Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – A high-level event commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was held at the United Nations headquarters in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. The event drew the participation of approximately 140 diplomatic missions and numerous high-ranking political figures.
Among the attendees were representatives from 19 Arab diplomatic missions, led by Mohammed Omar, the Arab League’s representative to Ethiopia and the African Union. Mahmoud Ali Youssef, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, also attended, marking the first time a sitting Chairperson has participated in the event. Palestinian Foreign Minister, Farsen Aghabegian, the UN representative in Ethiopia, Abu Bakr Kampo, and the Director of the Middle East and Asia Department at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.
In his opening remarks, Chairperson Youssef highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, resulting from the ongoing conflict, which has caused immense civilian casualties and widespread destruction of essential infrastructure. He emphasized the African Union’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to live in an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Youssef stated that international solidarity is not merely symbolic but a moral and legal obligation, urging the international community to take decisive action to halt the bloodshed, protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, and provide urgent assistance to those affected. He added that the African Union would continue to collaborate with its international partners to support renewed peace efforts, promote accountability, and uphold international humanitarian law.
“The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be based on dialogue and international pluralism, reflecting the international community’s commitment to justice and human dignity,” Youssef asserted.
Foreign Minister Aghabegian reaffirmed that the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom, dignity, independence, and self-determination continues, viewing it as a natural extension of the global struggle for liberation.
