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The government is committed to finding solution to perennial floods in western Kenya, Information, Communications and The Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo has said.

Owalo said that the solution entails harnessing the excess waters to ensure sustainable food security through irrigation and also desilting some of the rivers to contain back flow that has been displacing thousands.

On the short term, he said, the government was distributing relief food to the displaced, adding that the ministry of interior and National government adminstration will also move in soon to assist the flood victims with blankets, mosquito nets and other supplies.

He was speaking in Siaya County on Monday while presiding over distribution of relief supplies to displaced families in Ugunja, Alego / Usonga and Bondo constituencies.

The CS, who was flanked by Siaya county commissioner, Jim Njoka and local United Democratic Alliance officials, among them Fredrick Oyugi Dor, the UDA coordinator in Siaya, said poor planning was to blame for the displacement of people by the floods.

‘We need to do mapping so that we are aware of designated agriculture zones, residential areas and river banks and lake shores where people should not encroach,’ said the cabinet secretary who addressed the media at Dibuoro primary school grounds in Alego / Usonga constituency.

He said that the current state of affairs where people live anywhere because of improper planning and lack of enforcement of the laws must stop.

Owalo said that the Kenya Kwanza government was now focused on serving Kenyans and will not engage on empty rhetoric.

‘President William Samoei Ruto has said time and again that the period for politics is over and we are now committed to tackling problems affecting the citizens,’ he said.

During the occasion, CS Owalo was accompanied by the chairman of the Sacco Societies regulatory Authority (SASRA) chairman, Jack Ranguma and the chairperson of the Postal Corporation of Kenya board of directors, Mrs Rose Nyamunga among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The European Union (EU) has confirmed its commitment to support Ethiopia for lasting peace in the country.

In his press briefing he gave today, EU Head of Delegation to Ethiopia Ambassador, Roland Kobia talked about prospects of Ethiopia and EU.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia welcomed EU Council’s conclusions on Ethiopia issued on April 24, 2023.

EU reiterated, among others, its readiness to re-launch its regular Multi-Annual Indicative Program, its strong encouragement of the International Financial Institutions to assist Ethiopia in its economic stabilization and reform agenda, and its call on creditor countries to swiftly conclude the debt restructuring process through the Common Framework.

EU’s conclusion is highly anticipated to open a new chapter in the two sides’ relationship as Ethiopia is a key strategic partner for the EU in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea, which the EU stands ready to support the progress on the path towards lasting peace.

The EU head underscored that Ethiopia is a key strategic partner for the Union for its geographical importance in the Horn of Africa.

Reminding that the relationship between Ethiopia and Europe Union had faced some diplomatic odds due to the conflict in northern Ethiopia, the ambassador said that EU is working hard now to normalize the relation in all spheres.

“The EU will progressively normalize relations with Ethiopia and return to a full and strengthened strategic engagement with the country accompanied with a solid political and policy dialogue, “he said.

Ambassador Roland also reaffirmed the commitment of the European Union to deepen its relationship in trade, investment, peace and security and many other areas.

EU development cooperation portfolio in Africa is one of the largest in the world with 715 million Euro for the period 2014 to 2020, he pointed out, pledging to enhance the cooperation in this regard.

He added EU will also support Ethiopia’s endeavor to create a conducive investment climate for foreign and domestic companies.

The EU head also welcomed the green paper on the Transitional Justice.

The EU also welcomes the recently improved humanitarian access to the majority of the conflict-affected areas in the northern Ethiopia, it was learned.

The EU encourages the government of Ethiopia to continue taking concrete steps in advancing peace and development, he stated

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The European Union (EU) stressed the need for deepening a strategic engagement with Ethiopia that was signed thus far, Head of Delegation to Ethiopia, Ambassador, Roland Kobia said.

In his briefing about the historical prospect of the relationship between Ethiopia and the EU, Ambassador Kobia said Ethiopia is the long-standing partner of Europe.

“We are the deepest and long-standing partner with Ethiopia. I think this is something that can be forgotten because sometimes if our relationship gets…difficulty, while we have managed it for 500 years of history together… Europe is the oldest partner of Ethiopia when it comes to the number of years by far. Nobody was here 500 years ago.”

For instance, the ambassador mentioned Portugal, one of the EU member countries, which is celebrating its five hundred years of cooperation with Ethiopia.

Moreover, the EU and Ethiopia have signed numerous strategic engagements with a view to consolidating the historical relationship.

For him, Ethiopia is one of a few countries which the EU has a strategic engagement.

“EU and Ethiopia have signed a strategic engagement. This is extremely important because we don’t have many strategic engagements. Actually we have very few strategic partners and with few countries,” the head noted.

According to Kobia: “ We signed a joint Ethiopian-EU strategic engagement. It is written on the text. This means a lot in terms of what we want to do together, how deep we want to cooperate and how wide we want to partnership.”

The partnership covers many spheres between the two sides including regional peace and stability, countering terrorism and violent radicalization as well as migration, social and economic development, investment and trade, climate change and environmental cooperation.

However, Ambassador Kobia acknowledged that the relationship between the two sides had gone through difficult times following the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

Now, Ethiopia and the EU are normalizing the relationship on the basis of a peace agreement for Ethiopia has been implementing and moving towards lasting peace, he noted.

Accordingly, the EU has now proposed a political offer to become a political partner with Ethiopia and strategically engage each other on important issues.

“It is not only about development aid. But how can we be political partners? It is all about how we can strategically engage each other on important issues for Ethiopia, for the EU and also for the world. It also includes how the EU and Ethiopia will have a new approach to cooperate on international terrorism and among other areas…”

As the EU is a number one trading partner of Ethiopia, Ambassador Kobia indicated that the union is desirous to maximize the trade volumes between the two sides.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency