Ethiopia Committed to Deepening Multilateral Diplomacy, Peacekeeping in Africa

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia will deepen its multilateral diplomacy and peacekeeping role to contribute to peace and security in Africa, Ethiopia's United Nations Permanent Representative Tesfaye Yilma said.In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ambassador Tesfaye said the country will further bolster its multilateral diplomacy and contribute to peace and security of Africa through peacekeeping missions under the United Nations and African Union.Currently, Ethiopia is engaged in the peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Somalia.'Ethiopia has been a front runner in maintaining African peace and security. This is our history and legacy. We are now in South Sudan and Somalia. We will continue deepening this role to maintain peace and security in Africa.'The representative recalled that Ethiopia had also been sending peacekeeping forces to Rwanda, Liberia, Burundi, Darfur, Abyei, and Somalia.Regardless of change of governments in Ethiopia, the country has been consistently engaging in multilateral cooperation and peacekeeping missions, mainly in Africa, Ambassador Tesfaye noted.Beyond security, Ethiopia also advocates for socio-economic development of developing countries, he added.'We will continue participating in different socio-economic affairs based on international agreements.'For instance, the third financing for development conference held in 2015 in Ethiopia led to the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.Following multilateral engagements with the UN and many other countries, Ethiopia recently hosted the First Preparatory Session of the 4th Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa from July 22-26, he pointed out.'This recent conference was decided to be hosted in Ethiopia mainly due to its major role in engaging at the multilateral level and its willingness to host it.'According to him, the conference demonstrated successful multilateral diplomatic engagement to improve the socio-economic development of developing countries.The representative reiterated Ethiopia's histori cal role as a founding member of the United Nations and its ongoing commitment to multilateralism.Source: Ethiopian News Agency