The following is an edited transcript of the address by H.E. Eskinder Yirga Asfaw to Panel Three of the May 30-31 Schiller Institute Berlin conference, “The End of 500 Years of Colonialism: For a Dialogue of Civilizations—The Urgency of a New Global Security and Development Architecture.” Mr. Asfaw is the Ethiopian ambassador to Germany. Subheads have been added. The video is available here.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, esteemed members of the Schiller Institute, ladies and gentlemen,

First and foremost, allow me to express my deepest gratitude to the International Schiller Institute for the kind invitation and for organizing this important conference here in Berlin. This city, which has witnessed historic and momentous occasions in human history, provides a fitting backdrop for a discussion on the timely topics of sovereignty, development, and the unbreakable spirit of nations for freedom. I am profoundly honoured to address you today and share with you the journey of my country, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia as the Land of Origin: Where Humanity Begins

Ethiopia is not merely a country; it is a civilization older than most nations. It is the land of origin—the very cradle of humankind. It was in the Afar Depression that our oldest ancestor, Lucy (Dinknesh), walked the earth over 3.2 million years ago. But our civilization did not stop there. From the Kingdom of Axum, one of the great powers of the ancient world, to the 11th Century rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, from the obelisks of Axum to the castles of Gondar, Ethiopia has maintained a continuous, unbroken civilization and statehood for over three millennia. Today Ethiopia stands first in Africa for intangible and tangible UNESCO registered world heritages. We are the only African nation with its own indigenous script/alphabet—Ge’ez—and an independent calendar that still marks this year as 2018, as we speak. This is not hyperbole. This is history. We gave coffee to the world. Ethiopia the Land of Origins. Ethiopia is the source of the Blue Nile River that contributes 86 percent of water reaching Egypt and sustaining the world’s ancient civilizations in the Nile Valley.

The Uncolonized Exception: Defiance Against the Scramble for Africa and Colonial Rule

The European powers that took part in the infamous Berlin Conference (1884-85) are said to have recognized Ethiopia as colonial Italy’s sphere of influence, though it was a sovereign empire in itself at the time. However, there was a lot of reckoning on the part of Italy, and conquest did not take place in the immediate post-Berlin period. Why? Because Ethiopia was already a sovereign empire that could not be carved. While the “Scramble for Africa” extinguished the independence of nations throughout Africa, Liberia aside, Ethiopia stood alone as the only African nation that never fell under colonial rule.

When colonial Italy first encroached, attempting to impose the infamous Treaty of Wuchale—a fraud that claimed a protectorate in the Italian version of the Treaty while the Amharic text said no such thing—Emperor Menelik II exposed the deception with diplomatic brilliance. War followed. Italy, armed with modern artillery and [perceived] European confidence/race-based superiority, marched into the mountains of Tigray.

The Battle of Adwa: The Thunder that Shook the World

On the morning of March 1, 1896, at Adwa, Ethiopian forces—united under Emperor Menelik II and the legendary Empress Taytu Betul, who commanded her own army—annihilated the Italian colonial forces. Let the record stand: Ethiopia did not win by ambush or attrition. It won in a conventional, open-field battle against a modern European army. Italian General Baratieri’s forces were surrounded and crushed. Over 7,000 Italian soldiers died, and 3,000 were taken prisoner.

The victory at Adwa resonated across every colonized continent. It proved color-based supremacist belief that gave reason for colonial aggression wrong. It sent a clear message: Africa could defeat Europe. For Ethiopians, it was not merely a battle; it was a declaration of eternal freedom. Adwa became the beacon of freedom for the black race all over the world, inspiring anti-colonial movements from Jamaica to South Africa and heralding the Pan-Africanism movement worldwide.

A Founding Pillar of Global Multilateralism

As Ethiopia has never lost its independence, it was able to take a seat at the high table of nations when others could not. In 1923, Ethiopia joined the League of Nations—one of the only two independent African nations to do so. When fascist Italy invaded again in 1935, Emperor Haile Selassie I stood before the League and delivered a prophetic warning: “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.” The League failed Ethiopia then, but Ethiopia never failed the cause of collective security.

After World War II, Ethiopia became a founding member of the United Nations in 1945, again one of the four African nations to sign the UN Charter as a founding member alongside the great powers. And when the winds of African liberation blew in 1963, Ethiopia hosted the founding conference of the Organization of African Unity in Addis Ababa, now the African Union. Today, our capital remains the diplomatic capital of Africa, housing over 137 embassies and a good number of regional and international organizations in addition to hosting the headquarters of the AU.

Most recently, Ethiopia joined BRICS—a reflection of our growing economic weight and our commitment to a multipolar, equitable world order. We stand firmly for multilateralism, believing that no nation, however powerful, should dictate to another. Ethiopia is playing a lead role in the UN peacekeeping as a large troop contributor. In climate negotiations, or in trade forums, Ethiopia speaks for the principle that international law must apply equally to all.

Ethiopia’s Drive to Prosperity: An Economic Renaissance

Today, not complacent with our rich history, we are designing our own pathways of prosperity. We are embarking on an extraordinary path to prosperity. Allow me to share some key facts:

• Population: Over 130 million people, making Ethiopia the second-most- populous nation in Africa.

• Geography: A strategic hub in the Horn of Africa, bordering Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, with access to the Red Sea via ports in Djibouti and our own revitalized naval ambitions.

• Economic growth: For over a decade before recent global shocks, Ethiopia maintained double-digit economic growth—one of the fastest in the world. Even amid pandemic and conflict, our economy has grown at an average of 7-9% annually.

• Deep reforms: Ethiopia designed a home-grown economic reform agenda based on its priorities, not those dictated from outside. We have designed our own system called Medemer, a synergy philosophy whereby all citizens participate in nation-building processes regardless of individual ideology or outlook. We have opened sectors long closed to private investment—telecommunications, banking, logistics, and energy. The Ethiopian Securities Exchange is being relaunched. We have privatized state-owned enterprises and created a competitive business environment.

The Green Legacy Initiative and Food Sovereignty

We in Ethiopia believe prosperity cannot be built on a degraded environment. That is why Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the Green Legacy Initiative. In just five years, Ethiopia has planted over 40 billion seedlings—not a typo: 40 billion. We have restored degraded land, increased forest cover, and built one of the largest reforestation campaigns in world history. Most of the trees planted are fruit-bearing plants that assist the movement for food independence.

On food sovereignty: Ethiopia was once synonymous with drought. No longer. Through concerted efforts in agricultural transformation, we have achieved near self-sufficiency in wheat, increased productivity of teff and maize, and built strategic grain reserves. Our goal is not just to feed ourselves, but to become a breadbasket for the region.

Manufacturing Hub of Africa: The Next Asian Tiger

Ethiopia has set its sights on becoming the manufacturing hub of Africa. Why? Because we have:

• Affordable, trainable, young labor force (median age: 19 years);

• Renewable energy potential (over 45,000 MW only from hydro, coupled with a huge potential in wind, solar, geothermal);

• Strategic location for export to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia;

• 26 Industrial parks public and private (Hawassa, Bole Lemi, Kombolcha, and more) already housing global brands like PVH (Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein).

We are not chasing low-end textiles alone. We are building agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, and electronic vehicles assembly and manufacturing, transport infrastructure, digitalization. Ethiopia intends to be the place where the world manufactures sustainably and ethically.

Monumental Infrastructure: The Renaissance Dam and New Gateway

Let me speak of two transformative projects.

First, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)—the largest hydropower project in Africa. With a capacity of 5,150 megawatts, the GERD is providing clean, affordable electricity to over 60% of our population that currently lives without power. It is not a threat to our downstream neighbors; it is a cooperative platform. The GERD is complete, fully operational, powering our industrial revolution.

Second, the Bishoftu International Airport—a new, state-of-the-art aviation hub. Ethiopian Airlines is already Africa’s largest and most profitable airline with 140 international and 30 domestic destinations operated with its current fleet of 200 planes. The new airport, designed to handle 100 million passengers annually, will solidify Addis Ababa as the aviation gateway to Africa. This is not a dream; construction is underway.

We have other projects of strategic importance, such as a $4 billion fertilizer project and a revitalized hospitality industry.

Addis Ababa is becoming a preferred venue for international megaevents, such as the upcoming COP-32.

Leading a Free Nation: No External Interference

Ladies and gentlemen,

Ethiopia is no longer seeking handouts. We work and advocate for shared prosperity with our immediate neighbors and beyond. Our path to prosperity is defined by one principle above all: the right of the Ethiopian people to determine their own destiny without external interference. We have seen too many nations given aid with strings attached, or “advice” that serves foreign interests. Ethiopia fought colonialism with blood; we will not surrender our sovereignty. We are opposed to any form of coercion that comes in the guise of conditionality.

We have made our own mistakes—yes, internal conflicts, ethnic tensions, and governance challenges. But we are confronting them through national dialogue, inclusive reform, and homegrown solutions. In this noble endeavor, we need partners, not masters. That is why we are in the forefront of the countries advocating for the principle of “African solutions to African problems” in the UN and other multilateral fora.

Conclusion: A Call for Partnership with Dignity

The Schiller Institute has long championed the ideals of universal humanity, peace, and development. I say to you today: Look at Ethiopia not as a charity case, but as a civilization reborn. From Lucy to the GERD, from Adwa to BRICS, from drought to food sovereignty—Ethiopia is writing a new narrative.

Let us work together—Berlin and Addis Ababa, Europe and Africa—in a spirit of equal partnership. Invest in our industrial parks. Buy from our factories. Learn from our reforestation scheme. Respect our choices.

We are a country devoid of colonial inhibitions, a beacon. And that light has not dimmed. It is now illuminating the path to prosperity.

Thank you, and may peace prevail among all nations.