Ethiopian Embassy News - AIGAaigaforum.com/news1/Eth_Embassy_DC_Newsletter_July2015.pdf ·...
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Ethiopian Embassy News A Monthly Newsletter of the Ethiopian Embassy, Washington D.C.
Year: 2 Issue 01, July 2015
Ambassador Girma Birru's Interview
about President Obama's Visit to Ethiopia
Amb. Girma Birru, Special Envoy, Ambassador Extra-
ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to the US,
Mexico and Jamaica has held an exclusive interview
with the Ethiopian Media Network (EMN) on President
Obama's visit to Ethiopia and other current issues.
"The visit is historic for both Ethiopia and the US. For
the first time ever in both countries diplomatic ties that
span over a century a US sitting President will visit
Ethiopia. This is a result of the growing all-round and
cordial diplomatic relations of Ethiopia and the United
States", the Ambassador said.
Contents
Ambassador Girma Birru's Interview about
President Obama's Visit to Ethiopia ............. 1
President Obama's Initiative for Climate-
Resilient Developing Nations .......................... 2
Ethiopian Airlines Commences Direct Flights
to Los Angeles via Dublin ................................ 3
The 24th Anniversary of "Ginbot 20"
Colorfully Celebrated in Minnesota ............. 4
Farewell Ceremony for Recalled Diplomats
Held at Embassy of Ethiopia .......................... 6
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President Obama's Ethiopian visit is aimed at bilateral
issues of accelerating economic growth, strengthening
democratic institutions, and improve security, the
Ambassador added.
In reference to the fringe extremist elements,
Ambassador Girma said, " it is saddening to note that
some who have been consistently opposing whatever
Ethiopia undertakes to improve the wrenched
livelihood of the Ethiopian people still oppose the
President's visit to Ethiopia. Instead of blindly out of
sheer hatred oppose the visit, it would have been wise
if they could come up with ideas that would yield to
the engagement of both sides.
Obama’s historic visit will start a new era of
partnership in investment and trade between the two
nations, he underscored.
For the entire interview, visit the Embassy's YouTube
Channel by using the link provided below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZSmJYvRVk8
Amb. Girma Birru participated in the
launching event of President Obama's
Initiative for Climate-Resilient Developing
Nations
On June 9, 2015, Ambassador Girma Birru, Ambassador
of Ethiopia to the United States, participated in the
launching event of President Obama's Initiative to
establish Public-Private Partnership to empower Climate-
Resilient Developing Nations . The launching event was
held at the U.S. Institute of Peace and was attended by
high level U.S. Government officials from the White
House, USAID, other U.S. Governmental agencies and
private Sector representatives as well as representatives
of the Government of the United Kingdom. The event
was the fulfillment of President Obama's major
commitment announced at the UN Climate Summit in
New York last September to launch an international
public-private partnership to empower developing
nations to boost their own climate resilience. The
partnership, known as the Climate Services for Resilient
Development will provide needed climate services such
as, data, information, tools and training to developing
countries that are working to strengthen their national
resilience to the impacts of climate change.
It was announced at the launching event that Ethiopia
will be one of the three initial focus countries selected to
receive tailored and targeted climate services.
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Ambassador Girma Birru, in his address at the
launching conference, thanked the U.S. and the U.K.
Government as well all of the founding partners of the
public-private partnership for selecting Ethiopia to be
one of the initial focus countries and assured the
conference that Ethiopia will do its best not only in
carrying out programs to strengthen its national
resiliency, but will also share its experiences with
other countries in the region.
Ethiopians to go to Ethiopia and take part in Ethiopia's
various investment opportunities, adding that the flight
helps to boost Ethiopia's trade ties with Africa and
North America.
CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde Gebremariam said on
the occasion the launching of the flight would improve
the investment, trade and tourism relations of Ethiopia,
Ireland and USA. He stated that as Ethiopia is the seat of
the African Union, the airline is striving to connect the
continent with different parts of the world.
The success of Ethiopian Airlines is truly amazing. For
the airline to achieve such milestone despite the hard
and difficult times most Airlines are facing is indeed an
amazing achievement. According to CEO Tewolde there
is yet more to come in full swing with the 2025 strategic
plan.
Ethiopian Airlines Commences Direct
Flights to Los Angeles via Dublin
On the inauguration ceremony held at the Los Angeles
International Airport / LAX /, Ambassador Girma
Birru, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extra-Ordinary
and Plenipotentiary to the Us, Mexico and Jamaica
expressed his felicitation for the start of the flight
which he said will widen and strengthen the already
mature and cordial relations between Ethiopia and the
US.
He recalled that Ethiopian has recently purchased 6
additional B-787 aircrafts maintaining its leadership
with the largest Dream-liner fleet in Africa. And to-day
it has become the first African Air-line to fly to Los
Angeles, launching the only direct service connecting
Africa with Ireland and the West Coast of the United
States. Amb. Girma underlined that the newly created
propitious condition will serve as an additional tool
that will encourage American investors and Diaspora
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The inaugural flight was colorfully celebrated with
Irish dancers and Ethiopian musicians. When the
huge modern Boeing 787 pulled to gate 134 there
was no one left sitting or standing in the middle of
the isle, everyone was glued and squeezed to the
huge glass window to snap a photo and witness the
first flight.
CEO Tewolde told invited guests that the LA route
will serve the huge Irish as well as African
community in the greater Los Angeles area. He hopes
the route will be successful in connecting the huge
African community to their mother continent.
Judging from the booking already for the return
flight of June 20, 2015 it surely will be a very
successful flight. The flight came with over 200
passengers and will fly back with more than 200
passengers.
Flight 504 will fly via Dublin, Ireland. The Irish
government is keenly aware of its potential impact to
Ireland tourism industry since Los Angeles is home
to the who is who of Hollywood stars and Ethiopia's
unique culture.
While these flights make Los Angles the airline's
second destination in the United States next to
Washington DC, Dublin is its first route in Ireland.
The new route raises the airline’s destinations in the
Americas to four and those of Europe to 11 and
Ethiopian worldwide destinations to 87.
Source: Aigaforum (www.aigaforum.com)
Ethiopian Diaspora Members in Minnesota
Colorfully Celebrate the 24th Anniversary
of "Ginbot 20"
Members of the Ethiopian Diaspora domiciling in
Minnesota state colorfully celebrated the 24th
anniversary of Victory Day on June 14, 2015.
Ambassador Girma Birru, Special Envoy, Ambassador
Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to the US,
Mexico and Jamaica addressed hundreds of a packed
audience of Ethiopians. The Ambassador apprised the
participants of the event on the fruits of the Victory Day.
In this regard, Ambassador Girma cited democracy,
development and peace as the kernel of the fruits of the
Victory Day.
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Referring to development, he underscored that the
major economic and social activities undertaken by the
government and results achieved to improve the lives of
Ethiopian people have proven tremendously positive by
all standards and have been approved by notable
institutions like the World Bank and the IMF and the
international media.
He pointed out that the GTP which is on the finishing
line of the fifth year of its Five-year plan period has
shown a promising end to bring about structural
transformation to address the fundamental
development challenges of the country. Speaking on the
ongoing development activities, he described the
government’s efforts in expanding infrastructure
throughout the country with special emphasis on the
construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam which will
mainly carry the lion's share of achieving the plan to
generate 10 thousand Megawatts of electricity.
To realize this objective, the Ambassador noted that
the government is working with resolve and revealed
that billions of Birr worth of bond has already been
purchased by the society which amply demonstrates
that the Ethiopian people are determined to eventuate
this huge project without the injection of an iota of
fund from any external source.
Picture from the event
The 24th anniversary of this year's victory day has
been emblazoned by the 5th national and regional
elections which was free, fair and peaceful with more
than 34 million voters casted their votes based on the
information they gathered during the free media
debate, he added.
In a similar development the Ambassador has held
meetings with Ethiopian Somali community members
and Ethiopian Diaspora investors wherein he
explained the conducive atmosphere existing in
Ethiopia and urged them to with stand any challenges
they might encounter with patience and hard work.
Welcoming Amb. Girma Birru at Minneapolis Airport
Participants of the event (partial)
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Farewell Ceremony for Recalled Diplomats
Held at Embassy of Ethiopia
Spring is a season when people start enjoying the view
of clear, blue skies and the comfort of the sunny and
warm weather, bidding farewell to the severely cold,
wet and snowy weather. Talking about Spring, it is
perhaps noteworthy to relate to an event that took
place at the auditorium of the Chancery of the
Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, D.C. – the farewell
get-together to see off four Diplomats who were
recalled back home after completing their assignment
in the US. The farewell event was organized by the staff
and administration of the Embassy.
Ambassador Girma Birru praised the departing four
diplomats for their hard work in enhancing the
friendship between the two sisterly countries, Ethiopia
and the US. The four departing staff members
passionately spoke of the close working and social
relations they have been leaving behind wishing the
social cohesion to remain intact.
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