Following the reform, the government of Ethiopia has been working exhaustively in order to strength its diplomatic relationships across the globe for the past three years. In recent times, these diplomatic engagements are mainly focused on the current situation in Tigray, the construction of GERD, the ongoing reform and the upcoming national elections.
This week, the Premier and other diplomats have made various diplomatic discussions with different leaders and higher officials from different corners of the world. Here under are among the diplomatic activities that are taken place over this week.
PM Abiy Holds talks with US Senator James Inhofe, ADB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has met with United States Senator James Mountain Inhofe who opposed the recent visa restrictions imposed on Ethiopia by the Biden Administration. The senator’s arrival in Addis Ababa was announced earlier the day he arrived to Addis by PM Abiy who wrote on his official twitter page “I welcome Senator Jim Inhofe, a friend to Ethiopians, to his second home Ethiopia”.
It was learnt that, last week, Senator Inhofe publicly opposed the visa and other restrictions the Biden Administration imposed on Ethiopia stressing that “Ethiopia needs our support as they work to end the sectarian violence.” The two sides have made discussion on different issues.
By same token, the premier also received and discussed with Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, African Development Bank (ADB) President in Addis Ababa by this week. My extreme pleasure to welcome to Ethiopia Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, African Development Bank President, Africa’s true son and Ethiopia’s partner, the Premier tweeted on his account.
Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye confers with Djiboutian Foreign Minister
In a discussion held on June 03, 2021 between Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti, Berhanu Tsegaye and Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the Minister reiterated that his government attaches higher importance to its ties with Ethiopia.
Foreign Minister Mahamoud added Ethiopia and Djibouti have a strong relationship that set an example for other neighboring countries. Minister Mahamoud affirmed his government’s readiness to upscale the ties to a high gear in multifaceted arrays.
Ambassador Berhanu shared updates on developments giving particular emphasis to the situations in Tigray, the upcoming National Election and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The Ambassador noted a provision of food and non-food assistance to more than 4.5 million people has been distributed in the first round and 2.7 million people in the second round while stating the figure in the share of donor countries and organizations in the ongoing efforts as 33 percent.
The Ambassador reaffirmed that the continued commitments towards ensuring the safety and security of citizens will further scale up the relationships between the two countries.
He has also commended the government of Djibouti for demonstrating its willingness in the joint efforts to transfer TPLF criminal clicks to Ethiopia. Ambassador Berhanu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to make the upcoming elections peaceful, democratic, free and fair.
Concerning the GERD, he denoted that his government would ensure that the second round of water filling is carried out as per schedule and in accordance with provisions of the Declaration of Principles
Ambassador Alemayehu Tegenu conferred with Vsevolod Tkachenko
Alemayehu Tegenu discussed with Vsevolod Tkachenko, Director of the Department of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and gave highlights on the current situations in Ethiopia.
He explained in detail about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) tripartite negotiation and pointed out that Ethiopia strongly supports the Au – led process. The Ambassador also said that Ethiopia won’t abide by the Colonial-Era Treaties made on the Nile River without its participation and will go ahead with the second filling process of the dam in the coming rainy season as was scheduled.
In regards to the situation in the Tigray Regional State, Ambassador Alemayehu has given updates on the overall effort of the Government in assisting the internally displaced persons and bringing the region to normalcy again.
As per the decision made by the U.S.A. Administration imposing Visa restrictions on Ethiopian Officials, the Ambassador said that the decision was ill-advised and it will seriously undermine the long-standing and important bilateral relationship between the two countries.
He also said that it is so regrettable and unacceptable to treat the Ethiopian Government on an equal footing with the T.P.L.F. which was labeled as a terrorist group by the House of Peoples’ Representatives of Ethiopia recently and the Government cannot be compelled by anybody to sit down and negotiate with it.
On the Ethio – Sudan Border dispute, the Ambassador said that the peoples of the two nations don’t deserve unnecessary conflict which can be resolved through bilateral negotiation by using the existing mechanisms. The peoples of the two neighboring nations have the same destiny and they should fight together against their common enemy, poverty.
In respect to the upcoming National Elections, Ambassador Alemayehu said that the date of election was postponed to June 21, 2021 not because of the conflict in Tigray Regional State as some quarters are alleging, but due to logistical problems related to tasks like training electoral staff and printing and distributing ballot papers.
Tkachenko on his part has reaffirmed the Russian position by saying that his country supports the AU – Led tripartite negotiation on the GERD and pointed out that all appropriate measures should be made during the second phase of filling the dam as per the DoP agreed by the three countries. He also said that Russia strongly believes in non-interference in domestic affairs of other countries and it is against sanctions imposed unilaterally by the stronger nations on the weaker ones.
The Director also said that the border dispute between Ethiopia and the Sudan should be resolved through peaceful mechanisms by coming round the table and make genuine talks for the common benefits of the two nations. Ambassador Deriba Kuma confers with Official of Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Deriba Kuma has conferred with Tue Krarup-Pedersen, Acting Director for the Africa Policy and Development Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The two have had a candid discussion on national and regional issues of utmost importance notably on humanitarian relief effort in Tigray region, the upcoming general election in Ethiopia and the peace and security situation in the Horn of Africa.
Ambassador Deriba explained that the government of Ethiopia has continued upholding its commitment to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance to its citizens in Tigray, and as such, it has delivered humanitarian support to 4.3 million beneficiaries in the second and third rounds.
The Ambassador further said that as partners covering only 33 percent of the total requirement, a significant gap exists in non-food items supplies and hence the international community should support the country in this aspect than making repeated counter-productive pronouncements.
Ambassador Deriba also explained to the Acting Director that Ethiopia always stands ready to play its part in the effort to peacefully resolving disputes in the region, notably on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, GERD, and the Ethiopia-Sudan Border conflict
Ambassador Eshetu Dessie paid courtesy visit to Lahcen Mahraoui, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco
H.E Ambassador Eshetu conferred with H.E Lahcen Mahraoui about the diplomatic relations of the two countries and how to work together to further strengthens the cooperation between the two sisterly countries.
Meanwhile, diaspora Ethiopians residing in Ireland this week have raised over 2000 Euros (100,000 ETB) in Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) bonds in bond-selling event organized at the City of Cork. The diaspora communities expressed their readiness to continue supporting the dam.
BY HIZKEL HAILU
The Ethiopian Herald June 6/2021
