Category: Politics

Addis Ababa: Amidst challenges affecting the continent, the African Union Commission (AUC) today urged Africans to strengthen solidarity and build unity to forge viable strategies to achieve agenda 2063.

This call was made at the opening of the 47th ordinary session of the African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), a crucial organ that sets the stage for the Pan-African bloc’s decisions.

Addressing the opening of the meeting in Addis Ababa, AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat highlighted the multifaceted challenges Africa is facing, including internal conflicts and humanitarian crises in Sudan, Eastern DRC, and beyond, while recognizing the global ripples of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts.

He said the only recourse for Africa amid the challenges is unity and its solidarity.

The unity which will be built with perseverance and tolerance is an effort of cooperation which transcends the particular and specificities and considerations which are in contradictions with the gen
eral situation and which calls for mutual understanding, the Chair explained.

Stating that the commission cooperates with all the organs, the PRC is the corner stone of the commission as it prepares the form and content to the decisions of the deliberations, the chairperson urged the PRC to come up with a strategy that will enable the pan-African bloc maintain its direction to the 2063 goal.

Peace, security, development and integration are the core elements of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, he pointed out.

Reading the agenda items of the PRC, the chairperson realized the enormous tasks awaiting ahead that need shuttle down, dedication and partnership to carry out.

The agenda items include report on administrative, budgetary, and financial matters, multilateral cooperation, humanitarian issues, the report of the specialized technical committee and those of the commission and the organs, the internal and recurring crisis the Pan-African parliament in the institutions and preparation of the agenda of the e
xecutive council and the assembly.

Noting that the election of members of the new commission is part of the institutional reform of the union, he revealed that the year 2024 is to prepare for the campaign of the election of the new leadership of the commission at the beginning of next year.

African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) Chairman, Usman Yoseph said irrespective of the origins of the challenges in Africa and globally, solidarity and tolerance should be the only weapons of dialogue to ensure peaceful co-existence.

Stating that the PRC’s session is devoted to the preparation of the next ordinary summit of the organization that will be held in mid February 2024, the chairman pointed out.

The session is anticipated to consider all types of reports of the commission, organs, sub-committees as well as the organizations reform and assessment of the first 10-years plan of agenda 2063 and launching a similar 10-year plan.

In the same vein, the PRC’s session will also consider the road ma
p of this year’s theme which is “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

The PRC conducts the day-to-day business of the AU on behalf of the Assembly and Executive Council, reports to the Executive Council, prepares the Council’s work and acts on its instructions.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Amidst challenges affecting the continent, the African Union Commission (AUC) today urged Africans to strengthen solidarity and build unity to forge viable strategies to achieve agenda 2063.

This call was made at the opening of the 47th ordinary session of the African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), a crucial organ that sets the stage for the Pan-African bloc’s decisions.

Addressing the opening of the meeting in Addis Ababa, AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat highlighted the multifaceted challenges Africa is facing, including internal conflicts and humanitarian crises in Sudan, Eastern DRC, and beyond, while recognizing the global ripples of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts.

He said the only recourse for Africa amid the challenges is unity and its solidarity.

The unity which will be built with perseverance and tolerance is an effort of cooperation which transcends the particular and specificities and considerations which are in contradictions with the gen
eral situation and which calls for mutual understanding, the Chair explained.

Stating that the commission cooperates with all the organs, the PRC is the corner stone of the commission as it prepares the form and content to the decisions of the deliberations, the chairperson urged the PRC to come up with a strategy that will enable the pan-African bloc maintain its direction to the 2063 goal.

Peace, security, development and integration are the core elements of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, he pointed out.

Reading the agenda items of the PRC, the chairperson realized the enormous tasks awaiting ahead that need shuttle down, dedication and partnership to carry out.

The agenda items include report on administrative, budgetary, and financial matters, multilateral cooperation, humanitarian issues, the report of the specialized technical committee and those of the commission and the organs, the internal and recurring crisis the Pan-African parliament in the institutions and preparation of the agenda of the e
xecutive council and the assembly.

Noting that the election of members of the new commission is part of the institutional reform of the union, he revealed that the year 2024 is to prepare for the campaign of the election of the new leadership of the commission at the beginning of next year.

African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) Chairman, Usman Yoseph said irrespective of the origins of the challenges in Africa and globally, solidarity and tolerance should be the only weapons of dialogue to ensure peaceful co-existence.

Stating that the PRC’s session is devoted to the preparation of the next ordinary summit of the organization that will be held in mid February 2024, the chairman pointed out.

The session is anticipated to consider all types of reports of the commission, organs, sub-committees as well as the organizations reform and assessment of the first 10-years plan of agenda 2063 and launching a similar 10-year plan.

In the same vein, the PRC’s session will also consider the road ma
p of this year’s theme which is “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

The PRC conducts the day-to-day business of the AU on behalf of the Assembly and Executive Council, reports to the Executive Council, prepares the Council’s work and acts on its instructions.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia still upholds its long held stand on the One China policy, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Meles Alem revealed.

Speaking to ENA, the Spokesperson said Ethiopia has been pursuing the One China policy over many years.

Ethiopia’s successive governments have been perusing a firm stance on the One-China policy, he stated.

Meles added that Ethiopia still firmly supports the One China policy. ‘Ethiopia’s stance on the one-China policy is still strong,’ he elaborated

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Foreign Affairs State Minister, Ambassador Mesganu Arga discussed with Director General for Political Affairs and Special Envoy for Libya at the Germany’s Foreign Office., Dr. Chirstian Buck.

Ambassador Mesganu expressed the strong partnership between Ethiopia and Germany in development assistance, technical cooperation, trade and investment and the need to enhance the relations.

He further briefed Dr. Chirstian Buck about the progress of the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the ongoing preparations for the realization of National Dialogue and transitional Justice.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international affairs of mutual importance, according to Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Head of Mission of China to the African Union, Ambassador Hu Changchun said China-Africa relations have entered a new era of building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future, which has become a model for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Ambassador Changchun made this remark in his article published under the title ‘Join Hands to Build a High-quality China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.’

He stated that China will unreservedly continue to share its experience of Chinese path to modernization with Africa, support African countries in exploring the cause of independent modernization, and provide new opportunities for Africa through its development.

The ambassador added that China will continue to promote synergies between the high-quality Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiatives together with AU’s Agenda 2063, as well as the development strategies of African countries, in order to support Africa in achieving sustainable developmen
t.

In 2018, President Xi Jinping formally proposed “building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future” at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, which was unanimously endorsed by African leaders, he indicated.

Under the joint leadership and promotion of President Xi Jinping and African leaders, China-Africa relations have entered a new era of building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future, which has become a model for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

‘As a resounding brand of China-Africa cooperation, the FOCAC plays an important role in promoting the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future and has become a banner to lead international cooperation with Africa and promote South-South cooperation.’

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China has been deeply synergized with the AU’s Agenda 2063, the ambassador said, noting that China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for several consecutive years.

Large-scale infrastructure projects such as railways, highways, ports and electric power, which China aided or participated in, have continuously benefited the African people; he elaborated citing flagship projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and the African CDC Headquarters.

‘China has always been the most reliable partner of African countries, from coping with natural disasters together to fully implementing the G20 debt relief initiative, from health, poverty reduction to digital innovation and green development. In 2024, the forthcoming FOCAC meeting will be held in Beijing. Leaders of China and African members of the Forum will get together to discuss China-Africa cooperation in the new era.’

China will work with Africa to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, embrace challenges and achieve common prosperity to usher in bright future of peace, security, prosperity, progress for world, Ambassador Hu Changchun, affirmed.

Source:
Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland is a gear changer that shifts things in favor of the entire Horn of African countries, Political Science and International Relations Professor Brook Hailu said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the professor said the MoU signed between the two sides is a historical breakthrough.

‘What makes it very remarkable is that it is based on consent and goodwill of the Somaliland government. They have thoroughly talked about it, discussed among themselves and decided to grant access to the sea to Ethiopia.’

That means a lot to Ethiopia because the country has been landlocked for over the last 30 years.

‘I would call it (the agreement) a gear changer to shift things in favor of Ethiopia, Somaliland, and the entire region, Horn of Africa.

According to him, nothing is for free in this world. It is based on give and take and there will be some shares of Ethiopian airlines to be handed over to the Somaliland government.

He bel
ieves that this needs to be taken as a model of cooperation among all Horn countries. Some countries like Ethiopia are landlocked, but most of them have coastal land.

Thanks to this agreement, Ethiopia will have now access to develop its own commercial port and own military naval base that will empower it in a positive sense to play its expected role, the professor elaborated.

‘The more Ethiopia has access and resonance in the Horn region, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the more it will play a conducive role; and I would say good role towards maintaining peace and security not only for itself, but to all other neighboring countries.’

The professor noted that this is a very historical milestone decision and agreement made between the two sides, and I do hope it will have resonance, Professor Brook noted.

He pointed out that this will be followed by other neighboring countries as they have also benefits in allowing Ethiopia to access to the sea. By engaging in this, they will get economic benefits. So, it i
s a win-win situation.

Asked about why some countries oppose the MoU, he said ‘I think that is being shortsighted. The reality is Ethiopia needs a few kilometer of sea access and it did not get this by force. Ethiopia has got a strong military, the muscles and mind. But it doesn’t push around other countries. … For thousands of years Ethiopia has been one of the peaceful countries.’

Therefore, I think this is really farsighted. But there are historical enemies of Ethiopia who don’t like to see the peaceful situation to develop and who are always alarmist of Ethiopia, he added.

Professor Brook expressed his hope that other countries will follow in the footstep of Somaliland, which concluded an agreement based on mutual benefits.

It is to be recalled that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Muse Bihi Abdi signed a MoU for partnership and cooperation between Ethiopia and Somaliland in Addis Ababa on January 1, 2024.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Egypt should abandon its antagonistic ultimatum over the negotiations of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as the water flow from the filling doesn’t have significant damage, an American political economic analyst for Africa said.

The analyst Lawrence Freeman told ENA that there is no reasonable objection Egypt has towards the GERD.

‘In my understanding, there is actually no damage in terms of reduction in the water flow from the fillings. So there is no real concern,’ the analyst stated.

The over a decade negotiation over the GERD has unfortunately not yet resulted in final agreement due to the Egyptian unreasonable objection towards the dam, Freeman added.

Recall that the recent four-round talks on the dam conducted at the end of December 2023, did not produce any different results.

In its statement, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs downplayed Egypt’s approach on the trilateral negotiation that violates the UN Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. Ethiopi
a also rejected the misrepresentation of its positions by Egypt.

Noting that the filling of GERD is approximately 41.5 billion cubic meters, Freeman underscored that this has not reduced the flow of the Nile water.

So, there is no real concern in this respect, the American analyst revealed.

The real discussion should, therefore, be on how to use the power of GERD and also the potential of more hydrological power plants in the Nile Basin, he elaborated.

‘They should sit down and get that discussion, rather than being involved in these antagonistic ultimatum and getting stuck in the old mode of historical rights. Let’s think about how the 10 nations in the Nile Basin can be developed together.’

According to him, discussions should also focus on what kinds of new infrastructure developments can be built to improve the living standard of all the nations of the Nile Basin.

There are a lot of political forces that do not want to see Ethiopia emerge as a major nation on the continent, the analyst noted.

”The
re are probably sections of the Egyptian leadership who want to make sure that Ethiopia does not fully reach its potential because it will in their view, which is a wrong view, will diminish their political influence. That’s a problem.”

The other problem on the issue of GERD and Nile River in general is the perception that God gave the right down to the downstream countries, mostly Egypt, he said.

The reality is that the Nile water comes from Ethiopia, Freeman pointed out. In fact, ‘I don’t see any point anymore in discussing the so-called historical rights of the Nile.’

This is the primary problem to reach an agreement and the question should be on how we develop these significant bodies of water for the progress of humanity, he stated.

These are the historical agreements or historical water treaties Ethiopia cannot be accountable for as it was not present, the analyst underlined.

Freeman pointed out that there has always been attempt to prevent Ethiopia from developing the Blue Nile.

Source: Ethiopi
an News Agency