Hydroelectric Dam Development in Ethiopia

This article was originally published in The Ethiopian Messenger, the quarterly magazine of the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels.

Hydroelectric dams are central for the development of Ethiopia which aims to become a light manufacturing hub and a middle income country by 2025. Electricity could also soon become a major export item.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Ginbot 20, which marks the end of the military dictatorial rule of the Derg regime, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the country has managed to make significant progress over the last quarter of the century. Among others, he said remarkable successes have been achieved in attracting investments, addressing unemployment and housing problems, empowering women, protecting the rights of citizens, expanding telecom and electricity facilities as well as increasing the productivity of small-scale farmers.

Dams in Ethiopia. © Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels. This map is given for information purpose only and does not represent any views of the Ethiopian government.

Ethiopia was able to make such progress in only 25 years thanks to a visionary plan designed by ruling coalition Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) aiming at eradicating poverty and accelerating a development benefiting to all Ethiopians. This vision was implemented through successive national development plans. The latest of these plans are the five-year Growth and Transformation Plans (GTP) focusing on increasing productivity in the agricultural sector, developing the industrial capacity of the country and building an important infrastructure benefiting both the population and the development of the economy. The first and the second GTPs (2010-2015 and 2015-2020) played an instrumental part in helping the country’s economy to reach a double-digit growth, which is expected to continue in the years to come. The target of this strategy is to achieve middle-income status and make the economy climate resilient by 2025.

This ambitious plan can only be achieved through the development of key sectors like light manufacturing and agro-processing. These industries not only provide jobs to Ethiopians but also considerably increase the added value of goods initially produced in Ethiopia like coffee, bamboo and other agriculture products as well as products related to breeding such as hides that can be transformed into shoes and other leather products. To encourage this development, the Ethiopian Government designed a policy of industrial park developments as well as a set of incentives for investors in these sectors. But another crucial factor to attract investors and support industrial development is access to energy. Already in the past decade, the rapidly developing industrial sector has driven the energy demand in Ethiopia, now growing at a yearly rate of about 30%.

During GTP I, electricity service coverage in the country has increased from 41% in 2009-10 to 54% in 2013-14. The main objective during the GTP II is further increasing of energy generation, transmission and distribution to satisfy domestic energy demand with production surplus directed to export market. Thus, the Ethiopian government plans to raise electricity output to 17,346 MW during GTP II from an initial capacity of just over 2,200 MW. Besides wind, solar and hydrothermal sources, this electricity generation will mainly come from hydro-power. With a hydro-power potential of 45,000 MW largely untapped until today, Ethiopia has a real opportunity to meet these targets and transform its economic plans into reality.

The country has already planned and achieved the construction of several hydro-power facilities. Plants constructed in the last ten years include Tekeze (300 MW, completed in 2009), Tana Belese (460 MW), Gilgel Gibe II (420 MW, completed in 2010), Gilgel Gibe III (1970 MW, completed this year, already in operation). Two major dams are currently under construction: Koysho Dam (2,200 MW) and most importantly the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (6,000 MW, to be completed in 2017).

These dam projects imply that some populations living in areas near to the dams and the new bassins have to be relocated. The government is using this opportunity to give local populations the chance to enhance their quality of life. In fact, relocated populations were provided with more modern housing than previously as well as access to basic infrastructure like health and education that had not been available before in these districts. Most of the relocated people are positive about this change, as independent researches have shown (Read for example the interview with Jennifer Veilleux on Catherine Pfeifer’s blog, 9 July 2016: http://ethio.be/1qZCTqz).

The GERD hydro-power project is at the center of Ethiopia’s development strategy and will be vital to achieve the status of middle income country by 2025. The construction of this flagship project started in 2011 and has nearly reached 70% completion by mid-2016. The dam is expected to start operations this year with a full completion expected in 2017. Its total cost is estimated at USD 4.7 billion, and it is entirely funded by the Ethiopian Government and the Ethiopian population, testifying the strong national commitment to achieve this project. The construction is carried out by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) with subcontractors including the Italian firm Salini Impregilo providing the concrete, and the French company Alstom for the supply of turbines and generators.

Once completed, the Grand Ethiopian Dam will be the largest dam in the continent: 1,780 meter long and 145 meter high. Its estimated capacity of 6,000 MW is equivalent to the combined power of four nuclear reactors. Later in 2016, two of the 16 expected turbines of the dam will start to generate about 750 MW of electricity.

Since the GERD is being constructed on the Blue Nile that has its source in Ethiopia and flows to Sudan and Egypt, Ethiopia took the initiative to establish an international panel of experts from the three riparian countries and experts from other countries. This initiative can be considered as unprecedented since no other country took a similar initiative on its own before. This international panel studied the impact of the dam on the downstream countries. Even though the experts concluded that the dam will not have a significant impact on the downstream countries, Egypt raised concern about its water shares. Accordingly, tripartite ministerial meetings were organized between Egyptian, Ethiopian and Sudanese representatives at ministerial level, in order to guarantee a strong and continued dialogue. In this framework, it was agreed that a Tripartite technical committee was to meet regularly to assess technical aspects of the project and two consultancy firm were selected to study the social and environmental impact of the dam.

A major step towards more regional cooperation around the dam was taken on 23 March 2015 in Khartoum, when the leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed a declaration of principle on Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance dam project. “We could cooperate and accomplish great things or disagree and hurt each other… we have chosen to cooperate,” the Egyptian President El-Sisi stated at this occasion. On his side, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn stressed that the Renaissance Dam will not cause any significant harm to the Egyptian people: Egypt and the rest of the Nile Basin countries are one family, he said. Moreover, on 1st of June 2016, Egypt’s foreign affairs minister Sameh Shoukry noted that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has become a reality and that it is “pointless to bury our heads in the sand by not acknowledging a tangible physical reality.” The road is open for the future collaboration on this dam that will bring major benefits to the whole region.

The Koysho Dam which will be built on the Omo river will be a further step to achieve the hydro-power target set in GTP II. Announced on the 10th of March 2016 by Ethiopian Prime Minister H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, the Koysho Dam will have a final capacity of 2,200 MW. Worth 2.5 billion euros, the new project includes a 170 meter high rolled compacted concrete dam and will also appeal to the Italian firm Salini Impregilo for the construction and to another Italian firm for its financing.

The neighbours of Ethiopia have soon expressed their interest to benefit from the abundant and cheap power generated by the dams. Supported by an international organization established in 2005, the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and by a 22 billion African Union backed project to develop a pan-continental electricity highway by 2020, the building of infrastructure to interconnect national grids of countries in the region is underway to facilitate regional integration and hence to realize sustainable growth and development. Planned since 2006, the construction of high voltage line interconnecting the Ethiopian and the Kenyan grids are currently being started, and while the current agreement between Ethiopia and Kenya is for 400 MW of power export, this is expected to further increase in the future. Ethiopia already provides 100 MW electricity to Sudan and up to 50 MW to Djibouti and electric power will soon be supplied to South Sudan and Somalia. Grid links to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and even to Yemen across the Red Sea could also be considered. The power export not only increases the foreign currency earning of Ethiopia, but also strengthens the relations among the countries which would have a pivotal role in stabilizing the region.

Combined with a vast, cheap and trainable labor force, robust infrastructure development, political stability and a strategic location, this energy achievement of Ethiopia will considerably boost the manufacturing capacity and attractiveness of the country. The fast development of hydroelectric dams in the country and especially of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is also a sign demonstrating the ardent commitment of the Ethiopian people for the development of their economy. Furthermore, these new electricity production facilities will enable Ethiopia to export cheap electricity to neighboring countries. This will have a positive effect on regional integration and development. In this sense, not only the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam but all the hydroelectric projects in Ethiopia have the positive consequence of strengthening regional integration and are not only a condition of Ethiopia’s economic development, but also an important factor for the prosperity of the whole region.

Thanks to the commitment of its people and government, Ethiopia is on a right track to make one dream come true: accelerating its development to eradicate poverty, attain economic well- being and reach the status of a middle-income country by 2025. The hydroelectric development of the country will massively contribute to reach these goals.

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in February 2016. © Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels

July 1, 2016

Strengthening Human Rights the Ethiopian Way

This article was originally published in The Ethiopian Messenger, the quarterly magazine of the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels.

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While the progresses achieved in the last two decades by Ethiopia at the level of political stability and economic development have been widely aknowledged, the efforts to improve the human rights situation have not drawn enough attention despite a committed action plan.

Ethiopia is an immense and rich society facing political and human rights challenges. After the fall of the military dictatorship of the Derg, the Government has adopted a Constitution based among other principles on the human rights, ratified international conventions and established institutions to guarantee the respect of human rights, such as the Human Rights Commission and an Ombudsman. Though its human rights record has been steadily improving since the terrible era of the Derg’s regime, Ethiopia is still regularly criticized for the state of human rights in the country by international observers and organizations. One reason for this is that while Ethiopia’s booming economy and impressive development gains are now globally recognized, the country’s current efforts to ensure the human rights of its population are less publicized.

Acknowledging the fact that the Ethiopian democracy is still in its early stages, the government has made numerous efforts during the past decades, such as its National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP). Launched in 2013, Ethiopia’s NHRAP is an ambitious program aiming at ensuring and strengthening the state of human rights of its more than 90 million citizens. The goal is to have it fully implemented within three years. On many aspects, this plan is representative of the country’s strategic approach: learning on the job, monitoring progress and changing course if necessary and working hard in order to rectify any existing flaws.

Ethiopia’s Human Rights Action Plan

Ethiopia’s National Human Rights Action plan is the result of a long and organic process of various consultations. The concept of National Human Rights Action Plan was first developed as part of the second world conference on Human Rights held in Vienna, in 1993 which culminated in the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action. In Ethiopia, the preparation for the NHRAP began in earnest in the course of the National consultative workshop, which was held under the aegis of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, in cooperation with stakeholders in March 2010 in Addis Ababa. This national forum was attended by representatives of government institutions, civil society organizations and international agencies. The formal decision of the Ethiopian Government to develop the National Human Rights Action Plan was publicly announced the following year, on 1st September, 2011 by H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Presented in October 2013 in its final version, the National Human Rights Action Plan did not introduce any new laws for Ethiopia but instead analyzed what actions should be taken to make sure existing laws were effective in bringing benefit to the people. It included nearly 60 recommendations to cover gaps in sectors such as education, health and culture and identified gaps in the justice sector, like the need for guidelines on the use of force by the police, against suspects or condemned individuals in prisons among others. This plan – the first in the country’s history – was above all an indigenous intervention, product of a strong leadership based on the recommendations made by countries and international institutions on the last Universal Period Review (UPR) – a peer review platform at the United Nations level.

The main objective of the NHRAP is to develop a comprehensive and structured mechanism to advance the respect, protection and fulfillment of human and democratic rights guaranteed by the Ethiopian Constitution. The Action Plan reviews the present human rights situation of the country, identifies potential problems, and sets feasible solutions. The specific objectives of the Action Plan was to indicate the strategic guidelines to promote human and democratic rights in the country; set forth comprehensive, structured and sustainable strategies to respect and protect human rights in the coming years; define means to raise public awareness of human rights and indicate strategies on how the Government could work in collaboration with NGOs legally entitled to work on human and democratic rights, development partners, civil societies and other international stakeholders.

The plan is also a signal showing that the country is open for constructive dialogue as it has been used as a basis to discuss human rights issues with stakeholders such as the United Nations, civil societies and development partners over the past years. In addition, the NHRAP will help to mobilize the public and responsible authorities for improvement of the human rights situation in the nation. Although the implementation of the plan is a significant step in itself, the Government is well aware that the state of human rights in the nation could not be resolved by institutional arrangements only, and that a lot remains to be done in this regard. This is a work in progress, part of a broader, specific Ethiopian way coming from an endogenous perspective and a consistent political resolve.

A specific path

Upon assuming power in 1991, the EPRDF coalition embarked on the difficult task of restructuring the Ethiopian state. Its major challenges were ensuring the stability and security of the territory while achieving democratic government at home. Ethiopia has come a long way over the past 25 years: in addition to the 10% annual economic growth registered in the country for the past decade, the country’s pro-poor polices are transforming the nation and creating a path to prosperity and stability.

Due to its success, the country’s strategy has often been compared to the four Asian Dragons (South Korea, Taiwan Hong Kong and Singapore), which managed to reach exceptionally high growth rates and rapid industrialization from the 1960s to the 1990s while maintaining authoritarian political systems during their early years of development. This is partially true, since the very basis of the government’s ideology is to ensure the population’s well-being and its ambitious development policy and advocating for a development state agenda was the country’s priority during the first post-conflict years. Moreover, to this day the media tend to focus on the extraordinary economic development of the country, neglecting to report about the human rights efforts. In the late 1990s, the EPRDF methodically set out their goals and have been implementing them with great discipline ever since.

However, Ethiopia’s circumstances are very different from the Four dragon’s. Although Singapore is still a model for several developing countries, it has been decades since the world came to realize that respect of human rights is essential for sustainable economic growth and that a government lacking popular consent is built on shaky foundations. The Ethiopian government is acutely aware that economic development and human rights are intertwined, and that this challenge critically defines the future and the direction of the country. As the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi once said, “democracy is not just a choice, but a necessity”. While historic Asian developmental states had been authoritarian, such authoritarianism is no longer feasible in our interconnected world, and in Ethiopia’s ethnic and religious diverse society, democracy is a sine qua non, a matter of survival. Ethiopia’ strong commitment to democracy is essential for its survival and to keep the country united.

Increasing attention is being paid to the people’s well-being and opinions. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, for instance, recently published an independent inquiry on the protests and clashes which cost hundreds of lives in Oromia and Amhara regions last year. After consulting the victims and their families, officials, elders, religious leaders, representatives of the community, the investigation concluded that, despite a very professional behavior of security forces, some regional security forces had in some cases used excessive force, but also cited bad governance as the main cause for the violence. Lack of response for questions raised by the public, problems of land management, and rent seeking were also mentioned as reasons for the violence.

The Plan matters because it completes the country’s development agenda by decisively linking poverty reduction, wealth creation and development to issues of life, liberty, political rights, equality and equal opportunities for all. The NHRAP should therefore be seen as an “Ethiopia solution to an Ethiopian problem”, adapting universally shared human rights values and norms to the country’s specific context and creating a model distinct both from the Asian model and from a direct importation of the Western model.

July 1, 2016

Ethiopia Launches Tourism Brand

This article was originally published in The Ethiopian Messenger, the quarterly magazine of the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels.

Tourism is emerging as Ethiopia’s fastest growing economic sector and the government, with its feasible policy and commitment, is registering a rapid growth in terms of generating foreign currency and a rising number of tourists visiting Ethiopia. The newly introduced tourism brand entitled ‘Ethiopia Land of Origin’ is believed to maximize the advantage that remains untapped when compared to the country’s multifaceted tourism attraction.

On the world stage, Ethiopia has been holding prominence to this date for being the cradle of humanity. With its unique heritage, the country is the origin of an ancient civilization endowed with a bountiful history and a vibrant culture combined with landscapes of vivid attractiveness. Most tourists who visit Lucy, the “grandmother of humanity” in Ethiopia’s National Museum have the feeling that they are visiting their own ancestors. Ethiopia is also the origin of coffee and the source of the majestic falls of Blue Nile with its smoke-like bounce of water droplets.

The impressive diversity of its people with over 80 languages and 200 dialects makes the country a melting pot of rich culture and civilizations coexisting in harmony and unity. Ethiopia is the only African country with its own distinctive script and calendar and remained sovereign throughout the centuries. The Bible and the Quranic manuscripts mentioned the name of Ethiopia several times and it is believed that Ethiopia is the first country in Africa to adopt Christianity in the 4th century and the first Muslims migrants found safe haven in Ethiopia from persecution. In the stage of the Olympics Games, Ethiopia seizes the designation of being a home to the world’s greatest runners.

Additionally, Ethiopia exhibits nine world heritage sites inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list such as the Aksum obelisks, the magnificent rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the spectacular landscapes of the Simien Mountains inhabited by the rare species of the Waliya Ibex and the bleeding heart Gelada Baboon. Becoming increasingly aware of the phenomenal gifts of the country, tourists have been increasingly fleeing to Ethiopia for their annual escape. The diversity of its touristic destinations enables visitors to experience exceptional historical, cultural, archeological and natural beauty, placing the country as the most unique tourism destination in Africa. The Ethiopian government, with the view of developing the sector’s contribution to the economy, is keen in implementing several measures. Thanks to the resulting dramatic increasing of the flow of tourists to the country, tourism is now backing the growing national economy.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT), Ethiopia earned $2.9 billion in the fiscal year of 2014-15, contributing 4.5% of the country’s GDP. During the last six months of the current fiscal year (2015-16) only, more than $1.7 billion have been raised. The report presented to the Parliament by the MoCT also reveals that tourism generated $2.6 billion in the past nine months as a result of the visit of 700,000 foreign tourists. Moreover, Ethiopia aims to generate $6 billion from the growing sector of tourism by raising the number of tourists to 2.5 million by 2020.

The Gelada Baboons in the Simien Mountains. © Ethiopian Tourism Organization

The economic contribution of the tourism sector can also be best explained by the jobs created for over a million people. Similarly, the tourism sector is generating foreign direct investment and the country is under a remarkable infrastructural revolution, meeting the required standards of the sector. Ethiopia is now under massive transformation in many respects of its development in general and of its tourism sector in particular.

The increasing results in the tourism sector recorded so far are a result of the meticulously designed workable policy and determined leadership of the government. This has brought a renowned recognition to the country by several international organizations, such as the European Council on Tourism and Trade which has recognized Ethiopia as the World Best Tourism Destination and awarded Prime Minister H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn for his leadership role in promoting tourism as a tool for economic development of Ethiopia. The late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi once stated that the development of sustainable tourism “can play more significant role in the war on poverty, both in Ethiopia and Africa as a whole”, elucidating Ethiopia’s determination to be among the top five tourist destination in Africa by 2020.

Ethiopia is the seat of African Union, UNECA and other international and regional organizations and this has created a valuable opportunity for the country to benefit from the conference tourism and from the MICE Industry in general. The opportunities in this sector have not been taped yet compared to the existing potential of the country in business related tourism. The government is striving to sustain the development of the tourism sector by raising the public and private investment and engaging the people at large.

The government of Ethiopia, as part of the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II) that aims to achieve a holistic transformation to the country, introduced in March 2016 a new tourism brand “Ethiopia Land of Origins” replacing the famous “13 Months of Sunshine”. The introduction of the brand was revealed on a newly launched and elegant website(www. ethiopia.travel) to inform the world that Ethiopia is more than ever ready to welcome tourists aspiring to follow the tracks of their ancestors.

The brochure of the newly launched brand presents the 10 unique experiences tourists will be able to enjoy only in Ethiopia:

Meet your ancient ancestor the hominoid skeleton of Lucy at the national museum. You will surely be marveled by the mystical churches of Lalibela, hand-hewn from rock signifying the New Jerusalem of Africa.
If you wish to walk in the footsteps of the Queen of Sheba and find out about the biblical Ark of Covenant, you will definitely need to visit the city of Aksum. Visit the castles of Gondar, unique in Africa, and go back to a time of powerful kings.
Discover the astonishing mix of ethnic groups in southern Ethiopian and learn about their traditional way of living.
Wander in colorful Harar, the old walled city of more than 80 mosques and the fourth most holy Islam site.
Trek the Simien Mountains, the Roof of Africa, and enjoy endless vistas or hike in Gheralta to experience the spirituality of centuries old churches dotted among steep pink cliffs.
Explore the out-of-this-world landscapes of the Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and the very hottest place on Earth, and climb the Erta Ale volcano.
Tour the lakes and parks along the Great Rift Valley − the only geographical feature visible from the moon.
Take a boat trip on Lake Tana, the source of the mighty Blue Nile, to discover its islands and monasteries.

Konso Cultural Landscape © Ethiopian Tourism Organization

June 27, 2016

Ethiopia & European Investment Bank Sign Agreement

On behalf of the government of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Teshome Toga signed an agreement today with the Vice-President of European Investment Bank (EIB) for ACP countries, H.E Pim van Ballekom. The agreement, that was inked in Luxembourg, will establish an EIB country office in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

The signing of the agreement is an important milestone in the longstanding relation between Ethiopia and the EIB with regards to providing finance to key infrastructure projects. The new office of the Bank will avail a closer and greater access to finance for both the public and private institutions in Ethiopia, and will represent a substantial contribution to the development aspiration of the country.

June 17, 2016

Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels Inaugurates New Chancery

During his opening speech, H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn recalled the official relations between Ethiopia and Belgium dated back to 1906, and that the long-standing relations between the two countries were cemented since then. The inauguration of this new building is the occasion to celebrate the growing relations of Ethiopia with the Kingdom of Belgium and with the European Union. The recent Strategic Engagement Agreement signed between Ethiopia and the EU is a sign for the growing relation between the two partners, and said the important university cooperation with Belgium should continue in the future.

On his part, H.E. Ambassador Teshome Toga recalled that the relation of the EU and the Benelux countries with Ethiopia has evolved from donor-recipient relation to an all-rounded cooperation over the years. He noted that Ethiopia has been present in Brussels for over 40 years and that now it can proudly call a place of its own in the city.

Mr. Dirk Achten, Secretary General at the Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation underlined that this event is a milestone in the relations between Belgium and Ethiopia, showing how active this relationship is today. Brussels and Addis share many common points, since they are both diplomatic capitals of their continents. He also thanked the Prime Minister and the First Lady for having included a significant Belgian program during their visit in Brussels.

The new chancery building, located on the Avenue de Tervuren 64, was previously owned by the Spanish Cervantes Institute. Acquired in 2014 by the Government of Ethiopia, the building offers a total space of 1,757 m2 on five floors. It will accommodate the Ethiopian diplomatic institution in Brussels comprising the Embassy, accredited to the Benelux and Baltic countries, the Ethiopian Mission to the European Union and a Consular section delivering visa and other documents to Benelux and Baltic citizen visiting Ethiopia.

Built in 1913 by Belgian architect Charles Neirynck, the building was first used for private purposes until the Second world war, when it was occupied by the German army. After the war, the building was used for various institutions until 1997 when the Cervantes Institute moved in.

Designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, this building is considered as the masterpiece of Charles Neirynck who also designed other buildings on the same avenue as well as along the Étangs d’Ixelles and on the Avenue Molière in Brussels. It is protected as a historical monument since 1997 by the Brussels Region. The most prominent features of the building include the facade with four spans and terraces as well as an imposing tripartite salon with plaster moldings and wall paintings.

The building is the first property of the Ethiopian government in Belgium and the fourth in Europe, after Moscow, Berlin, Rome and London.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”2″ gal_title=”Inaugural Ceremony Chancery”]

June 17, 2016

Pictures Chancery Inaugural Ceremony

On 16 June 2016, the new Chancery building of the Ethiopian Embassy in Brussels was inaugurated in the presence of Ethiopian Prime Minister H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopian Ambassador Teshome Toga, Mr. Dirk Achten, Secretary General at the Belgian Foreign Ministry and other high officials from Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the European Union as well as representatives from the private sector, the Ethiopian Diaspora in the Benelux countries and personalities from the academic sector. During his opening speech, H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn recalled the official relations between Ethiopia and Belgium dated back to 1906, and that the long-standing relations between the two countries were cemented since then. The inauguration of this new building is the occasion to celebrate the growing relations of Ethiopia with the Kingdom of Belgium and with the European Union. The recent Strategic Engagement Agreement signed between Ethiopia and the EU is a sign for the growing relation between the two partners, and said the important university cooperation with Belgium should continue in the future. On his part, H.E. Ambassador Teshome Toga recalled that the relation of the EU and the Benelux countries with Ethiopia has evolved from donor-recipient relation to an all-rounded cooperation over the years. He noted that Ethiopia has been present in Brussels for over 40 years and that now it can proudly call a place of its own in the city. Mr. Dirk Achten, Secretary General at the Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation underlined that this event is a milestone in the relations between Belgium and Ethiopia, showing how active this relationship is today. Brussels and Addis share many common points, since they are both diplomatic capitals of their continents. He also thanked the Prime Minister and the First Lady for having included a significant Belgian program during their visit in Brussels. The new chancery building, located on the Avenue de Tervuren 64, was previously owned by the Spanish Cervantes Institute. Acquired in 2014 by the Government of Ethiopia, the building offers a total space of 1,757 m2 on five floors. It will accommodate the Ethiopian diplomatic institution in Brussels comprising the Embassy, accredited to the Benelux and Baltic countries, the Ethiopian Mission to the European Union and a Consular section delivering visa and other documents to Benelux and Baltic citizen visiting Ethiopia. Built in 1913 by Belgian architect Charles Neirynck, the building was first used for private purposes until the Second world war, when it was occupied by the German army. After the war, the building was used for various institutions until 1997 when the Cervantes Institute moved in. Designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, this building is considered as the masterpiece of Charles Neirynck who also designed other buildings on the same avenue as well as along the Étangs d’Ixelles and on the Avenue Molière in Brussels. It is protected as a historical monument since 1997 by the Brussels Region. The most prominent features of the building include the facade with four spans and terraces as well as an imposing tripartite salon with plaster moldings and wall paintings. The building is the first property of the Ethiopian government in Belgium and the fourth in Europe, after Moscow, Berlin, Rome and London.

June 15, 2016

Press Release: Ethiopia & EU Sign Strategic Engagement Agreement

On 14 June 2016, H.E. Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia and H.E Jean-Claude Junker, European Commission President signed a Ethio-EU strategic engagement document in Brussels. The Strategic Engagement Agreement aims at structuring the reinforced cooperation between the two partners.
The EU-Ethiopia Strategic Engagement acknowledges the crucial role played by Ethiopia in Africa and the international community, as well as its significant economic growth (average of 10.6% estimated by the World Bank for 2004-14) and progress towards MDGs (on track to reach 6 of the 8 Millennium Development Goals).
The EU and Ethiopia are willing to address jointly a number of regional and global issues of common interest and to enhance the partnership on bilateral issues to a more strategic level. “The strategic engagement should become a comprehensive process of dialogue and cooperation, in different areas and on different levels, based on common interests. It should be guided by ownership, equity, partnership and joint responsibility”, the Agreement underlines.
Ethiopia is one of the EU’s most important partners on the African continent. The EU fully supports Ethiopia’s constructive role in peace and security in the Horn of Africa, amongst others in Somalia and South Sudan and as chair of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and as the number one contributor to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, as well as on thematic international debates such as climate change.
The Strategic Engagement focuses on six sectoral dialogues which will be reviewed during annual high-level meetings and senior officials meetings held regularly:

1. Regional Peace and Security
2. Countering Terrorism and Violent Radicalisation
3. Migration, Social and Economic Development
4. Investment And Trade
5. Governance and Human Rights
6. Climate Change and Environmental Cooperation

The EU and Ethiopia look back on 40 years of constructive bilateral relations in areas as diverse as development cooperation, trade and economic development, consolidation of democratic institutions, regional peace and security. The importance of this relationship has been underlined in the Strategic framework for the Horn of Africa (2011) and more recently in the Horn of Africa Action Plan (2015). Ethiopia is also an increasingly important partner in terms of migration, as demonstrated by the signature of a Declaration on a Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) in Valletta on 11 November 2015.

Contact: info@ethiopianembassy.be +32 2 771 32 94

June 10, 2016

Ambassador Teshome Engaged with Estonian Authorities and Private Sector

H.E. Ambassador Teshome Toga undertook a two-day working visit to Tallinn, Estonia on May 11 and 12/2016 and held discussion with the representatives of the Estonian Government and the private sector.

During the two days, H.E. Ambassador Teshome Toga had a meeting with the Director of the African Affairs division and with senior officials of the Economic cooperation and Business Diplomacy division of the Ministry Foreign Affairs as well as Parliamentarians. He also met with the Director General of Estonian Chamber of Commerce and the President and representatives of Estonian Travel and Tourism Association. At the occasion, Ambassador Teshome briefed the officials about the various achievements of Ethiopia over the last two decades in the political and economic areas and conveyed his government’s strong commitment to forge a stronger cooperation with Estonia with the aim of carving out a mutually beneficial outcome for the two countries.

In this light, Ambassador underscored, there is ample opportunities for cooperation in various areas, particularly in the field of investment, tourism and technology transfer between Ethiopia and Estonia. As one example, he mentioned e-governance as an important area that his country could learn and benefit from Estonia. In general, there was an understanding that Ethiopia and Estonia should work together on key global issues, such as climate change, terrorism and migration with a spirit of multilateralism and along the direction of the African Union and the European Union. It was also agreed that the Ethiopian Embassy will actively participate in the next African Business Forum and Estonian Tourism Fair, which are planned to be held in the second half of this year and at beginning of next year respectively.

The Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels is accredited to the Benelux and Baltic countries and is also the Ethiopian Representation to the European Union. This visit was part of the Mission’s annual program which includes periodic engagement in the Baltic countries and was a follow-up to last year’s similar mission. Last year the Embassy took part in the first ever African business exposition organized in Estonia for the private sector and the business community and Ambassador Teshome had made a presentation about Ethiopia’s growing business and investment opportunities, access to its huge market and about the country’s rich, diverse yet untapped historical, cultural and natural tourist attraction sites.

June 10, 2016

Ethiopian delegation participated in the 8th Summit of the ACP Heads of States and Governments

Delegated by the of the Ministry of Finance and Economic cooperation of Ethiopia, Ambassador Teshome Toga led the Ethiopian delegation to the 8th Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Heads of States and Governments, which was held from 31 May to 1st June 2016 in the capital of the Pacific Island Nation of Papua New Guinea, Port Mosby city.

Prior to the Summit, a joint ACP Foreign ministers and ACP Council of Ministers’ meeting was held on 30 May 2016 that primed the agenda items for the leaders of the ACP countries. The Summit was held at a crucial juncture of the ACP group as the continuity of the ACP-EU partnership after 2020 is uncertain. Hence the summit was expected to discuss and pass key decisions to help the ACP smoothly navigate towards its future before the Cotonou agreement expires and stamp out a guiding path for the group’s 79 developing countries before 2020.

One of the major deliberation agenda items was on the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) Report. The EPG was established in 2012 under the leadership of the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and comprising several prominent personalities from the six regions of the ACP. After the hearing of the report, the Summit directed the Council of the ACP Ministers to work on the technical aspects of the implementation of the group’s future based on the EPG report along with the report of the Future Perspective Working Group. The Summit also agreed to convene the next Summit in 2018.

During the Summit, a round table discussion was also held with the theme “Repositioning the ACP Group to Respond to the Challenges of Sustainable Development” and divided into three topics:

Equitable and sustainable development for ACP Countries and Peoples
Enhancing the role of the ACP Group in Global Governance for Development
Peace, Security and Stability as essential elements for Sustainable Development

The outcome of the discussion will feed the group’s future strategic orientation with the objective of consolidating and expanding the group’s interest and visibility in the global fora. Trade, climate change, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were among the major items of debate of the Summit. The delegation of Ethiopia made important contributions during the deliberation.

In its conclusion, the Summit adopted the Declaration on the 8th Summit of ACP Heads of Stat and Government of the ACP Group of States and the Waigani Communique on the Future Perspective of the ACP Group of States in which the ACP leaders reaffirmed their commitment to make the ACP group a leading global organization.

June 1, 2016

Dr. Tedros confers with a High-Level EU Delegation

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Tedros Adhanom discussed with a High-level European Union Delegation, one that spearheads the mission on dealing with the challenge of migration. The discussion covered signing strategic cooperation agreement on migration and strengthening further cooperation between Ethiopia and the European Union. Mr. Laurent Mushel, Director DG HOME of EU who led the EU delegation praised Ethiopia’s open door policy and out of camp policy. He said EU would like to further cooperate and build partnership on the issue of migration. The EU is set to sign strategic cooperation agreement with Ethiopia on migration, Mr. Laurent noted. Dr Tedros stated that his country is grateful to the strategic cooperation agreement that will be signed between Ethiopia and the European Union. Dr. Tedros said Ethiopia has put a lot of effort to curb migration on a national level. It has established a national council and is working relentlessly, he added. The Minister further said Ethiopia’s open door policy has contributed much in building people-to-people ties between countries in the region. He underlined Ethiopia would like to further strengthen the cooperation with the EU in such score.

Ethiopia’s Human Rights Action Plan

A specific path

New Chancery building inaugurated in Brussels