- Urged to keep leadership in black Consciousness Struggle
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has renewed its commitment towards the ideals of Pan-Africanism, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
In her keynote speech to a Pan-African Symposium held here recently, Foreign Affairs State Minister Ambassador Birtukan Ayano said changes in leadership in Ethiopia have never changed the country’s commitment and loyalty to African causes.
The state minister further noted that Africans should celebrate their success for meeting some of the ideals of Pan-Africanism, citing resistance movements against racial discrimination, colonialism and neo-colonialism.
She also appreciated Africans and people of African descent for the solidarity that they have continued to show to Ethiopia in times of its needs, citing the 1935 mistreatment of Ethiopia by the League of Nations. “Although Ethiopia was frequently dragged to the Security Council almost every month by some forces, it was the Africans and friends of Africa that rescued her from unjustified attacks.”
For the Ethiopian World Federation President, Ambrose R. King, keeping the momentum the Ethiopian government demonstrated in discharging its responsibilities of leading the black Consciousness Struggle was worth due priority. “We have been fighting against Racism since the Battle of Adwa and it is continuing today, the United Nations is following the bad example of the League of Nations in practicing racism. The largest bloc in the UN family is Africa, 55 members of the UN yet we don’t have a say on the Security Council which is unfair.”
“Therefore, I would like to suggest to the government that we must assume and take on our full responsibility as Ethiopia did to lead the race in our progress,” he added.
Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the AU and ECA Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma lauded the aspirations of the AU to make Africa a better place to live in through launching various flagship projects, including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Addis Ababa. CDC, which is under construction, is being executed in collaboration with the Chinese government.
The ambassador also appreciated the inception of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create an integrated intra-Africa market and enable the free movement of people and goods within the continent.
Addis Ababa University Center for African and Asian Studies Samuel Teferra (PhD) said for his part that Ethiopia needs to revive the ideals of Pan-Africanism and engage the African Diaspora in development projects. African Diasporas need to act as ambassadors of their homelands in dispelling false narratives, shaping foreign policies of international actors toward the continent and facilitating knowledge and technology transfer.
The symposium was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopian Diaspora Agency and Addis Ababa University, it was learned.
BY HAILE DEMEKE
THE ETHIOPIAN SUNDAY EDITION 16 JANUARY 2022