Day: May 27, 2023

The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) stated that it will finish the designing of agenda and selection of participants for the national dialogue in the coming weeks.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, National Dialogue Commission Chairperson Professor Mesfin Araya said the commission has been in the process of selection of participants and designing agenda by gathering ideas from the grass roots across the country.

Selected participants from over 1,300 woredas will select their representatives at zonal level and agendas for the national dialogue will be collected at the capital city of the respective regional states, he added.

Collecting agendas, which is the vital task of the commission, will also be finalized before the conclusion of this Ethiopian budget year and submitted to the National Dialogue Commission, it was learned.

According to the chairperson, the inclusive national dialogue, which is the first of its kind to the country, starts at the grass roots and moves upwards.

The professor finally noted that “we use this chance (the national dialogue) properly and carefully.”

He believes that the national dialogue will also play a role in enhancing the culture of democracy and inclusiveness.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Angola is keen to further strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia and share the latter’s experience in agriculture and industrial parks.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Angola’s Ambassador Niguel Cesar Domingos Bembe noted that Ethiopia is doing very well in agriculture and industrial parks development as well as air service.

He said Ethiopia and Angola have been enjoying very good relations since his country got its independence in 1955, and the two countries signed their first agreement in air service after a year.

With regard to air service, “Ethiopia is the heart in Africa. So, Angola would like to learn and strengthen cooperation in this sector. We have a proposal project agreement from Ethiopia, and Angola still working on it. I think we will have news in the next month about this.”

Ambassador Bembe also said that the countries “need to increase cooperation in other sectors like pharmaceuticals and agriculture as Ethiopia has many experiences in this sectors and Angola needs to learn from Ethiopia in the area of agriculture. I also see that you have many industrial parks and we need to learn from this.”

With regard to regional integration, he stressed that African leaders and even the people need to work seriously for the realization of this if we are to build the Africa we want.

According to the ambassador, for a good integration to happen in Africa the counties need to first develop industrially and build infrastructures at the desired level.

“We are still very late, but we have time. For example, in my country, we are developing some projects in the infrastructure sector in order to make sure that we can facilitate the modernization of our people.”

He further stated that Africans have many challenges, but there is no challenge that cannot be overcome. First comes lack of infrastructures.

Next, there is energy problem in Africa. And for development and industrialization to happen we need energy service, Ambassador Bembe said.

“We have also many political challenges. But I think our leaders are willing to overcome the situation. What we need is unity to make sure that our national goals can also align with continental levels.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene the head of states and government to consider for a call to an African Union de-escalation plan for Sudan, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission, Bankole Adeoye told ENA.

The PSC is the standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

“We are committed to continue to work with partners in coordination role based on an expanded mechanism as well as promoting the overriding factors that silence the guns now in Sudan so that there can be resumption of fully representative inclusive political dialogue process,” Bankole elaborated.

According to IGAD, the session will be chaired by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda today.

On the other hand, reflecting on successes being made by the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) and its successor the AU as we celebrate the 60th anniversary, the commissioner said that Africa continues to make steady progress, despite many challenges facing the continent.

“Africa continues to make steady progress, particularly 60 years after the founding of the Organization of African Unity and now the African Union is seized with these issues of promoting peace, stability and security,” he stated.

Noting the continent remains united, yes he said, mentioning the challenges facing the continent such as terrorism, violent extremism and the insurgency we currently have in Sudan and in many parts of the region.

The commissioner noted the determination and will of our leaders are based on the premises of the founding leaders for unity, harmony and the common agenda that will transform the continent.

Bankole stressed that “peace remains the overriding factor for all our endeavors in different fields including in social-economic and science and technology innovation, education and all remain firmly rooted in a peaceful and secure environment.”

The department of political affairs is working under the leadership of the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat to change the narrative and move towards concrete deliverables in a holistic approach to peace and stability, the commissioner noted.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency