A Week in the Horn 21.03.2025
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a recognition ceremony for all key stakeholders that helped in the successful completion of the Ordinary Sessions of the 38th Assembly of the Heads of State and Government and the 46th Executive Council of the African Union on Friday (March 14).
The recognition ceremony brought together representatives of more than 35 government institutions and more than a hundred private sector service providers in terms of transport, accommodation, media coverage, and hospitality in general. Individuals with exceptional contributions were also recognized. 101 volunteer protocol cadets, who were selected, trained, and deployed for the summit, were also present at the ceremony.
On the occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos, along with State Ministers Ambassador Birtukan Ayano and Ambassador Mesganu Arga, awarded Certificates of Recognition to members of the National and Main Committee and stakeholders drawn from various sector institutions, as well as volunteers who contributed to the successful completion of the 38th AU Summit.
In his thanksgiving speech, Gedion said Ethiopia has indeed shown that Addis Ababa is, in fact, a diplomatic hub and a success story in diplomacy and economic transformation. He said this year’s AU summit was an opportunity whereby Ethiopia showed that it holds a special place in a Pan-African cause. He further thanked stakeholders who had made the summit a success.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of the National Committee for the Preparation of the 38th AU Summit, Ambassador Birtukan, on her part, said the summit was an all-round success whereby Ethiopia showcased its diplomatic, economic, and political success stories.
This year’s AU Summit, with special emphasis on seamless logistics, impeccable hospitality, and image building infused with Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, provided Addis Ababa and Ethiopia at large with ample opportunities to showcase a myriad of development activities in the capital. It also further entrenched Addis Ababa’s exceptional position as the locus of the diplomatic and political capital of not only Africa but also the ever-evolving philosophy of Pan-Africanism.
The Ordinary Sessions of the 38th Assembly of the Heads of State and Government and Executive Council of the African Union took place from February 12-16 under the annual theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” as officially launched by Heads of State and Government during the Summit.
According to the AU Commission, this year’s theme resonates with the “continuing pursuit of justice and equity” of the people of Africa and that “the conversation about reparations has emerged as a critical and transformative dialogue that requires the collective attention and action of Africans and all people of African descent.”