Ethiopian Community Meeting

In Los Angeles

(Ethiopian Consulate LA)-On April 11, 2010 Federal delegate officials from Ethiopia held a productive meeting with close to two hundred members of the Ethiopian Diaspora, residing in Los Angeles, California. The meeting lasted for more than three hours and covered every conceivable political, economic and social issue of today’s Ethiopia. 

Ato Berhane Hailu, Minister of Justice of FDRE, Berhane Kidane Mariam, and Ato Yohannes Fanta Director for Ethiopian Expatriate Affairs under Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, were welcomed and introduced to the participants by Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie, Consul General of Ethiopia in Los Angeles, California, who also chaired the meeting.

Minister of Justice Ato Berhan briefed the participants in greater detail on Ethiopia’s over all achievements and noticeable shortcomings to be tackled. He reiterated the importance of justly treating all Ethiopian citizens; he underscored the need to accept the Ethiopian Constitution as the supreme law of the land; he emphasized the importance of education to fight poverty and meager living standard and highlighted the need to resolve differences in thoughts and opinions via peaceful political discourse.  The Minister also emphasized the need to enhance women participation and the need to bear the “We are as good” attitude of independent hard work, to build a democratic middle income Ethiopia in the near future.

Ato Yohannes Fanta from the Office for Ethiopian Expatriate Affairs described all the work in progress, to build a stronger bridge between the Ethiopian Diaspora and their mother land.  He acknowledged the bureaucratic impediments that may exist, but nonetheless affirm to the participants that his office in collaboration with many other Federal and State level offices are coordinating their work to better serve the need of the Ethiopian Diaspora.

Ato Berhane answered some of the questions posed by the participants. Ato Berhane succinctly answered all questions and informed participants the State of Tigrai has no other schooling policy other than what is being implemented in all of the other States of FDRE. Ambassador Taye Atskeselassie in his part touched on issues of legal matters that Ethiopian and Ethiopian-Americans may seek to resolve and the meeting was adjourned thereafter.