Spotlight: ISS and Ethiopia sign new cooperation agreement

ISS and the Ethiopian government have renewed their productive relationship focused on Africa’s peace and security.

Ethiopia and the ISS have committed to work together on human security and development for another five years. A new Host Country Agreement was signed in December 2018 with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) which requests the ISS to work on peace and security issues.

‘We want ISS to work more and deepen its support to Ethiopia,’ said MoFA State Minister Dr Markos Tekle. He thanked the ISS for its research, evidence-based policy advice and practical training. Under the new partnership, the minister called on the ISS to establish an Ethiopia-focused country programme.

ISS Office Director in Addis Ababa Dr Roba D Sharamo affirmed ISS’ readiness to build on the productive relationship and support Ethiopia on matters of peace and security. ‘Our collaboration with the government of Ethiopia is important for the ISS, and our base in the capital gives us access to the African Union and the continent’s diplomatic and development communities. It enables the ISS to continue its important human security work covering countries including Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.’ 

Ethiopia has one of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies. It has made tremendous progress across economic, social and human development indicators and embarked on significant domestic reforms. ISS Horn of Africa and AU operations have been based in Addis Ababa since 2006 and the Institute has collaborated with MoFA for many years.

We want ISS to work more and deepen its support to Ethiopia

The ISS completed a major assessment for USAID of Ethiopia’s development trends, including access to water, education and health. ISS analysts modelled the country’s development trajectory and reviewed its policy options on issues from agriculture and population growth to political reform, inequality and taxation.

Ethiopia is the world’s top contributor of troops to global peacekeeping, and ISS trainers have helped to prepare Ethiopian police and soldiers for counter-terrorism and peace operations. Together with the Ethiopian Peace Support Training Centre, the ISS has trained the country’s military and police officers in gender awareness and how to deal with sexual and gender-based violence in peace operations.

The ISS informed Ethiopia’s responses to Middle East interest in the Horn of Africa, with advice on risks and opportunities and how Ethiopia’s diplomatic and economic strategy should adapt to the foreign policy outlook of expansionist Gulf states.

The ISS provides technical assistance for implementation of Ethiopia’s foreign policy, and is supporting MoFA in the sensitisation of diplomats to emerging peace and security challenges. It hopes to support Ethiopia’s reforms on issues of governance, peace and security and offer policy research training for young diplomats.

For more information contact:

Roba Sharamo, ISS: [email protected]; +251 944 083 900

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