Author: Web Desk

Chinese professors told ENA that BRICS membership will strengthen Ethiopia’s trade and investment cooperation.

In an exclusive interview, Renmin University Economics Professor and Industrial Economy Department Head Yanghua Huang said that the BRICS bloc is of multifaceted importance to developing countries.

New member countries should be ready to benefit from the emerging bloc as BRICS has many infrastructures, industrial parks and other development plans, the professor added.

The economics professor pointed out that Ethiopia’s membership to the bloc will open multifaceted opportunity for the country.

According to him, it will also enable Ethiopia to further strengthen its economic and developing cooperation the member countries.

Professor Yanghua Huang, who noted that BRICS member countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have huge economies and large population, added that this is very beneficial.

Ethiopia’s joining the bloc will strengthen the cooperation between governments and institutions as well as improve trade and investment cooperation, the professor stated.

Moreover, he said that the New Development Bank will enable the member countries to get better financial support directly.

Professor Yanghua further pointed out that it will also create opportunity for Chinese companies to make BRICS member countries their primary investment destination.

Mentioning that this will benefit Ethiopia, he stressed that the government should do more to take advantage of the opportunities by properly identifying areas of cooperation.

As Ethiopia is a country with a large population and a large productive workforce, it is important to focus on industries that can create many job opportunities, he added.

The professor advised that focusing on industries that create jobs in the country with a large population and huge productive force is beneficial.

Minzu University Foreign Studies professor, He Keyong said on his part that Ethiopia is a very big country in history and it should learn from the civilization of forefathers and gain experience from other countries in order to ensure economic prosperity.

Ethiopia’s membership request to join the BRICS was accepted at the 15th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg last week.

Ethiopia was one of the 6 countries that were allowed to join the bloc.

In his statement following the endorsement, Prime Minister Abiy said his country’s endorsement to join the BRICS bloc will contribute a lot in realizing South-South cooperation.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Some 13 federal government institutions have established Ethiopian Policy and Research Institute Forum (EPRIF) with the target of addressing the need for evidence-based policy making and research.

The independent and nonpartisan forum was launched by 2 universities, 8 research institutes, the African Leadership Excellence Academy, the Ethiopian Central Statistics Service, and the Ethiopian Diaspora Service today.

The main objectives of the forum are creating bondage among institutes, sharing knowledge, strengthening cooperation, facilitating networking, and collecting dispersed researches, among others.

During the occasion, EPRIF chairperson, Addis Ababa University President Professor Tassew Woldehana said the forum will play a crucial role in supporting the country’s growth in a more coordinated manner.

Stressing that the forum is not a target for temporary achievements, he said it is a lifetime forum that can support the country for the future as well.

Generally, the forum targets to provide policy alternatives that can support the realization of sustainable interests of the country with concrete action.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

High Level Dialogue on Missing Migrants under the theme “Addressing the issue of Missing Migrants in Africa: from Policy to Action,” is underway at AU Headquarters.

The high level dialogue was organized by the African Union Commission(AUC) in collaboration with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Switzerland Embassy in Ethiopia.

Speaking at the occasion, Minister of Women and Social Affairs Ergogie Tesfaye said such platform is quite critical in raising awareness of the real time challenge, and give an opportunity to learn from the peers and operational partners as well.

“We do recognize the immense challenges faced by migrants and their families due to the uncertainties they face ranging from death to physical injuries, including psychological and financial distress for their families and communities as well,” the minister indicated

As one of the vulnerable countries in East Africa, Ethiopia is experiencing such challenges as death of citizens are reported in transit and destination countries due to irregular migration, she stated.

Nowadays, regular migration is a regional and national challenge for source, transit and destination countries, she added.

ICRC Regional Director for Africa Patrick said on his part that protecting migrants and addressing the growing issue of the disappearance transcends national responses and obviously requires transnational cooperation along with migratory routes.

“We must coordinate our efforts more effectively to change their heart wrenching state of affairs, as well as to prevent and respond to such disappearances,” he underlined.

Ambassador of Zambia to Ethiopia and AU and Representative of the Chairperson of the STC on Migration, Refuges and IDPs, Rose Kashembe said the African Union has taken concrete measures to address the issue of missing migrants.

“We have crafted and promulgated various policy and frameworks and instruments to affirm our commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity and wellbeing of all migrants,” he stated.

However, time has come to translate these aspirations to tangible outcomes that change the lives and shape the continent’s future, he stressed.

Through a harmonized approach of data collection, information sharing and cross border cooperation, we can turn this resolution into a catalyst for transformative change, he adde

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Government of Ethiopia has apprehended 158 human traffickers and brokers during the past three months ago, Women and Social Affairs Minister Ergogie Tesfaye disclosed.

Speaking at the High-level Dialogue on Missing Migrants held at the AU today, the minister stated that the criminals were captured in cooperation with Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, and the Interpol.

Ethiopia is taking measures to minimize irregular migration and significant progress has been made in collaboration with partners and stakeholders, she added.

Attributing the driving cause of irregular migration to economic reasons, the minister stressed that all should fight the cruel and offensive acts carried by human traffickers.

In this regard, Ethiopia is taking significant measures to tackle the challenges regarding irregular migrations in collaboration with different development partners and with other stakeholders including the IOM, ILO, and Freedom Fund, it was learned.

According to her, the government of Ethiopia gives due attention with committed political will to minimize the problem and the deputy prime minister is taking a lead on the national council for irregular migration.

Despite breaking scenarios that have been happening, Ethiopia has proved to be resolute in addressing the above challenges, the minister stated, adding that a case in point is the commitment of Ethiopia to the Global Compact for Migration, which promotes safe, orderly, and regular migration from its inception.

She revealed that Ethiopia remained instrumental in the ratification process of Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and was recently recognized as a champion country in East Africa.

Since the adoption of the GCM, various practices and proclamations as well as declarations that are action-oriented have been developed and revised to respond to various challenges related to the migration phenomenon in Ethiopia.

“Efforts around mainstreaming GCM aspiration, are also underway under different industries and sectors,” Ergogie said.

The minister further stressed that it’s essential to link national efforts with continental and global agendas.

“Hence, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the African Union Commission and ACHPR for the adoption of a historic resolution 486 on the topic which provides key particular recommendations to member states. Ethiopia indeed recognized this important resolution and its recommendations.”

She also noted that Africa has been at the forefront when it comes to the issue of migration when it signed up to all the 23 GCM objectives of overcoming all aspects of migration.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency