China’s Foreign Minister visits Ethiopia and the African Union; Foreign Minister bids farewell to departing UK Ambassador Moorehead; Ethiopia Concludes UN Security Council Term; Ethiopia’s tourist attractions promoted in China

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to Ethiopia this week. Minister Wang held talks with President Sahle-Work Zewde, Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed, and Dr Workneh Gebeyehu as well as visiting the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, before travelling on to Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal.

Foreign Minister Dr Workneh Gebeyehu visited Khartoum on Monday (December 31) and delivered a message from Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed to President Omar Hassan al- Bashir of the Sudan. He discussed bilateral and regional issues with the President, and welcomed the recent release of over 1,000 Ethiopian nationals from Sudan prisons, underlining the strengthening of people-to-people ties. They agreed on the importance of working together to advance economic integration efforts in the Horn of Africa region as well as the promotion of regional peace and stability.

Foreign Minister Dr Workneh also met with Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Al-Dirdiri Mohamed in Khartoum on Monday (December 31). He said the sustained political consultations at higher levels was a “clear testimony that the two sides are committed to strengthen[ing] the relationship further ahead and work[ing] more closely on issues of mutual benefit to the peoples of Ethiopia and the Sudan.” Dr Mohamed said Sudan would “continue to work for the strengthening of relations at regional and international platforms.”

Foreign Minister Dr Workneh Gebeyehu bade farewell to Ambassador Susanna Moorehead, the outgoing UK Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the AU and UN Economic Commission for Africa on January 2.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Hirut Zemene received Ambassador Semere Russom, Eritrea’s new Ambassador to Ethiopia on Thursday (January 3). She noted the special attention to the efforts made to enhance people-to people-ties. Ambassador Semere, who pledged to elevate bilateral cooperation between the two countries, said the team of Ethiopian doctors currently in Eritrea would further strengthen the people-to-people ties.

Ethiopian tourist attractions were exhibited to Chinese Tour Operators and Travel Agents in Liaoning Province, China last week at a Tourism Promotion Forum organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Beijing together with Ethiopian Airlines.

Ethiopia's two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nation Security Council ended formally on Monday (December 31).

The Attorney General has announced that 530 prisoners have been pardoned in connection with Ethiopia’s Christmas, celebrated on January 7. This is in addition to the more than 13,000 people who have benefitted from the Amnesty Bill, whose grace period ends on January 23.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to take this opportunity to wish an enjoyable, profitable, and prosperous 2019 to all our readers, wherever they may be.