A Week in the Horn

28.07.2023

Premier Abiy Participated at the UN Food Systems Summit+2 in Rome

Human Capital is the Entry Point to Sustaining Development: DPM and FM Demeke

A Consultative Workshop on the Nile: A Step in the Right Direction to Ensure Equitable Utilization of the Nile

MFA Honours AU Commission for PAPS and Team’s Critical Contributions

News in Brief

Africa and the African Union

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Wednesday (26 July) condemned the coup attempt in Niger by certain members of the military to undermine the stability of democratic and republican institutions in the country. He urged them to immediately cease these unacceptable actions.

Army Spokesperson Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane later announced on national TV that they have decided “to put an end to the regime” confirming hostile take-over of power from incumbent President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held by troops from the presidential guard since early on Wednesday, on the lead up to the putsch.

Acting Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Antonio Pedro in his remarks during the Second Quarter Accountability and Program Performance Review Meeting on Tuesday stressed the importance of proactive and adaptive responses to meet emerging challenges in Africa. He underscored, the need for urgency in meeting the twin agendas of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s 50-year continental development Agenda 2063.

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has condemned a terrorist attack on a military academy in the capital, Mogadishu, which killed at least 25 soldiers on 24 July.

On 23 July, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) launched a Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance and Epidemic Intelligence in Africa aimed at strengthening Africa’s health security capabilities in the areas of biosecurity, integrated disease surveillance, event-based surveillance, genomic surveillance, and epidemic intelligence.

During the commemoration of African Day of Seas and Oceans on Tuesday, Seychellois President Wavel Ramkalawan remarked, the adoption and implementation of Africa’s Blue Economy Continental Strategy indicates that the continent is responding to a global call urging humanity to review and rethink the manner it operates within its natural environment. The African Day of Seas and Oceans is one of the recommendations of the 2050 African’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), which provides a broad framework for the protection and sustainable exploitation of seas and oceans of Africa.

Ethiopia

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed attended the International Conference on Development and Migration in Rome, Italy on Sunday (23 July). He underscored the fact that given Ethiopia’s strategic position in the Horn of Africa, it is a source, transit, and destination for migration and that it has taken several policy, legal and institutional measures to enhance migration governance, as well as to address irregular migration and human trafficking. On the margins of the Conference, he also participated in the leader’s working lunch of five which included Ethiopia, Italy, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya that convened to establish areas of common interest for structured cooperation among the countries.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the UN Food Systems Summit +2 on Tuesday (24 July) stressed the fact that a new and robust agricultural global financing model is essential for food security, job creation and economic growth.

On 26 July the Prime Minister arrived in Russia to take part in the Second Russia-Africa Forum in St. Petersburg. He held fruitful discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue enhancing bilateral relations and economic cooperation. During the discussions, both leaders acknowledged the longstanding and historic relations between the two countries and expressed commitment to enhance trade ties, collaborate in the field of agriculture and manufacturing industries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, on Sunday, bestowed a certificate of recognition to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), leadership and the team for critical contributions for the success of the AU-led and Ethiopian-owned peace process and the Pretoria Peace Agreement. On the occasion, recalling the recognition given to the African Union as a whole in a recent closure event. AU Commissioner for PAPS, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, expressed his gratitude on the recognition for the success of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

A high-level delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, participated in “The African Human Capital Heads of State Summit”, which was held from 25 to 26 July 2023 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister took a part as a panellist in a high-level panel discussion on education entitled “Are We Ready to Invest in Education and Productivity of Young Africans?” and stressed the pivotal role of human capital as an entry point to sustaining development. Demeke also met with Presidents of Sierra Leone and Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera and Lazarus Chakwera respectively, to discuss ways of further bolsrering longstanding diplomatic ties. The delegation also paid a visit to the Ethiopian Embassy in Dare es Salaam and planted seedlings at the Premises, as part of Green Legacy Initiative. The Government of Ethiopia and the World Bank on Thursday inked a financing agreement to disburse USD 405 million to boost human capital development in Ethiopia, especially, in the fields of education, healthcare and job creation for the youth on the margins of the Summit.

State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano, on 25 July conferred with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli, on bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest in Rome.

On 25 July, Ethiopian Airlines, Boeing and ThinkYoung launched the STEM School, an initiative designed to equip young individuals and teachers in Ethiopia with the necessary skills for better employment opportunities. The program focuses on underprivileged African youth especially women, fostering their pursuit of higher education in STEM with a focus on aviation. The STEM School will be hosted at the Ethiopian Airlines Aviation University, leveraging the expertise of the flagship carrier of Ethiopia.

Information Network Security Administration (INSA) on Monday disclosed that more than 6,760 cyber-attack attempts were made against Ethiopia in the past twelve months. INSA Director General Solomon Kassa, revealed the report during a presser and noted, almost all of them were thwarted without causing any damages.

Eritrea

Minister of Information Yemane Gebre Meskel on 26 July announced on Twitter, President Isaias Afwerki travelled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to participate at Russia-Africa Summit.  Delegation includes FM Osman Saleh, Yemane added.

Djibouti

On 26 July, a delegation led by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Yonis Ali Guedi, arrived in St. Petersburg to participate in the second Russia-Africa summit. In his congratulatory statement on the 45^th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Russia and Djibouti, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, expressed hope that the traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Djibouti will continue to develop successfully.

Somalia

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud participated in the International Conference on Development and Migration in the Italian Capital. He also participated in the leader’s working lunch of five which included Ethiopia, Italy, Djibouti, and Kenya that convened to establish areas of common interest for structured cooperation among the countries.

Foreign Minister Abshir Omar Jama on Wednesday (25 July) in Rome signed a cooperation agreement with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The new partnership will restore Italian support for public service delivery and social resilience projects in Somalia, the FM disclosed.

An Al-Shabaab suicide bomber on Monday killed between scores of soldiers and injured nearly 60 more in an attack on a military academy in Mogadishu.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) on Saturday notified all communications and technology stakeholders of the regulatory provisions prohibiting importing and investing in telecom equipment without obtaining prior approval from the NCA and Somalia Bureau of Standards (SoBS).

South Sudan

Newly appointed officials at the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Undersecretary Dr. Isaac Gabriel Awow Aban and a Non-Executive Board Member of the Bank of South Sudan Achuil Malith Bangool, took oath before President Salva Kiir Mayardit on 26 July.

President Kiir during a meeting of political parties in the Government in the Capital Juba on 23 July, urged the parties to unify their position on the passing of the national budget.

A public lecture entitled “Cooperation in the Nile Basin and the Need for Cooperative Legal Framework” co-organised by Ethiopian Embassy in Juba and the Institute of Water Studies at the University of Juba was held on 24 July with the aim of promoting frank discussions on matters pertaining to ensuring cooperation on the Nile (See Article).

Kenya

President William Ruto took part in the two day (25-26 July) “African Human Capital Heads of State Summit” in Dar es Salaam. Speaking at the Summit, the President said, the Continent is presented with gifted human capital that can drive its transformation and that Africa must fix itself in a lane that will see the exploitation of the skilled, educated and productive manpower.

Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Alfred Mutua, on Saturday (22 July) held a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Commission for Chinese Foreign Ministry in Nairobi, Kenya.

On Monday (24 July), CS Mutua conferred with Brazilian Vice Foreign Minister Amb. Maria Lucia Da Rocha to expedite continued cooperation while exploring untapped opportunities for trade, education and sports collaboration between Kenya and Brazil.

Defence Minister Aden Duale and Head of Türkiye Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) Haluk Görgün on 26 July, during the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF’23) held in Istanbul signed a “Defense Industry Cooperation Agreement” in a bid to bolster bilateral relations in the defence sector and enhance the supply and development of defence industry products and services.

National Security Advisor to Kenyan President William Ruto, Ambassador Monica Juma, on 25 July received UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Tariq Ahmad. She later tweeted,  we took the opportunity to review our cooperation in the pursuit of peace and security in the Horn of Africa region, and the interplay between our region and our neighbourhood, in particular the Middle East.

Amb. Monica also held a telephone conversation with her US counterpart Jake Sullivan. She announced on her Twitter that they reviewed the state of the region and the imperative to cohere efforts towards responding to growing humanitarian crises, stopping the war in Sudan, supporting the strengthening of democratic dispensation, the effect of the climate crisis, the commitment of Kenya to the search of peace and security beyond our region and the value of engagement with the Africa climate summit scheduled for September 2023.

Sudan

Anonymous Sudan, a collective of hackers, on Thursday (27 July) claimed responsibility for several Distributed-Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks on critical online services in Kenya. These cyberattacks have affected the websites of government agencies, newspapers, and more. While some date back to a few days ago, some are quite recent with more promised to occur.

National Security Advisor to Kenyan President William Ruto, Ambassador Monica Juma, on Tuesday held telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sulivan, over steps the two countries can take to solve humanitarian crises in Sudan.

During a Press Briefing on 27 July, UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric said, due to the ongoing fighting in Sudan the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) warns that disease outbreaks that had been under control before the conflict erupted are now increasing.

UNICEF Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Executive Director Ted Chaiban, who visited Sudan this week, said the scale of the impact that the Sudanese conflict has had on children in the past 100 days is almost beyond comprehension. Severe violations of children’s rights an ‘hourly occurrence’ in Sudan, UNICEF warned.

Premier Abiy Participated at the UN Food Systems Summit+2 in Rome

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed participated in the UN Food Systems Summit+2 (UNFSS+2) that took place in Rome, Italy from 24-26 July 2023 at UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) headquarters. He graced the opening ceremony of the Summit alongside his Bangladeshi (Sheikh Hasina), Samoan (Fiame Naomi Mataafa) and, Nepali (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) counterparts as well as Armenia President (Vahagn Khachaturyan) and Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director; and Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and Former Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit.

In his remarks, Premier Abiy noted, a new and a robust agricultural financing model is essential food security, job creation and economic growth. This new model should be inclusive to respond to the demands of farmers, particularly in developing countries, he stressed.

We need to enhance access to markets and effective linkage between agricultural producers, community markets and commercial value chains, the PM told the participants. In this regard, PM Abiy added, digital financial services focusing on youth and women and agricultural insurances should be the main features of a new financing model to boost agricultural productivity.

Highlighting Ethiopia’s experience, the Prime Minister echoed, beyond policies and strategies, we have been actively implementing numerous initiatives with the overarching goals of enhancing agricultural resilience, ensuring food self-sufficiency, and combating climate change.

The high-level UNFSS+2 gathering witnessed a series of high-level events, dialogues and side events related to transforming agri-food systems on topics such as food waste, climate change, healthy diets, partnerships, science and technology, indigenous people’s knowledge, and transportation.

Human Capital is the Entry Point to Sustaining Development: DPM and FM Demeke

A high-level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen took park in “The African Human Capital Heads of State Summit” that was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 26 July 2023.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister took a part as a panellist in a high-level panel discussion on education entitled “Are We Ready to Invest in Education and Productivity of Young Africans?”. He said, human development is the entry point to sustaining development and properly address inclusivity agenda as a whole. It’s high time to invest in people and that Africans as a rising continent should focus on and invest in human capital development, Demeke added.

Alluding to the fact that the Government of Ethiopia has seamlessly aligned the “Ten-Year Development Plan” with the human capital development agenda, the DPM and FM underscored the utmost focus placed on education as the core of the Plan.

Mr. Demeke also reiterated the commitment of the Government to effect quality, accessible, affordable and relevant education for all citizens. To this end, he added, Ethiopia will strive continuously to mobilise resources and work closely with domestic and foreign partners including the World Bank, the private sector and civil society.

For the achievement of these goals, he reaffirmed that the country would keep working to mobilize resources with its domestic and foreign development partners, including the World Bank, the private sector, communities and civil society.

Other panellists include, Excellencies Presidents Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania) and Dr. Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone); Prime Ministers Hamza Abdi Barre (Somalia) and Cleopas Dlamini (Eswatini) and; Vice President Mariam Chabi Talata (Benin).

On the margins of the Summit, the DPM and FM met with Presidents of Sierra Leone and Malawi, Dr. Julius Maada Wonie Bio and Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, respectively and discussed bilateral, continental and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

During the bilateral talks, Demeke briefed the Heads of State on some of the most significant flagship initiatives of the Ethiopian Government including Green Legacy, YeLemat Tirufat (“Bounty of the Basket”), massive wheat production and the recently launched “Education for Generations” scheme as well as the overall progress of the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement and called on them to support the peace consolidation process in the country.

A Consultative Workshop on the Nile: A Step in the Right Direction to Ensure Equitable Utilization of the Nile

The South Sudanese Capital, Juba, hosted two key events that are aimed at promoting equitable and reasonable utilization of the waters of the Nile River. The first event is a Consultative Workshop entitled “Nile Water for All: Cooperation in the Nile Basin as a Tool for Regional Integration and Development” held with Members of Standing Committee of Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) on Thursday, July 20, 2023. The focus was on the utilization of the waters of the Nile, South Sudan`s role in the Basin and the Agreement on the Nile Basin Cooperative Framework (CFA). This was followed by a public lecture at the Institute of Water Studies in the University of Juba that took place on the 21^st July 2023. Both events reflected the desire that exists to ensure equitable utilization of the Nile through the expedited ratification of the CFA.

The Nile Basin, with its rich history and immense resources, has played a vital role in the development of riparian countries. The CFA, an agreement that is an outcome of intensive thirteen-years long negotiation is an important instrument to promote cooperation on the equitable and reasonable management and utilization, development as well as protection and conservation of the Nile River basin through the establishment of a permanent institutional mechanism. By doing so, it will also provide a predictable and organized way of managing any disputes that might arise among the riparian states. In fact, this will enhance cooperation and ensure the sustainable use of the shared water resources.

South Sudan, as one of the riparian countries of the Nile River will significantly benefit from the implementation of the CFA. The ratification of the CFA by the country, therefore, signifies a critical step in the efforts to ensuring equitable utilization of Nile water resources. Undoubtedly, the ratification of the CFA and the establishment of a permanent river basin organization in the Nile Basin is in the best interest of Ethiopia and its strategic neighbour, South Sudan, as it is to all the Basin countries.

Both events, in this regard, were successful in ample providing opportunities to exchange views on the significance and status of the CFA with parliamentarians and scholars. From the South Sudanese side, high level officials of the National Legislative Assembly, including the Deputy Speaker, Government Chief Whip, Chairs and Deputy Chairs of all Standing Committees of the National Assembly took part in the event. Senior academics were also active at the event in the University of Juba. Likewise, senior officials and experts from Ethiopia took part in the event. This high-level attendance is a clear demonstration of the keen interest on the issue.

This was upheld by the statements delivered by the officials of both countries. Ambassador Fisseha Shawel, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, stated his conviction that the event will mark a tipping point to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization over the Nile waters from the perspective of South Sudan. Parmena Awerial Aluong, Second Deputy Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan also affirmed the parliament’s commitment and readiness to work for the expedited ratification of the CFA. Similarly, Rebecca Joshua Okwaci, Chief Government Whip, urged the Parliament to speed up the CFA ratification process. Mary Ayen Majok encouraged the members of the standing committee to continue their good deeds in realizing the utilization of the Nile waters through taking steps that enhance better regional cooperation.

The second event, the Public Lecture conducted on the same topic, was no less successful. This event was organized with the aim of enhancing academic discourse about the significance of the CFA. The Vice Chancellor of University of Juba, Prof. John Akech, underlined the pivotal role academic institution play in promoting equitable utilization of shared water resources and safeguarding the country`s national interest. Conducting scientific researches in areas of water utilization and water diplomacy as well as developing the institutional capacity are among the key roles of the academia.

Both discussions were anchored on promoting equitable utilization of shared water resources, the significance of ratifying the CFA and the opportunities and benefits of cooperation in utilizing waters of the Nile. Cooperation in the Nile Basin is not an option. The CFA, in this regard, is a basic instrument to cement the cooperation needed on solid foundations. Therefore, all the riparian states should double their efforts to finalize the ratification of the CFA and establish the Nile River Basin Commission. Undertaking this kind of events will mark the beginning of our lasting cooperation to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization over the Nile.

MFA Honours AU Commission for PAPS and Team’s Critical Contributions

Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, recalling the recognition given to the African Union as a whole in a recent closure event; bestowed a certificate of recognition to the Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), leadership and the team for critical contributions for the success of the AU-led and Ethiopian-owned peace process and the Pretoria Peace Agreement over the weekend.

Speaking on the occasion DPM and FM Demeke said, the implementation of the agreement is making steady progress and the Government is committed for its full and timely implementation. With the support and contribution of the AU the remaining tasks will also be realized, he added.

H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, on his part, expressed his gratitude on the recognition for the success of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

The conflicts in some other African countries can also be resolved taking a leaf from Ethiopian experience.

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