BY ITO TAKAKO
(Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia)
Excellencies, Colleagues and Friends of Japan,
The Year 2020 has come to an end. It has been a tumultuous year for the world and for Africa, as well as for Ethiopia and Japan.
The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed so many lives, caused economic and social turmoil, and drastically changed lives worldwide. Swarms of desert locusts have inflicted severe damage across the African continent. The situation in Tigray and its neighbouring states continue to draw our attention.
Yet, this is also the year that marked the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Japan- Ethiopia Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and the 65th anniversary of the resumption of our bilateral diplomatic relations after World War II. Despite a great number of restrictions on our activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic etc., we have managed to continue our cooperative relationship in many areas.
In January, the second round of the conference for infrastructure investment in Ethiopia was held in Addis Ababa. More than 20 Japanese companies participated, together with government representatives from both countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for “quality infrastructure” development in Ethiopia was signed.
When Japanese business people and aid workers in Ethiopia and in other parts of Africa were planning to return to Japan in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in April, their trips became possible thanks to Ethiopian Airlines’ sustained flight services across Africa and to Japan, and with the help of the Ethiopian Government.
It was also in April that Japan’s then-Prime Minister ABE Shinzo of Japan and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali of Ethiopia held their first summit via telephone. PM ABE expressed his gratitude for the Ethiopian Government’s assistance in the departure of Japanese Nationals on Ethiopian Airlines, and explained Japan’s measures in response to COVID-19.
With its commitment to the expansion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Africa Health and Wellbeing Initiative at TICAD7, and its support for the Ethiopian Government’s COVID-19 response, Japan formalized its grant aid of over USD 13.6 million at a signing ceremony in July.
This aid programme will provide medical equipment that will enhance measures for the fight against infectious diseases, including COVID-19, among others, and strengthen the health care system in Ethiopia
Japan has also provided over USD 30 million to the WFP for the purchase and transport of over 72,000 metric tons of wheat to meet the most essential food needs of 3.8 million vulnerable people in Ethiopia. This assistance will help reduce the estimated food shortage caused mainly by COVID-19 and the current desert locust outbreak.
During this year, some of Japan’s grant assistance projects committed to in previous years have been completed and handed over accordingly, including an elementary school expansion in the SNNP Region.
Human resource development is one area in which Japan excels, and it has been contributing in this area in Ethiopia for a long time through such measures as providing Japanese Government scholarships to Ethiopian students to study in Japan, and by dispatching Japanese experts to Ethiopia and receiving Ethiopian trainees in Japan through the programmes of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
We have still managed to continue the Japanese Government’s Scholarship programme and the ABE Initiative (African Business Education Initiative for Youth, consisting of Master’s Degree programmes combined with Internship requirements) to promising young Ethiopians.
In the area of security and defense, Japan and Ethiopia continue their cooperative project, as seen in the Dialogue, Negotiation and Mediation Course held by the Peace Support Training Institute under the Peace Keeping Center, in collaboration with the UNDP. This is one of Japan’s contributions to its New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), announced during TICAD 7, held last year in Yokohama, Japan.
Also this year, the Government of Japan announced it would confer decorations upon two Ethiopian dignitaries. One of them is Mr. Hordofa Bekele Gome, former Deputy Chairperson of the Ethio-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group and incumbent Member of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, who contributed to fostering our bilateral relations and promoting a mutual exchange between our respective members of parliament.
Dr. Tegegnework Gettu, the former United Nations Under- Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator, is also to receive a decoration due to his contributions to strengthening economic relations between Japan and Africa through the TICAD process.
Mr. SUGA Yoshihide assumed the position of Prime Minister of Japan in September, and I myself arrived in Addis Ababa as the new Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia in October.
Although new faces took office in Tokyo and in Ethiopia respectively, we will continue our dialogue and our endeavor to enhance our relations with Ethiopia in the Year 2021, as we have done so in the past.
I look forward to working with you in the coming year.
With my best regards for your health and prosperity!
The Ethiopian herald January 1/2021
