Spokesperson of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Dina Mufti, gave the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing today (25 May 2021) to the media. In his presentation, the Ambassador focused on political diplomacy, Statements issued protesting decisions to infringe upon Ethiopia’s sovereignty,Press Freedomand diplomatic activities related to citizens and the economy.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia wishes all Africans a #HappyAfrica Day. Every year on 25 May, we not only commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the forerunner of the #AfricanUnion but remember what each of the member states contributes to creating a uniquely African color! The relationship between Ethiopia, the people of Ethiopia and our African brothers and sisters before, during, and after the formation of the Organization stood the taste of time. We treasure our attachment to the Organization and continue to cherish Africa’s diversity and have absolute confidence in our capacity to give Solutions to our own Problems.

Press Briefing Summary
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I. #PoliticalDiplomacy

H.E. Mr. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia has received today (May 24) at his office Mr. Nick Dyer, the UK’s Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs. During their discussion, the two sides covered a range of topics of common concern in the Tigray region. Mr. Demeke reiterated the rehabilitation and humanitarian supports, including infrastructure restoration efforts that the government has been undertaking in the region.

H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received at his office Mr.Hameed Nuru, the newly appointed Director for World Food Program (WFP) office and representative to AU and UNECA. The Deputy Prime Minister congratulated WFP for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 for its efforts to support people who are endangered due to man-made conflicts and natural disasters. He also praised the role played by the World Food Program (WFP) in providing humanitarian assistance to affected people in Tigray by refraining from unnecessarily politicizing the matter.

Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Demeke Mekonnen has participated in a webinar organized by Ethiopian embassies accredited to neighboring countries and the great lakes region jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. Present at the meeting and delivering remarks, Honourable Deng Dau Deng, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan said the GERD is a peace project that will benefit all in the region. With this understanding, he said the South Sudan parliament will soon ratify the Nile basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which outlines rights and obligations for the development of the Nile Basin water resources.

In related news H.E. Demeke Mekonnen has delivered a keynote address at a webinar event co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ethiopian Embassy in Canada and Alliance for GERD in Canada on the topic of “The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): an opportunity for cooperation or a cause for confrontation?”. H.E. Demeke Mekonnen stressed that the dam provides an exceptional opportunity for cooperation and regional economic integration.

H.E. Ambassador Deriba Kuma has held a virtual meeting with Ms. Elisabeth Schwabe-Hansen, Head of the Horn of Africa and West Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. Ambassador Deriba updated the Head of the department on the recent developments both in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region. The Ambassador particularly emphasized the enhanced humanitarian relief efforts that the government is undertaking in the Tigray region.

Ethiopia and Brazil have made their second bilateral political consultation meeting covering a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues of common concern. State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Redwan Hussien, and his Brazilian counterpart, H.E. Kenneth Da Nobrega have led the meeting. During the meeting, the two sides

• reflected on the performance of signed agreements during the first consultative meeting in 2018 and further assessed new venues of cooperation.
• assessed the Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreement which was signed to encourage investments and bilateral economic cooperation.
• assessed agreements to cooperate in peace-keeping missions and judicial matters related to police work and transfer of sentenced persons
• State Minister Redwan Hussien said Ethiopia is keen to take the relationship between the two countries to a strategic partnership level.
• Discussing regional issues, Ambassador Redwan has presented a briefing on critical issues that matter in the Horn of Africa and the role Ethiopia has been playing to forge a strong and peaceful relationship with its neighbours.
• Speaking about constructions of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the tripartite negotiation, Ambassador Redwan said Egypt and Sudan are trying to deny Ethiopia its right to equitably and fairly utilize its water resources.
• Ambassador Kenneth Da Nobrega, said Brazil understands Ethiopia’s critical role in Africa and wants to create strong ties with the country to boost relations with the rest of the continent.
• Also present at the meeting, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Brazil, H.E. Yalew Abate Reta reiterated attractive investment opportunities in Ethiopia and called on Brazilian investors to invest in agro-processing, textile, and manufacturing sectors.
• The two sides concluded their meeting pledging to increase cooperation on multilateral levels and cement their longstanding relationships.

H.E. Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations has presented a webinar explanation over the scope and meaning of Senate Resolution 97, the status of the GERD negotiations and the upcoming general election to Ethiopians living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut. The Ambassador and participants underscored the need to forge a united front to protect the country’s interests.

Special Envoy, Ambassador Extraordinary, and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the State of Kuwait, H.E. Hssen Taju presented his Letters of Credence to the Kuwaiti Amir, His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in a ceremony held at the Bayan Palace yesterday.

II. #Statements
The Ministry has issued three press statements over the Week; two on misrepresentations in the media and one on the visa restrictions on Ethiopian officials by the United States. In related news Ethiopian embassy in Washington D.C. has also written a statement to refute claims stated to pass Senate Resolution 97.

A. The first two statements were about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Tigray. We have made it clear to the world that the matter is the latest round of smear campaigns by the media which is unsubstantiated as usual. We have made it clear that Ethiopia has not employed and will never use such banned munitions because it takes its international obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention extremely seriously. As a victim of chemical weapons attack itself, Ethiopia also condemns in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone anywhere.

B. Ethiopian Embassy in Washington Statement on Senate Resolution 97

The Ethiopian Embassy expressed its disappointment over passage of Senate Resolution 97 by the U.S. Senate on May 19, 2021 and stressed the critical importance of strengthening the bilateral security collaboration to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa. For over 120 years, Ethiopia and the United States have worked as strong partners and allies in ensuring and enhancing stability and security in the Horn of Africa, a relationship that can serve as a model for the rest of Africa. It raised its concerns over the following points:

1. The Resolution creates a misplaced equivalency between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in calling for a ceasefire
2. The Resolution’s assertion of ‘lack of humanitarian access- in the Tigray region is contrary to fact.
3. The Resolution overlooks the fact that the infrastructure for public services was deliberately destroyed by the TPLF forces and that the Ethiopian Government has moved swiftly to restore such services at great cost.
4. The Resolution calls for -release of all opposition leaders, supporters, activists, and journalists detained on the basis of their political activity. There are no such detainees in Ethiopia. The Resolution regrettably intrudes on matters that are under consideration by the Ethiopian judiciary.
5. The Resolution’s call for national dialogue and reconciliation mirrors the effort launched following the enactment of Proclamation 1102/2018 in February 2019. The Reconciliation Commission and its 41 members, including prominent members of opposition parties, former high level political leaders, diverse religious figures, intellectuals, philanthropists, and others, continues its work today.
6. The Resolution’s call for an Independent and transparent investigation of alleged human rights abuses’ is currently well underway jointly between the UN and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. The Ethiopian Government is aggressively pursuing human rights violators and has convicted three soldiers and charged 28 others suspected of killing civilians in the Tigray region.

C. Press Statement: On the U.S. Decision to Impose Visa Restrictions on Ethiopian Officials

The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia finds it unfortunate to learn about the decision by the United States to continue exerting undue pressure on Ethiopia by imposing visa restrictions on Ethiopian officials. This is in addition to its previous decisions to restrict economic and security assistance to Ethiopia. In this regard, the Ethiopian Government would like to state the following points:

• the Ethiopian government was expecting support and understanding and not such kind of ill-advised measures to unnecessarily overshadow the elections.
• the implications of the visa restrictions and other related measures taken earlier will seriously undermine this longstanding and important bilateral relationship.
• the tendency by the U.S. administration to treat the Ethiopian Government on an equal footing with the TPLF, a terrorist group is regrettable
• The Ethiopian government has been consciously working to promote national dialogue through a series of engagements with wider sections of the Ethiopian society but it should be understood that the government cannot be compelled to sit down and negotiate with the TPLF. Ethiopia should not be told how to run and manage its internal affairs.
• As far as alleged human rights abuses committed in the Tigray region are concerned, the Ethiopian government is fulfilling its commitment to hold those responsible accountable
• the Ethiopian government has not only demonstrated its willingness and commitment to work with the international community to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, but it has also provided full and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to operate in all parts of the region.
• the decision by the U.S. administration to impose visa restrictions and other measures is not only regrettable but will also seriously harm and undermine the constructive spirit of engagement and the significant gains achieved on the ground, not to mention the centuries-old people-to-people relationships.

III. #Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression

• Ethiopia, under the new administration, showed commitment to set many journalists free from unjust imprisonment, undertook legal reforms to improve the media landscape and expand unprecedented access to information and publications (print, social and broadcast media) like never before
• The expulsion of the New York Times journalist is attributed to the expiration of his work permit in Ethiopia a few months ago. His expulsion should have happened a few months ago.
• According to the head of the Oromia Regional State Communication Bureau, the death of the OBN journalist in Wollega is attributable to the act of the recently parliament-designated terrorist Shene group operating in the area. They were not happy about what he was reporting about them and they used to send him death threats.
• More than 82 foreign journalists have been given access to the Tigray region
• Ethiopia expects foreign journalists to respect the professional ethics of journalism and above all the laws of the land and the terms and conditions of the work permits in the country

IV. #EconomicDiplomacy

The Consulate General of Ethiopia in Los Angeles in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia hosted a virtual pre-investment meeting on Thursday (May 20). This meeting aimed to encourage the American companies’ representatives, residing on the West Coast of the United States of America, to enable them to explore and invest in Ethiopia and to have a general overview of the investment opportunities and incentives and packages in energy, agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, and other priority areas of investment in Ethiopia available for potential business companies.

H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday attended the inauguration ceremony of the first berth of the new Lamu Port- South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor project (LAPSSET) that was launched in 2012. Present at the occasion, Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Meles Alem said Ethiopia would do its level best for the success of the project which will boost regional trade coupled with other infrastructure projects that created linkages between the two countries.

Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the People’s Republic of China in collaboration with Beijing Chengjia Culture Communications Co., Ltd. held Ethiopian Coffee Promotion Ceremony at the Ethiopian Embassy. During the ceremony, Deputy Head of Mission (DHM), Ambassador Dawano Kedir noted that Ethiopia and China have a long and multifaceted relationship which resulted in a very strong and successful partnership. He said, over the years, Ethiopian coffee is gaining more market share in the trade exchange between the two countries. Though the Chinese market has the potential, the export to the country of Ethiopian coffee was only around 4,000 tons in 2019.

V. #Citizen-centered diplomacy

The DFEND ETHIOPIA Task Force in the United Kingdom, in collaboration with Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent in Europe, North America, and Ethiopia, staged an online protest against infringements on Ethiopia’s sovereignty. The “hands off Ethiopia” rally drew more than 500 participants.

1136 Ethiopians were repatriated from Saudi Arabia over the week

 

The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia finds it unfortunate to learn about the decision by the United States to continue exerting undue pressure on Ethiopia by imposing visa restrictions on Ethiopian officials. This is in addition to its previous decisions to restrict economic and security assistance to Ethiopia. In this regard, the Ethiopian Government would like to state the following points:

This decision came at a time when the Ethiopian Government has been engaging positively and constructively with the U.S. administration on issues of common concern. This was the spirit with which the Ethiopian Government welcomed the new U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, who met and held extensive consultations with senior government officials, including the Prime Minister.

It also sends a wrong signal at a time when Ethiopia is gearing up to hold national elections, which is expected to usher in a new political dispensation in the country. The 6th National Election would pave the way for an inclusive dialogue once a new government assumed office. Hence, at this important juncture, the Ethiopian government was expecting support and understanding and not such kind of ill-advised measures to unnecessarily overshadow the elections.

Ethiopia attaches great importance to its historic and friendly relationship with the United States which has stood the test of time. That is why the government finds it extremely regrettable that the implications of the visa restrictions and other related measures taken earlier will seriously undermine this longstanding and important bilateral relationship.

What is even more saddening is the tendency by the U.S. administration to treat the Ethiopian Government on an equal footing with the TPLF, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the House of Peoples’ Representative two weeks ago. There is nothing more revealing than this to understand the misguided approach by the administration.

The Ethiopian government has been consciously working to promote national dialogue through a series of engagements with wider sections of the Ethiopian society not because it was pushed from outside, but because it believes that this is the right thing to do to build the necessary national consensus in the country and chart out a better way forward. But it should be understood that the government cannot be compelled to sit down and negotiate with the TPLF, which has already been labeled as a terrorist organization, and any sort of attempt to resuscitate the terrorist group would be counterproductive and untenable.

As the Ethiopian Government has made it clear, time and again, the attempt by the U.S. administration to meddle in its internal affairs, is not only inappropriate but also completely unacceptable. Ethiopia should not be told how to run and manage its internal affairs.

As far as alleged human rights abuses committed in the Tigray region are concerned, the Ethiopian government is fulfilling its commitment to hold those responsible accountable. The Federal Attorney General’s Office has announced the outcome of its investigative work and the important steps taken towards ensuring accountability and justice. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have already embarked on their joint independent investigation. Upon the invitation of the Ethiopian government, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) is also undertaking its investigations.
Furthermore, the Ethiopian government has not only demonstrated its willingness and commitment to work with the international community to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, but it has also provided full and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to operate in all parts of the region. It’s been doing all it can by mustering its meager resources and that of partners to reach out to all people in dire need of urgent assistance. The humanitarian actors operating on the ground know full well that the challenge at hand is related to issues of capacity and additional resources and not so much about access.

After the series of engagements with international partners, including the U.S., and the tangible progress made in addressing some of the prevailing challenges, the decision by the U.S. administration to impose visa restrictions and other measures is not only regrettable but will also seriously harm and undermine the constructive spirit of engagement and the significant gains achieved on the ground, not to mention the centuries-old people-to-people relationships.

If such a resolve to meddle in our internal affairs and undermining the century-old bilateral ties continues unabated, the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia will be forced to reassess its relations with the United States, which might have implications beyond our bilateral relationship.

The Ethiopian government will not be deterred by this unfortunate decision of the U.S. administration. It will continue its relentless efforts to overcome current challenges and lead the country on the path of lasting peace and prosperity. No doubt, the task ahead is daunting, but with the support and unity of our people, we remain confident that we shall overcome our difficulties and realize the hopes and aspirations of generations of Ethiopians for a peaceful and prosperous Ethiopia.

Spokesperson Office
24 May 2021

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia noted the report published today on the Telegraph by Mr. Will Brown, the Africa correspondent of the magazine based in Nairobi, about the alleged use of “chemical weapons” in the Tigray region. He said, “…civilians in northern Ethiopia have suffered horrific burns consistent with the use of white phosphorus, a potential war crime.”

In this connection, the Ministry would like to categorically reject this allegation. Ethiopia has not employed and will never use such banned munitions because it takes its international obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention extremely seriously. As a victim of chemical weapons attack itself, Ethiopia also condemns in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone anywhere.

The Ministry had already forewarned the international community about the publication of such a malicious and irresponsible report, which does not have any other purpose than fueling further tension. It cannot be seen any different from the ongoing effort to ratchet up pressure against the Ethiopian government.

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

FDRE Attorney General
21 May 2021

I. #Introduction
It is to be recalled that, in response to the calculated, coordinated, large-scale, treasonous and sudden attack perpetrated against several outposts of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) by the Tigray Special Police and Militia of the Tigray Regional State, the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has launched a military operation aimed at:
1) Bringing to justice those who are responsible for planning, organizing and directing the treasonous attack against the ENDF;
2) Restoring the constitutional order and lawful authority within the Tigray Regional State;
3) Neutralizing the grave threat posed by the armed forces organized by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to the security and territorial integrity of Ethiopia that could have had the possibility of endangering the security of the horn of Africa too;
4) Securing the release of members and officers of the ENDF kidnapped and unlawfully detained by the TPLF, and ensure that the men and women of the Ethiopian National Defense Force who have been slain by the TPLF will be laid to rest in accordance with the appropriate cultural norms and in a manner that befits their sacrifice in the line of duty.
This operation dubbed as a Campaign of Law Enforcement was launched with the authorization of the House of Federation, which ordered the Federal Government to conduct a federal intervention in the Tigray Regional State in accordance with Proclamation Number 359/ 2003 [which provides for a system for the intervention of the Federal Government within Regional States inter alia per article 62(9) of the FDRE Constitution]. The operation was also backed by the authorization of the House of Peoples’ Representatives which declared a State of Emergency within the Regional State of Tigray. Hence, the operation was endorsed and authorized by both the upper and lower houses of parliament, although the authorization of one chamber would have been sufficient from a constitutional legality point of view. The State of Emergency declared by the House of Peoples’ Representatives has also authorized the deployment of security and police forces as well as militia from other Regional States to achieve the objectives of the campaign.
Soon after the launch of this campaign, the ENDF issued clear Rules of Engagement, in a small pamphlet that was distributed to all its personnel deployed in the Tigray Regional State. The Rules of Engagement, which the armed men and women of the ENDF were supposed to carry with them at all times, spelt out the basic duties of the service men and women such as the protection of civilians and other pertinent norms of international law applicable in such context. This is in addition to the continuous training and instructions that are given to officers and servicemen on legal rules and principles applicable within the context of armed conflict. Furthermore, the ENDF regularly evaluates the manner in which the troops executed their missions and took remedial actions when the need arose.
In the operation conducted in the Tigray Regional State since November 4, the ENDF has incurred losses and has gone to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties and avoid engaging the enemy within urban settings. For instance, the ENDF’s effort to avoid armed confrontation in cities has largely been successful in sparing the towns of Humera, Sheraro, Adihageray, Shire, Adewa, Mekelle, Wikro and Abi Adi from the destruction that would have ensued had the ENDF engaged with TPLF forces in these cities.
However, despite the effort of the ENDF to avoid civilian casualties and conduct the operation in line with all applicable national and international legal norms and standards, several allegations concerning the killing of civilians, sexual violence, the looting and destruction of property have been reported by journalists and other entities. The Government of Ethiopia has taken these allegations seriously and has been exerting itself to investigate them thoroughly and ensure accountability as per findings. Parallel, and without prejudice to the preliminary investigation conducted by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission as well as the joint investigation that is now underway by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the UN Human Rights Commission, the relevant law enforcement agencies have been conducting their own investigations regarding the allegations mentioned above. This brief memo provides a short summary of the legal framework and institutional setup within which these investigations are being carried out. It also provides a brief summary of the progress of the investigations and the challenges faced in the investigation process. The memo indicates the remaining tasks and next steps in these efforts to ensure accountability.
II. #Legal Framework and #Institutional Setup
Substantive Law: When it comes to the substantive legal rules that are pertinent to the allegations and reports of atrocities, the relevant legislation is the Criminal Code of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Proclamation No. 414/2004). This Code incorporates the relevant international legal standards and provides an extensive list of crimes including War crimes and Crimes Against Civilian Population, War crimes against Medical Services, Pillage and Looting, Use of Illegal Means of Combat. In stipulating these crimes, the Code clearly makes reference to and incorporates international humanitarian law. As such, there is adequate legal framework within the Ethiopian legal system to ensure accountability in the instances and to the extent the allegations are verified.
Jurisdiction and Mandate: when it comes to procedural issues, particularly jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute, there are three entities that seem to have overlapping mandate and jurisdiction: 1) the military police and prosecutors; 2) the federal police and prosecutors; and 3) the regional police and prosecutors. Therefore, the next section of the memo will highlight the progress made by the military and federal entities in ensuring accountability for crimes that are committed within the context of the conflict in the Regional State of Tigray. The information regarding investigations by regional police and prosecutors is still being compiled.
III. #Efforts, #Progress and #Results
Military Police and Prosecutors
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● The military police and prosecutors have focused their investigation and law enforcement efforts particularly on cases of homicide/ murder of civilians and cases of rape/sexual assaults perpetrated by members of the ENDF.
● Military prosecutors have pressed charges against 28 soldiers who are suspected of killing civilians in a situation where there was no military necessity. The trials of these suspects are underway and the verdicts are expected to be handed down shortly.
● Military prosecutors have pressed charges against 25 soldiers who are suspected of committing acts of sexual violence and rape. The trials of these suspects are underway and the verdicts in these cases are expected to be handed down shortly.
● In addition to the trials underway, three soldiers have already been convicted and sentenced for rape; one soldier has been convicted and sentenced for killing a civilian.
● The military police are also investigating several other cases in which credible allegations of similar crimes have been reported.
Federal Police and Prosecutors
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The Federal Police and Federal Prosecutors have focused on allegations of major atrocities that have been reported since the onset of the conflict in the Tigray Regional State. The investigation of alleged atrocities has been carried out in addition to the crimes that are believed to have been committed by those who have perpetrated the attack against the Northern Command of the ENDF.
The first report of major crimes and atrocities to emerge in the Tigray Regional State concerned the killing of several hundreds of civilians in the town of Maikadra. Reports by international human rights organizations and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission brought to light the identity/ethnic based attacks against civilians in the town of Maikadra. A team of federal police investigators and prosecutors were deployed to the area and after extensive investigation involving recording the testimony of 256 witnesses, exhuming and conducting forensic investigation on the remains of victims (conducted by a medical team of forensic experts), the investigation team has ascertained that 229 individuals have been killed and several victims have sustained serious injuries. The investigation team has identified 202 individuals who are believed to have taken part in the commission of this crime. While most of the suspects are believed to have fled to Sudan, 23 have been apprehended so far and the case is being processed for trial with the Federal First Instance Court conducting a preliminary inquiry in the matter in accordance with the request of federal prosecutors who have deemed such inquiry necessary to preserve the testimony of witnesses who might not be available during the trial.
The other report of major crimes and atrocities concerned incidents in the city of Axum. The investigation team consisting of federal police and prosecutors is investigating the incidents that have taken place primarily from the 19th to the 28th of November. The main lines of inquiry so far focus on:
1) Death of civilians and damage to civilian installations, infrastructure and property caused by heavy shelling: the investigation so far seems to indicate that a total of 8 civilians have been killed as a result of heavy shelling of targets that do not constitute legitimate military targets.
2) Looting and Destruction of Property: the investigation indicates that there has been looting and destruction of property including the campuses of Axum University, Kdist Maryam Hospital, Berana Hotel.
3) Killing of Civilians [from November 27-28]: the investigation indicates that a total of 110 civilians have been killed on these dates by Eritrean Troops. It was a reprisal for an attack against a contingent of Eritrean troops carried out by a force comprising of the Militia of the Tigray Regional State, the Tigray Special Police force and residents of the city who had been armed by the TPLF and took a two day training. The investigation shows that 70 civilians have been killed in the city while they were outdoors. There are indications that some of these individuals might have been irregular combatants. On the other hand 40 civilians seem to have been taken out of their homes and killed in home to home raids conducted by Eritrean troops. In this investigation, that is still underway, the testimony of 119 witnesses has been recorded, medical records and evidences concerning those who have been injured and received medical treatment has been obtained, video and photographic record of the damage to civilian property and installations has been taken, samples/pieces of shrapnel from the shelling have been secured.
[The investigation concerning Axum is still underway and incomplete. All findings are tentative and subject to corroboration and confirmation].
IV. Next #Steps
● Corroborate and confirm witness testimonies obtained in Axum particularly through forensic/medical investigation, if possible by exhuming remains and ascertaining the figure of civilian fatalities
● Finalize the investigation in Axum and identify suspects against whom charges should be brought
● Expand the scope of investigation to other parts of the Region where there have been credible reports of major crimes and atrocities.

On 18 May 2021, the Embassy hosted an Ethiopian Coffee Cupping event in the presence of professional coffee connoisseurs.

The cupping event was organized in cooperation with a coffee trader of Ethiopian origin Mrs. Marta Somorowski, Mr. Vincent Ballot, and Mr. Eric Duchossoy – renown coffee roasters and tasters.

H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene, on her opening remarks, stated that the event is of the first of its type organized in the premises of the Embassy. It is aimed at promoting the different varieties of Ethiopian coffee to Belgian coffee roasters and creating contract-based market linkages between Ethiopian Exporters and Belgian market, which is one of the major destinations of Ethiopian Coffee. The Ambassador further highlighted the importance of coffee in the culture of Ethiopia in addition to its economic importance, being the major export item of the country.

The tasting program was led by a well-known coffee master Mr. Vincent Ballot, who has been titled as “Mellier Ouvrier de France Terréfacteur 2019” – (the best coffee roaster of 2019 in France) – and Mr. Eric Duchossoy, a professional coffee taster. Different coffee roasters from the three regions of Belgium attended the cupping event and tasted more than 23 types of Ethiopian coffee exhibited.

H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene held discussions with the chair of the Development Committee at the European Parliament, Honourable Tomas Tobe on the 19th of May 2021.

Ambassador Hirut briefed honourable Tobe on the humanitarian situation in Tigray, the ongoing investigations on the alleged human rights violations and gender-based violence in Tigray, the upcoming national elections in Ethiopia, the trilateral negotiations on the GERD and other regional security matters, among others. In so doing, H.E. Ambassador Hirut called upon partners not to put undue pressure on Ethiopia, but instead support the ongoing democratic and economic transition in the country.

The two sides further agreed to keep on exchanging views on domestic and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.

Press Briefing Summary 11 May 2021

Spokesperson of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Dina Mufti, gave the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing today (11 May 2021) to the media. In his presentation, the Ambassador focused on political diplomacy, (with a special attention on the GERD negotiation and the situation in Tigray), economic diplomacy and citizen-centered diplomatic activities.

I. #PoliticalDiplomacy

H.E. President Sahle-Work Zewde visited Niger and met with H.E. President Mohamed Bazoum to discuss the current situation in Ethiopia. President Sahle-Work briefed President Bazoum on issues such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the situation in the Tigray region, the Ethio-Sudan border issue, and the upcoming national elections in Ethiopia. The Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Sileshi Bekele, also gave a briefing on the GERD. President Sahle-Work congratulated President Mohamed Bazoum on winning the national elections and highlighted that Niger’s recently held national elections were a good example for all Africans of peaceful transition of power. Niger is one of three countries representing Africa at the United Nations Security Council.

H.E. Mr. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia had a discussion on Monday (May 10) with the U.S. special envoy to the Horn of Africa, H.E. Mr. Jeffrey Feltman. The discussion between the two sides included the current status of the humanitarian support and rehabilitation activities in Tigray, the negotiations over the GERD and the Ethiopia-Sudan border issue. They underscored the dam file and the border dispute should get peaceful resolutions. They also noted the importance of strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Demeke Mekonnen met with the President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa and had a very fruitful discussion on both bilateral and regional issues. During the meeting, H.E Demeke Mekonnen informed the President on current issues in Ethiopia. Discussing the AU led trilateral negotiation on the GERD, H.E Mr. Demeke emphasized Ethiopia’s firm commitment to continue the negotiations under the AU framework and reach a mutually acceptable outcome to the three countries. Mr. Demeke expressed Ethiopia’s profound appreciation to H.E President Ramaphosa for his leadership in promoting African solutions to Africa’s problems.

H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia had held a discussion on Tuesday (May 04) with Comoros Foreign Minister, H.E. Dhoihir Dhoulkamal on bilateral issues and the tripartite talks over the GERD. Mr. Dhoihir Dhoulkamal expressed his country’s confidence that the tripartite would solve outstanding issues over the dam through a round table discussion. Mr. Demeke

• Appreciated the concern and initiative Comoros has shown to help the tripartite amicably solve outstanding issues over the GERD talks.
• Said Ethiopia wants to utilize the Nile waters equitably and reasonably in line with the principle of causing no significant harm to the downstream states.
• Noted that although Ethiopia contributes 86% of the water resources, it has never been able to utilize the Nile,
• He said Sudan and Egypt want to continue their monopoly over the Nile waters and have continued to internationalize and politicize what purely is a technical matter to protect the unfair status quo
• Said Ethiopia is ready to continue the negotiation and is confident that the AU-led process under the DRC chairmanship would bear fruits satisfactory to all involved.
• Appreciated the unwavering commitment of Comoros to stand by Ethiopia in critical times and appreciated the efforts of the AU Bureau members, such as Comoros to give an amicable solution to the tripartite talks.

State Minister, H.E. Ambassador Redwan Hussien had a briefing with Ambassadors of the members of the UN Peace and Security Council and South American countries residing in Ethiopia on critical issues in the country, including the situation in Tigray. In his briefing on the situation in Tigray, Ambassador Redwan said the government made significant strides in addressing many of the concerns of the international community. In this regard, he said:
• The issue of access to humanitarian support has been adequately addressed with the notification system that is now in place. Some of the pocket areas that were inaccessible are now being reached out through military escort.
• The issues related to visa extension and permits to communication equipment have also been addressed by the government. In this regard, those who contribute significant humanitarian support on the ground, such as the USAID are being granted visa extension permits.
• A guideline has also been introduced to respond to requests for permits to use communication equipment
• While noting the UN-EHRC joint investigation on alleged human rights abuses, he informed Council members that the Attorney General has been conducting a separate investigation and a briefing will be given to the media to announce the outcome of its investigations.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Dina Mufti gave a briefing to international media outlets stationed in Addis Ababa about the status of the GERD negotiations, the Ethiopia-Sudan border issue, and the upcoming general elections. Main points:

#GERD
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• the construction and filling of the dam will be held according to the schedule
• Ethiopia is committed to utilize the Nile water resources fairly and equitably while causing no significant harm to downstream states
• Ethiopia is committed to applying the motto of “African solutions to African problems,” for the GERD negotiations,
• Sudan and Egypt are unnecessarily internationalizing the matter
• Ethiopia had to make some concessions to ensure the negotiations turn out successful, such as the willingness to exchange data and widen the role of observers so that they can offer their opinions and separately consult the negotiating parties

#Ethiopia-#Sudan border dispute
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• The belligerent act of the Sudanese troops compromised the wellbeing of Ethiopians and it is contrary to the fraternal relationship that exists between the people of the two countries
• Existing border conflict resolution mechanisms, including the works of various joint border committees, could have solved the problem peacefully
• Ethiopia is ready to solve the problem amicably
• The Sudanese stance over the GERD and the border issue does not represent the interests of the people of Sudan but a third party

On the upcoming #election
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• The electoral process is well underway with a surge in voter turnouts
• Observers from international and domestic institutions are finalizing their preparations to undertake their responsibilities
• Although the EU has announced the cancellation of its plan to deploy election observers, it has decided to send experts’ mission
• election observers are expected to follow guidelines to carry out their duties as laid out by proper institutions in Ethiopia

Ambassador Nebil Mahdi met with Hon. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan and exchanged views on issues of common concern. Ambassador Nebil briefed the Minister on the latest improvements in the Tigray region, notably the relief and humanitarian efforts being conducted by the Ethiopian Government. He further shared developments regarding the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute, the GERD negotiation, and the upcoming Ethiopian National Election.
H.E Melaku Legesse, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Senegal presented the copy of his credentials to the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Senegal, H.E. Aissata Tall Sall. On the occasion, Ambassador Melaku Legesse and Aissata Tall Sall exchanged views on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relationship between the two countries.

H.E. Adem Mohammed – Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Turkey -presented his Letter of Credence to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. During the ceremony, President Erdogan underlined the great importance his country attaches to its relationship with Ethiopia and emphasized that the two countries should make use of the wide range of economic, cultural and diplomatic opportunities that exist between them to bring their cooperation to the highest level. The Ambassador, on his part, alluded to the strategic partnership that exists between Ethiopia and Turkey and expressed his readiness to spare no effort to further consolidate the excellent partnership between Ethiopia and Turkey.

II. #EconomicDiplomacy

State Minister H.E. Tsion Teklu had a discussion with the Ambassador of France to Ethiopia on the situation of companies led by French investors in Ethiopia. The two sides also talked about available investment opportunities in Ethiopia that have the potentials to draw several French investors to the country’s market.

Pharmaceutical companies from Turkey and Algeria have paid a visit to Ethiopia for a preliminary study for investing in Ethiopia while a Turkish company had held discussions with relevant authorities in the country on investment options. In related news, a Webinar discussion was held with a Chinese pharmaceutical company (Wanbang Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd) on investing in beautification products in Ethiopia.

III. #CitizenCentered Diplomacy

H.E. Demitu Hambisa, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Italy, opened a new Honorary Consulate of Ethiopia in Torino, Italy on Saturday (May 08). Engineer Franco Rubini is the new Honorary Consul of Ethiopia in Torino. He was a lecturer in Building Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Turin and now a Director of ACTA. Honorary Consul Eng. Franco Rubin, on his part, promised to strengthen trade, tourism, economic and cultural relations between Ethiopia and Piedmont, Italy, and also to provide support to Ethiopians in Piedmont.

Ethiopian Ambassador in Sudan, H.E. Yibeltal Aemero has a discussion with scholars in from three higher institutions in Sudan on ways to further strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries.

Ethiopians and Eritreans residing in London and Scotland made rallies supporting the government of Ethiopia in its law enforcement operation and its stance over the GERD negotiations. They have called on the government to bring instigators of ethnic-based violence in the country and condemned the mis/disinformation campaigns of foreign media outlets on situations in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has repatriated a total of 1168 of its citizens from Kenya (in collaboration with UNHCR), Beirut- Riyadh, Jeddah and Yemen.