Wednesday, October 29, 2025
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OPENING UP THE HORN

Excerpts from the insights shared by Dr. Saad Ali Shire, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Somaliland;

Capital: Tell us about the Berbera port, Somaliland and Ethiopia relation.
Saad Ali shire: The Somaliland and Ethiopian people share many things. We share people, we share long borders which stretch over 600 km and also Ethiopia’s probably our number one trading partner; thus we share businesses as well. We share similar visions of prosperity and we have similar challenges in poverty as well.
On matters port, we have three landlocked neighboring countries; Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Sudan with a population of about 180 million. That in addition to the 15 plus million people in Somalia brings the tally to about 200 million people. The Berbera port is ideally placed to serve these populations. Djibouti and Eritrean ports have an advantage in serving the western side of Ethiopia but when it comes to the eastern side, Berbera is the best corridor.
And with a growing population and economy in both Ethiopia and the rest of the countries in East Africa, we need more ports. We believe there’s enough business in category and volume for not only one or two port but more ports.
Trade is very important in developing countries. And Berbera port acts a pivotal platform to facilitate this, by opening up the region to the rest of the world. There’s already some transit going on. But the major transits are awaiting agreements for the transit transfer agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia. I think we’re both committed and enthusiastic. There are of course circumstances which sometimes delay progress.
We have incredible expertise at our disposal from the administrators, that is DP World, who have lots of experience on ports. Thus we are certain they will deliver a first class product and a high performance port.

Capital: Do you think the government of Ethiopia has any concerns on using the port?
Saad Ali shire: In my view I do not think there are any concerns since we have been working together for a long time.
The first agreement we had with the Ethiopian government was in 2004 and then we had a major transit transport agreement in 2016. But we need to finalize on certain agreements which have faced delayed owing to different circumstances.
We’re very confident this is in the best interest of both countries. And I know when traders are offered the option of using the port of Berbera; many of them will come and use it optimally.

Capital: It has been said that Ethiopia has a 19 percent share of the Berbera Port. Doe it still exist?
Saad Ali shire: We agreed in a meeting back in 2016 to offer a 19% share to the Ethiopian government and we agreed under certain conditions. There was a stop date for the Ethiopians to act, but they didn’t act so it expired. The purpose for that stake was before the construction of the port, Ethiopia was to contribute financially to the construction of the port but it didn’t take up that option. The port was financed entirely by DP world and now it’s ready. In addition, any changes in the concession with regard to giving shares to other parties would have to go through parliament. It’s not an executive issue, it is a legislative one.
I believe that the important thing is not so much the ownership, but the efficiency which is very important because we would like Berbera to offer the most efficient service in the horn of Africa. So our aim is really to provide an efficient service, it doesn’t matter who owns it.

Capital: Don’t you think Ethiopia losing its ownership has an effect on using the port?
Saad Ali shire: I think ownership and use are two things that are not necessarily related. Now Ethiopia uses Djibouti port, but it’s not a shareholder; similar to the Lamu port in Kenya of which it’s not a shareholder.
It’s really an efficiency game rather than an ownership game. The ownership is not really important. What’s important is the efficiency and the performance of the service. And if it comes to making a decision it is a parliamentary issue; but I believe it’s not a subject which is very important to the trade between Somaliland and Ethiopia and the full inefficient use of the port.

Capital: What are the challenges the port is facing?
Saad Ali shire: With regards to the challenges and the concerns, of course, the port and its activities are impacted by what’s going on around the world.
We have suddenly moving from globalization to D global globalization in the sense that impacted the traffic; both air traffic and sea traffic. Since we operate in the larger umbrella of globalization; traffic both in the air and sea will also present us with challenges. So the health of the global economy is something needed to keep watch and to this end we need to adjust accordingly.

Lusophone day

The delightful garden of the Residence of the Ambassador of Brazil was the perfect setting for a special event co-organized by the CPLP Group in Ethiopia, last Saturday, in Addis Ababa. It was a cultural meeting of Portuguese speakers, bringing together the communities of different Lusophone countries residing in Ethiopia, and both expatriates and Ethiopians who have studied Portuguese language formally or have learned the idiom for professional reasons or by exposure in Lusophone environments.
The event was part of the celebrations of the World Portuguese Language Day thus appointed to the 5th of May by UNESCO, validating the previous date choice done by the Secretariat of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP).
The highlights of the event, after the welcome remarks from Ambassador Luiz Eduardo Pedro (Brazil), Ambassador Luísa Fragoso (Portugal), Ambassador Alfredo Nuvunga (Mozambique) and Minister Counsellor Coutinho Viquissi Copumi (Angola), were the delicious food and delicacies offered by the embassies of Angola, Brazil, Mozambique and Portugal, a moment of poetry, the public acknowledgment of Girma Beshah’s contribution to the promotion of the Portuguese language for six decades long, and the launch of the “Núcleo de Lusofalantes” of Ethiopia (Portuguese-speakers Group).
Girma Beshah was the first Ethiopian to receive a scholarship from the Portuguese government in 1959. After graduating in Portuguese Studies, he was invited by the Instituto de Alta Cultura to translate from Portuguese into Amharic the 16th century report about Ethiopia and the first Portuguese diplomatic mission, written by Father Francisco Álvares . As diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Portugal were disrupted in 1963, all copies of the book, which was published only in 1966, remained stored in Lisbon until 1999. Then, a number of copies were offered to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the closing event of the 5th International Conference on the History of Ethiopian Art that was held in Portugal, at the Convento dos Capuchos, not far from Lisbon. After returning to Ethiopia, Girma Beshah, being a polyglot, devoted his career, even after retirement, to languages, and to the Portuguese one in particular, as translator and interpreter for the Ethiopian government, embassies, and international organizations. Lately, he decided to translate into Amharic the critical edition of the “History of the Martyrs of Najran”, referring to a dramatic historical episode of the Aksumite period, done by the academician Francisco Maria Esteves Pereira and published in the late 19th century in Portugal.
As the doyen of the Portuguese-speakers in Ethiopia, he is the member number one of the “Núcleo de Lusofalantes”, followed by the founding active members, Anteneh Nigussie, Genet Yilma, Kirubel Mulugeta, Luana Alves, Sofia Engida and Worku Gebre Yohannes who read the “Núcleo” proclamation on the occasion.

Ethio-French relations

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In the framework of the 125th anniversary of Ethio-French relations, the Alliance Ethio-Française launched a monthly activity programme dedicated to show the cooperation of the two countries in the field of music.
Opened as of June 7, 2022 the Alliance presents retrospective of the French musician Francis Falceto through an exhibition recounting his musical adventure in France and Ethiopia.
Staying from June 6th to July 4th 2022 the program includes film screening for the general public in the Aef auditorium, concert by Girma Bèyènè & Akalé Wubé, at the Hager Fikir Theater Exhibition “From éthiopiques to éthioSonic”, Francis Falceto, tireless purveyor of Ethiopian music, Scenography and museography: Mohamed Beldjoudi, Sébastien Cailleux to open from 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday for the month.
A new partnership with the mythical “Hager Fikir” theatre will allow to listen again to one of the emblematic artists of Ethio-jazz, Girma Bèyènè, accompanied by the legendary French group, Akalé Wubé on June 20th.

CULTURE: AFRICA’S SAVING GRACE

Ethiopian artists are gearing up for the East African Cultural and Art Festival, June 15-22nd, planned as an annual event to be hosted in rotation among countries in the region. In line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture and Sports emphasize the impact such events may have towards transforming socio-economic development and integration of Africa. With three months of glorious rain and cool weather ahead, causing many to retreat for the season, the warm sounds and sights of music, dance, art and theater will be a treat for all. However, Sosina Wogayehu kicked of the kermt (rainy season) with a reception organized by the Embassy of Australia promoting her Ethiopian Circus Centre in Entoto. Sosina is a trailblazing mentor and motivator with a “… stellar career as a world-class, international, circus performer, contortionist and juggler…” according to aussietheatre.com. Australia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, H.E. Ms. Julia Niblett, described Sosina, an Ethio-Australian, as an ‘inspiration to youth and example of commitment to improving lives through training and creating a corresponding business model to ensure sustainability for those who choose this profession’. The event hosted at Hyatt Regency Hotel brought attention to the need to support such initiatives spearheaded by the Diaspora, returning home as positive change agents.
Abroad the summer festival season is also in full gear with the Love Supreme Jazz Festival, known as the “largest outdoor jazz festival in Europe” kicking off July 1 with Dr. Mulatu Astatke amongst a list of other artists such as Erykah Badu, The Brand New Heavies, Ife Ogunjobi, and Cubaafrobeat. The list is long. Dr. Mulatu is well known worldwide, for his musical brand, Ethio-Jazz, which fuses the best of indigenous sounds with musical genres from jazz, funk and Ethiopian folk melodies. The first African to graduate from the renowned Berklee College of Music, he was given an honorary PhD by his alma mater, a nod to his continued influence on a new generation of music connoisseurs with his compositions. Maestro Mulatu ensures Ethiopia’s narrative, as a key contributor to culture, is maintained every time he steps on stage, dressed in his African attire emanating sounds of Africa and her Diaspora.
Reggae artists have also began summer concert tours and the Marley clan is booked from Europe to USA. Stephen Marley’s tour began in California this weekend with the colors of the imperial Ethiopian flag fully represented. The second son of Bob and Rita Marley, Stephen is a producer and writer penning some of the most prolific songs promoting Pan Africanism. In the reggae royalty’s song, Made in Africa, Stephen chants,
“Scholars and scientists now concede that Africa is the first place of mankind. Africans were the first builders of civilization.
They discovered mathematics, invented writing, developed sciences, engineering, medicine, religion, fine arts and built the great pyramids an architectural achievement which still baffles modern scientists.

They infiltrate our homes,
They call it as their own, Africa, Now, we must stand tall,
To break down all these walls.
How beautiful are thou, all nations have to bow, Africa don’t you fall from grace, You’re the secret place.”

Imagine, thousands of concert goers from all walks of life and socio-political orientation will be jamming to such lyrics. Passionate words which speak for billions of Africans and their descendants dispersed throughout the sixth region of Africa. In reality this is an example of soft power to influence minds and hearts into seeing the humanity of Africans. Through culture, ambassadors- at large for Africa are created. They share history, current affairs and the future of the continent through music and myriad cultural forms. Senegal, no stranger to cultural festivals hosted the First Festival of Negro Arts in 1966 under the auspices of President Poet Leopold Sedar Senghor. Ethiopia, Mali, Chad, Ivory Coast, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Gabon, Zaïre, Congo, Zambia, Burundi participated. Top jazz musician Duke Ellington, dancer Josephine Baker, and poet Langston Hughes were in attendance. Almost 60 years later Senegal’s President Macky Stall, upholding the legacy of the arts through the 14th edition of the Biennale of African Art in Dakar, presented the grand prize of the contemporary art event to Ethiopian visual artist, Tegene Kunbi Senbeto. We have lots to celebrate and in the words of playwright Langston Hughes,

“Ethiopia
Lift your night-dark face,
Abyssinian
Son of Sheba’s race!
Your palm trees tall
And your mountains high
Are shade and shelter
To men who die
For freedom’s sake
But in the wake of your sacrifice
May all Africa arise
With blazing eyes and night-dark face
In answer to the call of Sheba’s race:
Ethiopias free!
Be like me,
All of Africa,
Arise and be free!
All you black peoples,
Be free! Be free!”

Dr. Desta Meghoo is a Jamaican born Creative Consultant, Curator and cultural promoter based in Ethiopia since 2005. She also serves as Liaison to the AU for the Ghana based, Diaspora African Forum.