News in Brief
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: a treasure for Ethiopians
Ethiopians and Friends of Ethiopians inundate Western cities with slogans of freedom, justice, and respect for sovereignty
The Ministerial Level Virtual Meeting of the AUPSC on Agenda Item Peacekeeping in Africa: Emerging Challenges and Critical Lessons for Sustainable Peacekeeping Operations
Africa and the African Union
For a more vital and stronger partnership for a better response to HIV/AIDS, the African Union Commission (AUC) signed an MoU with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to facilitate co-operation and collaboration between the two organizations to cooperate in all issues with regards to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, management and control, through harmonized and effective responses, in line with the catalytic framework to end HIV, TB and Malaria by 2030.
Following the African Union Heads of State decision under the African Union Institutional Reforms to establish a newly joint Department of Political Affairs & Peace and Security, the outgoing Commissioner for Political Affairs, Cessouma Minata Samate proceeded on Friday (March 12), to the official handing over ceremony of the programmes for the Department of Political Affairs to Ambassador Bankole ADEOYE, Commissioner of the newly joint Department at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The swearing-in ceremony of elected AUC Commissioners took place under the auspices of the newly elected Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat and Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa of the African Union Commission (AUC), in the presence of the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, African Union member states Ambassadors, and senior officials.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia has joined the 50 Million African Women Speak platform aimed at economically empowering millions of women in Africa. Officially launching the platform on Thursday (March 18), President Sahlework Zewde said the platform assists in reducing recurrent challenges African women face, particularly socio-economic problems and lack of financial and information access. The platform bridges information, financial and market gaps of women, she said, adding that the digital network will also bring multiple opportunities for women mostly engaged in irregular businesses in Africa. Women, Children and Youth Minister, Filsen Abdulahi on her part said the platform will be implemented aligned with the ministry’s 10-year development plan and the Sustainable Development Goals to empower women.
President Sahle-Work Zewde has opened the Road to Addis Connect2include international webinar conference stressing need to address specific needs for digital inclusion. The session underway entitled “the Road to Addis Connect2include” will address the specific needs for digital inclusion of women and girls, youth and elderly, persons with disabilities, children, indigenous people and people living in remote areas. On the occasion, the president said digital Technology is one of the core endeavors in the past years towards a brighter, more resilient and inclusive future. Digital technology can radically transform lives and help the world rapidly recover from what has been lost due to COVID -19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expressed his condolences over the passing of Tanzania’s President John Pombe Magufuli. “My sincere condolences to the people and Government of Tanzania on the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli. May he Rest in Peace,” he tweeted. President Magufuli died on Wednesday at the age of 61 from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, said completing GERD project is a matter of ensuring the sovereignty of the country. Demeke, who is also Chairperson of the National Council on the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) made the remark at a symposium organized in connection with the 10th anniversary of commencement of the dam. Water experts, scholars drawn from higher education institutions and other officials were in attendance of the event organized by the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy.
The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) held a virtual meeting at the Ministerial level on 18 March 2021 under the chairmanship of Raychelle Omamo, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya. The meeting considered only one agenda item. Which was “Peacekeeping in Africa: Emerging Challenges and Critical Lessons for Sustainable Peacekeeping Operations”. (See article)
Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, Sami Jamil Abdullahi, at his office on Wednesday (March 17). The discussion between the two sides included the situation in Tigray region, the status of the GERD negotiations and the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute.
Trade and Industry Minister of discussed with Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia Ito Takako on ways of enhancing trade ties between their respective countries. The two further exchanged views on how to support existing Japanese investors in Ethiopia, and how to seize opportunities in Ethiopia. On the occasion, the Ethiopian Minister said his country has longstanding and deep rooted trade and bilateral relationship with Japan pledging commitment to transform these ties to a higher level. Ambassador Ito Takako, to her part expressed her readiness to contribute to the enhancement of ties between Ethiopia and Japan in trade, investment and other areas of cooperation. The two also stressed further cooperation especially in the knowledge and technology transfer sector.
Ethiopia and the European Union (EU) have held consultations on their future cooperation for the next 2021- 2027 period. The discussion focused on incorporating Ethiopia’s 10-year development plan and the EU’s development policy in a draft document prepared regarding their future cooperation. Yasmin Wohabrebbi, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance, on the occasion said Ethiopia and EU have longstanding relations and cooperation in various sectors. The State Minister thanked the Union for its support to Ethiopia’s health, climate change, election, government financial management and agriculture fields. The support from EU has brought remarkable results.
Despite the deployment of numerous Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) in Tigray State, the humanitarian assistance they have been providing thus far is inadequate, according to the Interim Administration’s Communications Bureau. In an interview with the Tigrinya weekly, Wegahta, Bureau Head Etenesh Negusie stated that though the NGOs are providing nutritious food and non-food items, the expectations were that international partners would avail support that matched the scale of the problem.
Four Ethiopian civic institutions have filled the letter to United Nations and the UN Security Council (UNSC) to exert diplomatic pressure on the invading Sudanese troops to withdraw from Ethiopia’s territories and to bring the Sudanese government to a roundtable discussion. Accordingly, Ethiopian Negotiation Forum, Ethiopian Border Affairs Committee, Ethiopian Citizens Defense Council, and Vision Ethiopia directly sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres to inform him Sudan’s violation of UN Charters in invading sovereign Ethiopia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen on Wednesday (March 17) received Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sami Jamil. Demeke on the occasion underscored the need to further strengthen the existing historical ties between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He briefed the ambassador on the unfettered access given for humanitarian organizations, restoration and rehabilitation efforts in Tigray as well as Ethiopia’s readiness to investigate any alleged human rights abuses in collaboration with AU or UN.
Eritrea
Seventeen patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out on Thrusday (March 18) at Quarantine Centers in Gash Barka and Central Regions. Out of these, sixteen patients are from Quarantine Centers in Adibara (9), Agordat (3), Shambiqo (2), Ali-Ghidir (1), and, Om-Hajer (1), in Gash Barka Region. The last patient is from a Quarantine Center in Asmara, Central Region. On the other hand, sixty three patients who have been receiving medical treatment in hospitals in Gash Barka (47), and Central (16), Regions have recovered fully and have been discharged from these facilities. The total number of recovered patients to-date has accordingly risen to 2833 while the number of deaths stands at seven. The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 3095.
Somalia
Somalia started administering COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday (March 16) with the inoculation of the health minister, who received the jab publicly to reassure the nation about its safety. somalia has recently experienced a surge of cases, on Monday received its first shipment of 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the international COVAX initiative to ensure that low- and middle-income countries receive vaccines.
Somalia will be allowed to conclude its final submissions to the International Court of Justice after Kenya reiterated pulling out of oral hearings. On Wednesday (March 17), Kenya’s Attorney General Kihara Kariuki wrote to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), confirming Nairobi’s earlier decision not to take part in oral submissions, protesting the scheduling. Somalia sued Kenya at the ICJ based at The Hague, seeking to redraw their maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean from the current easterly parallel line of latitude to a diagonal border based on the line of equidistance.
South Sudan
South Sudan President Salva Kiir was on Monday (March 15) briefed by the committee for the establishment of states, local governments and the national parliament. Kiir, the presidency said in a statement, was also briefed on the status of the establishment of state local governments, in relations to the executive, advisors, commissions, status of the reconstitution of the revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly and Council of States. The chairman of the committee, Riek Machar updated the South Sudanede leader on the status of the security arrangements and challenges involved.
Abdel Wahid al-Nur, Chairman of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) arrived on Monday (March 15) in Juba to brief President Salva Kiir about his plan for an internal peace process. The SLM-AW is the only armed group in Darfur that rejected to take part in the Juba process for peace in Sudan. The holdout group says planning to hold a conference in Khartoum for comprehensive peace in Sudan. Speaking to reporters after his arrival in Juba, al-Nur said he would talk with President Kiir about his roadmap dubbed “Sudan-Sudan dialogue” inside the country.
The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has started rotation of its peacekeeping troops serving in Malakal town of Upper Nile state under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. According to the Rwandan army, the first group of 128 peacekeepers from 157 Infantry Battalion left Kigali on March 10 to replace the 105 Infantry Battalion, whose first batch returned home. Speaking on behalf of the Rwandan Chief of Defence Staff, Brig Gen John Bosco Rutikanga urged forces on a peacekeeping mission to be good ambassadors and exercise their duties with high discipline.
Sudan
The United States supports collaborative efforts to break the deadlock in the talks over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), said the State Department on Monday (March 15). The Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok has requested the U.S., the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union to mediate the stalled talks on the filling and operation of the GERD. Asked by reporters about Washington’s position from this request, which is backed by the Egyptian government, Jalina Porter State Department Deputy Spokesperson expressed their support for constructive efforts to end the disagreement over the giant hydropower dam. “So we’ve seen the breaking report, and we continue to support collaborative and constructive efforts to resolve the disagreement on the GERD,” said Porter.
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The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: a treasure for Ethiopians
Abbay/Blue Nile River is a matter of survival for Ethiopia and its citizens. It is a source of livelihood for millions of people living in the country. Abbay has huge potentials in lifting millions out of poverty and equip more than 65 million Ethiopians with the supply of electric power. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a hydropower dam being built on the Abbay/Blue Nile River, is a project envisioned to realize these enormous potentials. The dam also signifies the lighting up of millions of Ethiopian households and ensures that Ethiopia has a sovereign right in using its natural resources. It is also a manifestation of actualizing the principle of equitable and reasonable utilization without causing significant harm in the Nile Basin.
Following the official launch of the GERD in April 2011, Ethiopia has been promoting cooperation with downstream countries, namely Sudan and Egypt in using the Nile waters. Ethiopia has initiated a tripartite platform to solicit an understanding and enhance trust and confidence among the three countries. Ethiopia relentlessly endeavored towards the fruitful conclusion of different tripartite initiatives: the International Panel of Experts (IPoE), Tripartite National Committee (TNC), and the National Independent Scientific and Research Group (NISRG). Ethiopia also signed the Declaration of Principles (DoP) as a base for any trilateral engagement between the three countries regarding the GERD. However, an attempt by downstream countries to monopolize the waters of the Nile and ensure unilateralist and exclusionary water appropriations intact has been hindering cooperation. Ethiopia has stretched itself and has been working to accommodate the concerns of downstream countries with the earnest hope that a new era of cooperation would shine in the Nile Basin.
Ethiopia firmly believes that only frank discussion and negotiations between the three parties will yield an outcome that safeguards the interest of all the basin countries. It is with this desire and determination that Ethiopia stretched itself and agreed to many of the requests of downstream countries including prolonging the filling period, agreeing on shared drought management, data and information exchange, dam safety, coordination mechanism, etc. Ethiopia also strongly believes that such transparency among the riparian countries would enhance trust and build confidence.
At the center of the negotiations between the three countries, there are technical and legal issues related to the guidelines and rules on the first filling and annual operation of the dam. Currently, the African Union (AU) led platform is providing the three countries a viable option to reach a win-win outcome. The ongoing AU-led process, with the leadership of the current Chair of the AU H.E President Felix Tshisekedi, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will continue to guide the negotiation process on the GERD. Ethiopia firmly believes that the recent visits of the Presidential Panel of the DRC to the capitals of the three countries and South Africa, the outgoing Chair of the AU, will assist DRC to understand the dynamics of the negotiation and on how to resume the AU led trilateral negotiation on the GERD.
The three countries have benefited from the AU-led trilateral negotiations, it enabled them to negotiate on their interests rather than reiterating their positions. It has identified the real problem and challenge in the negotiation process which has to do with the absence of basin-wide water allocation arrangement which is very much linked with the annual operation of the dam. Therefore, agreeing on the first filling and related operation of the GERD and continuing the negotiation on the annual operation of the dam as part of a comprehensive water-sharing agreement in the five years of filling of the GERD is a viable option for the three countries.
The negotiation under the AU-led process is expected to resume soon. The three countries have a common document that they should respect and adhere to – the DoP. They have established mechanisms on how to resolve differences. Attempts to engage in megaphone diplomacy are not more than eschewing serious and frank negotiations. Therefore, it is advisable for the three countries to engage in a genuine negotiation in good faith and prove that they are capable of achieving their common and fraternal objectives.
The international community should thus reinforce its support to this AU-led trilateral negotiation as it will enable all of the three countries: Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan to find African solutions to this African problem. The Government of Ethiopia reiterates its firm and long-standing commitment to cooperation and the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization and causing no significant harm in its engagement with downstream countries in the management and utilization of the waters of the Nile.
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Ethiopians and Friends of Ethiopians inundate Western cities with slogans of freedom, justice, and respect for sovereignty
Following the law enforcement operation in northern Ethiopia, some international organizations and countries, media outlets, and lobbying groups have been campaigning against Ethiopia’s national interests. These entities are working in a coordinated manner to tarnish Ethiopia’s image. Initially, they requested the country to open up for humanitarian support and investigation of alleged atrocities in Tigray. When the time was ripe for welcoming their requests, the Ethiopian government has given the green light. However, neither the allegations have stopped nor the much-talked humanitarian support is arriving. For anyone following the story, the reaction of a portion of the international community is ironic, to say the least.
The genesis of the story, which many in the west do not like to hear or speak about, starts with the attack of The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) by the TPLF junta. As a sovereign country, Ethiopia had every right to protect its security and territorial integrity. Due to the concerted effort exerted by the government and people of Ethiopia, the major part of the operation ended in three weeks of dismantling the TPLF junta. Unlike other wars, it was concluded with minimum causalities. Currently, the Ethiopian government is conducting a rehabilitation activity in the area by covering over two-thirds of the cost by itself. The paradox is that those entities which were crying for humanitarian access to the affected area, could not walk their talk. What surprises many who follow the development closely is that even after the open-up has been made, they are still stuck in their old-fashioned questions.
What angered many Ethiopians, Ethiopian origins, and friends of Ethiopia the most is that some countries and international organizations have gone to the extent of making Ethiopia an issue of debate in the UN security council for the very fact that it defended itself. While the Ethiopian government has opened access to humanitarian service and agreed to welcome an investigation of alleged atrocities, the intention of those parties who would like Ethiopia being sanctioned seems unrelated with the issue at hand and begs someone to ponder ‘Are they really worried about the situation or are they trying to sell their hidden agenda?’
This unfair and disrespectful act has mobilized the silent majority of Ethiopians, Ethiopian origins, and friends of Ethiopia from across the corners of the world to stand against it. Major cities in the USA, Europe, and Australia have seen avalanches of angry Ethiopians, Ethiopian origins, and friends of Ethiopia in their streets. ‘Respect Ethiopia’s Sovereignty’; ‘We Ethiopian Can Handle Our Own Internal Affairs’; ‘Ethiopia Has the Right to Defend Its Territorial Integrity’ were some of the slogans amplified at the rallies.
This is done against the backdrop of fake news fabrication by paid-up journalists, lobbyists, and activists to tarnish Ethiopia’s image. Despite the fake news campaigns waged to deny Ethiopia its right to defend itself, things seem to have happened otherwise thanks to the efforts of the Ethiopian diaspora.
Taking the opportunity, one needs to appreciate what the Ethiopian diaspora and friends of Ethiopia, largely Eritreans, are doing to disprove twisted stories about Ethiopia. It is also important to remind the diaspora to stay alert to fight for truth, justice, and sovereignty be it in rallies, digitally in the social media, and doing face-to-face public diplomacy activities to win the hearts and minds of prominent individuals and the general public at large.
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The Ministerial Level Virtual Meeting of the AUPSC on Agenda Item Peacekeeping in Africa: Emerging Challenges and Critical Lessons for Sustainable Peacekeeping Operations
The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) held a virtual meeting at the Ministerial level on 18 March 2021 under the chairmanship of Raychelle Omamo, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya. The meeting considered only one agenda item. Which was “Peacekeeping in Africa: Emerging Challenges and Critical Lessons for Sustainable Peacekeeping Operations”.
The meeting was attended by the AUPSC member states and invited speakers, including Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Hanna Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UNOAU, Birgitte Markussen, Head of the European Union Delegation to the AU, and major Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) to AU Mission particularly AMISOM delivered statements.
The representatives of Somali and Sudan as host nations also participated and delivered statements. The representatives of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad Basin and also the G5 Sahel from that region participated. The main concept presentation for the session was delivered by Dr. Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kenya.
It is a plain fact that the AU has mandated about a dozen Peacekeeping Operations since coming into operation in 2002. Until its end on 31 December 2020, the AU was running jointly with the UN the UN-AU Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). AU further authorized and provided political and technical support for ad hoc regional security coalitions such as the MNJTF and the G5 Sahel Joint Force. AU’s nearly two decades of experience has shown that Peacekeeping Operations face complex challenges resulting from the changes in both the peace and security landscape of the continent and international trends.
The discussion primarily addressed these issues with reference to the AU-Led Peacekeeping Operations and AU-Led Peace Support Operations on the continent including AMISOM, and the ad hoc missions like MNJTF and the G5 Sahel Joint Force. The Council discussed the situation of the AU-Led Peace Support Operations in relation to lack of sustainable and predictable funding, problems of political will, terrorism, organized transboundary crimes, climate change-induced threats, weaker partnership, and lack of clear exit strategy.
Despite the preparedness that the AU has shown over the years for deploying missions in conflict situations it was not possible to ensure and sustain peace due to lack of predictable and sustainable funding. Recently, the AU is trying to address the challenge by establishing AU Peace Fund through mobilizing funds within the continent to overcome financial challenges and AUPSC has highlighted the importance of operationalization of the AU Peace Fund.
According to some observers Peace Support Operation in Africa has experienced limited success due to the failure to fundamentally transform the inherited structures of the state, society, and politics. External influences have been seen to be negatively affecting the achievement of lasting peace on the continent and peacekeeping in Africa is facing asymmetric attacks in the Sahel Region, Lake Chad Basin, Somalia, and Northern Mozambique and many parts of Africa collaboration and international partnership is important. Problems like transnational criminal networks, the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, climate change, and currently by public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 Pandemic complicated the challenges of Peacekeeping and Peace Support Operation.
Participants in the meeting noted the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It has slowed down efforts within the continent towards silencing the guns. In particular, it has negatively affected the deployment agenda and rotations of troops and personnel in the AU Peace Support Operations.
The Council calls Transition phases must include joint planning involving strong and coordinated partnerships with key stakeholders, among other things on close political process and prevent backsliding on progress. Challenges related to troop drawdown, transition and eventual exit of peacekeeping missions have been featured in the discussion. Most recently it was witnessed that developments in relation to the exit of UNAMID in December 2020 particularly, the eruption of intercommunal violence and protests held in Darfur against UNAMID’s withdrawal. This shows that the closure of missions requires ensuring the capability of the host nation for civilian protection and maintaining security gains.
The importance of aligning peace mandates with nationally owned Peacebuilding processes. To this end, the participants underscored to use of the political process as the primary means for the resolution of conflicts, to ensure that all AU Peace Support Operations should be deployed with the primary objective to facilitate political processes and negotiated solutions to the crisis.
Gaps in the cooperation and coordination among various stakeholders such as the AU, the UN, the EU, RECs, TCCs, and host country got attention during the meeting. Countries that contribute uniformed personnel; those that provide financial, technical, and logistical support; and those that authorize the mission are often different. To ensure peace and efficiency of Peace Support Operations enhancing partnerships between national, regional, continental and international stakeholders underscored very critical.
The other critical point discussed by the Council was the importance of ensuring meaningful involvement of women and the youth in Africa’s Peace Support Missions as well as mainstreaming the women and youth in the peace and security agenda. Participants underscored the urgent inclusion of women and youth in the planning, deployment, and running of Peace Support Operations. In this regard, the need for translating into strategic and operational plans to ensure the involvement of women and youth in all stages of the peace process ranging from conflict prevention to peacebuilding was the subject of the agreement.
The Delegation of Ethiopian was headed by Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister stated during the discussion that one of the main foundations for the inception of multilateralism, particularly, the foundation of the United Nations in 1945 rested on the maintenance of peace and security in the globe. However, all Member States of the United Nations don’t have equal say on the modalities of bringing peace and security, basically because of variation in their resource contributions. He also accentuated on his statement Troop Contributing Countries from our side of the world are paying the heaviest price in life and blood. But the capability of financing Peacekeeping Missions and Peace Support Operations seems to outweigh all other contributions including sacrifices in human lives. In this connection, he called for a judicious appreciation of Africa’s contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security.
Demeke also highlighted that the international community must recognize that effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of peacekeeping mandates is the shared responsibility of all stakeholders. The participation of AU in the process of the UN policy formulation and planning, as well as preparation of operational guidelines and training schemes for peacekeeping missions in Africa. The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also emphasized the need for robust capability and better intervention, in the face of challenges and proposed the need to ensure full, effective, and meaningful participation of women in peace operations and the need to implement institutional capacity building through peacebuilding programs.
Finally, the Council agreed to call for predictable and sustainable funding for AU’s peace initiatives and urged the Member States to redouble their support and commitment to the scale of assessment for contribution to the AU Peace Fund. The need to articulate a common African position on financing Peace Support Operations in Africa with the view to guide the A3 members in the UN Security Council for the adoption of a resolution that will enable Africa to access UN assessed contribution for Peace Support Operations in the continent. The importance of strategic coordination among multiple stakeholders in Peacekeeping Operations in Africa, particularly among the AU, UN, EU, RECs/RMs, and other international partners is included in the summary of the meeting.
