News in Brief
“Enough With War – Let’s Celebrate Peace”: Ethiopia’s Journey Sustainable Peace
Seoul and Busan host the 2023 Ethio-Korea Investment and Business Forums
Africa and the African Union
Representatives from 12 countries in Africa convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a two-day regional summit on responsible and appropriate use of antimicrobials on Tuesday (April 25). The World Health Organization (WHO) organized the summit in the context of the recent African Union Summit, which encouraged greater cooperation and resource mobilization for health system strengthening and pandemic preparedness on the continent.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia marked a milestone by closing a chapter of war and celebrating the conclusion of the historic peace agreement under the theme “Enough with War – Let’s Celebrate Peace”. Ethiopia hosted the recognition event in Addis Ababa on Sunday (April 23) to acclaim individuals and institutions that have taken part in the process of the Pretoria Peace Agreement. Naledi Pandor, International Relations and Cooperation Minister of South Africa, former Nigerian President and AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Executive Secretary of IGAD, Workneh Gebeyehu, and members of the AU High Level Panel and members of the diplomatic community were in attendance at the grand event. (See article)
A delegation of Heads of Regional States in Ethiopia, mayors of Addis Ababa and Dire-Dawa cities, senior government officials and members of Prosperity Party leadership led by the Deputy President of Prosperity Party (PP), Adem Farah, arrived in Mekelle Town of Tigray Regional State for an official visit on Thursday (April 27). The purpose of the visit was to wipe away tears and to share efforts as brotherly people to reconstruct war-demolished areas and help proceed with the peace process.
In the past four days, Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, visited Tanzania, the Comoros, and Burundi and held bilateral discussions with leaders of the three sisterly African countries to foster stronger ties and address peace and security challenges in the Horn of Africa. On the fourth and final leg of his trip to the East and Great Lakes regions of Africa, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister met and conferred with the Presidents of Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia on Thursday (April 27).
A three-day international flagship event, “Invest Ethiopia 2023,” kicked off in Addis Ababa at the Sky Light Hotel on Wednesday (April 26). The event brought together thousands of global corporations, investors, and others. This international event intends to promote Ethiopia’s vast investment potential for investors who have come from around the world. In her keynote address to the event, Lelise Neme, Commissioner of Ethiopian Investment Commission, called on the investors to engage in the major priority investment areas, including agriculture, mining, ICT, tourism, logistics, and manufacturing.
On Monday (April 24), the EU Council approved conclusions stressing that Ethiopia is a key strategic partner for the EU in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea and that the EU stands ready to support further progress on the path towards lasting peace. The EU fully supports the agreement for lasting peace through a permanent cessation of hostilities (CoHA) concluded between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front on November 2, 2022. Subject to its sustained implementation, the EU will progressively normalize relations with Ethiopia and return to a full and strengthened strategic engagement with the country. Accountability and transitional justice are particularly important in that context. The Government of Ethiopia issued a statement appreciating the EU Council’s conclusions on Wednesday (April 26).
On Wednesday (April 26), Ethiopia received a medal and certificate of appreciation from the Turkiye President for its support during the earthquake disaster in Turkiye. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his gratitude to the Ethiopian Government for its immediate rescue support and cooperation. The President presented a medal and a certificate of appreciation to the Ethiopian ambassador to Turkiye, Ambassador Adam Mohammed, and to the head of the Ethiopian rescue team, Lt. Gen. Desta Abiche.
In an effort to promote investment opportunities in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Embassy in Seoul, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Investment Commission, recently organized two investment and business forums in South Korea. The first forum was held in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, on April 18, 2023, and the second one was held in Busan, South Korea’s port and industrial city. Both events focused on the theme, “It Is Time to Invest in Ethiopia.” (See article)
More than 3,500 people have arrived in Ethiopia after fleeing heavy fighting in Sudan, an official from the UN’s International Organization for Migration told the media on Thursday (April 27). The United Nations has warned that the violence could force as many as 270,000 people to seek refuge in neighboring South Sudan and Chad, while others have fled to Egypt and Ethiopia.
Djibouti
A second Hellenic Air Force C-27 cargo plane flew from Aswan, Egypt, to Djibouti on Tuesday (April 25) to collect Greeks to be evacuated from Sudan, where an internal conflict had been raging for a second week. A ceasefire enabled the evacuation. Greek diplomats have been put on standby in Aqaba, Jordan, in Djibouti, and in Aswan and Cairo, Egypt, to assist nationals fleeing the fighting.
The World Bank LPI report, which is based on a maximum score of 5.0 released on Sunday (April 23), rated Djibouti 79th in the world,one of the top-rated countries in Africa ahead of Nigeria (88th). The LPI report, titled “Connecting to Compete 2023: Trade Logistics in an Uncertain Global Economy,” provides a measure of countries’ ability to move goods across borders with speed and reliability. The report comes after three years of unprecedented supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with soaring delivery times. The report highlighted the crucial importance of resilience and reliability in the performance of logistics.
Kenya
President William Ruto has emphasized that terrorism in Somalia and the Horn of Africa must come to an end. Speaking on Thursday (April 27), Ruto commended countries whose troops are in Somalia fighting terrorism. Noting that the countries must act with focus and urgency and resolve the sustainability and predictability of financial support to ensure that their forces in Somalia function effectively, he urged fellow Heads of State to strengthen cooperation through the timely and effective sharing of critical information and intelligence to eliminate the threat of cross-border terrorism in the region.
On Thursday (April 27), the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs evacuated 63 more Kenyans who were trapped in the country. The evacuees from Sudan were flown into the country through Gondar, Ethiopia. The Government has set up a special inter-agency facility and emergency committee in Sudan. The special inter-agency facility and the emergency committee will be coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Somalia
On Thursday’s (April 27) vote, the House rejected legislation from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) that would require President Joe Biden to withdraw most U.S. troops from Somalia. Opponents of the legislation said it would hurt national security by making it harder to fight al-Shabaab, which was designated a terrorist group by the United States over a decade ago. House lawmakers, including its sponsor, claim that 900 U.S. troops in Somalia on an uncertain mission will never bring peace. Despite his claims, the House rejected the legislation, H.Con.Res. 30, by a vote of 102-321.
On Wednesday (April 26), a summit of heads of state that contribute troops to ATMIS discussed in Uganda plans for a mid-year drawdown of two thousand troops from the East African country. The meeting in Kampala was to assess the preparedness of the Somali Security Forces to take over security responsibilities from AU troops, taking into consideration key aspects such as force generation and logistic support. The meeting preceded subsequent meetings held by Permanent Secretaries and Chiefs of Defense Forces as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense for ATMIS troop-contributing countries.
The Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Somalia, together with the Somali authorities and its implementing partner, the Nordic International Support Foundation, launched a new Rapid Nationwide Stabilization project worth €4.5 million that strengthens the existing EU Stabilization program on Thursday (April 27). The program, which runs for 18 months, aims to support political stabilization and reconciliation in Somalia.
South Sudan
South Sudan celebrates its first International Girls ICT Day on Thursday (April 27). Rak Media Group, in partnership with the National Communication Authority, yesterday joined the world in commemorating the first International Girls in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Day in South Sudan. The event featured inspiring young role models who shared their experiences and testimonies on access and safety in STEM/ICT, alongside active stakeholders sharing their perspectives as well as their best practices on access and safety.
Around 16,000 South Sudanese nationals have fled home from Sudan since fighting broke out earlier this month in the capital Khartoum and other areas, a Government official said on Wednesday (April 26). “We have refugees from other nationalities, including Sudan, and the exact number is yet to be identified, and we have returnees of our own (numbering) about 16,000 from that time until now,” South Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs Minister Albino Akol Atak told reporters in the capital Juba. Atak said large numbers of his country’s nationals were present in Sudan, adding they expect about 40,000 people to seek refuge in South Sudan.
Sudan
Heavy explosions and gunfire rocked Sudan´s capital, Khartoum, and its twin city, Omdurman, early on Friday (April 28), residents said, despite the extension of a fragile truce between the county´s two top generals. The escalation came hours after both sides accepted a 72-hour extension of the truce on Thursday (April 27).
The African Union has called on countries around the world to offer their assistance in dealing with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. In a statement on Thursday (April 27), African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said there was an ever-present need for countries to come together and provide any form of aid that is needed by the citizens of Sudan during this crisis. Mahamat expressed grave concern over the plight of innocent civilians who have been caught up in the conflict and are stranded across the country. He called on the warring parties in Sudan to come together and provide room for dialogue that would be geared towards ending the increased bouts of conflict in the country.
Members of the former regime, including ousted president Omar al-Bashir, have left the prison where they were held, raising questions about their whereabouts. Sudan’s military accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of attacking the prison, while the RSF accused the military of releasing the former leaders. Ahmed Haroun, a security official for Sudan’s former president Omar al-Bashir, announced on Tuesday (April 25) that he and other former leaders were freed from Khartoum’s Kober prison.
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“Enough With War – Let’s Celebrate Peace”: Ethiopia’s Journey Towards Sustainable Peace
On Sunday, April 23, 2023, Addis Ababa hosted a historic event to mark the closing of its recent chapter of war in the North and to celebrate the dividends of the Pretoria Peace Accord, as well as to recognize parties that significantly contributed towards its successful implementation. The occasion was attended, among others, by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo; former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta; South African politician Madame Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; the minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa, Naledi Pandor; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat; the Executive Secretary of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu; presidents of regional states of the federation; and other distinguished guests.
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali said the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in the South African capital, Pretoria, is a lesson worth emulating by neighboring countries and other countries on the continent at large. He added that preserving and striving for peace does not need excuses of any kind and urged all stakeholders to give the utmost priority to sustainable peace. He also called upon warring Sudanese parties to resolve their fight through dialogue and negotiations, while drawing lessons from Ethiopia’s recent experience.
The Premiere also highlighted the fact that Ethiopia has actively been demonstrating its solidarity with the Sudanese and preparing to dispatch humanitarian supplies to Sudan. Accordingly, he noted, fifty thousand quintals of wheat and emergency medical supplies will soon be delivered to our neighbor. While expressing the Nation’s readiness to continuously demonstrate solidarity with the people of Sudan, Prime Minister Abiy reiterated Ethiopia’s continued contributions to peace in Africa, among others, by sending peacekeeping missions to several countries on the continent.
Former Kenyan President and one of the leading figures in the Pretoria peace talks, Uhuru Kenyatta, applauded the Federal Government and TPLF for the peace in Ethiopia at the moment. He said Ethiopia can now live in peace, which is a path to prosperity and freedom for the people. The former president added, “Ethiopia has always been a country with great potential. Ethiopia is a country that has led the way in showing the African continent how different nationalities and communities can live together peacefully under one flag”.
Obasanjo expressed his gratitude to the Government of Ethiopia for organizing this important event and bringing participants together to take stock of lessons learned from the African Union-led and Ethiopian-owned peace process. He said we need to congratulate ourselves for the commendable work that has brought peace to Ethiopia. “I remain hopeful that together we will reach a day when guns will be silenced and peace will return to much of the Continent, Obasanjo noted.” He added, the peace process is owed to the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his steadfastness and the bold steps he took in the interest of peace.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, said the wide-ranging efforts being carried out to fully implement the Pretoria Peace Agreement should be further expedited through solidifying the ongoing transitional justice mechanism and national dialogue with a view to bringing about workable successes. Demeke also emphasized the extensive harm caused by the war on Ethiopia and its people, specifically the lost aspirations of the youth. He emphasized the importance of addressing these challenges by working together and finding national solutions. Additionally, Demeke highlighted the urgency to expedite the implementation of the peace agreement by strengthening transitional justice and national dialogue efforts to ensure historical success. He urged everyone to promote peace, unity, and development to achieve the peace agreement, resolve conflicts, and guarantee the safety and security of Ethiopia’s citizens.
He also stressed the need to expedite the efforts being carried out to implement the peace agreement by strengthening the activities of transitional justice and national dialogue with a view to registering historical successes. He called on all to preach peace, togetherness, and development in order to realize the peace agreement, take the country out of conflict, and ensure the peace and security of the people.
Madame Pandor said that we have all been closely following up on the implementation of the peace agreement and that South Africa is pleased to say that the progress made hitherto has given us hope in the silencing of the guns in Africa, as the strides made show the strong possibility of doing so in the rest of the continent. While recognizing the exemplary success of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, she echoed that the people of Africa will soon realize the severe damage that war has inflicted on the continent and that peace is the only way to sustainable development. The Foreign Minister noted that out of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the people of Africa will realize that conflict is causing the continent’s underdevelopment and that peace is the only root to development. The Foreign Minister also urged all Africans to exert incessant efforts to ensure that peace prevails in Africa.
Speaking at the recognition and reflection event at the Friendship Park, AUC Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat thanked the Government of Ethiopia for finding a home-grown, typically African, solution to its recent conflict. He said that the African Union is grateful for the astonishing journey of peacebuilding in Ethiopia. “Ethiopia showed confidence in the African Union, and so did your deep conviction in the principle of finding homegrown African solutions to African problems,” he said. The Chair especially commended the key role played by the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy and compatriots from the Tigray region for coming to roundtable negotiations to silence the guns, once and for all, in favor of peace and national reconciliation.
The President of Tigray Interim Regional Administration, Getachew Reda, also commended the strides made in the wake of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and urged fellow Ethiopians to work together to cement peace in Ethiopia. He particularly praised Prime Minister Abiy for his bold moves to bring about peace in the country. While recapitulating the need to sustain ongoing peace efforts and expedite development, Getachew called upon politicians to work together towards its realization.
High-profile stakeholders that were officially recognized and conferred certificates plus awards by the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, for their relentless efforts and key contributions towards the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement during the ceremony, inter alia, include Excellencies Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Uhuru Kenyatta, Olesgun Obasanjo, Moussa Faki Mahamat on behalf of the AUC Team, and Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu.
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Seoul and Busan host the 2023 Ethio-Korea Investment and Business Forums
In an effort to promote investment opportunities in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Embassy in Seoul, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Investment Commission, recently organized two investment and business forums in South Korea. The first forum was held in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city, on April 18, 2023, and the second one was held in Busan, South Korea’s port and industrial city. Both events focused on the theme, “It Is Time to Invest in Ethiopia.”
The Ethiopian Embassy in Seoul collaborated with the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI) and Ediya Coffee for the investment forum that was held in Seoul and with the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Busan National Science Museum, and the Ethio-Korea Association for Businessmen for the business forum that was held in Busan in order to make the forum successful and facilitate greater investment opportunities for both countries.
Dessie Dalkie, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Korea, delivered the opening remarks at both forums and emphasized the longstanding and unique historical relationship between the two countries and the potential the two sisterly countries have through their economic exchanges to strengthen their ties in this regard. The Ambassador also highlighted Ethiopia’s comparative advantages, the Government’s commitment to creating a favorable investment environment, and the country’s strategic position as a gateway to African markets.
On the occasion, Daniel Teresa, Ethiopian Deputy Investment Commissioner, explained national economic and investment reform initiatives that Ethiopia is undergoing as well as investment incentives for Korean investors. He also noted that “Ethiopia’s investment climate is favorable, with incentives available for foreign investors in the country, making it an ideal time for investors to invest in the country.’’
For his part, Vice Chairman of the Korean Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI), Dr. JOO Soryeong, acknowledged Ethiopia’s enormous potential and reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to capitalize on the opportunities for the benefit of both nations.
On the other hand, Jang Inwha, President of Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) said, ‘’trade and manufacturing growth are necessary for Ethiopia’s economic development.” He further reaffirmed that Busan companies will cooperate with Ethiopia in this regard. Both the Vice Chairman of the Association and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries acknowledged the unique historical relations between the two nations and encouraged their member companies to invest in Ethiopia.
The investment forums featured a wide range of presentations on investment opportunities, followed by Ethiopian delegate-to-business discussion. Both events were attended by a large number of Korean investors and business leaders, with over 120 in the Seoul forum and over 70 in Busan. The forums also had question-and-answer sessions that provided further insight into investment opportunities in Ethiopia. Overall, the forums successfully showcased the potential and opportunities for Korean companies to invest in Ethiopia.
Following the forums, the Ethiopian delegation visited DK-LoK CORP. and JINYOUNG KOREA CO., Ltd, companies that have expressed interest in investing in Ethiopia. During the visits, the delegation discussed Ethiopia’s potential investment opportunities with the CEOs of the companies and encouraged them to consider investing in the country. At the end of the fruitful discussion, the CEOs of both companies reaffirmed that their respective companies would consider ways to invest in Ethiopia.
In all, the two forums encouraged Korean investors to explore untapped investment potential in Ethiopia and strengthen strategic partnerships between the two countries. There is a growing need to further improve economic exchanges between the two countries and the forums were positive steps towards attracting South Korean investors and further strengthening the longstanding and historic friendly relationship between the two countries in this regard.
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