Ethiopia Urges Food Sovereignty and Climate Resilience at Horn of Africa Peace Summit

Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Etsegenet Bezabih Yimenu, delivered a powerful address at the Senior Officials Meeting of the Third Horn of Africa Peace Conference, placing climate resilience and food security at the heart of the regional peace and development agenda.

The conference, held under the theme “Climate Resilience and Food Security,” coincided with the ongoing UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, highlighting the urgent need to transform food systems across the continent.

Ambassador Etsegenet spotlighted Ethiopia’s bold efforts in achieving food sovereignty, citing the country’s growing wheat productivity that has now positioned it as a net wheat exporter.

Group photo of participants during the opening session of the summit

“Ethiopia’s exemplary demonstration in wheat production suggests that Africa has the potential to shape the global future of food,” she emphasized.

She elaborated on Ethiopia’s “Home-Grown Economic Reform” in the agriculture sector, which is driving increased private sector participation, expansion of irrigation, and medium- to large-scale crop farming.

Notably, the country aims to triple its irrigation capacity by 2030 and scale up the share of crop production by private farms to 16%.

The Ambassador also previewed Ethiopia’s role as host of the upcoming Africa Climate Summit in September 2025, promising a continued commitment to sustainability through initiatives such as the Green Legacy, which has seen over 40 billion trees planted and national forest cover expanded from 17% to 24%.

A new national law now earmarks 1% of the budget for sustainable land management.

“Though Ethiopia remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, we are also among the most committed,” she said, pledging the country’s net-zero goal by 2050 and renewable energy efforts that now contribute 90% of Ethiopia’s power supply.

She called for collective regional action, warning that the Horn of Africa remains among the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, frequently affected by drought, floods, and desertification, conditions that worsen food insecurity and displacement.

Ambassador Etsegenet urged closer collaboration with China, particularly in agricultural modernization and climate-smart farming, aligning with the broader effort to harmonize African food sovereignty with global resilience frameworks.

“No country can confront the climate crisis alone,” she stressed.

“We are determined to see the Horn of Africa’s Climate and Food Security Agenda driven by its people. In this journey, we look up to China as a trusted and committed partner.”

Her speech highlighted Ethiopia’s vision of leading the region toward a climate-resilient, food-secure future built on inclusive partnerships and sustainable innovation.

The high-level meeting is an initiative of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and brings together representatives from the eight Horn of Africa countries; Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), Hon. John Mulimba (3rd L), H.E. Mr. Xue Bing, China’s Special Envoy joined by Ambassador Etsegenet and members of the Ethiopian delegation

Also participating were delegations from key international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the East African Community (EAC).