Abuja: The Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Legesse Haile, has emphasized Ethiopia’s success-driven Homegrown Economic Reform agenda, highlighting the transformative potential of targeted investments in agriculture. Haile made these remarks during the G20-Africa outreach meeting in Abuja, which focused on industrialization and agriculture. The meeting was organized by the South African High Commission in Nigeria in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Government, ahead of the G20-Summit set to take place from November 22 to 23 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ambassador Haile noted that the African continent has often been viewed through the lens of need. However, he urged participants to see Africa as a burgeoning engine of opportunity, as demonstrated by the successes of its member states. He presented Ethiopia’s national wheat initiative as a blueprint for self-reliance and green growth. Through the expansion of irrigated farming, climate-resilient seeds, and modern mechanized techniques, Ethiopia has achieved wheat self-sufficiency and begun exporting a surplus, marking a significant economic transformation driven by homegrown reforms.
Haile emphasized that Ethiopia’s success in agriculture is not an isolated story but represents an African model for food security. He also highlighted the necessity of a sustainable energy backbone for industrialization and shared prosperity. Ethiopia’s strategy includes building a Climate-Resilient Green Economy, targeting lower-middle-income status through carbon-neutral growth, with a renewable electricity grid primarily sourced from hydropower and supplemented by wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) stands as a key infrastructure project, fully financed by Ethiopians and symbolizing national unity. With a generation capacity exceeding 5,000 MW, GERD aims to address domestic energy shortages and position Ethiopia as a major power exporter to neighboring African countries. Haile underscored Ethiopia’s ambition to become Eastern Africa’s breadbasket and power hub, calling for robust global partnerships.
He urged G20 members to transition from aid to investment and partnership, seeking long-term concessional financing and assistance in de-risking private sector investments in agriculture and energy. This includes support for expanding irrigation infrastructure, developing cross-border energy transmission lines, and providing advanced technical expertise, capacity building, and digital infrastructure for optimized yields and energy efficiency.
The meeting also featured remarks from key officials, including the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. Owan Enoh, and Mr. Ben Joubert, Acting-Chief Director, Regional Organizations, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, among others.