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The UK based Bridport and Lyme Rigs Newspaper has listed Dallol as most surreal landscapes in the world.

Bridport and Lyme Rigs News described Dallol as “Completely unique, a site resembles science fiction more than anywhere else that is actually real”

Dallol sports an altitude more than 100 meters below sea level, and a distinctly Martian aesthetic, it explained.

Socotra, Yemen, Lake Hillier, Australia, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, Zhangye Danxia Landform, China, The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan and Zhangjiajie Forest, China are included in the list unveiled by the newspaper as surreal landscapes of the world.

According to Bridport and Lyme Rigs, Dallol has the water records a shockingly acidic 0.2 average pH.

Dallol is a cinder cone volcano in the Danakil Depression, northeast of the Erta Ale in Afar Region, Ethiopia.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia has been chosen by Forbes.com as one of the seven best destinations that must be visited in the post coronavirus world.

Experts who participated in the national consultation held under the “Abay River: a source of life and pride to Ethiopia” stress importance of the River Abay in changing narratives of Ethiopia.

Expressing his views on the word ‘pride’, Dr. Mohamud Girma stressed utilizing the Abay River will make Ethiopians complete, correct their self-image and help them make peace and strengthen harmony with themselves.

A Hydrologist and Advocate and Climate Advocate, Mekdelawit Messay, said the Abay River basin covers 2/3 of the irrigation and hydropower potential of the country and almost 50 million Ethiopians are dependent on the river for their livelihoods which made utilizing the river a matter of existence rather than choice.

A historian from Addis Ababa University, Abebaw Ayalew, through his paper revealed how the River Abay is inextricably linked with historical and religious factors affecting the relationship between Ethiopia and Egypt.

Deputy Director and Co-Founder of the East African Policy Research Institute, Dr. Birhanu M Lenjiso Abau said the Abay River should not be taken as simply as a source of water to Ethiopians but as a link to the country’s history of nation-building.

Mahemud Eshetu, a Ph.D. candidate in Law, elaborated on how Ethiopia should understand the 1902 agreement between Ethiopia and Egypt, the 1929 and 1959 colonial-era agreements over the Nile River and their possible effect on the ongoing GERD negotiations to reverse rhetoric over the issue.

Over 180 people have participated in the meeting where a number of questions were forwarded by the participants and further elaborated by the minister and the presenters of research papers.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said the annual meeting of Ethiopian ambassadors and consuls will start next Monday, August 24, 2020.

Ambassador Dina Mufti, Spokesperson of MoFA, told journalists today that the meeting will take place for 15 days in Bishoftu town, Oromia regional state.

According to the Spokesperson, the meeting will review performance of the overseas missions and deliberate on the revised foreign relations policy of the county.

The two-week meeting also includes discussion on MoFA’s 2020/21, 5 and 10 years perspective plans as well as training on various national policies, he said.

As far as citizen-centered diplomacy is concerned, Ambassador Dina said travel documents have been prepared for 180 Ethiopians who applied to return home from Beirut.

He further indicated that works are underway in collaboration relevant international agencies to repatriate 1,200 Ethiopians from Yemen.

Regarding the tripartite talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), foreign water minsters from Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt conducted virtual discussion on August 16, 2020, he said.

During the meeting held under the auspices of the African Union, Foreign Affairs Minister Gedu Andargachew reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to continue the dialogue and reach mutually acceptable agreement, he said.

The Spokesperson said further talks and discussions are underway at technical and expert levels.

Ministry of Foreign arranged a webinar scheduled for coming Sunday on August 23,2020 under the Theme “Abay: Life and Pride to Ethiopia”.

The webinar is expected to bring Ethiopian young scholars living across all corners of the globe in to a Zoom Video Conference to discuss River Abay and its meaning to Ethiopians.

The Ministry said five presentations will be tabled on selected thematic areas by scholars with profound experiences on the matter, the Ministry indicated.

Ethiopians who are interested in the issue have been requested by the Ministry to report for the video conference ahead of the time scheduled.

The Ministry called on potential participants of the webinar to submit their Zoom Conference Link via boundary@mfa.gov.et.

The Tripartite Talks between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissace Dam has commenced today.

The AU-led virtual meeting involved Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Water Affairs of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance held starting from today in the afternoon.

Observers from the African Union, European Union and the US along with experts from AU are participating in the virtual meeting continued today.

The meeting is expected to pass directives that demand continuation of the tripartite talks over GERD, according to Spokesperson Office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.