The editorial board will broadcast in English and Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and Speaker of the House of Federation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Agegnehu Teshager took part in the opening ceremony of the Sputnik Multifunctional Information Hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“We are taking a huge step forward on the path of strengthening broad-based Russian-Ethiopian and Russian-African interaction, primarily in terms of information exchange, which, I would say, is of critical importance today for shaping a truly fair, multipolar international order where the interests of African countries are fully considered,” Ms Matvienko said.
Valentina Matvienko also stated that Russia clearly understands its African friends’ need for unbiased and objective information regarding current international processes and a perspective distinct from that presented by the West. She expressed confidence that the opening of the Sputnik editorial bureau would provide a valuable opportunity to achieve this goal. “I regard this step as extremely timely and the bureau’s location as strategic, as the capital of Ethiopia is a recognised diplomatic centre of the African continent.”
Mr Agegnehu Teshager congratulated the media holding’s leadership and staff on the opening of the information hub, describing it as an important stage in the development of the Sputnik network and in bilateral relations. “The media, particularly international media platforms like this one, play a key role in shaping your country’s image. They give us the awareness of what is taking place in the Russian Federation, of what your country is like, and show Russia’s political leadership potential.”
According to the Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of Federation, the opening of the Sputnik office will enhance information exchanges between the two states. He also announced that the Government of Ethiopia will invariably support all of Sputnik’s initiatives.
Valentina Matvienko noted the headway made by the Sputnik multimedia holding, which has gained recognition among a huge international audience. “By supplying its listeners and readers with reliable information and unbiased opinions, Sputnik invariably helps to establish a solid foundation for the sovereign development of countries and nations, and effectively counteracts the falsification of facts in the international media space,” she emphasised.
Apart from English, the editorial board will broadcast in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. “I am confident that this emphatically respectful attitude towards African languages and peoples will be an additional factor in strengthening our mutual trust and cooperation, protecting them from external aggressive information influence. The voice of truth will ring louder on the African continent,” Valentina Matvienko said in conclusion, adding that Ethiopia’s decision was wise and far-sighted. “I am confident that the opening of this information hub will provide an additional guarantee of Ethiopia’s development as an independent state and give a fresh impetus to its advance towards leadership in the region.”
The opening ceremony was also attended by General Director of Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency Dmitry Kiselev, who accompanied the Federation Council Speaker on a guided tour of the editorial premises, along with his deputy Alexander Yakovenko, and heads of Ethiopian ministries and agencies.
Dmitry Kiselev stressed that Sputnik will help to create an information space that would serve as an alternative to the Western one. “We are open to working in Ethiopia and Africa, we are absolutely transparent, we do not have any secret intentions, and we call on everyone to cooperate and interact,” he said.
The Federation Council Speaker was the first visitor to the new editorial board and answered several questions from Dmitry Kiselev. Valentina Matvienko said in an interview that Sputnik’s projects in Africa will support the sovereignty and independence of African countries both on the African continent and internationally. “The opening of your editorial board will help Africans to promote these issues. We are creating a broad information field for new opportunities,” she noted.