By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. The Prime Minister, of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, rejected an invitation to attend the Elders Mentorship/Leadership Awards Luncheon 2024, which was organized by the President of Uganda’s son-in-law at State House Entebbe. The awarding ceremony was organized by the Office of the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties, headed by Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID).
Concept/ invite
The Head ofAdministration/Operations of PACEID Matthew Bagonza, confirmed that the Ethiopian MP was officially invited for the event. “However, as head of state, he could have been committed somewhere else,” said Bagonza, adding, “But he sent a representative.” Mr Bagonza defended the absentia of the Ethiopian MP Abiy by saying that. “The President (Abiy) is invited for functions every day. That does not mean he attends all of them.” The Elders Mentorship/Leadership Awards aim to recognize individuals who have shown exceptional service and leadership in their respective fields, making a significant positive impact on Uganda’s development. The subject matter of the ceremony ran under the theme: “Modelling the right behaviour for the youth of Africa in the 21st Century”. At the event, at least 16 elders were recognized for their immense role in the development of the country.
What happened?
According to some officials, PM Abiy was not impressed with several arrangements leading to his invitation and decided to send the Speaker of the House of People’s Representatives of Ethiopia, Hon. Tagesse Chafo Dullo. Sources disclosed that while Abiy was officially invited by the state, “there were issues with protocol especially in regard to the calibre of people sent to Ethiopia to deliver the invitation.” Some sources revealed that the organizers of the event had invited Abiy to deliver a keynote address at the function.
Previous visits
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy has been to Uganda several times. On 29 August 2021, he arrived in Kampala for a half-day-long working visit at the invitation of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The two leaders discussed several issues, including conflicts in the Tigray region. The Presidential Press Unit revealed that the duo held talks on various issues and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest. The claims of mediation in Uganda were refuted by the government’s task force for Tigray conflicts as Ugandan President Museveni tweeted that he had met Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister and urged negotiations. This was not the first time the delegation from Ethiopia met President Museveni. On 16 November 2020, an Ethiopian delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen Hassan had a meeting with Museveni in Uganda seeking to end the Tigray crisis. Also in 2018, PM Abiy met with President Museveni in Uganda. The news of his visit was confirmed by Museveni via his Facebook account. “I welcome Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, to Uganda. He is here for a two-day state visit on my invitation. We shall hold bilateral talks on how to further strengthen our countries’ trade and political ties. Tomorrow, Dr Abiy will be a special guest at our National Heroes Day celebrations in Kakumiro District, where he will receive the Pearl of Africa Grand Master Medal.” President Museveni wrote.
Abiy-Museveni’s Relationships
When visited Uganda in 2021, some political analysts said that he had come to ask Museveni to mediate the political conflicts in Ethiopia, Museveni being a highly regarded figure in that nation. Abiy has been under pressure from the international community to hold talks with his rivals, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), an ethnic nationalist former paramilitary group, now a leading political party, which ran Ethiopia for 30 years. One retired diplomat who worked in Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry for two decades said Museveni is respected for his vast experience in regional security affairs. He has defended Ethiopia’s national interest, including the construction of Renaissance Dam, for a very long time.
Tigray Crisis
Fighting broke out in the Ethiopian region of Tigray after the government accused the TPLF, the party that governed the region, of insubordination. The TPLF ruled Ethiopia with an iron fist for over 30 years until April 2018 when Abiy Ahmed was appointed as Prime Minister to replace Haile Mariam Desalegn who resigned after a month of anti-government protest in Oramia region where Abiy comes from. The conflict which was sparked last November by an attack on a federal army base by TPLF forces has threatened to further destabilize Africa’s second most populous country. According to the UN, the conflict has already left thousands in a near-famine situation.
Uganda and Ethiopian’s bilateral ties
Ethiopia and Uganda have been cooperating in various peace processes and this was revealed in the statement which was issued by Uganda’s Presidential Press Unit on Abiy’s visit in 2021. Uganda and Ethiopia do not share borders, but inaudibly share incomparable diplomatic relations that neither one of them is according to any other nation. The two East African nations are strong trade partners and cooperate in bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest.
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