Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Ethiopia and with the support of Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation at the UAE Presidential Court

Opening of the First International Ethiopian Date Festival 2025

Organized by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

In cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

 Samara Afar, (Press Release)::Under the patronage of His Excellency Professor Addisu Arega Kiteesa, Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and with the support of the Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates, the first Ethiopian International Date Festival was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, in Samara Afar State, in the presence of His Excellency Professor Ato Awol Arba, President of the Afar National Regional State, His Excellency Professor Rashid Abdullah Al Shehhi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Addis Ababa , His Excellency Dr. Meles Mokenen, Minister of State for Agriculture, Agricultural and Horticultural Sector of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Professor Dr. Abdul Wahab Al Bukhari Zaid, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation – Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates, and a number of members of the diplomatic corps in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and a large crowd of experts, researchers, specialists and date producers. This festival is organized by the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in cooperation with the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, and in coordination with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Addis Ababa, and a number of regional and international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ), the German Fund for International Cooperation ( GIZ) ), International Center for Research in Areas Dry ( ICARDA International Center for Biosaline Agriculture ( ICBA ) ), the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development ( AOAD) ), the Arab Center for Agricultural Research in Arid Areas and Dry Lands ( ACSAD) ), the Association of Agricultural Research Centers in the Middle East and North Africa ( AARINENA) International Network for the Development of Date Palm and Date Production in the Middle East and North Africa ( IDPGN ) ), the International Network for the Class of Unknowns ( MIN ) and the Palm Tree Friends Society in the Emirates ( DPFS ).

In a speech delivered on behalf of His Excellency Addisu Arega Kitesse , Minister of State for Agriculture, Agro-Horticulture and Horticulture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, during the opening ceremony, His Excellency Dr. Meles Mokenen, Minister of State for Agriculture, Agro-Horticulture and Horticulture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, emphasized that organizing this first edition of the festival is an important step that reflects the depth of cooperation between Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, and enhances our joint efforts to achieve food security and sustainable agricultural development.

He added that this festival is not only a celebration of a promising agricultural product, but also a strategic platform for exchanging expertise, building partnerships, and exploring investment and scientific research prospects in the date value chain, from cultivation to processing and marketing.

We at the Ministry of Agriculture believe that date palms can play a pivotal role in diversifying farmers’ income sources, providing employment opportunities for youth and women, supporting agricultural processing industries, and adapting to climate change affecting our agricultural systems.

For his part, His Excellency Mr. Rashid Abdullah Al Shehhi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Addis Ababa, praised This unique event, the fruit of distinguished cooperation between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, embodies the spirit of partnership that binds our two countries within a framework of friendship, mutual respect, and integration in achieving common development goals. The festival organizers believe that investing in agriculture is an investment in people, stability, and the future.

His Excellency Prof. Abdul Wahab Al Bukhari Zayed, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliated with the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation – Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates, stressed that the United Arab Emirates, under the directives of its wise leadership, has paid special attention to enhancing food security at the national, regional and international levels, and has considered the date palm not only a heritage symbol, but also a developmental, economic and environmental tool capable of making a difference in the lives of rural communities, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. . Today, we are pleased to see Ethiopia, with its natural and human resources, entering the map of date production in Africa, driven by an ambitious vision, institutional support, and promising regional partnerships. .

The first Ethiopian International Date Festival is not only a platform for exhibition and marketing, but also a platform for dialogue, exchange of expertise, innovation, and regional cooperation to develop this vital sector. We at the award believe that this festival represents the beginning of a promising new phase in expanding date palm cultivation in Ethiopia, benefiting food security, rural development, and economic stability. .

Honoring the winners of the Ethiopian Dates Competition

His Excellency Professor Ato Awol Arba, President of the Afar National Regional State, and His Excellency Dr. Meles Mokenen, State Minister of Agriculture, Agro-Horticulture and Forestry of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, accompanied by His Excellency the Ambassador and His Excellency the Secretary-General, along with other dignitaries, witnessed the honoring of the winners of the first Ethiopian Date Competition, in which palm farmers from various Ethiopian states participated. The results were as follows:

1-       The best dates are Harissa:

•  Winner: Mr. Hassan Daoud We (Afambo)
•  Winner: Mr. Omar Hassan Idris (Afambo)

2-       The best variety of dates ( Polo ) :

•  Winner: Mr. Abdo Hanifer Hando

3-       Best Date Palm Farm in Ethiopia:

•  Winner: Hajj Youssef Al-Dublaito Cooperative (Asaita)

4-       Ethiopia’s Best Heritage Palm Product:

•  Winner: Mrs. Asia Yayo Mohammed Cooperative (Asaita)
•  Winner: Ms. Fatuma Hussein Ali (Al-Aseeta)

5-       Best Applied Scientific Research (Research Paper) on Date Palm in Ethiopia:

•  Winner: Mr. Workia Ahmed, Institute of Biotechnology
•  Winner: Tatagis Koma Bege, Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture and Research, Warer Agri Research Center.

The General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation will award all winners a cash prize of US$1,000 each, along with a commemorative shield and a certificate of appreciation. A number of individuals were also honored for their influential role in the palm cultivation and date production sector in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for the year 2025, namely:

•  His Excellency Mr. Awol Arba Onde, President of Afar National Regional State.
•  • His Excellency Dr. Eva Mulita Boro, State Advisory Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture.
•  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The ceremony concluded with a tour of the exhibition pavilions, where attendees were introduced to the most prominent Ethiopian date varieties, traditional palm products, and modern agricultural and manufacturing equipment and technologies, amidst great public interest and broad community participation. . With the participation of 40 pavilions and 94 exhibitors from 10 countries producing and manufacturing dates, namely (the United Arab Emirates, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Mexican States, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the Republic of Turkey ).