News in Brief
AU Holds the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Visit in Ethiopia
Nigerian President Pays a Visit to Ethiopia
IGAD Says Further Extending Formation of South Sudan Transitional Government neither Desirable nor Feasible
Embassy Organizes Business Forum in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Repatriating Ethiopian Refugees in Dadaab, Kenya
Africa and the African Union
The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union was held from the 9th to 10th February in Addis Ababa under the 2020 theme of the year, “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.” Funding of Africa’s development agenda, progress made in the implementation of Agenda 2063, and operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) were among the issues deliberated upon during the summit. (See article)
A high level dialogue on children affected by armed conflict (CAAC) in Africa was held on Monday (February 10) on the sidelines of the 33rd AU summit. Present at the meeting were Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and representatives from different international agencies. In her remarks, the President highlighted the importance of protecting children.
The 34th Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government was held on 8th February 2020 in Addis Ababa under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan and issued a communiqué on the South Sudan peace process and the locust invasion that hits the region. (See article)
The Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), gathered on Monday (February 10) for the 24th Ordinary OAFLAD General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting which was held on the sidelines of the 33rd African Union (AU) Summit was organized under the theme ‘Gender Equality and Women Empowerment: A Pathway to the Africa We Want’ and aims to address the issues an identity the enablers which will promote the inclusion of women in delivering Africa’s Agenda 2063 by breaking new development frontiers.
The African Union on Monday (February 10) launched the second Biennial Review Report on the implementation of the June 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods. H.E Abiy Ahmed Ali, Ethiopian Prime Minister and AU Leader of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) presented the Biennial Review Report to the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Out of the forty-nine (49) Member States that reported on progress in implementing the Malabo Declaration during this 2019 biennial review cycle, four countries are on-track towards achieving the Malabo commitments by 2025. The four Member States, which obtained or surpassed the benchmark of 6.66 to be on-track toward achieving the commitments of the Malabo Declaration by 2025 are Rwanda (7.24), Morocco (6.96), Mali (6.82) and Ghana (6.67).
Ethiopia
A high-level meeting on gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa kicked off on Saturday (February 8) in Addis Ababa at the Sheraton hotel. Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway attended the meeting. In his remarks at the opening of the meeting, the Secretary General, pointed out the progress made following the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women. He said, “For every 100 men aged between 25 and 34 living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, there are 127 women.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada had been on a three-day state visit to Ethiopia from 8-10 February 2020. Upon arrival at Bole International Airport on Saturday, Trudeau and his delegation were warmly received by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. During his stay in Ethiopia, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral talks with President Sahle-work Zewde and Prime Minister Dr.Abiy Ahmed while the Foreign Minister of Canada and members of Canadian business community in the delegation made fruitful discussions with high-level Ethiopian officials. (See articles)
Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway on Saturday (February 8) has held talks with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and President Sahle Work Zewde of Ethiopia. In her meeting with Dr. Abiy, Prime Minister Solberg emphasized Norway’s support for the ongoing reform process in Ethiopia and welcomed the government’s commitment to hold free and fair elections this year. Prime Minister Solberg also held discussions with President Sahle-Work Zewde and other women leaders. The discussion focused on the importance of increased female participation in work and politics for economic growth and welfare in Ethiopia, according to the Embassy.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed held discussions with leaders of South Sudan, Djibouti and Guinea on Monday (February 10) on the sidelines of the 33rd AU Summit. The Prime Minister and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan discussed on progress regarding the formation of a unity government. The Prime Minister also met and held talks with President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti. The two leaders explored the status of joint logistics and infrastructure projects between the two countries. Abiy and President Alpha Conde of Guinea talked about bilateral issues of mutual concern. The Prime Minister also met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss how to strengthen East African and Sahel region.
The Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced plans on Monday (February 10) to electrify 12 towns after three months. Shiferaw Telila, EEP CEO said preparations are nearing completion to provide electricity in May to the towns that had a population of 70,000. Installation of solar panels is underway at a cost of $8 million, he told the media. Construction of solar panel will be commenced in additional 25 towns once the documents sent to the African Development Bank (AfDB) are approved, he added.
Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea on Monday (February 10) signed a reciprocal visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The agreement was signed by State Minister Hirut Zemene and Don Simeon Oyono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea. The two senior officials also discussed the implementation of previously signed agreements during the recent visit of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed to Equatorial Guinea.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed received President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria at his office on Tuesday (February 11). The two leaders had discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. President Buhari noted the progress Ethiopia has been marking over the past two years and commended the Ethiopian Prime Minister for the energy and speed of the reforms. They agreed to cooperate closely on trade and investment potentials, tourism, energy and agriculture development as well as experience sharing on the return of stolen assets, which Nigeria has recently marked key milestones on. (See article)
The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Kenya is working towards the repatriation of Ethiopian refugees in Dadaab refugee camp in North Eastern Kenya. The repatriation process for Ethiopian refugees, who have shown interest to return back home from the camp, is being undertaken in collaboration with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). (See article)
Ethiopia’s Minister of Peace Muferihat Kamil received on Tuesday (February 11) the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo. The Minister briefed DiCarlo on the key activities undertaken in the areas of peace after the establishment of the Ministry of Peace. Rosemary DiCarlo for her part said the UN is ready to work with Ethiopia in different fields, including in peacebuilding. The meeting was attended by Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa, and Dr. Catherine Sozi, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.
The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in collaboration with the Honorary Consul of Ethiopia in Colombo organized a business forum on 6th February 2020 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (See article)
Ethiopia’s Minister of Urban Development and Construction Engineer Aisha Mohammed on Wednesday (February 12) held a discussion with Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN‐Habitat. The discussion was held on the sidelines of the 10th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF), which took place in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Engineer Aisha told the Executive Director that Ethiopia has designed 12 new projects that are believed to bring changes in urban areas.
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy (MoWIE) said Ethiopia needs $6.5 billion to bring power to its entire people by 2025. This was revealed at consultation the Ministry had on Wednesday (February 12) with representatives of the World Bank Group, the European Union (EU) and other development partners. State Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Firehiwot Woldehanna, said the government is working to achieve universal access to electricity by 2025.
Djibouti
Djibouti along with nine African countries, including Ethiopia, was elected as the African Union’s Peace and Security Council member. The newly elected members will secure the position for two years term.
Kenya
Chinese nationals entering Kenya are required to self-isolate themselves for a period of no less than 15 days as part of the fight against the new coronavirus, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng announced Thursday (February 13). Mr. Peng, who was speaking at a forum with Kenyan editors, said Kenyan students are safe in China adding that his government has the capacity and resources to manage the public health emergency effectively.
Somalia
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Tuesday (February 11) has met with the president of the European Union (EU) Council in Addis Ababa. According to Somali presidency, the president held talks with Charles Michel on a wide range of issues. “In a fruitful discussion held with EU Council President in Addis Ababa, we discussed Somalia’s state-building process, including progress made in areas of security, economic reforms, strengthening institutions, regional issues & the EU vital support for Somalia,” the post reads. During his stay in Addis Ababa, the president also met with several other leaders including prime Ministers of Canada and Norway.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) including senior officers from the military, police, and civilian components last week on Thursday received a detailed briefing on the proposed constitutional reforms for the upcoming elections and challenges in Somalia. The briefing was done by Somali Public Agenda, a public policy and administration research organisation based in Mogadishu. Discussions included perspectives on elections, governance and Somalia’s legislative framework for elections.
Former minister of information Ambassador Dahir Mohamoud Geelle on Saturday (February 8) has announced his interest in running for presidency during the 2020/2021 elections. The former minister made the announcement in South Africa while addressing the Somalia community. He pledged that should he be elected, he would prioritize stability and economic development. Ambassador Dahir Mohamoud Geelle resigned his post as Minister of information and was the former Somali ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Rwanda and Somalia have inked a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that will see the two countries open skies for both republics to ease air transport. The agreement was signed last week on Friday morning between the Minister for Infrastructure, Claver Gatete and the Federal Republic of Somalia’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Abdullahi Salat. The signing was a fulfillment of the heads of state’s Yamoussoukro Decision of opening airspace on the African continent, and implementation of Africa’s African Continental Free Trade Area the head of states endorsed in 2018.
The Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma has on Tuesday (February 11) visited Baidoa to assess the progress of joint operations by the Somali National Army and AMISOM troops. During the two-day visit, Lt. Gen. Tigabu received a briefing from field commanders, on the security situation and progress in implementing the Concept of Operations (CONOPs) and the Somalia Transition Plan.
South Sudan
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General on Saturday (February 8) said what is happening in the world’s latest nation is “unacceptable” and urged the country’s leaders to think about the suffering they cause to the South Sudanese people. Guterres was speaking in a press conference held in Addis Ababa during the annual African Union meetings. He stressed that political leaders have to end the war because it causes the suffering of the people. “It is for me totally unacceptable, that we are still again, close to the deadline of a new period that was declared, that there is no agreement on a number of issues,” he added.
South Sudanese government has rejected a compromise proposed by the IGAD special envoys to adopt 23 states as a solution to end the disagreement over the number of states. The South Sudanese government on Sunday (February 9) issued a statement saying that the IGAD Council of Ministers on Saturday 8 February adopted a proposal made by the IGAD envoys providing to establish 23 states in the absence of the South Sudanese foreign minister. “The Government of the Republic of South Sudan objected and argued to maintain its position of 32 States,” said the statement.
The Troika countries renewed their call for compromise on the number of states and warned against inflammatory statements by South Sudanese parties. The call comes after the rejection of the South Sudanese government of a proposal made by the IGAD Council of Ministers and special envoys to establish 23 states in South Sudan. “We encourage all parties to exercise the spirit of political compromise (…) in these final days,” said the Troika on Tuesday (February 11) and urged the peace partners to work together to resolve issues blocking the formation of an inclusive national unity government by the February 22 deadline.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu (SPLM-N al-Hilu) on Sunday (February 9) said they hope that the Forces For Freedom and Change (FFC) can persuade the transitional government to make concessions on the contentious issues in the peace talks. Negotiations between the Sudanese transitional government and the SPLM-N al-Hilu are far from striking a deal before the end of the first six months of the transitional period as it was agreed earlier. The government rejects a demand by the SPLM-N al-Hilu to include the secular state in the talks to end the war in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. The government negotiating team instead proposes to tackle the matter in the constitutional conference. Several FFC groups said they agree with the SPLM-N al-Hilu on the secular state but called to prioritize ending the war
Sudan
The spokesman for the government negotiating delegation, Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, last week on Friday expressed hopes that a comprehensive peace agreement will be signed soon after the resumption of talks with the armed movements in Juba. After a three-day delay, peace talks between the transitional government and Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) Darfur Track resumed in Juba on Friday. On the same day, also, the government started talks with the eastern Sudan groups.
Sudan’s transitional government has requested the United Nations to establish a peace support operation (PSO) to assist in the peace process and help Sudan to mobilize international financial assistance. The request was made in a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 27 January dealing with political developments in the country and the government position on a mechanism that may follow the drawdown of Darfur peacekeeping mission.
Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week, according to the Federal Government Press and Information Office in Germany. The meeting “will focus on economic and development issues and the situation in the region in general,” further said the official media on Thursday. Gerd Müller German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development met with Hamdok on 7 February to discuss areas of future joint economic cooperation. “Sudan has chosen a path that gives hope. Will support change, in agriculture, education, and energy,” said Muller’s office after the meeting.
Sudan’s Minister of Finance said that international banks are still refraining from making wire transfers and dealing with Sudan despite the lifting of economic sanctions on Sudan since 2017. Ibrahim al-Badawi, in a press conference held in Khartoum on Monday (February 10), said that “international banks refuse to deal with Sudan fearing uncertainties on this respect.”
The transitional government on Tuesday (February 11) agreed to hand over the ousted President Omer al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying it was crucial for peace and justice in Sudan. At different times, the war crimes court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for al-Bashir, two other former officials: Abdel Rahim Hussein, Ahmed Haroun and a militia leader Ali Kushayb. After al-Bashir’s ouster, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), their government headed by Abdallah Hamdok said they have no objection to their handover.
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Au Holds the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government
The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union was opened on Sunday (February 9) at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting was held from the 9th to 10th February under the 2020 theme of the year, “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.” Funding of Africa’s development agenda, progress made in the implementation of Agenda 2063, and operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) were among the issues deliberated upon during the summit.
In his opening address the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union, President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa, outlined the priorities that will need to be the focus of the Union to bolster the progress being made in driving Africa’s growth trajectory within the framework of Agenda 2063 including: Ensuring political and economic unity, good governance and peace, Economic and financial inclusion for women and mainstreaming the interests of women, Conflict resolution and Championing the position of Africa as a strong and influential player in the global arena
The AU Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat speaking on the theme of the summit emphasized the need for solidarity among Africa countries if the continent is to achieve its goals for peaceful and secure Africa, noting that “the deficit of solidarity is one of the big weaknesses of the system of resistance and Africa’s overall capacities for continental resilience. Mr. Mahamat noted that the persistence of terrorism threatens the collapse of some member states and must be eradicated, and that women and children remain the biggest victims of conflict. Mr. Mahamat said that the AU continues to exert all efforts to achieve peace in the Horn of Africa; the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin; in Western Sahara, Somalia, Libya, and the Central African Republic. Mr. Mahamat lauded the African Mediation efforts in Sudan that resulted in the peace agreement and commended the new authority there that has pledged to continue dialogue with the rebel groups.
The UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres spoke on the importance of including women and youth in Africa’s peace initiatives. He said that “Peace, social cohesion and sustainable development require women’s contribution and leadership. Women clearly have an essential role to play in conflict prevention and political transitions”, he said. He proceeded to say it is also necessary to engage and empower Africa’s youth, whom he said have become advocates for peace through dialogue and addressing the root causes of conflict. In this respect he commended the 1 million by 2021 initiative of the African Union which aims to reach millions of African youth with opportunities.
Invited speakers who also addressed the Assembly included Mr. Ahmed Abou Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League and Mr. Mahmud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine and Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (speech delivered by Mohammad Shtayyeh, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine).
During the two-day summit, the Heads of State and Government have considered, amongst others: The Report on the institutional reform of the AU which was delivered by President Paul Kagame, in his role as the leader on the project as well as an update presented by the Chairperson of the AU Commission Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat on the status of implementation of the institutional reforms. The Report on AfCFTA) by President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger and leader on the AfCFTA,
The Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union for 2020 was announced during the Assembly: Chair – South Africa; Vice Chair – Democratic Republic of Congo; Second Vice Chair – Mali; 3rd Vice Chair – Kenya; Rapporteur- Egypt. It was also announced the Democratic Republic of Congo will be the Chair of the Union in 2021.
During the opening session, the Assembly observed a minute of silence in honor of the recently deceased former President of the Republic of Kenya Mr. Daniel Arap Moi who served as Chairperson of the Organization of African Unity in 1981. The AUC, Chairperson congratulated the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Visit in Ethiopia
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada had been on a three-day state visit to Ethiopia from 8-10 February 2020. Upon arrival at Bole International Airport on Saturday, Trudeau and his delegation were warmly received by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. During his stay in Ethiopia, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral talks with President Sahle-work Zewde and Prime Minister Dr.Abiy Ahmed while the Foreign Minister of Canada and members of the Canadian business community in the delegation made fruitful discussions with high-level Ethiopian officials.
In his discussion with Dr Abiy, Prime Minister Trudeau shared his gratitude for the warm welcome and expressed the commitment of the Canadian government to strengthen ties with Ethiopia on many fronts. He appreciated the changes and reforms underway in Ethiopia and affirmed to standby as a friend and good partner. He was quoted to say, “Canada is a natural partner for Ethiopia and other African countries. Through our shared priorities of creating economic growth, promoting peaceful democracy and gender equality, and fighting climate change, we can find innovative ways to grow businesses and create opportunity for Canadians and Africans. I look forward to continuing to work together as we tackle global challenges and create a path forward for everyone.” Prime Minister Abiy shared the multifaceted reforms underway in Ethiopia anchored in democratization as well as the vision for building holistic prosperity. The two further explored how to work together on common interests of development, climate change trade, investments in energy, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals and regional peace and security.
The Canadian Prime Minister on Monday also visited President Sahle-Work Zewde at the National Palace where they held talks on bilateral issues as well as ways to improve trade and investment relations between the two countries. The two also discussed gender and women’s empowerment issues and as well as ways to partner to support women. Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated his commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and encouraging cooperation in trade and investment.
Prime Minister Trude3au has also made a series of bilateral meetings with African leaders including the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat on the margins of the 33rd African Union (AU) Summit. He met with the leaders to “explore how Canada can help advance their common vision for a more integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent.”
In related news, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Gedu Andargachew on Monday welcomed and held talks with François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada. Gedu noted that Canada is one of the countries that have made a significant contribution to Ethiopia’s development. He said Ethiopia and Canada should further expand the cordial diplomatic relation into cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism. The Foreign Minister of Canada said that Canada is committed to working with Ethiopia in strengthening the long-standing and historical relationship between the two countries. He appreciated Ethiopia’s political and economic reforms and expressed his country’s commitment to supporting the Government’s efforts in this regard.
The Canadian delegation along with the Prime Minister has also included a Canadian trade delegation and the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, Mary Ng. The trade delegation has participated in business forums that focused on strengthening economic partnership. In delivering a keynote speech, in one of the business forums, which was held on Sunday aiming to further boost trade and investment flow between Ethiopia and Canada, Ambassador Mahlet Hailu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, commended the strong and growing bilateral relations between the two countries. She also noted that there is a potential between the two countries to further strengthen relations through active engagements in the economic sectors. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ms. Cindie-Eve Bourrassa, Director of Free Trade Agreement Promotion Division, Global Affairs Canada said her country is working to further enhance trade, investment and tourism relations with Ethiopia. About twenty companies representing various parts of Canada were part of the Canadian business delegation that has held business-to-business meetings with the Ethiopian business community.
The Canadian Prime Minister concluded his visit on Monday and left for Senegal- his next destination. Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew and other high-level Ethiopian Government officials bid farewell to Trudeau at Bole International Airport.
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Nigerian President Pays a Visit to Ethiopia
At the end of the AU Summit on February 10, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari commenced a State Visit to Ethiopia on February 11, at the invitation of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr Abiy Ahmed. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in an official welcoming ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday (February 11). According to a release by the Nigerian Presidency Office last week on February 7, the President was accompanied by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State; Senator Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Hon. Yusuf Baba, Chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The Presidency statement further stated that the visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Nigeria and Ethiopia and reinforcing cooperation in key areas of mutual interest between the two countries.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Facebook page stated that the two leaders held bilateral talks together with members of their delegation on various issues of common interest. President Buhari noted the progress Ethiopia has been marking over the past two years and commended Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for the energy and speed of the reforms. Prime Minister Abiy shared with President Buhari key aspects of the reforms within the frame of exploring national potential, expediting productivity in identified potential areas and building prosperity.
The two agreed to share lessons on similar experiences in common between the two countries, including ethnic and religious diversity, federalism and the youth dividend that can be harnessed for development. Furthermore, they also agreed to cooperate closely on trade and investment potentials, tourism, energy and agriculture development as well as experience sharing on the return of stolen assets, which Nigeria has recently marked key milestones on.
The two leaders on Wednesday (February 12) have also witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding on issues of visa waiver and defense. Hence, the two countries inked a visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of defense. Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Gedu Andargachew, Foreign Affairs Minister of Ethiopia signed the agreements.
During the AU Summit, information from Nigerian State House indicated President Buhari and his delegation have participated in other High-Level Side Events in furtherance of Nigeria’s national, regional and international goals, priorities and aspirations namely, peace and security, countering terrorism and violent extremism, economic development, asset recovery and fight against corruption. On the margins of the AU Summit, the President also delivered a keynote address at a High-Level Side Event on “Stop the War on Children: Dividend of Silencing the Guns.” The event was co-sponsored by the Governments of Nigeria, Uganda, and Norway, and Save the Children International. The President also held bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the margins of the Summit, reads the statement from the Nigerian State House.
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IGAD Says Further Extending Formation of South Sudan Transitional Government neither Desirable nor Feasible
The 34th Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government was held on 8th February 2020 in Addis Ababa under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan and issued a communiqué on the South Sudan peace process and the locust invasion that hits the region.
Regarding the peace process in South Sudan IGAD said: “further extension of the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) is neither desirable nor feasible.”
Only seven days are left before the end of the one hundred-day extension of the deadline for the formation of R-TGoNU on 22nd February 2020.
Despite the relentless mediation efforts of the regional Special Envoys from IGAD and South Africa on the issue of the number of states and their boundaries, the mediation effort has hit a deadlock, reads the communiqué.
IGAD said the issue of the number of states and their boundaries, which is a sticky issue in the South Sudanese Peace process, “is an internal South Sudanese matter and hence solution should come only from the South Sudanese people.”
Regarding the locust invasion, the summit underscored the need to work and coordinate with neighboring regions particularly gulf states and countries in the Arabian Peninsula as well as the international community in eradicating the pest and address the broader aspects of climate change in the region.
IGAD also decided to share information and best practices through the IGAD Secretariat to coordinate and build the necessary capacity in combating the locust menace to predict, monitor and control the spread of new swarms.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda; Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan; Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; Mahmud Ali Youssouf, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Djibouti; Amb. Raychelle Omamo, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya; and Hirut Zemene, State Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
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Embassy Organizes Business Forum in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in collaboration with the Honorary Consul of Ethiopia in Colombo organized a business forum on 6th February, 2020 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The business forum was attended by more than 45 business persons of Sri Lanka comprised from various sectors and who have shown interest to know more about the investment, trade and tourism opportunities of Ethiopia. Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake, Director General of Africa Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka also attended the business forum and conveyed his remarks to the participants.
On the event, Ambassador Tizita Mulugeta welcomed the participants and stressed that Ethiopia presents huge, untapped and unexplored investment and trade opportunities in the areas of agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, horticulture, power, information technology, mining, textile and garments and tourism. She also highlighted the various economic reforms including the home-grown economic reforms which have been undertaken by the Ethiopian government and invited Sri Lankan companies and business firms to establish their presence in Ethiopia.
Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake, Director General of Africa Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka in his opening remarks stated that Ethiopia and Sri Lanka have a strong and cordial relationship as of 1972. The Ambassador underlined that Ethiopia is one of the best destinations of investment and recommended Sri Lankan business people to deeply look into the untapped potential of the country.
Detailed PowerPoint showcasing was presented by the Embassy on the foreign direct investment potential of Ethiopia, the huge domestic market, availability of regional and continental market accesses to COMESA, AfCFTA, AGOA and EBA, availability of labor force, attractive incentives, the strategic location of Ethiopia and easy connectivity to many countries through Ethiopian Airlines.
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Repatriating Ethiopian Refugees in Dadaab, Kenya
The Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Kenya is working towards the repatriation of Ethiopian refugees in Dadaab refugee camp in North Eastern Kenya. The repatriation process for Ethiopian refugees, who have shown interest to return back home from the camp, is being undertaken in collaboration with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Currently, there are above 7,000 Ethiopian refugees in of the world’s largest refugee camps i.e. Dadaab. Of the 7,000, most of the refugees are women and children. The vast majority of the refugees settled in the camps for a very long time ranging from 4 to 40 years in the hope of resettlement in Western countries such as the US and Canada in search of a better life.
According to the refugees, most of them were forced to leave their home country – Ethiopia – due to political instability and lack of good governance and climate change induced displacement in their respective regions. Individuals who fled Ethiopia in search of a better life in Third Countries in the West also constitute a significant chunk of these refugees. These third category refugees were circumstantially forced to leave a life of uncertainty within Dadaab since the resettlement programmes over the years became minimal for stable countries like Ethiopia. These refugees gradually decided to make their peace and return to home to reintegrate with families and relatives – their kinsmen.
The repatriation process for returnees that expressed interest began with the issuance of the necessary travel documents – laissez passer. During a discussion between the Embassy and the UNHCR an agreement has been reached in such a way that the latter will provide the returnees pocket money per the size of their families. They have also agreed to closely work together on the orderly reintegration of the returnees into their host communities.
In order to facilitate the orderly repatriation of Ethiopian refugees back to their vicinities, the Embassy facilitated the formation of a task force comprised of experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Vital Registration Agency. Subsequently, a delegation headed by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy, Ambassador Siraj Reshid visited the refugee camp and discussed with the representatives of the refugees and listened to their concerns from 31 January to 07 February 2020. The discussion resulted in the issuance of laissez passer to 1,690 refugees who signed the Voluntary Repatriation Forms (VRF) as explicit expression of their consent.
As per the arrangements put in place jointly by the Ethiopian taskforce and the UNHCR, the returnees, with the majority of them belonging to the Somali Regional State, will be departing in few weeks’ time and will be flown to nearby destinations.
It is to be recalled that the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia, Meles Alem visited the camp and inspected the situation of Ethiopian refugees in Dadaab in October 2019.
