Addis Ababa, March 05, 2022 (Walta) – The Spokesperson of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Ambassador Dina Mufti, gave the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing today to the media.
In his presentation, the Ambassador focused on political diplomacy, the GERD negotiation, Ethiopia-Sudan border issue and citizen-centered diplomatic activities.
Ambassador Dina stated that Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia received at his office on Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management. Their talks mainly focused on the humanitarian situation in Tigray.
According to the Spokesperson, Demeke briefed Janez Lenarčič on acitvities being undertaken by the government to improve situation in Tigray. Janez Lenarčič, for his part, appreciated improved access in the region but said some rural areas are still not accessible.
He also appreciated the joint EHRC-UN investigation deal on alleged atrocities in Tigray and the announcement of the departure of Eritrean troops but underscored the need to expedite it raising concerns on access to prolonged visa and communication equipment for humanitarians and the situation of IDPs, Dina indicated.
“Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia received at his office Maureen Achieng, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chief of Mission to Ethiopia and Representative to AU and UNECA. In their discussion, the two sides covered Ethiopia’s measures in curbing illegal migration and experiences in addressing the needs of repatriated citizens. Ms. Achieng said IOM is committed to continue to working closely with the Ethiopian government and the relevant authorities in addressing the needs of Ethiopian migrants, particularly in the context of the challenges posed by COVID-19,” the Spokesperson said.
Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia last week on Thursday delivered an opening speech to an online discussion on GERD that was hosted by the Ethiopian Embassy in London and organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia in collaboration with various Ethiopian Missions in Europe. He emphasized that neither politicization nor sabotage should guide policies over the Nile but promoting cooperation, understanding, and integration should be the guiding spirit.
“On April 16, 2021 Ethiopia has submitted its position to the UN Security Council on the AU-led tripartite negotiation on the GERD.
“The letter is submitted to make Ethiopia’s position clear to members of the PSC (with details of the negotiation process and annex that clarifies major issues regarding the dam’s construction),” he noted.
He said, in the letter, Ethiopia requests the UNSC to urge Egypt and Sudan to return to the tripartite negotiations on the first filling and annual operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and respect the AU-led process.
“The AU-led process has enjoyed the full support of the UN Security Council on the basis of the principles of complementarity and in the spirit of finding African solutions to African problems,” he underlined.
“Egypt and Sudan are not negotiating in good faith and are not ready to make the necessary concessions to reach a win-win outcome. Rather, the two countries chose to “scuttling” the negotiation and “internationalizing” the issue to exert undue pressure on Ethiopia.”
“Ethiopia has unwavering commitment and trust over the AU-led tripartite negotiation and expressed the country’s gratitude for the genuine efforts of South Africa and now the Democratic Republic Congo to address the matter in the spirit of African solutions for African problems.”
Ethiopia’s initiative on data exchange before the commencement of the second filling of the dam in the upcoming rainy season had been declined by the two downstream countries declined.
The insistence by the two countries to maintain the unjust status quo and foreclose Ethiopia’s water use upstream of the GERD under the pretext of “concluding a binding comprehensive agreement” is unacceptable
FBC learnt that Ethiopia is committed to the Declaration of Principle (DoP) that was signed by the leaders of the three countries although Egypt and Sudan are reneging their commitment that they have entered under the DoP.
“Attempts to pressure Ethiopia and sideline the AU-led process will “further undermine trust and confidence among the three countries,”
Regarding the Ethiopia-Sudan Border Dispute, the Spokesperson said that the government of Sudan said it has handed over 61 Ethiopian soldiers to relevant authorities to Ethiopia last week.
“Unlike the Sudanese side of the story, 59 of the so called Ethiopian soldiers are farmers while the remaining are militiamen,” he indicated.
“In the absence of a military response from the Ethiopian side, the Sudanese government is claiming for capturing and handing over Ethiopian soldiers to the government of Ethiopia to misinform the world as if Ethiopia is participating in an armed border conflict,” the Spokesperson underscored.