China-HOA peace conference presents opportunity to consolidate regional stability, development efforts: Ethiopian official

Redwan Hussien (1st L, Rear), the national security advisor to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, delivers a speech during the First China-Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 20, 2022. The First China-Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference presents an opportunity for countries in the region to consolidate peace, security and development efforts, a senior Ethiopian government official has said. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The First China-Horn of Africa Peace, Good Governance and Development Conference presents an opportunity for countries in the region to consolidate peace, security and development efforts, a senior Ethiopian government official has said.

The remark was made by Redwan Hussien, the national security advisor to the Ethiopian Prime Minister with a rank of a minister, as China and the Horn of Africa (HOA) countries convened the regional peace and development conference from Monday to Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

"The opportunity should not be missed or squandered. If we are determined, we can be certain that we will not be alone. Friends of goodwill, like China, are ready in our endeavor," he said.

"It is upon us to prove the conference results in concrete actions," Hussien told regional ministers and senior officials attending the peace conference, which was joined by Xue Bing, the special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Addressing the high-level regional conference, Hussien called on ministers and senior delegates of HOA countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and Djibouti to use the conference as a valuable platform to expedite regional integration efforts toward common development and peaceful coexistence.

"It hovers on us to design and deploy different approaches, different thoughts, and different methodologies guided by strong political commitment and determination to succeed this time around. Failure is no more an option nor is it acceptable," he affirmed.

Hussien said the HOA, home to an estimated population of 300 million, the majority of whom are young, is currently experiencing "one of the worst droughts coupled with man-made humanitarian crises that left millions of our citizens' livelihoods at risk."

He, however, stressed that the HOA is not only a region of despair, but it is also of hope and immense potential. He said the HOA, with its untapped natural resources and strategic location, is a region that can resonate with hope to its people.

He called for concerted efforts to transform and build a region at peace with itself, united in purpose and integrated for common benefits.

Hussien emphasized the need to harness the nexus between peace-security-development in the region.

"Making the region free from the burdens of war and conflict and ensuring peace and security remain the priority of all priorities," he said while underscoring the immense potential of strengthening regional economic, social and infrastructure integration so as to enable the region's peaceful development.

The Ethiopian official also commended China's commitment and efforts in supporting countries in the region to find lasting peace and development. "I thank China for its solidarity and support extended to us; and I hope that it will continue as we strive to achieve the goals of peace, security and development."