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4. News in brief
H.E. PM ABIY AHMED LAUNCHES GREAT ETHIOPIAN HOME COMING CHALLENGE
A DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS CONFERS WITH VARIOUS ETHIOPIAN HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS
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need to have an all-inclusive dialogue among political figures, unfettered access to humanitarian supply, independent investigation of human rights violations, and hold perpetrators to account.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has launched the Great Ethiopian Homecoming Challenge which is aimed to bring 1 million compatriots home ahead of upcoming Christmas holiday. The Prime Minister has officially called on Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopians all over the world to join the Great Ethiopian Homecoming challenge. The Ethiopian diaspora community in Benelux countries has expressed unreserved support for the call made by H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to come to their homeland during the festive month of January. The Ethiopian Diaspora community is mobilised to take this call and make a meaningful contribution to the current engagements of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the social–economic facilities destroyed in the North part of Ethiopia. Many of the members of the community have expressed their concrete pledge to make their own contribution to this effort. It is also expected that the occasion will stimulate economic activities through the injection of finance in various social and cultural sectors. The Great Ethiopian Homecoming program is expected to be a year long event that would last till August 2022. The Ethiopian calendar runs through September to August.
Diaspora consultation on the Great Homecoming Challenge with H.E Ambassador Hirut Zemene
A delegation led by the European Union commissioner for International Partnerships, H.E. Jutta Urpilainen has conferred with various Ethiopian high-level officials in October 2021. During her visit, she was welcomed by H.E. President Sahle-Work Zewde, H.E. Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen among others. The exchange was focused on creating mutual understandings on the efforts to end the conflict, launch a national dialogue as well as revitalise the cooperation between Ethiopia and the EU.
H.E President Sahle-Work Zewde confers with H.E Commissioner Urpilainen Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen congratulated the government of Ethiopia upon the successfully held elections. The commissioner also asked for the new government’s perspective on handling issues of governance and security in the post-election period. Recalling the strategic partnership between Ethiopia and the EU, she said the Union is assessing on how to resume its development program and support the reform agenda of the government of Ethiopia. She also tabled the EU’s concerns, including the On the part of the high-level Ethiopian officials, extensive briefing was made on Ethiopia’s commitment to extend unfettered access to humanitarian assistance and concrete steps taken to investigate human rights violations both by the Attorney General’s office and the joint international investigation based on the government’s policy of zero-tolerance for any human rights violation in the country. The pace at which the reform agenda was going was also explained including the upcoming national political dialogue. In the meanwhile, the Ethiopian officials noted the current domestic conflict will be managed at national level while Ethiopia has welcomed the mediation efforts by the African Union. In this connection they have underlined the need for the EU to condemn the TPLF for its transgression. On the part of the Foreign Ministry, it was expressed that it was high time for the two sides to initiate the next round of political consultation mechanisms and create understanding and normalize relations. It is to be recalled that Commissioner Urpirlainen accompanied the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Ethiopia in December 2019.
H.E DPM Demeke Mekonnen confers with H.E commissioner Urpilainen
INTER-MINISTERIAL TASKFORCE UNVEILS ACTION PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN JOINT REPORT OF EHRC, OHCHR: GOVERNMENT OPPOSES THE UNTIMELY ACTION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has setup an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce to oversee redress and accountability measures in response to human rights violations committed in the context of the conflict in northern Ethiopia. The Taskforce officially commenced its work on 29 November 2021 by adopting a comprehensive strategy and action plan for the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Joint Report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The strategy and action plan cover all serious violations that have been committed in the context of the conflict, including those that have occurred in Afar and Amhara regional states after the unilateral ceasefire declared by the FDRE Government in June 2021. The Taskforce has directed all committees to adopt a victim-centred approach, focusing on the rights of victims to know the truth, to seek and secure redress, and the need to implement programs of rehabilitation, restitution, and compensation to the extent resources permit. On the other hand, the government of Ethiopia has expressed its extreme disappointment over politically motivated outcomes of the UN Human Rights Council on the 17th of December 2021, calling for a parallel effort on human rights monitoring mechanism. The Government has therefore opposed the outcome as it didn’t consider the steps taken by the country, most importantly the
ETHIOPIANS IN THE DISASPORA STAGE A RALLY IN BRUSSELS UNDUE PRESSURE ON ETHIOPIA
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES WINS ‘BEST AFRICAN AIRLINE’ AWARD AT THE 2021 BUSINESS TRAVEL ETHIOPIA SECURES OVER 1BLN USD IN FDI IN FOUR MONTHS
Ethiopians in diaspora staged a rally in Brussels to denounce interference of some groups in the west in the internal affairs of Ethiopia on November 25, 2021.Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent residing in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland gathered outside European Union Commission Headquarters where they denounced unwarranted pressure being orchestrated against Ethiopia. The demonstrators echoed slogans such as “Hands off Ethiopia”, “Stop fake news and disinformation on Ethiopia”, “We stand with the people and the Government of Ethiopia”, “Bring TPLF leaders to Justice,” among others. They also reiterated support to the Ethiopian National Defense Force and Pledged humanitarian assistance to people who fled their homes due to the terrorist TPLF aggression.
It Receives IATA’s CEIV Pharma Certification
Ethiopian Airlines won ‘best African airline’ award at the 2021 business travel and received IATA’S Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification as an airline and ground handling in December 2021.The votes made by the business travellers for this year took into account the COVID period with key questions covering airlines’ effectiveness in communication, effective implementation of COVID precautionary measures, handling of loyalty program member passengers and flexibility of ticket changes. The questions for the survey allowed passengers to reflect on their experience before and during the various stages of COVID crisis. Ethiopian Airlines has never stopped operations during the pandemic and has been serving its customers through repatriation and shipment of essential medical supplies across the globe. The airline garnered international support and commendations for the crucial role it played in the global fight against the pandemic. Relatedly, it has received IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification as an airline and ground handling in December 2021. Ethiopian Airlines is the first airline in Africa to receive the CEIV pharma certification. The carrier noted that achieving this “will further improve” its goal in providing efficient & effective transportation of pharmaceuticals throughout its pharma network including Brussels, Shanghai, Johannesburg, Paris, Seoul, Lagos, Lusaka, Beijing, Hong Kong, Maastricht, Chicago & Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia has secured over 1 billion USD in Foreign Direct Investment in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The achievement gained amidst the challenges the country is facing shows that most investors have trust in the business environment, Ethiopian Investment Commissioner Lelise Neme said. The commissioner told ENA that “despite the conflict some 54 foreign investors have invested 1.07 billion USD in the manufacturing and service sectors during the past four months of the fiscal year.” Of those, 33 of the investors will engage in manufacturing and the 21 in the services sector, it was learned. “This performance has shown over 23 percent increase when compared to the same period of the last fiscal year. The growth in this regard shows the realization foreign investors have developed about the advantageous of investing in Ethiopia,” Lelise observed. The commission is encouraged by the significant increase in investment and the way the investors see the opportunity and the huge investment potential in Ethiopia, she noted.
EIC, Commissioner Lelise Neme
H.E. AMBASSADOR HIRUT ZEMENE MEETS WITH AUTHOR KRISTA HAEST
At the 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization, which was held in Madrid, Spain, Lake Wonchi was chosen as the best tourist village of 2021. Lake Wonchi, located at southwest of Shoa, Oromia Reginal State, has been selected as the first of 170 tourist villages. According to the Minister of Tourism, Ambassador Nasise Chali, Lake Wonchi, with its rich natural resources, has been selected as one of the best tourist villages in the world. She noted that such international recognition of natural tourist destinations motivates other sectors to do more. She said tourism is one of the government’s top priorities and community-based sustainable tourism development activities will be carried out in the sector.
Ms. Kedist Deltour who is the winner of the beauty pageant of 2021 as “Miss Belgium” has visited the Embassy of Ethiopia on the 15th of October 2021. During her visit, she had an inspirational conversation with H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene Kassa. Miss Kedist was born in Addis Ababa and was adopted by Belgian parents at the age of 10. In December 2021, she has also visited Ethiopia and met her biological family and relatives. The Embassy wishes her success in her future endeavours and hopes that she will inspire more young people to succeed in meeting their goals.
H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene met a children book writer, Krista Haest. On the occasion, Ambassador Hirut Zemene praised Krista Haest for producing Neala & The Path of Light (ኔአላ እና የብርሃኑ መንገድ)- which is an interesting story that depicts some facts about children’s life in rural Ethiopia. She has also extended gratitude for the authors interest to translate the book in Amharic language in addition to the Flemish version.
Ms. Kedist welcome at the Embassy of Ethiopia
Source: Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Entoto Park
