USD in 2018 and he urged both countries to make greater efforts to increase this. He said the Chamber of Commerce was ready to harness all available resources to achieve common economic goals.
The Ethiopian delegation made presentations on a number of issues to explain the business environment in Ethiopia and the facilities and incentives offered to foreign investors as well as the opportunities available in various sectors, especially in the field of agriculture, agro-processing, and manufacturing. Members also briefed potential Kuwait investors on the development of the Industrial Parks offering multiple opportunities to invest in the agro-processing sector, notably dried fruits, dairy products, milling products, processed meats, oils, juices and refreshments.
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Ethiopia calls for stronger partnership with UN to support IDPs and migrants
Ambassador Zenebe Kebede, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, speaking at the 110th session of the International Office for Migration Council (IOM) held this week (November 26-29) in Geneva, underlined the complex challenges of migratory flows and called for robust implementation of the Global Compact on Migration. He stressed the importance of ensuring UN support programs were implemented in synergy and complementarity with regional and sub-regional initiatives and frameworks, building effective partnerships at all levels, as well as providing strong coordination at a national level.
Ambassador Zenebe emphasized Ethiopia’s steps to harness the contributions of its large Diaspora community and efforts to ensure better control of migration. The new democratic dispensation under Prime Minister Dr. Abiy was paving the way for greater engagement of the Diaspora in the national development. Consultations were being held with the support of the IOM to draft a national migration policy. The European Union was supporting preparations to prepare a national action plan for the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration. This was based on key objectives selected through a consultative and participatory process involving more than 70 key government offices, NGOs, civil society and partners.
Ambassador Zenebe noted the government’s efforts made to regulate labor migration. Ethiopia, he pointed out, has signed bilateral labor agreements with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. It was putting into practice the principle of ‘the employer pays’, the use of model labor contracts and a stringent system of licensing and supervision of private employment agencies. But the challenges of human trafficking, smuggling and irregular migration remained. In response, the government was drafting new and stringent legislation as well as working to increase awareness about the crime of human trafficking, to improve sub-regional coordination of border controls and to provide funds for the rehabilitation of victims of trafficking. The absence of funding to control irregular migration on the Southern route was perhaps the biggest challenge in migration management. Funding for the government’s efforts to respond to internal displacement was also an issue. There had been significant progress in terms of returning IDPs to their place of origin, he said, but rehabilitation for the returnees and restoration of their livelihoods remained a daunting challenge.
