NEWS IN A Week in the Horn 12.12.2025
Ethiopia
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos received China’s Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Hu Changchun, at his office on Wednesday (December 10). The two sides agreed to continue working closely on areas of mutual interest at the bilateral and multilateral levels.
Foreign Minister Gedion met with Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, at his office on Tuesday (December 9). The Ministers held discussions and exchanged views on regional and international peace and security matters of common concern.
Ethiopia commemorated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the country’s role as a founding member with a cultural night at Kuriftu Africa Village on Saturday (December 6). Part of the “Ethiopia’s Month” celebrations, the event brought together ambassadors, government officials, representatives of international organizations, and invited partners, highlighting Ethiopia’s cultural heritage and longstanding partnership with the United Nations. (See article)
A high-level event was held on Monday (December 8) in Addis Ababa to officially launch the Ethiopian Nuclear Power Programme and operationalize the Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commission. The gathering brought together high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos, Ethiopian Nuclear Energy Commissioner Sandokan Debebe, and Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), along with other senior government officials and stakeholders.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hadera Abera held the 4th Ethiopia–Poland Bilateral Political Consultation with his counterpart Wojciech Zajączkowski, Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland, and his delegation on Thursday (December 11). Their discussions focused on deepening bilateral relations, particularly in economic cooperation; expanding avenues for business and investment, and exploring opportunities in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, agro-industry, and renewable energy, as well as capacity building, education, and technical and digital cooperation.
The African Media Awards was held on Thursday (December 4) at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, celebrating excellence in African journalism, digital media, broadcasting, and innovation. This year’s edition highlighted outstanding contributions across the continent and underscored the importance of amplifying African storytelling across all media platforms. (See article)
Ethiopia was elected Vice-President and Bureau Member of the UN Human Rights Council during the Council’s Organizational Meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday (December 8).
Gifaataa, the New Year festival of the Wolaita people, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday (December 10).
The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced on Tuesday (December 9) that the 7th General Election will be conducted on June 1, 2026. NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu briefed the media on pre-election activities carried out for the upcoming election.
Ethiopia and the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Wednesday (December 10) signed a 184 million USD grant agreement to support the Ethiopia–Djibouti–South Sudan Transport Corridor Project—Phase II. The financing will enable the construction of a 67-kilometer expressway from Melka Jilo to Awash, a critical missing link along the Addis Ababa–Djibouti corridor.
Djibouti
President Ismail Omar Guelleh attended the inauguration of his Ivorian counterpart, President Alassane Ouattara, on Monday (December 8).
President Guelleh received the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Qu Dongyu, on Sunday (December 7) for discussions on areas of common interest.
Kenya
The Ethiopian delegation participated in the Ateker Leaders’ Council meeting in Lodwar, Kenya on Wednesday (December 10), joining communities from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda to adopt a founding legal instrument aimed at advancing cross-border peace, dispute resolution, economic cooperation, and cultural ties.
Somalia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud chaired a high-level roundtable at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Sunday (December 7) on “State-Building in Somalia: Coordinated Strategies to Sustain Progress.”
Ethiopia participated in the Doha Forum, which was held in Qatar from December 6–7, under the theme Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress. An Ethiopian delegation led by Ambassador Zerihun Abebe, Director General for African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, joined high-level representatives of states, international partners, and institutions in a roundtable session to discuss state-building efforts in Somalia. During the session, he outlined Ethiopia’s historical engagements in Somalia and the sacrifices made to support the state-building process, taking into account the challenges currently faced and possible future trajectories. (See article)
Africa and the African Union
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, opened the 6th Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Forum on Tuesday (December 9) with a call for resilience and accountability.
Chairperson Youssouf received Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, on Monday (December 8).