Ethiopian ambassadors, mission leaders annual meeting underway

Addis Ababa, January 13, 2024 (FBC) – The annual meeting of Ethiopia’s ambassadors, mission leaders, and management of affiliated institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia kicked off today on the premises of the Ministry.

The meeting will last two weeks, assessing the results achieved, reflecting on problems encountered during the fiscal year 2023, and discussing what lies ahead in 2024.

In his opening remarks, Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia has accomplished much in advancing the country’s interests in 2023, despite the multifaceted challenges the country faces at the regional and international levels.

He cited the conflict with the TPLF and the enormous international pressure on the Government, GERD-related issues in multilateral forums, the Ethiopia-Sudan border issue, and others as some of the areas that tested Ethiopian diplomacy.

The Deputy PM stated that Ethiopia was able to address many of these challenges and even went beyond achieving successes, such as joining the BRICS, forging an all-weather strategic partnership with China, and normalizing and revitalizing relations with the European Union, among other things.

New geopolitical realities, as well as technological changes and the emergence of non-governmental international corporations, necessitate new thinking in advancing Ethiopian diplomacy, he said, adding that he expects the meeting to address such issues.

During the morning session today, the Director Generals of various departments in the Ministry presented reports on the performance of missions under their purview, per MFA Ethiopia.