The file photo shows Xue Bing, special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking during a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Xue Bing, special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said Ethiopia's peace is a victory for unity and dialogue.
ADDIS ABABA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Xue Bing, special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that Ethiopia's peace is a victory for unity and dialogue.
The Chinese special envoy made the remarks after attending a ceremony held on Sunday afternoon in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, which aimed to recognize individuals, groups, and governments who have contributed to the peace efforts in the country.
At the ceremony, the Ethiopian government also recognized China's contribution to the peace process in the East African country.
"Ethiopia's peace is a victory for unity and dialogue. By bearing in mind the fundamental interests of Ethiopia and the well-being of its people, the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) chose to resolve differences and reach reconciliation through political dialogue," Xue told journalists.
Xue said the peace process in Ethiopia has not only brought many benefits to peace and development in the Horn of Africa, but also set a fine example for other regions to solve internal disputes by peaceful means. Ethiopia's peace is also a victory for African autonomy.
Facts have proven that the Ethiopian people have the capability and wisdom to independently solve their internal differences and achieve domestic peace, he noted.
Xue said the condition has also proven that the principle of African solution to African problems is feasible and should become an important guidance for the international community's constructive participation in Africa's peace and security affairs.
Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which has left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The file photo shows officials seen at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, on Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)
On Nov. 2, 2022, the Ethiopian government and the TPLF announced an agreement to end the two-year-long conflict in northern Ethiopia under the African Union (AU)-led mediation efforts in South Africa.
Noting that the agreement is being implemented smoothly, Xue said humanitarian assistance to the Tigray region has been gradually resumed and that infrastructure and public services have been restored in an orderly manner along with the establishment of the Interim Regional Administration of Tigray Region.
He said Ethiopia is back on the right track of peace and development. The efforts and achievements of the two sides have won extensive recognition from the international community.
"China is truly heartened by this. We once again send our warmest congratulations to the Ethiopian government and people, as well as our deep appreciation to the AU and other international partners who have been dedicated to Ethiopia's peace process," he said.
China always believes that peace and stability underpin a country's development and prosperity, said Xue, adding that dialogue and negotiations are the right way to solve differences and disputes as they serve the fundamental interests of the people.
He said after the conflict broke out, China, on the basis of respecting Ethiopia's sovereignty, actively promoted peace talks for the benefit of the Ethiopian people's fundamental interests and the region's peace and development, playing a constructive role in Ethiopia's peace process.
Xue further noted that in order to promote long-term peace and development in the region, China put forward the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa, supported Ethiopia in successfully hosting the first Horn of Africa Peace Conference, and facilitated relevant parties' efforts to reach important consensus on realizing regional development through unity and cooperation.
He stressed that as a good brother, good friend, and good partner of the Ethiopian people, China stands ready to work with the rest of the international community to support Ethiopia in cementing peace, conducting post-war reconstruction, and accelerating economic recovery in the process of implementing the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa. ■
