The sixth Tana High Level Forum on security in Africa will be held this weekend from 22 to 23 April 2017 in Bahir Dar town, Amhara regional state under the theme: “Natural Resource Governance in Africa.

The forum which brings together African Head of State and Government, notable African personalities, academics, and spectrum of international actors serves a key platform to take on ideas on Africa’s role and responsibility within the international security arena.

Ethiopia and Spain pledged on Tuesday (April 18, 2017) to give full play to the existing political consultation with a view to achieve new breakthroughs in their future cooperation.

This came following a meeting held between State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut Zemene and Spain’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ildefonso Castro.

Both sides agreed to maintain their close political consultation aiming at moving the Ethio-Spanish ties forward for new achievements in the years to come.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hirut Zemene pointing out that Ethiopia values its relations with Spain suggested the importance of upholding the existing platform of political consultation to explore all possible ways and means to enhance Ethio-Spanish cooperative partnership.

The State Minister who appreciated the existing close international coordination and cooperation between the two countries vowed that Ethiopia will continue to play a meaningful role in international and regional issues of common concern.

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ildefonso Castro who defined Ethio-Spanish relationship as an excellent one stressed the need to improve and make the political consultation on a regular basis with the objective of making new progress in all areas of cooperation.

Content:

Reform efforts continue in Ethiopia
Migration crisis: The need for a candid engagement
Dr. Tedros at the WHO: Ethiopian expertise going global
Assessment and perspectives of a successful academic cooperation
The blooming horticulture industry of Ethiopia
Ethiopia was vigorously promoted at tourism fairs in Benelux Countries 20 A new government to revive Somalia
ተደራጅቶ በማህበር መስራት አገራዊ አቅም ይፈጥራል- መደራጀት ሃይል ነው!

The Ethiopian Messenger − April 2017

On Monday 27th of March 2017, more than 100 tourism professionals, tour operators, journalists, diplomats and investors gathered at the Press Club Brussels Europe to learn more about Ethiopia’s cultural and tourism developments, as well as about the emerging wine sector in the country. The event, organized by the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels in collaboration with Forbes Africa Magazine and the Brussels Press Club, aimed at promoting a good image of Ethiopia in Europe. It was also the occasion to unveil the new tourism brand of Ethiopia dubbed as “Ethiopia, The Land Of Origins.” After an informative program on Ethiopian tourism destinations, the guests enjoyed Ethiopian wine, a cultural show, an Ethiopian coffee ceremony and Ethiopian traditional cuisine.

In an article published on the 18th of March 2017 in the Gazet van Antwerpen, Pr. Dr. Jan Nyssen from the Ghent University argues that Ethiopia’s ability to mitigate droughts has been improved thanks to an effective water ressource management.

Among other structural measures, the regreening of some areas and work on landscape led to better water retainment, as well as artificial lakes and small walls built between acres. In case of drought, direct government interventions help mitigate the effects through grain reserves, water distribution to villages with tank trucks. Finally, early warning systems are decisive to detect future droughts and take early measures.

Ethiopia and the European Union held the first of its kind Annual Human Rights and Governance Consultation in Addis Ababa on Thursday the 6th of April 2017. This Consultation is one of the pillars of the Ethio-EU Strategic Engagement signed on the 14th of June 2016 in Brussels.

An Ethiopian delegation led by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs. Hirut Zemene met with EU delegation headed by Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Special Representative for Human Rights to exchange on issues such as human rights, good governance, democratic process, economic cooperation, and migration.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Hirut Zemene noted the strong support Ethiopia has been receiving from the European Union and welcomed the initiative to start the annual dialogue on issues of human rights and democracy.

Briefing the EU delegation on current issues in Ethiopia, State Minister Hirut underlined that the situation in Ethiopia is now calm and the extension of the state of emergency for the next four months is meant to further ensure the prevalence of peace and security in the country, adding that this would bring more guarantee for public safety and security and the respect of citizens’ fundamental rights.

Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, welcomed the launching of the first annual human rights consultation, noting that this would enhance the respect of fundamental human and democratic rights in Ethiopia.

The Special Representative underscored that the EU is keen to further strengthen its long-standing ties and cooperation with Ethiopia. The EU emphasizes on the need to move forward the partnership with Ethiopia in the spirit of ACP- EUPartnership Cotonou Agreement, he added.

The two sides dealt at length on how to further insure the respect of fundamental human and democratic rights including insuring rule of law, due process of law, promoting youth employment, ensuring respect of child and women rights, widening the political space in Ethiopia and expanding cooperation in the fight against human trafficking.

Ethiopia and the EU have enjoyed over 40 years of strong and enduring partnership and cooperation on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues. The importance of this relationship has been underlined in the Ethio-EU Strategic Engagement (2016). 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).

On the 17th of March, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn met with HRVP Mrs Federica Mogherini in Addis Ababa. Both sides discussed the implementation of the Ethio-EU strategic engagement. The next consultation in this framework is expected to be held soon in Addis Ababa on the topic of combating terrorism and extremism in relation with peace and security.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia

Call for papers of the 11th annual symposium of the Africa Platform of Ghent University Association, entitled “Health in Africa – an interdisciplinary approach“.

This international symposium will be organized at Ghent University on Friday 15 December 2017.

For this edition we welcome paper submissions within any of these five interdisciplinary sub-topics:

• Sub-topic 1: Health care, space and materiality in Africa, past and present
• Sub-topic 2: The quest for healing as a driver in political mobilization and development
• Sub-topic 3: Mental health and disability
• Sub-topic 4: Health system challenges for donor darlings: perspectives from the ground
• Sub-topic 5: Childhood malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa

Deadline for the submission of abstracts (max. 500 words): 1 June 2017.

Download the Call for paper (PDF)

Recently, the primary school of Heilig Hart School in Jette (Brussels) organized a special event that intends to educate students about Ethiopian culture and history.

Early in the morning, over 300 elementary students gathered to take part on the presentation given by the Ethiopian Embassy in Brussels.

Students were fascinated about Ethiopia’s culture, history and the uniqueness of its calendar. During the presentation, students were informed about Ethiopia’s civilization dated back to 3,000 BC, the victory of Adwa and how it manages to live in peace and harmony having over 80 languages and 200 dialects.

The World Bank’ Board of Executive Directors approved an International Development Association credit of 50 million dollars for the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) Development Project in Ethiopia, aimed at improving the competitiveness of Ethiopian industries.

It will support the Ethiopian government’s efforts to develop the country’s standardisation practice, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment services, inspection, testing, and certification.

A Press Statement said on Friday last week that a well-functioning NQI would enhance firms’ competitiveness and opportunities for expansion into new export markets by offering them proof that products and services adhere to quality requirements. This would also encourage investors to upgrade their products and quality of services to meet market requirements imposed by trading partners, consumers, and regulatory authorities.

This, it said, was particularly important for Ethiopian manufacturers currently facing a number of challenges in meeting quality requirements needed to access developed markets, such as the United States, European Union, and Asia, which require stricter quality checks and standards than the prevailing domestic ones. The project will focus on three value chains central to the government’s industrial policy to increase its export base, including: leather and leather products; textile and garments; and agro-processed products.

The Board of Executive Directors also approved a new 150 million dollars credit for a project to increase the efficiency of trade logistics in Ethiopia.

The project will focus on improving the Modjo Dry Port, a key transportation hub that handles 95 percent of Ethiopia’s trade, but which is a major bottleneck on the vital Ethio-Djibouti trade corridor.

This project will support investments in physical infrastructure and ICT systems, as well as regulatory improvements which will increase exports, generate jobs, and raise incomes of producers and traders.

Ms. Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director, Ethiopia said: “The success of Ethiopia’s large-scale investment in industrial parks and the new rail line to Djibouti will depend on their connectivity to different logistics nodes along trade corridors.”

It was consistent with Ethiopia’s Logistics Strategy for Modjo to evolve from being a single-user dry port that focuses on customs clearance, to a multi-user, multi-purpose facility, where third party logistics providers gather together to provide modern services.

A World Bank official said: “By enhancing the performance of the Ethio-Djibouti corridor through improvements in the range and quality of logistics services at Modjo Dry Port, and reducing burdensome regulations in customs, trade finance and trade facilitation, the government will be able to reap the benefits of trade that help to drive growth and reduce poverty.”

The press statements said both projects would support the World Bank Group’s twin goals of reducing extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity by supporting economic growth.

Source: MFA Ethiopia

The Executive Secretary of the IGAD, Engineer Mahboub Maalim, and the Director for East Africa Division of Germany, Dr. Ralf-Mathias Mohs, signed a grant agreement for 36 million Euros on Friday last week (March 31). This is to provide for the strengthening of responses to drought migration.

The funds are divided into two parts, 20 million euros for financial cooperation and 16 million euros for technical cooperation. These funds will go towards strengthening IGAD’s coordination role in the migration policy, management coordination in line with the Regional Migration Policy Framework as well as other continental and international frameworks.

They will strengthen IGAD’s capabilities and role within the Regional Migration Fund, including the capacity for knowledge management, by creating systemized methods and monitoring of best practices and performance compliance with the national and regional migration policies. They will also enhance and strengthen the IGAD Regional Consultative Process and IGAD’s positioning within global and regional processes such as the New York Declaration on Global Compact on Migration and Refugees and the Khartoum Process. They will allow IGAD to strengthen its facilitation role to promote both comprehensive regional cooperation on migration routes and effective cross-border cooperation among the member states.

The agreement came after a three-day experts’ consultation process.

Source: MFA Ethiopia