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The government of Ethiopia is positively disposed
of to encourage and initiate cordial and ever burgeoning partnerships,
between Ethiopian universities which are currently in the up-shoot in their
phenomenal numerical strength and their sustainably ascending students and
pedagogical growth on the merit of just and fair distribution upon the vast
expanse of our country and their American counterparts for the mutual
benefit of our sisterly nations.
The foregoing clarion call was made by Ambassador Girma Birru, Special Envoy
and Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal emocratic
Republic of Ethiopia, to the US in a keynote statement he made at the
outheast Model African Union 2011 held at Savannah State University
Addressing a packed audience of over 200 students and staff members in
Savannah Georgia, last Thursday November 10, 2011.
Ambassador Girma praised the frontrunners who had conceived and designed the
original and novice enterprise which he alluded to is convened to replicate
model African Union meetings of the Executive Council and the Assembly of
Heads of State and Government gathering which embodies so much positive
value and good will, he reiterated. Continuing his remarks Ambassador Girma
underscored by saying that "I believe this forum will bring out information
and analysis about Africa based on objective research.
"This is particularly important to American students, and the new generation
primarily because of the obvious organic ties between Africa and the United
States of America. Besides those connections, however, there is a critical
necessity for the story of Africa to be told in the USA from an informed and
factual perspective", he underlined.
Ambassador Girma succinctly compared the traditional and cynical pattern of
presenting Africa by regrettably extorting that, "unfortunately, Africa
rather appears to be defined by scary media stories, as well as reports of
doom and gloom by some think tank and advocacy groups often replete with
pre-conceived prejudices and stereotyping.
It is a vital forum he exuded "to highlight an alternative narrative of the
objective situation in the African continent as a place of hope and
potential prosperity" and commended the organizers for the excellent
initiative, and the provision of such an auspicious platform for an
objective discussion about Africa.
Ambassador Girma highlighted the ups and downs that the pioneering
continental body, the OAU had traversed to bring its offshoot, the African
Union (AU) and its various initiatives to its present encouraging fruition
and focus of engagement, which is trying its level best to address its
current challenges collectively in the spirit of Pan-African solidarity.
He went on to add that, it should be recalled that this same spirit was
galvanized by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during the struggle
against colonialism and apartheid. Today the AU is leading a different
struggle to liberate Africa from poverty, backwardness and conflict, he
emphasized.
To demonstrate his assertion, the Ethiopian Special Envoy brought to light
the timely role that the New Partnership for Africa`s Development (NEPAD) is
playing as a tool of a comprehensive AU framework designed to manage the
continents strategic partnerships and to harness the collective effort to
extricate Africa from poverty, he surmised.
As a result of the efforts mentioned and other enabling factors, Africa is
making significant progress in many aspects of its socio-economic
development, he pin-pointed.
In this respect brought to the fore that, it is a source of confidence and
optimism to see some African countries in the list of the fastest growing
economies in the world. He further stated that the list was compiled by the
Economist magazine, which is an expert media outlet in the field. "This
compelling testimony was not borne out of sympathy, but rather is the
strength of the development trajectory in Africa. I am pleased to note that
my country Ethiopia is in this list," the Ambassador accentuated.
The three-day special event was accompanied by African displays, Black
Diamond Dance Troupe Performance and African fashion, Live Entertainment
awards and certificates of participation, activities that had elevated the
occasion to simulate and reflect African realities.
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