BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council (Ministerial Session) and the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union which was carried out from February 15-19, 2023 concluded successfully.
Beside African leaders, representatives of other countries also took part at the Summit. Amb. Guillermo Carmona, Argentina’s Secretary for Malvinas, Antarctica and South Atlantic, was among the participants; and he had a short stay with The Ethiopian Herald.
Amb. Carmona stated that the relations of Argentina with Ethiopia and other African countries remain strong,as demonstrated in various ways. One of the areas of strong cooperation between Ethiopia and Argentina is agriculture. Argentina, which is renowned as one of the top world producers of soya and other cereals, is keen to share its experience and best agricultural practices with Ethiopia and other African countries.
Sovereignty is the core value of Ethiopia. Ethiopians, at different times and situations, fought heroically and sacrifice their blood and priceless life including in times of the Battle of Adwa, as well as on several other occasions when Ethiopian sovereignty was threatened
In this regard, Argentina shares Ethiopia’s commitment for sovereignty. As a country once subject to colonization, Argentina knows the value of independence and the sacrifice paid for the sake of freedom and sovereignty,” he noted.
In this sense, Ethiopia is a model country of independence for African countries and the rest of the world. It is unique countryand will always be remembered in the history of humankind for its successful rejection of colonialism in all its forms. The strong Ethiopian sentiment to preserve its sovereignty was manifested in various ways; and continues to inspire the whole world.
As explained by Ambassador Guillermo, the strong historical relationship between Africa and Latin America is also reflected by the Pan-Africanism and Pan-Americanism movements. “I believe that the integration of African countries is a model for other regions. This is especially true for Latin American countries. The strong ties between Africa and Latin America are evident in many aspects.”
Asked about his expectations from the 36th African Union Summit, Ambassador Carmona noted that, besides focusing on African issues, the Summit also plays a very important role for other countries. In this regard, the Summit was a good opportunity for Argentina to discuss important issues with African brothers.
Regarding Ethiopia’s current economic progress and political transition, Amb. Carmona praised the effort ofthe Ethiopian Government to avoid conflict and bring sustainable peace as a living example of a nation that has promised itself to avoid all forms of conflict and work for the good of its citizens. In this regard, Argentina appreciates all the efforts made by the Ethiopian Government to bring a lasting peace.
Seconding this view, Argentine Amb.to Ethiopia Gustavo TeodoroGrippo said that, the existing economic transformation of the nation is worth appreciating. Despite all the challenges Ethiopia has been through, there was no time the country failed to advance forward. All the political and economic reforms it made have enabled the country to make visible economic and political changes.
As Ambassador of Argentina to Ethiopia for the last ten years,Grippo has witnessed the economic and political progress of the country, which is the result of both the commitment of the country’s leadership and public mobilization to make Ethiopia great. This is an incredible change. In this regard, Argentina has a keen interest in supporting Ethiopia’s effort towards economic progress.
Ambassador Grippo also noted that, the commercial relationship between the two countries remains strong. For instance, as a land where one of the best coffees is produced, Ethiopia exports coffee and gold to Argentina which, in turn, Argentina exports maize, rice and pharmaceutical inputs to Ethiopia. As part of the South-South Cooperation initiative, Argentina supports the Ethiopian agricultural sector in various ways.
The Argentina Ambassador highlighted that since Ethiopian Airlines launched its flights to Argentina in 2018, the commercial relationship of the two countries was given a new boost. Ethiopian Airlines –pride of Africa– is promoting Ethiopia all over the world, placing itself as a model for other countries. In this regard, Ambassador Grippo praised the good management of the airline, which is deserving of the highest respect.
The Ethiopian Herald Feburary28/2023
