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The Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels hereby invites eligible candidates to apply for a position of Press and Media officer at the Embassy.

 

Full Discussion: ‘Policy Matters’ with Melesse Minale Tashu, Senior Macroeconomic Advisor, National Bank of #Ethiopia and PMO, on the new draft Stock Exchange Proclamation.

 

Today on the 13th of January 2021, H.E Ambassador Hirut Zemene exchanged views with Honourable Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Vice-Chair of the Development Committee and the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly at the European Parliament. The two sides conferred on the latest developments in Ethiopia with a focus on the humanitarian situation in Tigray Region, the upcoming regional and national elections in Ethiopia on early June 2021, the overall reform process in the country, and other developments in the Horn of Africa region.

Ambassador Hirut Zemene briefed Honourable Chrysoula Zacharopoulou on the works done to restore law and order in Tigray, to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by conflict, the preparations being made to hold the upcoming regional and national elections in Ethiopia, and the overall reform programs being undertaken in Ethiopia.

Honourable Chrysoula Zacharopoulou on her part recalled the visit her delegation made to Ethiopia in February 2020, the progresses she witnessed in terms of political and economic reform, and she reiterated the need for sustaining the democratic reform and stability in Ethiopia.

The two sides agreed to hold frequent exchanges of views on issues of mutual interest in the future.

Today January 12, 2021, H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene held a virtual discussion with Mrs. Carole MONE, Area Manager of Export for Sub-Saharan region and Africa of Hub Brussels Investment and Export Agency, on how to promote business links with the Brussels Capital region.

H.E. Ambassador Hirut explained the priority areas of investment in Ethiopia that could be of interest to investors in Brussels Capital region, such as in light manufacturing, tourism, and ICT development.

Mrs. Mone also noted significant number of Belgian companies that are interested to do business in Africa and Ethiopia.

The Embassy is strengthening its collaboration with Belgian’s three important regions namely Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels Capital region in promoting investment opportunities in Ethiopia.

In Collaboration with the other two regional investment and export agencies, Hub Brussels is planning to organize an economic mission to Ethiopia by the second half of 2021.

H.E. Mr. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Mr. Joseph Borrell, High Representative for the Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of European Union conferred today over the phone and exchanged views on the current humanitarian situation in Tigray region.

H.E. Mr. Demeke briefed the High Representative on the reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in the region which is being implemented under a cluster-based coordination mechanism.

The Government and humanitarian organizations are working in close coordination to effectively address the humanitarian needs in the region, said Mr. Demeke.

Both the Deputy Prime Minister and the High Representative have agreed to continue to work closely to scale-up the efforts in the provision of humanitarian assistance in the region and strengthen the closer collaboration between Ethiopian and the European Union.

Today, 5th of January 2021, H.E Ambassador Hirut Zemene presented copy of her letter of credence  that accredited her to the European Union institutions  to  His Excellency Mr. Nicolas de LA GRANDVILLE, Chief of Protocol of the European Commission.

On the occasion,  H.E Ambassador Hirut  and the Chief of Protocol had the chance to exchange views on how the handing over of the letter of credence will facilitate the working relations between the Embassy and   the EU institutions.

Ethiopia and the EU have more than half a century long relations and cooperation that has been upgraded  towards strategic partnership.

The spokesperson of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Dina Mufti, gave the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing today (05 January 2020) to the media. In his presentation, the Ambassador focused on activities related to the law enforcement operation in Tigray, the current Ethiopia-Sudan Border dispute, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and citizen-centered diplomatic activities within the past two weeks. Please find the summary here:

I. DEVELOPMENTS IN TIGRAY

1. Briefings to Ambassadors and HRDG representatives

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr.DemekeMekonnen, together with senior government officials, discussed yesterday with Ambassadors and representatives of members of Human and Resilience Donor Group (HRDG) on the current humanitarian situation in Tigray.

• Mr.Demeke appreciated member countries of the Group for their support and briefed the Ambassadors on the ongoing humanitarian activities in the Tigray region and the results achieved thus far.
• The Deputy Prime Minister said food items, commodities, and medical supplies are being provided in the region to address the needs of the beneficiaries.
• As agreed between the Government of Ethiopia and the UN Resident Coordinator, and using the existing coordination mechanism, the provision of humanitarian assistance is going as planned said the Deputy Prime Minister.
• Recalling the colossal destruction caused on infrastructure by the TPLF junta, Mr.Demeke briefed the Ambassadors on the daunting task of reconstruction that is now underway with telecommunication lines being restored in almost all parts of the region and financial institutions resumed their operations.
• Relevant government institutions are working closely with donor communities and will continue to do so to effectively and timely address issues of refugees and those who need humanitarian assistance.
• The interim administration is also working tirelessly in making sure that different levels of the administration of the region provide the necessary services including engaging the community to effectively respond to the development needs of the people in the region.
• Ministers and other officials of the Ethiopian government present at the meeting also provided detailed information on the work that is underway to address the humanitarian situation in Tigray.
• An understanding was reached to continue the engagement with the Group to work together to further scale-up humanitarian activities in the region.
• The Ambassadors appreciated the government of Ethiopia for taking the initiative to brief them on current issues in detail.

2. TIGRAY INTERIM ADMINISTRATION

• The process of disarming illegally armed militia and Special Forces is progressing well. Many militia members have been disarmed and Special Forces of Tigray have returned their arms peacefully. Peace is returning to the region gradually.

• The interim administration is resuming public service activities. Civil servants are returned and have resumed their services, in some regions 80-90 % of them have already returned to work. Kebele and woreda administrations have already restructured in many of the zones in the region.

• The interim administration is working hand in hand with the command post to restore peace, stability, and security in the region.

• The interim administration has reorganized the regional cabinet. Qualified candidates have been appointed.

• Telecom, electricity and bank services, and other infrastructural services have started to be given in some zones. Some of the Zones, including southern zones, eastern zones-Adigrat, and Abiadi- are getting power supplies. In the coming few days with the resumption of telecommunication services, full banking services will be acquired.

• Public support for the interim administration has been good. The interim government has been engaged in dialogue with the public and in all of the discussions, the public strongly condemned the TPLF for attacking the National Defense Forces. They have ensured that they will stand with the new administration.

• Government support to the interim administration-in terms of humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation, and budget allocation-has been very impressive. Some people are at risk in terms of food supply and relief and emergency activities are going on in the region. The only thing is to speed up and strengthen the distribution to all woredas and cities until all needy people are addressed in the region.

• The interim government is working on further engaging in humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation, and restoration of peace and security cooperating with the federal government. The interim government is designing the recovery of damaged infrastructure based on assessment.

• There is a plan to conduct a free, transparent, and democratic 6th general election. The interim administration is creating a conducive environment for the upcoming election. It has invited all opposition political parties in the region. The people of Tigray will freely elect the leaders and establish their administration to meet the ultimate objective of the interim administration.

II. RECENT MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BORDER AREAS WITH SUDAN

1. THE REALITY ON THE BORDER ISSUE

• Ethiopia has always been by the side of Sudan and its people whenever they face some natural and manmade problems. What has happened in our common border recently did not commensurate with the longstanding principle of solidarity and fraternity that existed between the two countries.

• Starting from November 9, 2020, Ethiopia has observed that the Sudanese Military Forces have launched organized attacks by using heavy machine guns and armored convoy on the border areas.

• Agricultural products of Ethiopian farmers are looted, their camps are vandalized, and they are also hampered from harvesting their farms. Many civilians have been murdered and wounded.

2. ONGOING EFFORTS IN SOLVING THE BORDER ISSUE AND THE WAY FORWARD

• The Ethiopia-Sudan High-Level Political Committee recently has discussed the issue in Khartoum. The meeting is the second of its kind and it will continue in Addis Ababa.

• Ethiopia wants to redouble its efforts to translate the strong bilateral relation with Sudan into more strategic cooperation (Minister for Transport has visited Sudan to discuss with her Sudanese counterpart the cooperation projects on port utilization and railway development).

• Ethiopia believes that agricultural activities can be successful if only peace prevails in the area and mutual destabilization would help neither of the two sides. Thus, the issue should only be solved through dialogue.

III. ON GERD

• Ethiopia and Sudan accepted the draft document of the AU on the continuation of the trilateral negotiation, a defined role of the AU experts.

• There is an agreement on most of the issues of the filling and operation of the dam but there are differences in the future water development projects on the Abbay Basin.

• The trilateral meetings was scheduled to continue at the expert’s level with oversight of ministers of water affairs, to take stock of agreed and outstanding issues to be presented to the six ministers meeting that is expected to be held on Sunday the 10th of January 2021. But the program on Monday was cancelled because of the absence of Sudan.

IV. CITIZEN-CENTRED DIPLOMACY

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia launches a two-month-long social media campaign on Saturday, trending under the phrase #RisingEthiopia and targeting all Ethiopians and those of Ethiopian origin.

The campaign aims to promote the good qualities of Ethiopia and assuage the effects of the misguided media narrative that dominated the air for the last couple of months.

Besides mobilizing Ethiopians living abroad for a common good, the campaign will also introduce Ethiopian investment potential to the international community and build up Ethiopia as an emerging tourism destination.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Demeke Mekonnen discussed today (January 04) with Ambassadors and representatives of members of Human and Resilience Donor Group (HRDG) on the current humanitarian situation in Tigray.

Attending the meeting were also H.E. Mufarihat Kamil, Minister of Peace, H.E.Redwan Hussein, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mitiku Kassa Commissioner for National Disaster Risk Management, and Director for Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA).

Mr. Demeke appreciated member countries of the Group for their support and briefed the Ambassadors on the ongoing humanitarian activities in the Tigray region and the results achieved thus far.
The Deputy Prime Minister said food items, commodities, and medical supplies are being provided in the region to address the needs of the beneficiaries.

As agreed between the Government of Ethiopia and the UN Resident Coordinator, and using the existing coordination mechanism, the provision of humanitarian assistance is going as planned said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Recalling the colossal destruction caused on infrastructure by the TPLF junta, Mr. Demeke briefed the Ambassadors on the daunting task of reconstruction that is now underway with telecommunication lines being restored in almost all parts of the region and financial institutions resumed their operations.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that relevant government institutions are working closely with donor communities and will continue to do so to effectively and timely address issues of refugees and those who need humanitarian assistance.

The interim administration is also working tirelessly in making sure that different levels of the administration of the region provide the necessary services including engaging the community to effectively respond to the development needs of the people in the region, said Mr. Demeke.

Ministers and other officials of the Ethiopian government present at the meeting also provided detailed information on the work that is underway to address the humanitarian situation in Tigray.

An understanding was reached to continue the engagement with the Group to work together to further scale-up humanitarian activities in the region.

The Ambassadors appreciated the government of Ethiopia for taking the initiative to brief them on current issues in detail.

(An update on) TRIPARTITE MEETING OF MINISTERS OF WATER AFFAIRS ON THE GRAND ETHIOPIAN RENAISSANCE DAM

Addis Ababa (04 January 2021)

Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy – Ethiopia
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The virtual meeting of Ministers Water Affairs of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan scheduled for today could not be held due to the non-attendance of the delegation of the Sudan. The Delegation of Egypt, AU assigned experts, and observers attended the meeting following the invitation extended by Ethiopia – the chair of the meeting.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia, while communicating its reservations to the chairperson of the AU Executive Council, had agreed to adopt the document drafted by the AU assigned experts as an input to the trilateral negotiation.

Nevertheless, the meeting planned to take stock of agreed and outstanding issues could not be held due to the absence of the Sudanese delegation. Ethiopia notified this development to the chairperson of the AU Executive Council.