The Ethiopian Diaspora Policy, which the Parliament endorsed last December, was open to discussion on Saturday, June 15, 2013, at the Millennium Hall. Tedros Adhanom, right, minister of Foreign Affairs, was accompanied by his deputy Ambassador Berhane Gebrekiristos, middle, and Mulugeta Kalil, Diaspora Affairs Directorate director at the Ministry on his address to Diaspora delegations from around the world, meeting in Addis Abeba to launch the new policy. Tedros explained that his government had long been aware of the importance of the knowledge, experience, skills and financial resources of Ethiopians in the Diaspora and regarded these as a vital source to national growth. Equally, going beyond this, in order to protect and preserve the rights and privileges of the Diaspora in the countries where they reside, the government has been working to explore their experiences and research mechanisms, in order to institutionalise the relationship and facilitate Diaspora engagement in the country`s democratisation processes and development endeavours, Tedros told participants.