Ethiopia Participating in 19th COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting.

Bujumbura: Ethiopia is participating in the 19th Meeting of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Ministers of Foreign Affairs, currently underway in Bujumbura, Burundi. A delegation led by Ambassador Hirut Zemen, Permanent Representative of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, is attending the conference.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, the meeting is anticipated to review the status of peace and security in the region with a focus on the situation in Libya, Sudan, Eastern DRC, Somalia, terrorism, and negative forces in the region, as well as climate change and elections. The ministers will also review the status of implementation of the COMESA programs in peace and security.

The COMESA programme on peace and security emphasizes the establishment of an institutional structure with a specific mandate in conflict prevention through preventive diplomacy and an early warning system. The programme also involves other stakeholders such as civil society
and private sector organizations in conflict prevention and peace building to address issues of peace and security, aiming to enhance its primary objective of promoting economic integration.

Key decisions will be made by the ministers to address the peace and security challenges and strategies to build long-term resilience in the region. The Report of the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be received by the 23rd Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.