Addis ababa: House of People's Representative (HPR) Speaker, Tagesse Chaffo, stated that the two-day Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF) currently taking place in Addis Ababa is timely and crucial for bolstering democratic governance, accountability, and international security cooperation. The forum has drawn lawmakers, intelligence officials, cybersecurity experts, and policymakers from 36 countries to the Ethiopian capital.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum regularly hosts events for international parliamentarians and government officials to engage with leading experts on topics such as counter-terrorism financing, cyber security, predatory foreign investments, intelligence sharing, 5G, and artificial intelligence. In his opening remarks, HPR Speaker Tagesse emphasized a global shift in intelligence and security governance-moving away from models that view intelligence as solely an executive function, towards systems that incorporate elected representatives, public trust, accountability, democratic legitimacy, and effective security governance.
Addressing the broader security environment, Tagesse highlighted the increasingly complex and interconnected nature of today's threats, which include terrorism, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, public health vulnerabilities, and cybercrime targeting critical infrastructure. He noted that the Horn of Africa faces multidimensional challenges such as violent extremism, protracted conflicts, irregular migration, and climate-related pressures. These challenges are exacerbated by non-state armed groups exploiting governance gaps, threatening regional peace and development.
Tagesse underscored the importance of African solutions and stronger regional cooperation, asserting that sustainable peace requires progress in security, development, and governance, rather than relying solely on security measures. Ethiopia, he said, is intensifying efforts to combat trafficking and irregular migration through improved governance frameworks and enhanced regional cooperation, while promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration and dismantling criminal networks.
Linking health security to national stability, Tagesse cited lessons from recent pandemics, illustrating that resilient health systems are strategic assets. He also highlighted Ethiopia's investment in future-shaping technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, and human capital development, guided by responsible and human-centered AI principles. Ethiopia is advancing its Digital Ethiopia 2030 agenda to bolster cybersecurity and establish a secure, trusted digital ecosystem.
The House Speaker further pointed out that energy security and critical minerals are emerging as key issues of the 21st century, advocating for governance guided by equity, transparency, and sustainability, alongside partnerships that ensure resources foster shared prosperity rather than competition.
U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ervin Massinga, remarked that security threats are increasingly global, interconnected, and rapidly evolving, making international cooperation indispensable. He emphasized that parliamentarians play a crucial role in strengthening security by shaping laws, allocating resources, and promoting cross-border cooperation. Ambassador Massinga also stressed the importance of information sharing to counter transnational cybercrime and trafficking, while cautioning against the risks of opaque agreements and surveillance-related arrangements, advocating for harmonized legal frameworks, stronger law enforcement cooperation, and enhanced cross-border data sharing.
He reaffirmed the United States' commitment to deepening its partnership with Ethiopia on shared security challenges. U.S. Congressman Robert Pittenger, addressing journalists, noted that the forum offers Ethiopia an opportunity to present the direction and priorities of its leadership to the global community. He pledged support through technology tools and legislative insight, framing democracy as a driver of opportunity, job creation, and long-term stability.
The Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum is recognized as a leading international security forum, offering expertise and fostering collaboration among parliamentarians and government officials to enhance understanding of current global security threats posed by adversarial nation states and terrorists, while developing actionable solutions to counter these threats. Parliamentarians, who draft legislation and fund the government, are considered critical players in this mission.