The spokesperson of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Ambassador Dina Mufti, gave the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing January 6, 2022 to the media. In his presentation, the Ambassador focused on political diplomacy, updates on the humanitarian and human rights issues with regard to the conflict in the northern part of the country, citizen-centered diplomatic activities, particularly the Great Home Coming Challenge, and publication of a book on Ethiopian Diplomacy by our staff member.
Political Diplomacy
President Sahle-Work Zewde has received the letters of credentials of newly appointed ambassadors of Malawi, Palestine, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Cuba, League of Arab States, Burundi, Senegal and Italy. President Sahle expressed her hope that the ambassadors would spend a fruitful time in Ethiopia and further cements ties with their respective countries.
President Sahle-Work Zewde bade farewell to the ambassador of Niger. The President asked the ambassador to convey Ethiopia’s gratitude to the President and the government of Niger for their principled, wise, and positive role during their two years tenure at the UN Security Council. She said Niger has made Ethiopia and Africa proud. She thanked the ambassador for all his efforts to strengthen our bilateral relations during his six years stay.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, in an article sent to the media, expressed his gratitude to those friendly countries both from Africa and elsewhere in the world- for their unflinching support to Ethiopia’s struggle for survival. He said it is heart-warming to see people from all corners of the world joining the global “NoMore” movement in support of Ethiopia.
State Minister,. Ambassador Redwan Hussien was interviewed by ‘HORN REVIEW’ on a number of issues ranging from assessments of 2021 in Ethiopia’s diplomacy to expectations for 2022. He underscored that solving internal problems would enable Ethiopia to withstand external pressures.
Ethiopian Ambassador to India, Dr. Tizita Mulugeta had held fruitful discussions with Honorary Councils of Ethiopia based in Nepal and Bangladesh about the current situation in Ethiopia. The Ambassador spoke in detail about the egregious human rights abuses, atrocities, and destruction of civilian infrastructure by TPLF cliques in the Amhara and Afar region of Ethiopia as well as the efforts made by the Ethiopian government to rehabilitate and reconstruct the conflict-affected areas.
The Honorary Consuls, on their part, thanked the Ambassador for the candid discussion and pledged to discharge their duties in creating awareness about the current situation in Ethiopia to the concerned bodies and make active participation to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of the government of Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s ambassador in South Sudan, Nebil Mahdi had held talks with South Sudan’s minister of East African Community Affairs, Deng Alor. The two sides discussed the current situations in Ethiopia and ways to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
Ethiopia’s ambassador in Sudan, Yibeltal Aemero has met the Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, Takashi Hatori in Khartoum to discuss the current situation in Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Ethio-Sudan relations. Ambassador Yibeltal told his Japanese counterpart on Ethiopia’s disappointment over Japan’s support to the recent decision of the UN Human Rights Council on Ethiopia.
II. Current Issues
The latest provocations and shelling of the Abala area in Afar by the TPLF forces have continued to challenge the humanitarian supply process. The Government of Ethiopia would like to ask the international community to condemn this egregious act by the TPLF that puts the lives of many of our people in the Tigray region in danger.
The group’s attack on the humanitarian supply route shows its disregard for the people in Tigray and its profiteering attitude from creating and exacerbating the food crisis in the region. The silence of the WFP chief on the more than 1,000 hijacked trucks by the TPLF coupled with the indifference of the international community over the latest unwarranted provocations on humanitarian supply routes in the Afar region are putting many lives in danger.
• Human Rights Watch issued a report claiming the mistreatment of thousands of ethnic Tigrayans recently deported from Saudi Arabia in the hands of the Ethiopian government. The report is not only unsubstantiated but an irresponsible move that aimed to discredit all the efforts that the Ethiopian government has been doing to relieve the pains of our citizens that have returned from Saudi Arabia. We have repatriated more than 40,000 Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia in just a couple of months regardless of which ethnic group that they belong to.
The report by the Human Rights Watch seems to accuse the government of Ethiopia of not sending the returnees to the areas that have been affected by the conflict. Advancing political interests at the cost of the returnees is beyond comprehension.
• On the other hand, the Government of Ethiopia is aware of the ongoing plights of Ethiopians in various detention centers in Saudi Arabia. Cognizant of this fact, a committee that comprises high-level government officials, religious leaders, and various stakeholders is finalizing preparations to head to Saudi Arabia to discuss measures in this regard.
• Flights to Lalibela, Kombolcha, and Dessie have resumed over the week. We encourage the Home Comers to visit the areas, witness the level of destruction caused by the TPLF and support people whose livelihoods are disrupted by the terrorist clique.
III. Citizen-centered Diplomacy (with a focus on) the Great Ethiopian Home Coming Challenge
Various government institutions, our embassies and stakeholders have continued to partake in activities to support Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia who are coming home responding to the Great Home Coming Challenge. Accordingly,
• High-level government officials and renowned public figures have accorded a warm welcome to journalist Hermela Aregawi on her arrival at Bole International Airport in recognition of her relentless efforts in exposing the truth on the conflict in the northern part of the country and her latest contributions in organizing the NO More rallies.
• Ethiopian ambassadors in the UK, H.E. Ambassador Teferi Meles, in Italy, H.E. Ambassador Demitu Hambisa, in France, H.E. Ambassador Henok Tefera and in Russia, H.E. Ambassador Alemayehu Tegenu, and staff of the embassy in South Africa have organized a farewell ceremony to Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origin living in the stated countries who have decided to go home responding to the Great Home Coming Challenge. The Ambassadors thanked Ethiopians in the Diaspora for their all-inclusive support in defending the interests of their country.
• Ethiopian Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Hirut Zemene had held an online discussion with Ethiopians in the Netherlands who are coming home accepting the challenge proposed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The discussion was about the activities that the home comers are going to participate in during their stay in Ethiopia. Plans to visit areas affected by the conflict and support displaced people are discussed in detail.
• Ethiopian Youth Association in Geneva, Switzerland had organized a fundraising lottery to support Ethiopians that have been affected by the conflict. They have handed 35,000 Swiss Franc over to the Ambassador of Ethiopia in Switzerland. Present at the event, H.E. Ambassador Zenebe Kebede appreciated the Christmas Gift of Ethiopians in Switzerland to fellow Ethiopians that have been affected by the conflict. He expressed his hope that the Ethiopians in Switzerland would continue their encouraging support to the people in Ethiopia that have suffered due to the unjustified war instigated by the TPLF.
• The Ethiopian Embassy in London hosted a farewell ceremony for Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origin in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland going home responding to the Great Homecoming Challenge. Ethiopian Ambassador in London, H.E. Teferi Melese, commended Ethiopians in the diaspora for supporting their country in times of its needs, protesting undue external pressures, and discouraging illegal exchange of foreign currency. He, in particular, appreciated the unwavering support that the Defend Ethiopia Taskforce in the UK has been doing in guarding the interests of Ethiopia and its people.
• Ethiopians in Dubai and the Northern Emirates have held a meeting with representatives from the Ethiopian Consulate on current situations in Ethiopia. They have expressed their commitment to stand by the people and government of Ethiopia. They have donated 20,800 dirhams to support the war-affected people in Ethiopia and for the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
• Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent in Perugia, Italy, have donated more than 6,000 Euros in the second round to the displaced by the TPLF. H.E. Ambassador Demitu Hambisa thanked them for their support and sent a letter of recognition to them.
• The Ethiopian embassy in Kenya has organized an online discussion on the current situation in Ethiopia. Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent from Kenya, Malawi, and Seychelles have participated in the discussion. Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Meles Alem, thanked Ethiopians in the stated three countries for their financial support and active participation in public diplomacy endeavors.
• The Ethiopian Embassy in Germany, in collaboration with an association named, “Ethiopians for Ethiopia,” has held an online discussion with Ethiopians in, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Finland, and Denmark regarding the current situation in our country and ways to continue to support victims of the conflict. H.E. Ambassador Mulu Solomon appreciated the initiatives of the organizers to hold the online forum and called on Ethiopians in the Diaspora to continue supporting their country.
IV. Capacity Building
• A seasoned diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Mr. Aklilu Kebede has published a book on Ethiopia’s diplomatic history from ancient times until today. The book covers a lot of issues ranging from contemporary relations, national security, and international trade to investment and tourism.
H.E. Ambassador Mehretab Mulugeta, Chief of Cabinet of the Office of the Foreign Minister, delivered a message from Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen appreciating the efforts of Mr. Aklilu Kebede and calling on the other staff to for similar contributions. A portion of the book sale will be donated to people who are affected by the conflict. We would like to congratulate Mr. Aklilu and call on the public to buy the book both to increase knowledge on Ethiopia’s diplomacy and support people who have suffered from the conflict.
(Source: MoFA)
The Ethiopian Herald January 11/2022
