Addis Herald
  • Home
  • History
  • Africa
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Culture
  • Art

Culture

  • calanderEthiopia: A truly unique African country
  • passionfruit-istanbul-croppedPassionfruit’s Globe-Trotting DJ Mixes Tell Stories Through Disco
  • Ethiopia-HighlandsThe most breathtaking geography in Ethiopia
  • Christmas in Lalibela‘Genna’: Christ’s birthday anniversary, an indispensable part of Ethiopian culture
  • the weekendThe Weeknd’s Next Album Will Be Inspired By BLM Movement, COVID-19 Pandemic

Business

  • siemensEthiopia Signs Deal To Build Phase 1 of $440 Million Assela Wind Farm Project
  • EthiopiaCan agriculture be Ethiopia’s growth engine?
  • Orange-Digital-VenturesGIZ and Orange launch an Orange Digital Center in Ethiopia, the 3rd in Africa and the Middle East region
  • 31342IMF and Ethiopia agree framework for loan deal reviews
  • 11-2-696x446Ethiopian Coffee History: From Chewing to Brewing

Africa

  • battle of adwa woriorThe Victory of Adwa: A Fresh Perspective
  • shutterstock_pricing-317799113ECA Price Watch points to construction sector as key driver of growth
  • africa-s-pulse-april-2018-780x439China’s poverty alleviation model instructive for Africa: expert
  • 20210222T0930-AFRICA-ENVIRONMENT-GATES-1165226Faiths institute asks Gates Foundation to change tactics in Africa
  • detail ethiopiaGrid connection of the Eastern Electricity Highway is awaiting trial operation
Screenshot_20200208-015009
February 8, 2020

Canadian prime minister arrived in Addis Ababa, where he will attend a weekend session of the African Union.

The Star By Mia Robson

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to bring some star power from the sports world to his game plane in Africa this week, as he pursues support for a seat for Canada on the powerful United Nations Security Council.

Trudeau arrived in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Friday night, where he will attend a weekend session of the African Union. It’s a chance for Trudeau to meet directly with several of the 54 African leaders, whose votes at the June vote at the UN will be critical to Canada’s success.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as he arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as he arrives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. (SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

He is travelling with three of his cabinet ministers but the celebrity element goes to Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri, who Trudeau invited to join the delegation. Ujiri was raised in Nigeria, and played professional basketball in Europe before becoming a player scout and executive in the NBA.

Ujiri, whose foundation Giants of Africa uses basketball as a means to educate and enrich the lives of African youth, was planning to travel to the continent to promote his own work, but he joined the Canadian trip after Trudeau asked him to come.

“I have relationships with leaders here and anyway we can help, anyway I can help, it’s a big part of making the world better,” Ujiri said.Article Continued Below

He said he has already had several conversations with Trudeau and with Ahmed Hussen, the federal minister for families, children and social development, about how he can use his work as an ambassador for sport to help. Hussen is also on the trip.

Ujiri flew to Ethiopia with Trudeau Friday and is participating in official events with Trudeau in both Addis Ababa and later in the week in Senegal. Ujiri was among those on hand with Trudeau for his initial meet-and-greet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Friday.

Abiy and several of Ethiopia’s key cabinet ministers and diplomats met Trudeau at the airport, where an official welcome ceremony included an honour guard, a dance performance and a red carpet.

This is Trudeau’s third visit to Africa as prime minister, but his first time in Ethiopia. He told Abiy in a brief conversation at the airport that he had intended to attend the African Union last year but wasn’t able to. Abiy assured him this time was a better time.

The African Union is headquartered in Addis Ababa, which has become one of the biggest diplomatic cities in the world. Ethiopia is also a fast-growing economy, with per capita GDP soaring 189 per cent between 2000 and 2018. Trudeau praised Abiy’s work to bring about reforms.

The theme for this year’s summit is Silencing the Guns, as Africa works to reduce violence and conflict and promote economic growth and prosperity. Abiy himself just won the Nobel Peace Prize in part for his work to strike a peace deal with neighbouring Eritrea, that finally solidified a deal backed by the United Nations 20 years ago that had never been implemented.

Alice Musabende, who is completing her doctorate in international relations focusing on Africa, said for the African Union, peace and security are the biggest priority. Canada has been largely absent from those discussions, she said, while the European Union and the Americans are more involved.Article Continued Below

“There is a lot of funding going in, there are a lot of missions,” she said. “Most of the funding comes from the EU, a lot of help comes from the UN but also from the United States. The problem is Canada is nowhere to be found in these discussions.”

Hussen said he feels like Canada has engaged well with Africa over the last four years. Hussen, who moved to Canada as a refugee from Somalia, said he visited the continent nine times in his previous role as immigration minister. He pointed to a number of programs to aid African immigration, particularly students from Senegal and Morocco, who want to study in Canada.

African students tend to be denied visas to study in Canada more often than those from most other countries. Hussen said the government is adding more visa application centres and introducing new services to help students, and has reduced processing times for applications in many offices.

“We attracted a record number of students from Africa,” he said.

Trudeau will have an official sit down with Abiy Saturday.

Africa has 54 of the 193 total votes that will decide the Security Council’s non-permanent seats in June. Canada is in the running against Norway and Ireland for two spots at the table, each lasting for two years.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg is also set to be at the African Union meeting this weekend. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited the continent in January, including a stop to visit Abiy in Ethiopia.

Trudeau is spending three days in Ethiopia, and will travel to Senegal and Munich, Germany before returning to Canada next week.

Source The Star

The great power struggle between Washington and Beijing takes an unexpected turn in Ethiopia. Africa’s first drone academy

Related Posts

siemens

Business, Headlines

Ethiopia Signs Deal To Build Phase 1 of $440 Million Assela Wind Farm Project

Throne-11

Headlines

The Forces of Evil Arrayed Against Ethiopia

Orange-Digital-Ventures

Business, Headlines

GIZ and Orange launch an Orange Digital Center in Ethiopia, the 3rd in Africa and the Middle East region

Industrial Parks Development | Ethiopia |

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-vSnVQfBoo

Africa

  • battle of adwa woriorThe Victory of Adwa: A Fresh Perspective
  • shutterstock_pricing-317799113ECA Price Watch points to construction sector as key driver of growth
  • africa-s-pulse-april-2018-780x439China’s poverty alleviation model instructive for Africa: expert
  • 20210222T0930-AFRICA-ENVIRONMENT-GATES-1165226Faiths institute asks Gates Foundation to change tactics in Africa
  • detail ethiopiaGrid connection of the Eastern Electricity Highway is awaiting trial operation

Travel

  • Homage to Entoto Park How the Old “Town in the Forest” is turning into a newly flowering tourist hubHomage to Entoto Park How the Old “Town in the Forest” is turning into a newly flowering tourist hub
  • 00ddd3-724x483This Is What It’s Like Trekking the Hottest Place on Earth
  • Screenshot_20200106-034619_GalleryExtreme Ethiopia in pictures
  • Addis-skyline-768x402Enigmatic Ethiopia: Africa’s (still) hidden jewel in the crown?
  • 929-1024x524-488x250Ethiopia’s Tourism sector is on the rise

Culture

  • calanderEthiopia: A truly unique African country
  • passionfruit-istanbul-croppedPassionfruit’s Globe-Trotting DJ Mixes Tell Stories Through Disco
  • Ethiopia-HighlandsThe most breathtaking geography in Ethiopia
  • Christmas in Lalibela‘Genna’: Christ’s birthday anniversary, an indispensable part of Ethiopian culture
  • the weekendThe Weeknd’s Next Album Will Be Inspired By BLM Movement, COVID-19 Pandemic

Business

  • siemensEthiopia Signs Deal To Build Phase 1 of $440 Million Assela Wind Farm Project
  • EthiopiaCan agriculture be Ethiopia’s growth engine?
  • Orange-Digital-VenturesGIZ and Orange launch an Orange Digital Center in Ethiopia, the 3rd in Africa and the Middle East region
  • 31342IMF and Ethiopia agree framework for loan deal reviews
  • 11-2-696x446Ethiopian Coffee History: From Chewing to Brewing

RSS Allfrica.com News feed

  • Africa: Somali, AU Military Chiefs Visit Troops to Plan Joint Operations
  • Africa: Africa 'Not On Track to Reach 2030 HIV/Aids Targets'
  • Africa: Put Vision Into Global Health Focus, Experts Urge
  • Africa: Gender Bias Stymies Women's Careers in Stem - UN
  • Africa: Solar Fridges to Chill Covid-19 Shots in Rural Africa
  • Africa: Non-Surgeon Medical Staff 'Can Perform Safe Operations'
  • Africa: Beach Soccer AFCON, Senegal 2020 - Qualifying Matches Revealed
  • Africa: Mobile App Halves Vaccinating Time to Curb Rabies
  • Africa: Rural-Urban Migration 'Cut Bush Burning, Air Pollution'
  • Africa: Information Related to the Total U17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2021
  • Abijitta-Shalla National Park
  • Alatish Ethiopian National Park
  • Awash National Park
  • Babille Elephant Sanctuary
  • Bahir Dar Blue Nile Millennium Park
  • Bale National Park; Ethiopia’s lesser-known Treasure
  • Bale Mountains National Park
  • Borena-Sayint National Park
  • Chebera Churchura National Park
  • Dati Wolel National park
  • Gambella National Park
  • Gambella National Park 2
  • Kafta-Sheraro National Park
  • Mago National Park
  • Maze National Park
  • Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia
  • Omo National Park 
  • The Semien Mountains
  • Yabello National Park
  • Yangudi Rassa National Park
© Addis Herald 2021
  • Contact us
en English
af Afrikaansam Amharicar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishfr Frenchde Germanel Greekhi Hindiit Italianja Japaneseko Koreanla Latinru Russianes Spanishsu Sudanesesw Swahilisv Swedish