Deputy Minister Emanuela Del Re participated in a videoconference on the Horn of Africa, organised by the Foreign Minister of Finland, Mr Haavisto. The event was attended by IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, African Union Peace and Security Commissioner Chergui, UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Di Carlo, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Urpilainen and Foreign Ministers from several Member States.
In her speech, the Deputy Minister underlined the risk that the socio-economic impact of the pandemic has for the stability of the Horn of Africa, in a phase of delicate political transition in some countries of the region that the European Union is called to support. Together with the Sahel, the Horn of Africa remains a priority for Italy. Both areas represent a natural continuum both for the adoption of positive measures of collaboration and development and in the fight against endemic plagues such as terrorism, organised crime and irregular migration.
In the Horn of Africa, the Deputy Minister remarked, new actors are taking on an increasingly visible role and a constructive dialogue must be established with them, under the banner of pragmatism, realism, and with the common intention of making a mutual contribution to the stabilisation of the region.
In relation to the Renaissance Dam (GERD) under construction, the Deputy Minister recalled the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia and the efforts being made for its successful settlement. “In the long term and more generally, competition over water resources is likely to remain a current issue. Our efforts should therefore be geared towards preventing further increases in tension over water resources in the future and promoting dialogue in search of joint solutions and mutual benefit”.
