Ethiopia affirmed that foreign tourists can travel to any part of the country as they had been doing in the past. Attorney General Getachew Ambaye noted on Monday (October 24) that tourists are not expected to notify to anyone to travel and visit attractions sites in Ethiopia.

The recently proclaimed state of emergency, as pinpointed under its directives, limited foreign diplomats from traveling beyond a-40 kilometers radius out of Addis Ababa without permission.

The Attorney General added, “The directive is not applicable to foreign tourists who come to Ethiopia to visit tourist destinations. They can travel from place to place freely as usual.”

Public Relations Director at the Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO), Getnet Yigzaw, also said tourists can travel to any part of the country in group or individually.

He underscored that the state of emergency has meticulously devised favorable mechanisms so that visitors could visit the historical and natural attraction sites of Ethiopia with no fear and trepidation.

Source: MFA Ethiopia

A 20-member Ethiopian women business delegation led by First Lady Roman Tesfaye visited Sweden and Finland from 17-21, October 2016.

The delegation promoted Ethiopia’s export products (textile, leather and leather products, coffee and honey) and investment opportunities to the Nordic countries at a business forum organized under the title: “Doing Business with Ethiopia!”

First Lady Roman Tesfaye underscored the need for Ethiopian business communities to work in concert with their Swedish and Finnish counterparts in a bid to explore market opportunities through building and encouraging women entrepreneurs.

Woinshet Tadesse, Ambassador of Ethiopia to Sweden and other Nordic countries also briefed participants on a number of major themes, including Ethiopia’s double-digit economic growth over the last 10 years and the country’s second GTP as well as investment potentials.

Members of the delegation exhibited and promoted their products to Swedish and Finnish buyers as well as met with investors who are keen to import Ethiopian products to the Nordics.

During the event, YA Coffee, an Ethiopian coffee roasting company, signed a trade agreement with the Swedish FineBonan company.

Source: FBC

For those who have booked a holiday in Ethiopia, or who are planning to visit and who may be aware that Ethiopia has recently declared a state of emergency, you may wish to be informed of the current situation.

The temporary state of emergency is to maintain sustainable peace and stability in the country and is a precautionary measure. Visitor safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance in Ethiopia – the Land of Origins. There is a normal police presence, but no military personnel patrol the streets in Addis Ababa or elsewhere.

Ethiopia is visited by over 750,000 people from all over the world every year, and was named as the World’s Best Tourism Destination 2015 by the European Council on Tourism and Trade. Those travelling to the Land of Origins this season are assured of a trip as enjoyable as ever. It is as safe now for tourists and business visitors to travel in Ethiopia as it has been for the last twenty-two years since the new constitution have been introduced.

Travellers to Ethiopia will find that all tourist areas of the country are safe, with no curfews. Caution when travelling at the borders is advised, as it is with travel to the extreme western and eastern regions of the country. This is the normal advice, and is due to the relative instability of portions of neighbouring countries. Ethiopia’s reputation for welcoming, traditional hospitality is as justly deserved as always. Communications are working, with good internet connectivity and flights from 93 international cities providing business as usual.

The Ethiopian Tourism Organization always values its visitors and is there to ensure a pleasant stay for all.

For further information please refer to our Embassy’s websites, Ethiopian Tour Operator’s Association (www.ethiopiantourassociation.com), Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com),

Ethiopian Tourism Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Get more on http://www.ethiopia.travel/news-updates to watch personal testimonies and several videos and pictures of tourists visiting Ethiopia as we speak.

Read the full travel update by clicking here.

Addis Ababa October 20, 2016 The Office of the Federal Attorney said the state of emergency that Ethiopia has declared a week ago, is helping to restore law and order in the country.

In a press conference he gave here today, General Attorney Getachew Ambaye said following the establishment of emergency rule in the country, the situation has started to progress.

Getachew said economic activities which were disturbed by the violence including road transportation and business are now backing to normal.

As the state of emergency came following the danger posed on the security and stability of the state, it enables the state to bring the situation to normal, he added.

The destructive activities carried out by anti-force elements in various parts of the country were targeting economic pillars as well as instigating hatred among different ethnic groups and followers of different religions, he said.

The forces were trying to stop long-distance transportation to various parts of the country, which hindered movement of goods and people, he said.

Those activities had made the situation difficult to transport construction materials to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam for a while as well hindered import-export trade through Metema, he said.

But, the state of emergency has changed the situation, Getachew said.

“They have tried to close the road to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and stop vehicles loaded with construction material. There was also an attempt to prevent transportation of fuel from Sudan through the northern part of the country”, he said.

“Now things are getting better. Activities including transportation, trade, and education continue without any problem”, he said.

Source: ENA

On 20 October 2016, Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom received the outgoing Ambassador of Ireland, Ambassador Mr. Aidan O’Hara, and noted that the visit made by President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland in 2014 was a milestone of significance opening new prospects for the strengthening of the bilateral relations of the two countries.

The Foreign Minister and Ambassador Aidan O’Hara also discussed ways to tap the potential of cooperation in the fields of trade, investment and tourism.

Source: MFA Ethiopia

Some 54 percent of the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is completed, Economic Affairs Cluster Coordinator with the Rank of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Information Technology disclosed.

While touring the dam, Economic Affairs Cluster Coordinator with the Rank of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, told Ethiopian News Agency that (GERD) that the construction of the dam has been executed carefully, responsibly and without interruption.

The government has given top priority to the project, which would be an engine to the industrialization of the country, he added.

A collaborative project of the public and the government, the dam is of immense use to the growth of the economy, Dr. Debretsion stressed.

General Manager of the project, Engineer Simegnew Bekele said on his part the construction of dam is progressing as per the schedule.

The project general manager noted that the construction is also contributing to transfer of knowledge and would enable Ethiopian employees to acquire the desired skill in the process.

Upon completion, the GERD will generate 6,000 megawatts.

Source: ENA

On 10 October 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, made an official visit to Addis Abeba, Ethiopia where she met with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The two leaders discussed on a range of issues including peace and security in the region, migration and refugees, natural resource conservation and development, democracy and good governance and trade and investment as well as the current situation in Ethiopia.

During a joint statement to the press, Prime Minister Hailemariam said the Chancellor’s visit to Ethiopia marks the beginning of a new chapter in the longstanding bilateral relation and development cooperation between Ethiopia and Germany.

He said the visit reaffirms the two sides’ commitment to lift the bilateral cooperation into a new high, adding that Ethiopia and Germany have had an excellent cooperation in human resources development, particularly in areas of water, engineering and education, which has significantly assisted farmers in Ethiopia.

The Prime Minister said Germany is providing assistance in human capacity development which takes center stage in the overall economic development. He said efforts of producing personnel in technical and vocational education and engineering fields is fruitful, with remarkable gains in raising productivity of smallholder farmers by acquiring lessons from Germany’s forest and land administration programs.

German owned businesses in Ethiopia are quite minimal as compared with other European and Asian countries, according to Hailemariam, who extended calls to German companies to do business in Ethiopia.

Asked about the current situation in Ethiopia, the Premier said the government is now undertaking series of relevant reforms with the full measure of addressing public demands. Among others, the country’s electoral law will be reformed following dialogues with opposition parties. He added various democratic platforms will also be put in place to maximize the full participation of all stakeholders and guarantee accountability and transparency.

Responding to whether security forces have used excessive force in a bid to contain the current protest and violence, Prime Minister Hailemariam said an investigation is underway by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. In this connection, he said “We launched this investigation not to please the international community, but we are responsible to our citizens.”

“Our democratization process is still nascent. It is moving at the right direction, but it has not yet come up with inclusive engagement”, the Prime Minister added.

Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that Ethiopia and Germany have achieved tremendous results in human resource capacity building, agriculture and rural development endeavors.

She said Ethiopia was able to improve the living standards of its citizens much due to the activities of the country’s poverty reduction efforts, which she said managed to lift many people out of poverty and offer educational opportunities for numerous youth in the past.

The Chancellor, however, stressed the need to work hard to meet the growing demand of the youth, while also expressing her country’s readiness to extend support to Ethiopia’s efforts of responding to the demands of the youth.

Touching upon the recent protests and violence in some parts of Ethiopia, Chancellor Merkel, while welcoming the government’s reform agenda, emphasized the need for dialogue between stakeholders.  “I always argue that allowing people to express different political opinions and views is good because democratic experience shows that out of discussions and debates come out good solutions”. “The government has correctly identified the problems and has set ways to address them,” the Chancellor added.

On the need to intensify cooperation with Africa on migration and refugees, Merkel said the EU was ready to work together with the continent. “Africa’s economic development means a lot to European stability.” She further pledged to reinforce the financing of endeavors dedicated to dealing with migration and refugees.

The Chancellor indicated that her government encourages and supports German investors to do business in Ethiopia, promising further assistance to accommodating refugees in Ethiopia.

Furthermore, the two leaders have also discussed about regional issues, particularly ensuring peace and security in South Sudan and Somalia during which the Chancellor pledged to assist Ethiopia in promoting peace and stability in region.

During the German Chancellor’s visit the new Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building in the premise of the African Union (AU) Headquarters located in Addis Ababa was inaugurated.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and African Union Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zum, inaugurated the new facility built at a cost of 27 million EUR with funds provided by the government of Germany.

This landmark project depicts the close cooperation that exists between the AU and Germany and goes a long way in enhancing the AU’s capacity to meet the challenges of peace and security on the continent.

Speaking during the grand inaugural event, the Chancellor said the relation between Africa and Germany rests on a common interest.

“Our cooperation is characterized by common effort for a sustainable economic development, education, governance and peace and security”.

She mentioned progresses in Africa including the continent’s economic potential, enormous natural resources and the growing middle class in many countries.

The Chancellor noted the huge number of youth in the continent that has hopes to change and many hopes that can be translated to a reality.

Africa’s sustainable growth and job creation requires the involvement of a strong private sector, she said, promising further support to development projects in the continent in a bid to tackle the root causes of migration from Africa to Europe.

African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on her part said Africa is ready to learn from Germany as the continent started implementing the Agenda 2063, the vision to Africa’s reconstruction.

The donation of the building is a visible monument of the spirit of solidarity and cooperation between Germany, the AU and Africa as a whole, the AUC Chair remarked.

Dr. Zuma said the building offers an important setting to take forward efforts of development and peace building as Africa is intensifying the silencing guns campaign.

The landmark project depicts the close cooperation that exists between the AU and Germany and goes a long way in enhancing the AU’s capacity to meet the challenges of peace and security on the continent.

The building hosts the AU Peace and Security Department, and provides a base for the operation of the continental early warning system and the coordination of peacekeeping missions.

Ethiopia hosts more than 800,000 refugees, mainly from neighboring African countries. Ethiopia has an open door policy that welcomes the refugees and give an economic and education opportunities to join universities, mainly to Eritrean and Somalia youth refugees. In November 2015 at the Valletta Summit, Ethiopia and the EU have signed a Common Agenda on Migration Agreement to resolve the root causes of migration in that part of the region and provide financial and technical assistances at project level.

On 12 October 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Government Communication Affairs Office briefed the diplomatic community and representatives of international organizations in Addis on current political developments in the country and the reasons for the declaration of a State of Emergency.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie, and the Minister for Government Communication Affairs Office, Getachew Reda, detailed the current situation, the reasons behind the declaration of the State of Emergency and its scope, and highlighted planned political reforms to encourage restoration of peace and security and the creation of a positive climate for continued momentum for development.

Minister Getachew Reda emphasized that the State of Emergency had been put in place to allow full play for political engagement to address the protests, frustrations and concerns raised by the youth. It was not aimed at addressing people’s grievances through security measures; it had been put in place to address emerging, organized, mobile and coordinated security threats against peoples’ lives and the security of the country.

He also emphasized that the State of Emergency did not mean a blanket ban on all activities. It provided conditional controls on certain areas and activities as needed. In such score, the Minister once again stressed there is no blanket ban on communications, freedom of movement and imposition of curfew.

Ambassador Taye noted protests and disturbances over the last six months were unprecedented. These included legitimate grievances but regrettably in some cases the concerns of the people were hijacked by some extremist elements aiming to take control of the protests as a means towards taking unconstitutional control of state power.

It was in this context that the government examined the ongoing and future prospects of the security situation. It was resolved to bring peace and stability. This was needed to advance political reforms for the greater benefit of the people and to reverse the violence that had led to loss of life and destruction of property.

Ambassador Taye emphasized that the declaration of a State of Emergency should be seen in the light of the urgent need to protect the national life of the people and preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country in the face of increased insecurity. The point had been reached when ordinary law-enforcement measures were insufficient when faced by the security threats posed by armed anti-peace elements financed and encouraged by external forces.

The State of Emergency was a strategic choice to bring back immediate peace and security as well as encourage the country onto a course of political reform in response to peoples’ grievances and questions.

In the question and answer session that followed, Ambassador Taye underlined that the purpose of the State of Emergency was first and foremost the protection of the safety and security of the people, and to reverse the course of the current of chaos, hatred, tension and insecurity in the country. He emphasized the six-month State of Emergency included respect for fundamental human rights; as well as for the diplomatic and consular rights enshrined in the Vienna Convention. The declaration did not in any way stifle the normal exchange of ideas and discourse. It would only affect information inciting violence and hatred. Referring to the proposed political reforms, Ambassador Taye explained that the Government was committed to create conditions for an inclusive nation-wide dialogue on a wide range of national issues in order to bring lasting peace and security, and encourage the country’s rapid economic growth.