Africa: Official Launch of the UPEACE Africa Programme Office in Addis Ababa

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, represented by Foreign Affairs State Minister, Dr. Tekeda Alemu and the University for Peace, represented by Rector Julia Marton-Lefèvre have signed a host agreement on Thursday, 1 September 2005 regarding the opening of an office of the university in Addis Ababa. The host agreement will allow the centre of gravity of the Africa Programme to shift to the continent after having been coordinated from Geneva, Switzerland since its conception in 2002. Dr. Jean-Bosco Butera, Director of the Africa Programme, will be managing the development and implementation of the Africa Programme. Addis Ababa was chosen because it is the seat of the African Union (AU) and of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), as well as being the diplomatic capital for Africa.