Second Ethiopia International Date Palm Festival Opens in Afar Region.
Ethiopia(News Desk):: The Second Ethiopia International Date Palm Festival 2026 was inaugurated on Sunday in Semera, Afar Region, under the patronage of H.E. Addisu Arega Kitessa, Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and with the support of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation, UAE Presidential Court.
The festival is organized by the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation (KIADPAI) in cooperation with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture and in coordination with the UAE Embassy in Addis Ababa.
The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Awel Arba Undie, President of the Afar National Regional State; H.E. Dr. Wondale Habtemu, Member of the House of Federation and Member of the Amhara Regional State Council; senior Ethiopian agricultural authorities; Prof. Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary General of KIADPAI; members of the diplomatic corps; and a large number of experts, researchers, specialists and date palm producers.
The festival brings together a number of regional and international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), GIZ, ICARDA, ICBA, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), ACSAD, AARINENA, the International Date Palm Network for the Development of Date Palm and Dates Production in the Middle East and North Africa (IDPGN), the Mejhoul International Network (MIN), and the Date Palm Friends Society (DPFS).
Speaking at the ceremony, H.E. Awel Arba Undie expressed appreciation for the UAE’s continued support and cooperation with Ethiopia. He praised KIADPAI for its role in organizing the festival, transferring knowledge and expertise, and supporting the development of Ethiopia’s date palm sector.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that the festival generates long-term benefits for Afar by improving growers’ knowledge, raising product quality, creating investment and employment opportunities, and supporting sustainable agricultural development. He also expressed the hope that Afar could develop into a leading center for date palm cultivation and production in Ethiopia and a model for East Africa.
In remarks delivered on behalf of Minister Addisu Arega Kitessa, H.E. Dr. Wondale Habtemu said the second edition of the festival represents an important milestone in Ethiopia-UAE cooperation and contributes to joint efforts toward food security and sustainable agricultural development.
He noted that the festival provides a strategic platform for exchanging expertise, developing partnerships, and exploring investment and scientific research opportunities throughout the date palm value chain, from cultivation and processing to marketing.
Prof. Dr. Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Secretary General of KIADPAI, said the Award’s efforts reflect the UAE’s vision under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and draw inspiration from the agricultural and humanitarian legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Dr. Zaid expressed appreciation to H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, for his support of the Award. He also thanked H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation, as well as H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of KIADPAI, for their continued support and guidance.
Dr. Zaid said the second edition of the Ethiopia International Date Palm Festival demonstrates the sustainability of the partnership and marks a transition toward greater empowerment and value creation in Ethiopia’s date palm sector.He highlighted the potential of Ethiopia, particularly Afar Region, to develop an integrated date palm value chain covering cultivation, quality improvement, processing, packaging, marketing and access to international markets.
Ethiopian Dates Competition Winners Honored
The festival also featured the honoring ceremony for winners of the second Ethiopian Dates Competition, which attracted date palm growers from different regions of Ethiopia.
The winners included:
Best Dates – Harissa Variety
- Mohammed Mandaytu Nado – Afambo
- Mandaytu Awita Ali – Afambo
Best Dates – Boolo Variety
- Muhrdin Mesud Kebir – Afambo
- Dawd Nure Dawd – Afambo
Best Dates – Awsa Variety
- Alo Abdulkadir Ali – Aysaita
Best Date Palm Farm in Ethiopia
- Nemilefan Cooperative – Afambo
Best Date Palm Handicraft Product
- Mangoli Hand Craft Cooperative
Best Applied Scientific Research Paper on Date Palm in Ethiopia
- Dagmawe Menelek Asfaw, Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, Samara University, for the research paper titled “Determinants of Market Participation Decision and Intensity among Date Producers in Afar Region, Ethiopia: A Double Hurdle Approach.”
Each winner received a cash prize of USD 1,000, paid in local currency, along with a trophy and Certificate of Appreciation.
The festival also honored individuals for their contributions to the development of Ethiopia’s date palm cultivation and production sector, including H.E. Awel Arba Undie, President of Afar National Regional State; H.E. Addisu Arega Kitessa, Minister of Agriculture, represented at the ceremony by H.E. Dr. Wondale Habtemu; and H.E. Abdalla Hassan AlShamsi, Ambassador of the UAE to Ethiopia.
The ceremony concluded with a tour of the festival’s exhibition pavilions, showcasing Ethiopian date varieties, traditional date palm products, and modern equipment and technologies used in cultivation and processing.
The exhibition featured 48 pavilions and 55 exhibitors, with participation from date-producing and processing countries including the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania, Ethiopia and Türkiye.
The festival aims to strengthen international cooperation, promote innovation and knowledge exchange, and support the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s emerging date palm sector.
