Today, the global community is celebrating the arrival of New Year 2025, bidding farewell to the old year, 2024. As festivities fill the air, people are marking the day with hopes for a year of peace and prosperity, eagerly anticipating their dreams and wishes are realized and new opportunities unfold on the horizon.
In fact, the outgoing year was a time that the global community faced several significant opportunities and challenges. It was a year marked by notable successes such as advancements in technological innovations, thriving economic and business opportunities and ongoing peace initiatives though some challenges still persist.
At the same time, 2024 also saw pressing issues including economic instability, the climate crisis, and geopolitical tensions—especially the ongoing war in Ukraine which continued to create uncertainty, affecting international relations and global security. Despite such challenges, the global community showed resilience, with efforts toward cooperation, innovation and sustainability.
The past year was also a period in which Ethiopia made significant strides and achieved impressive progress across various spheres, including social, economic, political, and diplomatic realms. Despite facing some challenges, the country witnessed notable economic growth and saw promising advancements in its foreign currency earnings, making substantial strides to narrow the gap between exports and imports.
Mainly following the Home Grown Economic Reform program and initiatives aimed at boosting the production of wheat through irrigation as well as Ye-Lemat Tirufat program have brought about tangible results. The initiatives have elevated the country’s agriculture system and moved Ethiopia closer to its goal. As a result, Ethiopia was awarded the prestigious FAO Agricola Medal for its commitment to ensuring food security and nutrition in a fast-changing and challenging global environment.
In addition to its economic achievements, 2024 was also a historic year for Ethiopia in the diplomatic sphere.
The announcement of Ethiopia’s incorporation into the BRICS bloc was made on the first day of the outgoing year, January 1, 2024, made the year both historic and at the same time a decisive diplomatic success for Ethiopia.
Another key achievement was the recent, Ankara Declaration, an agreement made between Ethiopia and Somalia that grants the former access to the sea. The accord is vital for bolstering Ethiopia’s trade prospects, advancing strategic partnerships, enhancing regional influence, solidifying country’s role as a key diplomatic player and strengthening its international relations.
The military accords Ethiopia signed with neighboring countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Djibouti and Somalia to elevate cooperation in security, intelligence and address regional concerns, represent another significant diplomatic milestone for Ethiopia in the just concluded year.
The official visits of French President Emmanuel Macron and Somalia’s Head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, to Ethiopia are a testament to the country’s growing diplomatic success. These visits highlight Ethiopia’s strengthened international relations and its increasing role in regional and global security.
Such achievements reflect Ethiopia’s resilience and determination to collaborate with global partners, its unwavering commitment to change, and its firm stance to emerge as a stable and prosperous nation despite challenges.
Embracing the promise of new beginnings, Ethiopia is poised to build on the successes of 2024 and strive for even greater accomplishments in 2025 with renewed hope and determination.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 1 JANUARY 2025
