Irregular movement of Eritrean Refugees (December 11, 2020)

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Ethiopia has a very long, and cherished history of hospitality and generosity to people who are forcibly displaced due to man-made and natural calamities. Currently, the Government of Ethiopia is providing protection to nearly one million refugees mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. These refugees are now hosted in 26 camps and non-camp locations.

The majority of these refugees in Ethiopia live in camps where they are provided with adequate protection and social services including food and non-food items, water and sanitation, shelter, healthcare, education, and other amenities. The Government through its “Out of Camp Policy” has entitled refugees and asylum seekers to live at a place of their choice outside refugee camp or settlement including in our capital, Addis Ababa provided that they cover their full costs by themselves or through their relatives, friends, or others who commit to supporting them. This has given opportunities to refugees to be productive members and enjoy normal life among the community. However, the procedure to apply for out of camp life needs to be processed in the camps in the interest of accountability and qualification purpose.

The Ethiopia refugee operation is now home to close to 200,000 Eritrean refugees across the country. Most of them are mainly sheltered in Tigray and Afar regions as well as in Addis Ababa.

The recently concluded law enforcement military operation by the Federal Government in the Tigray region of Ethiopia was not a direct threat to the Eritrean refugees who are living within and outside the camps. However, a large number of misinformed Eritrean refugees are moving out in an irregular manner particularly from Mai-Ayni and Adi-Harush refugee camps to Addis Ababa. Such an unregulated movement of the refugees with high dependence on aid will create difficulties in ensuring their safety, security, dignity, and in providing a coordinated protection and assistance. Given the priority the government gives to humanitarian assistance, the refugees were kept in a dignified manner and sheltered and nurtured by the government.

Simultaneously, the Government is working tirelessly to fully reactivate and continue provision of critical lifesaving services to the refugees as well as to ensure a safe and secured operating environment for frontline responders. As a result of which transportation of food to the camps is underway among other things. At this point in time, the areas in Tigray region in which the Eritrean refugee camps are situated are stable given that they are under the full control of the Federal Government.

With that understanding, therefore, the Government is safely returning those refugees to their respective camps where they can have access to service delivery systems, and more importantly they can live lawfully and peacefully with the communities that host them.

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Prime Minister Abiy Returns Home Concluding A Two Day Visit To Kenya (December 10, 2020)

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Prime Minister Abiy has today returned to home concluding a two day official visit to Kenya.

According to Prime Minister Office, the official visit of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has focused on enhancing regional economic integration and development of joint infrastructure projects for mutual benefits of peoples of the two countries.

While inaugurating the Hawassa-Moyale Road Project and the One Stop Border Post yesterday with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata, Prime Minister Abiy said the new infrastructure will help peoples of the two countries together and tap the untapped potential and lots of opportunity on business, economy, and so many other social aspects including tourism among the two nations.

Ethiopia Signs Agreement with GIZ, UNIDO to Back Textile Industry (December 10, 2020)

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Ministry of Trade and Industry of Ethiopia has signed a trilateral agreement aims to transform the textile industry sector with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and German Development Cooperation (GIZ) today.

Agro Industry Processing Division State Minister at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Teka Gebreiyesus and UNIDO regional Director and representative to Ethiopia Aurelia Patrizia have signed the agreement representing their respective organizations.

The Agreement is aimed to building capacity of Chinese textile factories in Ethiopia bring sustainable industries that will effectively discharge their social responsibilities, according to Trade and Industry Ministry.

The agreement is said to be implemented with financial support from government of China under coordination of UNIDO, regional director Aurelia Patrizia said.

State Minister Teka Gebreiyesus, to his part, expressed gratitude to government of China and UNIDO for their support to the industrial development endeavors of Ethiopia pledging commitment to continue working with such international partners for better productivity.

Ethiopia Joins WHO-Led COVID-19 Medical Research (December 10, 2020)

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Ethiopia joined World Health Organization (WHO) led COVID-19 medical research initiative, according to Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI).

In its media briefing today regarding the on-going research works, Deputy Director-General of the Institute, Dr. Alemseged Abdissa said the institute is working on drug test in collaboration with the WHO. 

The drug test will work in conjunction with 30 countries around the world, he said adding Ethiopia after Egypt and South Africa has joined the research network from Africa. 

The test involved more than 12,000 participants and 500 hospitals which make it a large research network developed since the outbreak of COVID-19.

He also said that the drug test will be used to determine whether other drugs can be used for the treatment of Coronavirus.

According to Alemseged, the experiment was not only filtering drugs, but also a testament to the potential of drug testing. The cost of the research will be covered by the Ministry of Health.

INSA Launches HRMS for Foreign Affairs Ministry (December 9, 2020)

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The Information Network Security Agency (INSA) of Ethiopia has launched Human Resources Management System (HRMS) for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

INSA launched the software in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, and other officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Demeke on the occasion thanked INSA for developing the software and said the new system would help the Ministry to modernize its service delivery.

Deputy Director General of INSA, Yidnekachew Worku, for his part said the agency is ready to provide technological assistance to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TPLF Clique Played Destructive Roles Undermining Ethiopia’s Reform: FM (December 9, 2020)

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, held phone conversations today with the Foreign Minister of South Korea, Kang Kyung-wha and the Foreign Minister of Ireland, Simon Coveney.

Demeke briefed them on how the TPLF clique has been playing destructive roles in the country undermining the comprehensive socioeconomic reform that brought hope to the people of Ethiopia.

He said the group’s abysmal attack on the Ethiopian Defense forces on 4 November 2020 had ended the limits of the government’s patience and necessitated the operation to restore rule of law in the region.

The possibility of protracted insurgency that the disgruntled elements of the TPLF clique could carry out in the region is a pipe dream as they have no legitimate cause to fight against the government, he added.

By now the operation is over, he said, and the government is giving its utmost attention to rehabilitation and restoration works with close communication with the interim government in the region while increasing efforts to apprehend fugitives.

Thanking him for the briefing, the Foreign Minister of Korea expressed her concerns about the safety of South Koreans in the region.

Demeke assured her that the government has frequent contacts with the identified South Korean citizens and is helping them to frequently communicate with relevant South Korean bodies in the country.

Talking with the Foreign Minister of Ireland about humanitarian assistance given to affected people, Demeke said the government is actively working with international organizations in delivering food and non-food items to people in some areas of Tigray.

The Ethiopian government is communicating with the government of Sudan to repatriate displaced people to their homes, he said.

The cases of some of the refugees in Sudan that have been accused of being associated with the massacre in Tigray will also be investigated, he added.

The phone conversations ended with the Foreign Ministers thanking Demeke for addressing their concerns and briefing on the latest situations in the Tigray region.

PM Abiy, President Uhuru Inaugurate Hawassa-Bule Hora-Yabelo-Mega Road (December 9, 2020)

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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata have inaugurated the Hawassa-Bule Hora-Yabelo_Mega concrete asphalt Road Project and One-Stop Border Post in Marsabit County.

Hawassa-Bule Hora-Yabelo-Mega road which covers 500km length is a part of Mombasa-Nairobi – Addis Ababa transportation corridor that connects Ethiopia with Kenya with road infrastructure.

The road is built at a cost of 6.3 Billion Birr involving participation three contractors.

It is also  indicated the asphalt road project connects Addis Ababa with Cairo, Gaborone, Cape Town and Mombassa, Kenya and further links South Sudan with Lamu port of Kenya.

The one-stop border post is said crucial to help address issues related to custom, immigration and health inspection process at cross border areas and facilitate speedy custom service in the area.

Ambassador Redwan Hussien and Commissioner Mitiku Kasa give briefings on current situations in Tigray (December 8, 2020)

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State of Emergency Spokesperson, H.E. Ambassador Redwan Hussien, and Disaster Risk Management Commissioner H.E. Mitiku Kasa gave a briefing today (December 08) to the media about the current situation in Tigray, particularly on the humanitarian assistance activities in the region.

Ambassador Redwan reiterated that the government is in the latest phase of its law enforcement operation that gives priority to restoring infrastructure and rehabilitation of the affected people.

The hideouts of the TPLF criminals have already been identified and apprehending them would be materialized soon, the ambassador added.

He also talked about complaints of some aid agencies and the media for not getting easy access to the region and the presence of some bottlenecks in related issues.

Ambassador Redwan said all people, including humanitarian agencies need to align their operations with the directions given by the federal government about operation rules in the region, not only out of respect to the sovereignty of the country but for their own safety too.

Mr. Mitiku Kasa, on his part, talked about the ongoing humanitarian assistance in the region with a particular emphasis on coordination mechanisms between government organizations and non-governmental aid agencies.

He said the government is running the humanitarian assistance project through forming about 10 cluster arrangements that coordinate government agencies and the non-government ones based on the type of assistance that the people in Tigray need.

According to Mr. Mitiku, the arrangements include, among others, clusters on agriculture and livestock, water and sanitation, health, nutrition, food and non-food items, logistics, women and children.

The humanitarian assistance begins with the already vulnerable people who were aid recipients even before the commencement of the law enforcement operation in Tigray, he said.

However, he said, people who need humanitarian support and other locations in Tigray would further be identified with the cooperation of the interim government in Tigray.

He finally underscored that Aid agencies should cooperate with the government-led humanitarian support program for scores of reasons, including the rich experience of the country in handling such issues during drought, conflict, flood, and other disasters.

Nation Celebrates 15th NNPD (December 8, 2020)

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The concluding event of the 15th Ethiopian Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Day (NNPD) celebration took place today.

The day was marked in a symposium held here today in the presence of high ranking government officials, regional chief administrators, religious leaders and invited guests.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen said the celebration is an exhibit of the beauty of nations, nationalities of Ethiopia.

Demeke also extended his gratitude for those who have sacrificed their lives to oust the TPLF clique.

Speaker of the House of Federation, Adem Farah, said enforcing rule of law is a priority for the government to maintain constitutional order and strengthen national unity.

Federal Gov’t Working Closely With Tigray Interim Administration: FM (December 8, 2020)

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen yesterday briefed ambassadors of Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and South Africa on the current situation in the Tigray region.

He appreciated the ambassadors and leaders of the countries that they represent for fully supporting the law enforcement operation in Tigray following the sudden attack of the TPLF clique on the northern command of the Ethiopian Defence Forces.

The efforts of South Africa, in its capacity as the Chair of the African Union for 2020, to bring peace in the region are commendable, he said.

Demeke said the operation is swiftly completed with minimum civilian causalities that enabled the federal government to carry out its plans to restore law and order in the region.

Now the government is engaged with rebuilding infrastructure and telecommunication services, ensuring access to humanitarian assistance to the affected people, returning displaced people to their homes while apprehending the fugitives, he said.

He said the federal government is working closely with the interim administration of the Tigray region that has already started establishing the bureaucratic structure in the region, citing Shire as an example.

The ambassadors appreciated the federal government for rapidly concluding the law enforcement mission without compromising the lives of civilians, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

They also affirmed that they are willing to support the federal government of Ethiopia in its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected people.

They have reiterated that the leaders of their respective countries’ are committed to stand by Ethiopia noting that Ethiopia is an anchor of peace in the region.