Catch up on the Latest Updates from Ethiopia, and from Our Mission, in Our Monthly Newsletter
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Monthly Publication from the Ethiopian Embassy in London Ethiopian News Spring 2021 Inside this issue Neither politicization nor sabotage should guide policies over the Nile………………………………….2 CONNECT WITH US Ambassador Teferi presents his Letters of Credence to Her Majesty The Queen ……………………..3 The City of Bath festival celebrates Emperor Haile Selassie’s legacy……………………………………….6 Circus Abyssinia to showcase the life of Olympic Legend Derartu Tulu …………………………………12 Ethiopia Decides: The countdown to Ethiopia’s 6th National Elections begins………………………16 Ethiopia readies for 2021 Green Legacy tree-planting season………………………………….…………..18 Blockchain technology implemented in Ethiopia’s education system…………………………………..19 Tigray Situation Update………………………………….………………………………….………………………………..22 Consortium including UK’s Vodafone and CDC Group awarded telecom licence……………………31 Ethiopia hosts first Transport Investment Summit ………………………………….…………………………...33 @EthioEmbassyUK Ethiopia qualifies for Africa Cup of Nations after eight-year absence……………………………………39 Ethiopian Airlines: 75 Years of Excellence Page 36 Ethiopian News Neither politicisation nor sabotage should guide policies over the Nile Following the official launch of the Grand Ethiopian In fact, the survival, development, and prosperity of Renaissance Dam (GERD) in April 2011, Ethiopia Ethiopia, and the region as a whole, are inextricably proposed setting up a tripartite committee and a linked with Ethiopia’s ability to develop its water range of fora, which eventually led to the adoption resources. of the Declaration of Principles on GERD (DoP) in March 2015, signed by Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to The GERD has a range of benefits to Nile Basin facilitate the trilateral dialogue. Principally, the DoP countries, including the promotion of access to underlined the critical need for equitable and reliable economic power supply, opportunity for reasonable use of the Nile waters. better flood and erosion control as well as the prospect of a new era of regional cooperation for Ethiopia has held innumerable discussions with mutual development. both Egypt and Sudan throughout the entire period of construction of the GERD and has made it clear While Egypt and Sudan are fully aware of the from the very beginning that construction of the benefits of the GERD, they have been intentionally GERD is based on its sovereign and legitimate rights politicising and internationalising the matter to to use the Nile waters and its commitment to not exert unnecessary pressure on Ethiopia and to cause significant harm to downstream maintain their self-claimed water quota, in line with countries. Ethiopia has consistently promoted the colonial-era treaties. Ethiopia cannot and will not concept of collective security and agree to such unfair terms that intend to elicit its multilateralism at international, regional, and sub- endorsement for a colonial-era treaty that regional levels. maintains the hydro hegemony of Egypt and Sudan. As a hydroelectric dam, the GERD will not cause The downstream Nile riparian countries will significant harm to downstream countries. The fact therefore need to abdicate the self-claimed full remains that GERD increases Ethiopia’s electricity control over Nile waters and demonstrate the generation capacity to meet its domestic and necessary political will and commitment to industrial demands. negotiate in good faith with upper riparian countries, to achieve a comprehensive settlement More than 65 million that will ensure benefits for all riparian countries. Ethiopians do not have access As the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of to electricity. The power Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen reiterated ‘’Neither politicisation nor sabotage should guide generated from the GERD is policies over the Nile—not anymore. Instead, meant to pull them out of promoting cooperation, understanding, and darkness. integration should be our guiding spirit.’’ 2 ETHIOPIA IN UK Ambassador Teferi presents his Letters of Credence to Her Majesty The Queen Ambassador Teferi to enhance bilateral relations, and the rich social and cultural ties between Ethiopia and the UK during his tenure On 25th May, His Excellency Ambassador Teferi On arrival at Buckingham Palace, the Ambassador Melesse Desta was invited to Buckingham Palace by was escorted to the Equerries Room for the Her Majesty The Queen where he formally presentation of his credentials and an Audience – a presented his credentials confirming his one-to-one meeting – with Her Majesty The Queen. appointment as Ethiopian Ambassador to the Court Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Her of St. James’s. Majesty The Queen joined by video link from the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, where she has been Credentials, also known as “Letters of Credence”, conducting diplomatic audiences virtually since refer to the formal documentation accrediting an December 2020. Ambassador as head of a diplomatic mission. During his audience with The Queen, Ambassador On the day of the ceremony, steeped in tradition and Teferi reiterated his commitment to strengthening royal pageantry which has remained almost the century-old bilateral ties between Ethiopia and unchanged since the Victorian era, Ambassador the United Kingdom. In particular, the Ambassador Teferi was escorted to Buckingham Palace by Her vowed to ensure the continuation of the impactful Majesty’s Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, development partnership between the two Victoria Busby, in a State Landau - a ceremonial governments that has resulted, over the years, in a horse-drawn carriage. significant improvement to the lives of many 3 Spring 2021 Ethiopian News Ethiopians. The Ambassador also touched upon Echoing the Ambassador’s sentiments, H.E. Alistair working closely with the UK government to ensure Harrison CMS CVO said: the upcoming COP26 Climate Change conference is a success. The Queen greatly values the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ethiopia. Our relations are Her Majesty The Queen on her part spoke of the very longstanding. [Ethiopia] was the first country in enduring relationship between Ethiopia and the Africa to open an Embassy here in London and we United Kingdom and assured the Ambassador of her have been friends not just for decades but for many government’s support going forward. She also years before that. And our friendship will endure fondly recalled her visit to Ethiopia in the 1960s because of the very strong links between our peoples. with her late husband, His Royal Highness the Duke We know your time in London will be a great success of Edinburgh, where she was warmly welcomed by as you will be building on a very long tradition of Emperor Haile Selassie. She especially noted the friendship. Thank you to everybody who has spectacular landscape views of the Rift Valley. contributed to such an excellent lunch to mark this very auspicious occasion in the history of the United Following the credentials ceremony, the Kingdom and Ethiopia. Ambassador was escorted back to the Embassy by the Marshall of the Diplomatic Corps, Alistair …first African diplomatic mission in London Harrison CMS CVO, where he was welcomed by diplomats and staff for a vin d’honneur. The ceremony coincided with Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on 25th May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 African states, with the main aim of bringing African nations together and resolve issues within the continent. Headquartered in Addis Ababa – the diplomatic capital of Africa – the African Union now has 55 member states. As the first African country to establish an embassy in London, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom have enjoyed rich diplomatic relations covering a range of areas, including, but not limited to, trade and investment, culture, education, and development cooperation. Great Britain was also among the first few countries to open an embassy in Addis Ababa Ambassador Teferi and the Vice-Marshall of the Diplomatic Corps, Alistair Harrison CMS CVO well over a century ago. On the occasion, the Ambassador said: Ethiopia’s relationship with the UK today continues to be among the most dependable, mature, and It is a great moment for me to officially start my duty mutually beneficial of any that it has with other here in the United Kingdom. I look forward to countries. building on the good work of my predecessors enhancing our bilateral relations with the UK and A video of the Ambassador’s credentials day is enriching the social and cultural ties between our two available on our YouTube page at: peoples. And with your cooperation, with your help, www.youtube.com/EthioEmbassyUK. and with the help of the UK government I hope our relations will flourish in the coming months and years. 4 Ambassador presents credentials to Deputy Head of Mission assumes role the IMO in London On 7th April, Ambassador Teferi held a virtual Mr. Beyene Gebremeskel courtesy call with the International Maritime assumed his post in Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, Mr. Kitack January 2021 as Lim, where he formally presented his credentials as successor to the previous Ethiopia's Permanent Representative to the Deputy Head of Mission, Organization. Mr. Ababi Demissie. Overseeing the Business Diplomacy Department, Mr. Gebremeskel’s priorities will focus on enhancing Ethio-UK relations especially in trade and investment, institutional partnerships, technical and skills transfer, and cultural heritage. In discussions, Ambassador Teferi highlighted Before his role in London, Mr. Gebremeskel was