Month: March 2024

Son of the renowned Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, Dr. Julius Garvey described the Adwa Victory against the Italian invaders in 1896 as a seminal victory in global black history.

Every year on March 2, the victory of Adwa is marked in remembrance of the Ethiopians who defeated the Italian colonizers 128 years ago with unwavering and splendor courage for the independence and liberty of Ethiopia and all oppressed nations across the globe.

The victory was widely reported around the globe as the continent’s first-ever triumph over a colonial power that ignited the spirit of Pan-Africanism.

Marcus Garvey was an orator for the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Garvey advanced a Pan-African philosophy which inspired a global mass movement.

Julius Garvey, son of the most influential 20th century black nationalist and Pan-Africanist, Marcus Garvey, told ENA that the Victory of Adwa pertain special pla
ce in the history global blacks.

Ethiopia is a special country for the black people across the globe, he said, and added ‘so we’re very proud of Ethiopia.’

‘The history of Ethiopia not being ever-colonized is very significant for us in the diaspora; because it is the one country that we look up to in terms of carrying our traditions from the past, to the present and into the future,’ Garvey noted.

The word itself is out of balance; because civilization in history didn’t begin with either Greece or Rome, son of the Pan-Africanist stated, and emphasized ‘It began at Nile Valley civilizations, of course, Ethiopia being a significant part of that.’

The global black needs to validate its earliest civilization, he stated, and, added ‘we need to write the wrongs that have been done to us over time.’

Adwa Victory initiated a great deal in terms of Pan-Africanism in the diaspora, because it is sort of very much like the victory of Haiti in 1804, he explained.

‘That is a seminal moment for us in the diaspora. It
is the same thing with the 1896 the Battle of Adwa, and Menelik II and that is also a seminal moment in our history. When we are able to defeat those who want to colonize us and this is being validated …It is all part of our heritage and our culture, and our traditions, and it should be part of our educational process,’ Garvey underscored.

People without the knowledge of their past history and traditional culture is like a tree without roots, my father used to say; he said, and noted ‘so we need to educate the young people properly, so they understand their culture, and they can spread our culture around the world.’

‘The fact that Ethiopia was not colonized; that was a great victory over the Italians Menelik II in 1896. So, we all will celebrate that all around the world.

And again, especially, we do in Jamaica; we have a significant Rastafarian community that valorizes Ethiopia and Emperor Hailesilassie. And we are all a part of that. So it is very important,’ Dr. Garvey elaborated.

Source: Ethiopian Ne
ws Agency

Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa addressed the 6th session of the UN environment Assembly (UNEA6) which is being held in Nairobi, Kenya from 26 Feb to 1 march 2024.

In sideline of UNEA6, the Minister also engaged in a number of bilateral and Africa regional environmental events, according to Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia.

In her statement during the UNEA6 high level segment held today the minister informed the participants about the unwavering commitment of Ethiopia in addressing the triple planetary crises of our planet namely climate change and biodiversity loss.

Fitsum shared Ethiopia’s successful achievements in addressing the aforementioned challenges through its Green Legacy initiative where it manages to plant 32.5 billion tree and other agroforestry seedlings in the last five years through mobilizing 25 million of its citizens annually since the launching of the initiative in 2019.

The Minister also said that Ethiopia’s extended commitment for the unified voi
ces of Africa in international environmental negotiations through her capacity of President of Africa Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) which will run for the 2024 and 2025.

Fitsum expressed her commitment to closely following up the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) and to give necessary guidance to the group for a unified voice as a continent.

In her afternoon engagement during the UNEA6 today Fitsum successfully convened the AMCEN bureau meeting as of her capacity of being AMCEN President.

Outstanding issues were discussed and put forward on the next steps including deciding to convene AMCEN special session on land degradation, desertification and drought in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on 2-5 September 2024.

The session also envisaged the preparations of Africa on UNCCD COP16 which is to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and other international engagements such as UNFCCC COP29.

The Minister held bilateral meetings with representatives of Mauritania, Algeria, Morocco and Executive Secretary of UN
Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) and discussed outstanding bilateral agendas on her national capacity and being AMCEN President.

In the respective bilateral meetings, the two parties agreed to closely work towards the common environmental agenda and enhancing the environmental protection agenda including through signing an MOU across different thematic areas.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopia became a symbol of African aspiration and independence as a result of the Battle of Adwa, Professor of the History of Africa and the African Diaspora in the UK, Hakim Adi said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Professor recalled that the Battle of Adwa did not only defeat the Italian Army, but also secure Ethiopia’s independence.

‘Ethiopia became the only independent African country and the only African country to defend this independence through military might or overpowering the European army,’ he elaborated.

Moreover, the professor added that it became extremely important for the whole of Africa and for Africans around the world, because the black people around the world looked to Ethiopia, as it showed them that Europeans could be defeated and were not superior.

The people in Ethiopia were so organized to defend the European power, as a result of which ‘Ethiopia became a symbol of African independence in the Battle of Adwa,’ the professor recalled.

Moreover, he illustrated that Ethiopia
became an independent symbol, particularly for the Pan-African movement, that is to say the movement of people of Africans and people of African descent all around the world, struggling for African independence and for the rights of Africans all over the world.

He said ‘It is an extremely important battle. And you find that organizations in other parts of the world took the name Ethiopia, even in this country (Britain), in Britain, we had an Ethiopian progressive association that was formed just a few years later. People look to Ethiopia as a symbol of inspiration and a symbol of independence for all Africans,’ Professor Adi pointed out.

He added that the Victory of Adwa demonstrated that if people are united that all kinds of things are possible.

‘Adwa is one of those examples that show the importance of unity; there are other problems because the big powers that are all contending in Africa try to disunite the continent, try and put one country against another, try to create disruptions within countri
es, ‘ Professor Adi elaborated.

The Victory of Adwa has proved that the unity of a country and its people greatly contribute to the unity of our continent, the professor underlined.

‘We need that unity at the country level, which will enable a stronger unity at continental level and otherwise shows the value of that unity. If you could unite a country, then there are many things that you can achieve.’

The Battle of Adwa, which took place on March the first 1896, epitomizes successful resistance against colonialism and it was the most unprecedented battle in the history of Africa in the 19th century.

The battle took place during what historians have called the scramble for Africa, that is to say the contention between all the big European powers to carve out and divide the African continent. That scramble led to the division of Africa among the big powers.

The victory of Adwa victory is a living hard won battle made by Africans that spearheaded the struggle of Africans and black people throughout the wor
ld for freedom and independence.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency