By Fortune Abang
The Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Legesse Haile, says his country’s success-driven Homegrown Economic Reform agenda remains a testament to transformative potential of focused, high-impact investments in agriculture.
Haile said this during the G20-Africa outreach meeting in Abuja, which centred on industrialisation and agriculture.
The meeting was hosted by the High Commission of South African in Nigeria in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Government ahead of the G20-Summit scheduled to hold between Nov. 22 and 23 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He noted that the African continent had been viewed through the prism of need.
“Today, we invite you to view Africa as the world’s foremost engine of opportunity, demonstrated by the very real successes being achieved by our member states.
“I wish to highlight two such blueprints for self-reliance and green growth from my Country Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s commitment to self-reliance is yielding undeniable results, most notably in our national wheat initiative.
“Through ambitious expansion of irrigated farming, the use of climate-resilient seeds, and the adoption of modern, mechanised techniques, Ethiopia has achieved historic milestone wheat self-sufficiency.
“We have not only ceased the annual costly import of nearly a billion dollars’ worth of wheat but have begun exporting a marketable surplus.
“This success, driven by our own homegrown economic reform agenda, is a testament to the transformative potential of focused, high-impact investments in agriculture,” he said.
The envoy noted that the story was not just that of Ethiopia, but an African blueprint for food security, adding that the path to industrialisation and shared prosperity required a robust and sustainable energy backbone.
According to him, Ethiopia’s strategy is clear; to build a Climate-Resilient Green Economy, aiming for lower-middle-income status through carbon-neutral growth.
“Our electricity grid is derived entirely from renewable sources; predominantly hydropower, supplemented by growing wind, solar, and geothermal capacity.
“The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) now inaugurated and operational, is the single most significant piece of infrastructure in our development. Fully financed by the Ethiopian people, it is a powerful symbol of national unity and a game-changer for regional energy security.
“With a generation capacity exceeding 5,000 MW, the GERD will not only address our acute domestic energy deficit but also allow us become a major power exporter, fuelling the industrial growth of neighbouring African states.”
Haile described Ethiopia’s journey as one defined by domestic resolve, saying the country aimed to be the breadbasket and power hub of Eastern Africa and such required robust engagement with global partners.
“We, therefore, call on the G20 members to shift the paradigm of engagement from aid to investment and partnership. We seek long-term concessional financing and assistance in de-risking private sector investments in our agricultural and energy sectors.
“This includes funding expanding irrigation infrastructure and high-yield climate-smart agriculture technologies and developing cross-border energy transmission lines to facilitate regional power trade from GERD and other green sources.
“We need collaborative support in providing advanced technical expertise and capacity building as well as digital infrastructure and AI-driven agricultural solutions to further optimise yields and ensure efficiency in our rapidly expanding energy grid.
“Ethiopia is ready. Africa is ready. Let us together, use this momentum to mobilise action and forge a partnership that makes Africa’s agricultural and industrial transformation an irreversible reality,” Haile said.
The meeting featured remarks by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. Owan Enoh, and Mr Ben Joubert, Acting-Chief Director, Regional Organisations, Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Others were Amb. Bukar Hamman, Nigeria G20 Sherpa, High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria and Dean, Africa Group, Abuja, Salaheddine Ibrahima, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker
