Newsletter 16
Meles Calls for Realization of Decisions of Ministerial Meet
Second Ethio-Egypt Joint Commission Meet Winds up
Role of the Somalia people is irreplaceable: Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Approves Five-Year Strategic Plan
Meles Calls for Realization of Decisions of Ministerial Meet
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi called on member countries of the Sana'a Cooperation Forum to exert efforts for the realization of the decisions passed at the 9th ministerial meeting of the Sana'a Cooperation Forum.
Member countries of the Forum should exert all efforts with a view to materializing the decisions passed at the ministerial meeting prior to the forum's summit due to take place next December.
Prime
Minister Meles made the remark while conferring with Foreign Affairs and
Trade Ministers of the member countries of the forum at his office on July
19, 2006.
Minister of Foreign and Immigrant Affairs of Yemen, Dr. Abudaker A. Al-Qirbi said briefings were given for the Premier about the discussions held on the current situation in Somalia, Darfur as well as the Middle East ant the Ministerial Meeting.
As the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia is the legitimate government in the country, members of the Sanàa Cooperation Forum have pledged to provide the necessary support to it, he said.
The member states have also plans to pave ways through which the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia would be able to come to round table discussions with rival forces that are ready to resolve the conflict through dialogue, Dr. Al-Qirbi said.
Second Ethio-Egypt Joint Commission Meet Winds up
The Second Ethio-Egypt Joint Commission Meeting was completed with the signing of various agreements.
During the meeting the two countries have signed agreements on investment promotion and protection, social affairs, information and tourism fields, while they also discussed on current issues of mutual interests.
The first Ethio-Egyptian Joint Commission Meeting took place in 1987.
Though the meeting did not take place for many years due to various reasons, relations between the countries have become stronger than ever before.
The
80th Anniversary of Ethio-Egyptian diplomatic relations will be
celebrated in 2008.
The two countries have also agreed to hold the Joint Commission meeting every two years and the meeting of the follow-up committee every six months.
The Ethiopian delegation led by Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin consisted of Minister of Trade and Industry Girma Birru, Minister of Culture and Tourism Ambassador Mohammoud Dirir, Minister of Information Berhan Hailu and State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Yaqob Yala.
The Egyptian delegation was led by the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
Role of the Somalia people is irreplaceable: Ministry
The recent crisis in Somalia should be resolved by the will and active participation of the Somalia people, the Ministry of Information said.
In its weekly statement, the Ministry said the goodwill of neighboring countries, including Ethiopia, could not substitute the crucial role of the Somalia people in resolving the crisis in that country.
The decisive role in resolving the crisis in Somalia is in the hands of the people and the political forces in that country, it said, adding neighboring countries including Ethiopia could not play key role of the Somali people in resolving the crisis besides supporting efforts toward that goal.
The Ethiopian government believes that the recent crisis in Somalia is a result of the absence of a central government and wide spread lawlessness in that country, the statement said, adding the prime victims of the crisis are the people of Somalia.
Ethiopia is closely observing the Somali issue since the crisis in that country could have negative repercussions on Ethiopia and the neighboring countries next to the Somali people, according to the statement.
Ethiopia has the responsibility only to support the ongoing efforts geared toward creating a legitimate government in Somalia, ensuring peace and stability in the country and thwarting the suffering of the Somali people, it said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Approves Five-Year Strategic Plan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MoFA) approved the new five-year strategic plan, particularly necessitated
by the need to realign the ministry’s continuing activities with the tenets
of the new five-year national development plan, namely PASDEP, drawn and
launched by the government. 
Desalegn Alemu, Strategic Planning Team co-ordinator with the ministry, told MoFA Newsletter that the plan slated for 2006-2010 was adopted by the management board of the Ministry on 22 July 2005.
The newly approved plan is the second of its kind for the ministry after the issuance of the first one which was intended to last for three years (2005-2007).
Desalegn said members of the five- men team who prepared the plan were selected and assigned for the task from various departments of the ministry by the top management that owned the entire process from the inception to the fruition of the project.
During the successive stages of the preparation of the plan, the team has worked with the top management, heads of departments and missions abroad, BPR study teams and the entire staff of the ministry, among others.
According to Desalegn, the three -year plan formerly under execution was critically evaluated in order to project a robust five-year strategic plan for the ministry.
Desalegn further noted that the team has consulted about 26 internal and external stakeholders, as well as 18 collaborating institutions and has extensively used their comments as an input to enrich the contents of the plan.
It was learned that all departments, missions and the whole staff of MoFA stand to shoulder a lofty responsibility for the successful implementation of the strategic plan that has now been approved after critical discussions with internal and external stakeholders.
Diaspora in Canada Hands Over Development Study Report
Gursum Community Diaspora living in Canada handed over a development study report to the Harari Regional State.
Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa disclosed that the Harari Regional State President Mr. Murad Abdulhadi received the study report from the community.
Handing over the study community President. Meftuh Shash said that the community feels morally responsible and politically correct to elevate the awareness of government officials, technocrats, international NGO's and the general public on the existing status of hydrological imbalance in Eastern Ethiopia in general and in Eastern Hararge Zone in particular.
He also pointed out that in order to stop deforestation and curb environmental problems, it is imperative to raise the awareness of the public in connection with natural conservation by embarking on academic studies in the field.
The Harari Regional State President, Mr. Murad Abdulhadi on his part said that the water supply and environmental problems in Harari Region has always been a serious concern and a primary issue for the entire region adding that the Regional Government is working with all regional officials at all levels to alleviate the problem.
Universities Graduate over 26,000 Students
The Ministry of Education says 26,316 students will graduate in the current academic year.
Public Relations Acting Head with the Ministry, Desalegn Samuel said that the students have been studying in various fields in nine universities allover the country in the regular and extension programmes as well as distance and continuing education schemes.
He added the graduates would play a significant role in consolidating the socio-economic development of the country.
Desalegn added that the government has planed to raise annual higher institutions intake capacity to 150,000 in the year 2010, of which the private institutions would take 38,000.
He said the Universities under construction are going to enroll 2,500 students in the coming academic year.