The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the annual meeting of Ethiopian ambassadors and consuls will start next Monday, August 24, 2020.

Ambassador Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of MoFA, told journalists today that the meeting will take place for 15 days in Bishoftu town, Oromia regional state.

According to the Spokesperson, the meeting will review the performance of the overseas missions and deliberate on the revised foreign relations policy of the county.

The two-week meeting also includes discussion on MoFA’s 2020/21, 5 and 10 years perspective plans as well as training on various national policies, he said.

As far as citizen-centered diplomacy is concerned, Ambassador Dina said travel documents have been prepared for 180 Ethiopians who applied to return home from Beirut.

He further indicated that works are underway in collaboration with relevant international agencies to repatriate 1,200 Ethiopian from Yemen.

Source : FBC

H.E Ambassador Hirut Zemene conferred with members of Sebeka Gubae in Brussels Debre Kidus Kidanemhiret and Antwerp Teklehaymanot churches in Belgium on August 19, 2020.

In the introductory meeting, Ambassador Hirut appreciated them for their support and contributions towards the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and for tackling the challenges of COVID 19 and called for their continued support.

Both sides exchanged information on various issues and promised to strengthen the link between the Embassy and the churches in Belgium.

Ambassador Hirut is conducting an introductory meeting with various Ethiopian religious, professional and regional associations of Ethiopia.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed visited the coffee roasting plant in Addis Ababa on August 18th.

After the visit, the Prime Minister said “coffee is Ethiopia’s gold and its cultural bridge.”

“As one of our key national exports, innovative private sector investments in the coffee industry like a roasting plant I visited, which value add through technology, learning, and product innovations are set to be game-changers,” he added.

Coffee export earned Ethiopia more than $854 million last budget year, which ended on July 7. The revenue increased by more than 17% compared to the previous year.

Germany, Saudi Arabia, United States, Japan, Belgium, South Korea, Italy, France, and Sudan are the major buyers of Ethiopian coffee.

Source: FBC

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed has appointed the following officials:

1. Dr Kene’a Yadeta- Minister of Defence

2. Dr Gedion Timothewos –Attorney General

3. Dr Samuel Urkato- Minister of Science and Higher Education

4. Engineer Takele Uma- Minister of Mines and Petroleum

5. Tesfaye Daba- Deputy Attorney General

6. Yohannes Buayalew – Director General of the Ethiopian Foreign Relations Strategic Studies Institute

7. Nigusu Tilahun- Commissioner of Job Creation Commission

Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide has been named African Finance Minister of the Year by the African Leadership Magazine.

He will receive the award at the 5th US – Africa Investment Forum & Policy Dialogue 2020 (virtual), scheduled to hold (Via Zoom) from September 29th – 30th, 2020.

The editorial board of the African Leadership Magazine unveiled a total of 17 winners in 17 categories.

The winners were unveiled by the Publisher of the Magazine, Dr. Ken Giami, at the UK Head Office of the group after the editorial board reviewed the collated online and offline votes.

Source: FBC

The completion of the first filling of the GERD has inspired Ethiopians to boost their financial and political support for the dam, said the office of the dam.

The Ethiopia government announced the completion of the first-year filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) last month.

According to the Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation on the Construction GERD, contribution to the dam has increased following the successful achievement of the first-year filling.

Hailu Abrham, public relations and media communication director at the office said the people have made a contribution of more than 100 million birr in a short period of time.

Ethiopians at home and abroad have so far contributed 13 billion birr for the dam which was launched nine years ago. Ethiopian diaspora alone made $46.7 million contributions.

According to him, the financial support, coupled with the political one, helped the dam to reach its current level.

Hailu said more than 200 Ethiopians are also working in Arabic languages to aware of the Middle East countries about Ethiopia’s stance regarding the dam.

Early this month, Ethiopians at home and abroad voiced their support to the GERD at various events held under the theme, “Our Voice for Our Dam”.

Source:FBC

On 12th August 2020, H.E Hirut Zemene, the new Ethiopian Ambassador to Belgium, presented a copy of her Credentials to H.E France Chainaye, Chief of Protocol of the Kingdom of Belgium.

Ambassador Hirut expressed her readiness to work closely with the Belgian side to deepen the longstanding relations and strengthen the existing cooperation between Ethiopia and Belgium for the benefits of the two peoples.

On her part, H.E France Chainaye pledged that the Belgium government would fully support Ambassador Hirut to further promote the friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and briefed her some important diplomatic procedures to follow during her tenure in Belgium.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced successful finalization of the planting of 5 Billion trees this rainy season as per the Green Legacy Initiative.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has taken part in the closing session of the planting campaign held at Mount Bezawit, Bahir Dar City this morning.

On the occasion, the premier said the country has achieved its plan set to plant 5 Billion trees ahead of the remaining one month rainy season time.

He expressed gratitude to all Ethiopians for actively responding to the call for the greening campaign and placing their fingerprints in the green legacy initiative.

Ethiopia is set to plant 6 billion trees in the 2021 rainy season as per its arrangement to plant 5 billion till the end of the coming four years.

The premier affirmed that Ethiopia will avail 1 billion trees to neighboring countries as per its aspiration to help green the region too.

The finalization of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and the commencement of full operation of the Grand Renaissance Dam will fall in the same historical time after four years, the Prime Minister underscored.

Source: FBC