Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Meles Zenawi, PM of Ethiopia, 2011 TV interview, Insight -with Vickram Bahl
Meles Zenawi, talks to Vickram Bahl of ITMN TV on Ethiopia's development, partnership with India and also on many personal decisions taken during his years in power. He also talks of his future plans after this current term as Prime Minister.
Ethiopia Messebo Cement Factory expansion project inaugurated
Addis Ababa, June 28 – Expansion project of Messebo Cement Factory that has been carried out at a cost of over 2.3 billion birr was inaugurated on Saturday, June 25, 2011.nPrime Minister Meles Zenawi said while inaugurating the project that the expansion project inaugurated today (June 25) would have a key role in addressing cement shortage in the country. The premier also commended management staff and employees of the factory for showing their commitment in alleviating the cement shortage that occurred due to the thriving construction sector in the country. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Endowment Fund for Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT), Abadi Zemu, on his part said that companies under EFFORT have been contributing their share for the successful realization of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP).
According to Abadi, the second-phase expansion project that has been undertaken for the past two years would have a significant contribution in accelerating technology transfer, human resource development and improving quality and supply of cement product to the country. General Manager of Messebo Cement Factory, Hatsey Berhe, said the expansion project alone would enable the factory to produce 3,000 tonnes of cement per day and 1.3 million tonnes annually, thus raising the total production capacity of the factory to 2.2 billon tonnes per annum. The expansion project was undertaken by a Chinese company named Hefi Cement Research and Design Institute, he said.bA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between mayor of Mekelle town, Niguse Gebere and General Manager of Messebo Cement Factory, Hatsey Berhe that enable the latter to construct a hospital in Mekelle town at a cost of 40 million birr. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on the occasion handed over certificates for organizations and individuals that contributed for the success of the project. (waltainfo.com)
ERA Signs 2.6 Billion Birr Road Upgrading Agreement
Addis Ababa, June 28, 2011 (Addis Ababa) -The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) signed here on Monday an agreement providing for upgrading of four roads at a cost of 2.6 billion Birr with local and foreign private construction firms. The agreement was signed by Authority Director-General, Zaid Woldegabriel and Satcon Construction General Manager, Samuel Teklay and SunShine Construction General Manager, Samuel Tafesse and President of HAWK International Finance and Construction Co. Ltd, Mohammed Hizam. According to the agreement, Laska-Salayish, Arkit-Hossaenna, Mehal Meda and Dejen-Felegeberhan are the roads which will be upgraded. The roads, whose total length covers 353 kms are part of the Fourth Road Sector Development Program. Some of the roads will be upgraded to asphalt level, according to the agreement. Over 90 per cent of the fund for the construction of the road will be covered by the government while the balance by the World Bank. (ENA)
9 ships being built for Ethiopian Shipping Lines S.C.
Addis Ababa, June 25, 2011 (Addis Ababa) - Nine ships are being built for the Ethiopian Shipping Lines S.C. with a view to enabling the company give reliable transportation service to export and import goods.
Company Managing Director, Ambachew Abraha said at a consultation forum of customers here on Friday that seven of the vessels are multipurpose while the rest are to transport petroleum. Ambachew said the ships will significantly contribute to build the overall capacity of the company and also to give reliable transportation service to export and import goods. He said the company's capacity is getting strengthened from year to year in transportation of the export and import goods. The company has given special attention to transport the necessary materials for construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ambachew said, adding, construction of the Dam has created additional jobs for the company and the business community as well.
He said the company has exerted utmost efforts to launch dry port and multimodal transport service. Currently, two dry ports are giving services in the country. The dry ports helped to reduce unnecessary cost caused by delay of import goods at Djibouti Port, he said. He said establishing additional dry ports and strengthening multimodal transport service is significant as the country's economy is growing.(ENA)
Company Managing Director, Ambachew Abraha said at a consultation forum of customers here on Friday that seven of the vessels are multipurpose while the rest are to transport petroleum. Ambachew said the ships will significantly contribute to build the overall capacity of the company and also to give reliable transportation service to export and import goods. He said the company's capacity is getting strengthened from year to year in transportation of the export and import goods. The company has given special attention to transport the necessary materials for construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ambachew said, adding, construction of the Dam has created additional jobs for the company and the business community as well.
He said the company has exerted utmost efforts to launch dry port and multimodal transport service. Currently, two dry ports are giving services in the country. The dry ports helped to reduce unnecessary cost caused by delay of import goods at Djibouti Port, he said. He said establishing additional dry ports and strengthening multimodal transport service is significant as the country's economy is growing.(ENA)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Ethiopia’s Commercial Bank Signs Mobile Banking Accord With IBM
Jun 28, 2011- Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, the country’s largest lender by revenue, has signed a deal for International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) to build a platform to deliver electronic banking services, as it aims to employ new technology to expand its business. The state-owned lender plans to increase the number of its branches by 500, from 372 at present, over five years and to boost account holders by 25 percent a year, from 2 million now, the Addis Ababa-based bank said in an e-mailed statement today. The statement was released jointly with New York-based IBM.
There’s growing demand for banking services in Ethiopia, whose annual economic growth rate of 8 percent last year was the fifth fastest in sub-Saharan Africa, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Nigeria, according to an International Monetary Fund report in April. The $3 million agreement aims to develop a platform, operational by August, that will enable the bank to introduce new mobile and Internet banking programs, the companies said. (bloomberg.net)
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Monday, June 27, 2011
The UN Security Council has voted a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to the disputed Sudanese territory of Abyei.
6.27.2011-Sudan: UN authorises peacekeepers for Abyei
More than 70,000 people have fled the fighting in Abyei. The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to send a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to the disputed Sudanese territory of Abyei. The force will monitor the withdrawal of Sudanese troops from Abyei, as well as human rights in the region. Northern forces occupied Abyei in May, heightening tensions ahead of South Sudan's independence on 9 July. Aid workers also report continued bombing in South Kordofan, which borders both Abyei and South Sudan. The clashes have raised fears of a renewal of Sudan's 21-year, north-south conflict. More than 170,000 people have fled the fighting in the two regions. The resolution establishes a new UN peacekeeping force, called the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, or UNISFA. It comes a week after northern and southern leaders signed a deal in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the peace. Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, said northern forces would withdraw as soon as the Ethiopian troops had been deployed. French UN ambassador, Gerard Araud, called the force's mandate "robust" . The resolution also orders UNISFA to protect civilians and to "protect the Abyei area from incursions by unauthorised elements". Humanitarian sources have told the BBC that five bombs were dropped from an Antonov aircraft on the village of Kurchi in South Kordofan. Sixteen people were killed - including an eight-month-old baby and a three-year-old, they say. The BBC has seen disturbing photos of the dead - in some cases their bodies torn apart by the bombs. Northern forces have been accused of bombing parts of South Kordofan inhabited by ethnic Nubans, who largely supported the south during the civil war. The fighting broke out after pro-southern groups were ordered to disarm after Ahmed Haroun was declared the winner of recent governorship elections.Mr Haroun is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. Over the weekend, Mr Haroun said the situation was now safe and people have started to return to their homes. However, human rights group Amnesty International accused the authorities of forcing the displaced to go home despite continuing violence. (BBC.co.uk)
More than 70,000 people have fled the fighting in Abyei. The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to send a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to the disputed Sudanese territory of Abyei. The force will monitor the withdrawal of Sudanese troops from Abyei, as well as human rights in the region. Northern forces occupied Abyei in May, heightening tensions ahead of South Sudan's independence on 9 July. Aid workers also report continued bombing in South Kordofan, which borders both Abyei and South Sudan. The clashes have raised fears of a renewal of Sudan's 21-year, north-south conflict. More than 170,000 people have fled the fighting in the two regions. The resolution establishes a new UN peacekeeping force, called the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, or UNISFA. It comes a week after northern and southern leaders signed a deal in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the peace. Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, said northern forces would withdraw as soon as the Ethiopian troops had been deployed. French UN ambassador, Gerard Araud, called the force's mandate "robust" . The resolution also orders UNISFA to protect civilians and to "protect the Abyei area from incursions by unauthorised elements". Humanitarian sources have told the BBC that five bombs were dropped from an Antonov aircraft on the village of Kurchi in South Kordofan. Sixteen people were killed - including an eight-month-old baby and a three-year-old, they say. The BBC has seen disturbing photos of the dead - in some cases their bodies torn apart by the bombs. Northern forces have been accused of bombing parts of South Kordofan inhabited by ethnic Nubans, who largely supported the south during the civil war. The fighting broke out after pro-southern groups were ordered to disarm after Ahmed Haroun was declared the winner of recent governorship elections.Mr Haroun is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. Over the weekend, Mr Haroun said the situation was now safe and people have started to return to their homes. However, human rights group Amnesty International accused the authorities of forcing the displaced to go home despite continuing violence. (BBC.co.uk)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Ethiopia commences new routes to South Sudan’s Upper Nile
June 25, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) - African carrier, Ethiopian Airlines has started additional flights to South Sudan’s Malakal town in the Upper Nile region, the second destination to the region the Airliner offers services to. Ethiopian Airlines announced that flights to Malakal began on 17 June 2011.In May 2006, the Ethiopian airlines for the first time launched weekly four flight services to South Sudan’s capital Juba, with stop over in Kenya and in Entebbe, Uganda upon the outward and return legs. The latest operation will bring the airline’s global destinations to 62. The airline will operate the routes to Malakal, four times a week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. South Sudan is due to officially become an independent state on July 9, making it the world’s newest state. With poor infrastructure and underdeveloped road system, the additional flight schedule will have an important part in allowing South Sudan connect with neighboring countries. "The new flight service to Malakal provides the best connectivity and convenience for business people as well as the general public of the South Sudan." said Tewolde Gebre-Mariam, chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines. "The new operation will connect Malakal to the vast Ethiopian route network worldwide via the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport hub’’ a statement from the company said. Similarly, Ethiopian airlines have begun new flight to Hangzhou, China five times weekly. The horn of Africa country, the continent’s biggest coffee exporter, beaome landlocked after its former northern region, Eritrea, declared its independence in 1993. Since then air travel has played an increasingly important role in the Ethiopia’s international transport services. (sudantribune.com)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Ethiopian Coffee export earns over 574 mln br
Addis Ababa, Saturday, 25 June 2011 – Ethiopian Grain Trade Enterprise (EGTE) said the country has gained over 574 million birr from coffee export in the past 11 months. Berhane Hailu, general manager of EGTE, told WIC that coffee export has been registering a steady growth due to the government’s persistent support to the sector.The ever expanding export destination of Ethiopian coffee is now reaching new markets in China, Korea and Japan.“We are doing massive promotional activities in these countries,” Berhane told WIC.
The 11 months performance of the sector saw the country generating close to 574.5 million birr from export of over 111,000 quintals of washed and unwashed coffee. Last year the enterprise exported 85,671 quintals of coffee.“This year’s performance surpasses our projection by 15 percent,” Berhane said.The enterprise, which started coffee export only last year, has planned to increase the unprocessed coffee export to 200,000 quintals per annum in the coming five years. “We are also looking into ways of adding value to our export with a view to increasing our earnings,” Behailu told WIC. (waltainfo.com)
The 11 months performance of the sector saw the country generating close to 574.5 million birr from export of over 111,000 quintals of washed and unwashed coffee. Last year the enterprise exported 85,671 quintals of coffee.“This year’s performance surpasses our projection by 15 percent,” Berhane said.The enterprise, which started coffee export only last year, has planned to increase the unprocessed coffee export to 200,000 quintals per annum in the coming five years. “We are also looking into ways of adding value to our export with a view to increasing our earnings,” Behailu told WIC. (waltainfo.com)
AngloGold ups stake in Ethiopian gold explorer Stratex
JOHANNESBURG 6/25/2011 − Aim-listed Stratex on Friday announced that South Africa-based AngloGold Ashanti had acquired a 11.5% stake in the company for £3-million through a private placement. The funds would be used to fast-track exploration in the Afar epithermal gold province in Ethiopia and Djibouti.The two companies are also involved in ongoing discussions regarding potential spin-off of Stratex's East African exploration assets.Chairperson Christopher Hall said that at least one-third of the funds raised through the private placement would be used to advance further exploration and development of Stratex's East African assets and potential spin-off listing costs. The remainder would be used for Stratex working capital purposes and the company’s development in Turkey and elsewhere.
AngloGold is already working with Stratex on its Megenta epithermal gold discovery also in the Afar region, where a 3 000 m drilling programme is currently under way. “We believe that AngloGold's clear understanding of the significance of the Afar region as a new epithermal gold province, which is demonstrated by its commitment to fast-track regional exploration, is one of the motivators behind this placement. “With this in mind, we are confident that this placement offers us the potential to rapidly add value to our exciting and expanding portfolio of gold exploration projects in East Africa,” said Hall. (miningweekly.com)
UAE, Ethiopia to strengthen investment, trade ties
Addis Ababa, Saturday, 25 June 2011- Ethiopia, Africa's fastest growing economy, boasting 11 per cent growth, is looking for greater investments from the UAE, a top Ethiopian government official said.
The UAE's investments in Ethiopia, just 800 million USD in the last seven years, are modest because of a ‘lack of information' about the opportunities available, Tadesse Haile, Ethiopian State Minister of Industry, told Gulf News.
Investment opportunities abound in agriculture, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism in Ethiopia's economy, experts agreed during a seminar briefing UAE-based companies on investment opportunities in Ethiopia on Thursday.
Despite the geographical proximity between the UAE and Ethiopia, it is India and China that are leading investments in Ethiopia, Tadesse said.In terms of trade, Germany is Ethiopia's top trading partner. "UAE-Ethiopia trade is far behind expectations...There is much to go in this area," he commented.
Ethiopia is Dubai's 71st trading partner with non-oil trade reaching Dh1 billion in 2010, said Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) that organised the event.
Investment potential
Ethiopia offers massive opportunities for investors: A large market with a population of over 80 million, over 1.14 million square kilometres or the equivalent of France and Spain combined, cheap labour, political stability and access to markets in the EU and US are just a few reasons to invest in Ethiopia, experts said.
Ethiopia has undergone a major overhaul in the past 10 years. It is the fifth biggest economy in Africa — after South Africa, Nigeria, Angola and Sudan — climbing up from 10th in 2003, according to Zemedeneh Negatu, Managaing Partner of Ernst and Young Ethiopia, in a presentation called ‘Investing in Ethiopia: Why now?'
By 2023, Ethiopia's GDP per purchasing power will hit an approximate 500 billion USD and it is set to become the third largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, according to an Ernst and Young forecast.
Fastest growing
By 2015, Ethiopia is expected to become the third fastest growing economy in the world, said Zemedeneh. The government has reshaped the investment environment to attract foreign currency.
Ethiopia ranks higher in doing business than three of the four BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies except China. Ethiopia is ranked 107th out of 183 countries in the Doing Business 2010 report by the World Bank while China ranks 89th.
Regionally, Ethiopia ranks ninth in the top 10 countries to do business within Africa, according to the same report. Ethiopia is expected to exceed 11 per cent growth this year, surpassing top players India and China, and has sustained double digit growth in the past few years.
If recent trends continue, Ethiopia's goal of joining the ranks of the middle income emerging market economies is achievable in less than two decades, said Zemedeneh.
While China is known for its cheap labour, Ethiopia undercuts even those rates. A worker in the manufacturing industry in China earns 420 USD a month but his Ethiopian counterpart gets just 80 USD, he added.
The major investment sector in Ethiopia is agriculture and agro-processing. The country has reserved 3.6 million hectares for foreign investors, said Zemedeneh.
There are 74 million hectares suitable for agriculture and 15 million hectares of cultivated land. The land is suitable for the production of food crops (wheat, maize, beans, lentils, chick peas and more), oil crops (sesame seed, rapeseed, cotton seed), coffee and tea, cotton, feed stocks for bio diesel (palm oil, castor oil) and for ethanol (sugarcane, sugar beet, potatoes and corn).
Agriculture contributes 45 per cent of the GDP, employs 85 per cent of the population and rakes in 90 per cent of the foreign currency earnings, said Tadesse.
Ethiopia also has the largest livestock population in Africa with 42 million cattle, according to the Ethiopian Investment Agency. There are opportunities in manufacturing textiles, leather products, construction and property development.
Tourism is also growing at 10 to 15 per cent a year, said Eyesuswork Zafu, president of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations. Ethiopia's biggest exports are coffee, oilseeds, pulses, spices, chat, livestock and meat products, although flower and gold are emerging products too, said Eyesuswork.
With a 4.7 billion USD hydropower project, Ethiopia hopes to be a net exporter of energy to neighbouring countries in future, said Tadesse.
Foreign investment
About 16 per cent of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Ethiopia is from licensed investment projects, he added.
With a restructured legal and institutional framework, Ethiopia has tried to attract investors through various incentives: no tax levies on exports, investors are exempt from customs duties and other taxes on imported or locally purchased raw materials used in exports, and exporters can retain and deposit in a bank up to 20 per cent of their foreign exchange earnings from exports to reinvest in business.
However, sectors exclusively for Ethiopian investors include banking, indurance and micro-credit services. This is only a temporary situation, said Tadesse.
Security issues
UAE-based food company IFFCO Group will be investing in palm oil plantations and cattle processing facility in Ethiopia — a country that could be one answer to UAE's food security issues, said a senior company official.
The company has signed a Memorandum of Association and has started recruiting staff there, said Anurag Sen, Head of Africa for IFFCO, a subsidiary of Allana.
Halcrow Group, a global construction and infrastructure consultancy, is also considering Ethiopia as a prime market for projects in water treatment plants, roads, rail and airports, said Tim Gamon, Development Director in the UAE.
(waltainfo.com)
The UAE's investments in Ethiopia, just 800 million USD in the last seven years, are modest because of a ‘lack of information' about the opportunities available, Tadesse Haile, Ethiopian State Minister of Industry, told Gulf News.
Investment opportunities abound in agriculture, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism in Ethiopia's economy, experts agreed during a seminar briefing UAE-based companies on investment opportunities in Ethiopia on Thursday.
Despite the geographical proximity between the UAE and Ethiopia, it is India and China that are leading investments in Ethiopia, Tadesse said.In terms of trade, Germany is Ethiopia's top trading partner. "UAE-Ethiopia trade is far behind expectations...There is much to go in this area," he commented.
Ethiopia is Dubai's 71st trading partner with non-oil trade reaching Dh1 billion in 2010, said Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) that organised the event.
Investment potential
Ethiopia offers massive opportunities for investors: A large market with a population of over 80 million, over 1.14 million square kilometres or the equivalent of France and Spain combined, cheap labour, political stability and access to markets in the EU and US are just a few reasons to invest in Ethiopia, experts said.
Ethiopia has undergone a major overhaul in the past 10 years. It is the fifth biggest economy in Africa — after South Africa, Nigeria, Angola and Sudan — climbing up from 10th in 2003, according to Zemedeneh Negatu, Managaing Partner of Ernst and Young Ethiopia, in a presentation called ‘Investing in Ethiopia: Why now?'
By 2023, Ethiopia's GDP per purchasing power will hit an approximate 500 billion USD and it is set to become the third largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, according to an Ernst and Young forecast.
Fastest growing
By 2015, Ethiopia is expected to become the third fastest growing economy in the world, said Zemedeneh. The government has reshaped the investment environment to attract foreign currency.
Ethiopia ranks higher in doing business than three of the four BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies except China. Ethiopia is ranked 107th out of 183 countries in the Doing Business 2010 report by the World Bank while China ranks 89th.
Regionally, Ethiopia ranks ninth in the top 10 countries to do business within Africa, according to the same report. Ethiopia is expected to exceed 11 per cent growth this year, surpassing top players India and China, and has sustained double digit growth in the past few years.
If recent trends continue, Ethiopia's goal of joining the ranks of the middle income emerging market economies is achievable in less than two decades, said Zemedeneh.
While China is known for its cheap labour, Ethiopia undercuts even those rates. A worker in the manufacturing industry in China earns 420 USD a month but his Ethiopian counterpart gets just 80 USD, he added.
The major investment sector in Ethiopia is agriculture and agro-processing. The country has reserved 3.6 million hectares for foreign investors, said Zemedeneh.
There are 74 million hectares suitable for agriculture and 15 million hectares of cultivated land. The land is suitable for the production of food crops (wheat, maize, beans, lentils, chick peas and more), oil crops (sesame seed, rapeseed, cotton seed), coffee and tea, cotton, feed stocks for bio diesel (palm oil, castor oil) and for ethanol (sugarcane, sugar beet, potatoes and corn).
Agriculture contributes 45 per cent of the GDP, employs 85 per cent of the population and rakes in 90 per cent of the foreign currency earnings, said Tadesse.
Ethiopia also has the largest livestock population in Africa with 42 million cattle, according to the Ethiopian Investment Agency. There are opportunities in manufacturing textiles, leather products, construction and property development.
Tourism is also growing at 10 to 15 per cent a year, said Eyesuswork Zafu, president of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations. Ethiopia's biggest exports are coffee, oilseeds, pulses, spices, chat, livestock and meat products, although flower and gold are emerging products too, said Eyesuswork.
With a 4.7 billion USD hydropower project, Ethiopia hopes to be a net exporter of energy to neighbouring countries in future, said Tadesse.
Foreign investment
About 16 per cent of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Ethiopia is from licensed investment projects, he added.
With a restructured legal and institutional framework, Ethiopia has tried to attract investors through various incentives: no tax levies on exports, investors are exempt from customs duties and other taxes on imported or locally purchased raw materials used in exports, and exporters can retain and deposit in a bank up to 20 per cent of their foreign exchange earnings from exports to reinvest in business.
However, sectors exclusively for Ethiopian investors include banking, indurance and micro-credit services. This is only a temporary situation, said Tadesse.
Security issues
UAE-based food company IFFCO Group will be investing in palm oil plantations and cattle processing facility in Ethiopia — a country that could be one answer to UAE's food security issues, said a senior company official.
The company has signed a Memorandum of Association and has started recruiting staff there, said Anurag Sen, Head of Africa for IFFCO, a subsidiary of Allana.
Halcrow Group, a global construction and infrastructure consultancy, is also considering Ethiopia as a prime market for projects in water treatment plants, roads, rail and airports, said Tim Gamon, Development Director in the UAE.
(waltainfo.com)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
2011 African Business Awards: Ethiopian Named Outstanding Businesswoman
Addis Ababa, Thursday, 23 June 2011 - Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder and managing director of the footwear brand SoleRebels and one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2011, has been named Outstanding Businesswoman at this year’s African Business Awards, becoming the first Ethiopian to receive the accolade.
The fourth edition of the prestigious gala, which took place in London yesterday, boasted an impressive list of nominees, including Sandie Okoro with Barings Asset Management, Stella Kilonzo, Chief Executive of the Kenya Capital Markets Authority, and Pedu Adebajo of the Mouka group in Nigeria.“I am excited and deeply honored by this award and I accept it on behalf of all the persons who have played and continue to play a role in my success,” Bethlehem said in a statement. “My success has been and continues to be a truly collective effort.”Commenting on her award, “Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Business magazine, stated: “Bethlehem is truly a remarkable entrepreneur and leader. She has built an incredibly successful company and a global brand from scratch. At the same time she has empowered her community and her country while presenting a galvanized, dynamic face of African creativity to the global market. With that in mind we are excited and honored to name her Outstanding Business Woman of the year.”Organized by African Business magazine, and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC), the African Business Awards has become a platform to celebrate excellence and best practices in African business and recognizes those who have driven Africa’s rapidly transforming economy.“The African Business Awards is a key annual event for the African business world and its accolades are much sought after by Africa’s leading companies and entrepreneurs,” IC publications, the event’s host, notes on its website. (Tadias Magazine)
Eritrean opposition calls for international support as volcano kills seven
Addis Ababa,Thursday, 23 June 201 – An exiled Eritrean opposition group on Wednesday called on international community to immediately act to provide urgent assistance to the thousands of Eritreans it said are affected by the Narbo volcano that erupted over a week ago in the country’s south.The Addis Ababa-based Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) said the volcanic eruption has killed at least seven people, injured many others and displaced thousands of people.“We call on the international community to swiftly use diplomatic pressure over the Eritrean government to allow an international humanitarian aid to the thousands of volcano-hit people’’ reached by phone Yasin Mohamed Abdela, RSADO spokesperson, told Sudan Tribune from the Ethiopia-Eritrea border.Independent news about the eruption is hard to come by as Eritrea does not allow independent local journalists or foreign correspondents into the Red Sea nation. The RSADO official accused the Eritrean government of hiding the level of the disaster. He said that his party holds the Eritrean government accountable for the loss of life and other related damage caused by the volcanic activity. “The Eritrean government had the knowledge in advance on the occurrence of the volcanic eruption and evacuated hundreds of its soldiers from the area one day ahead of the eruption however [they did not give] advanced notice to the inhabitants nor did [the government] evacuate them to safety,’’ Yasin said.The UN or other NGOs are reportedly not allowed to leave the capital, for independent assessments of the situation of the people. Since Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia in 1991 the country has been retiscent to allow a large UN and NGO presence in the country stating that it did want to become dependent on foreign aid.“The Eritrean government is well known of deliberately blocking access to foreign media coverage in the country to avoid any possible international intervention,’’ Yasin said.“This is what the latest incident proves - hide the level of the impact, neglect and trade its own people to its odd ties with the international community,” he added.After over a week-long silence, Eritrean state television last night confirmed the causalities after the Red Sea Afar rebels released a statement on their website regarding the deaths and damage the volcano had caused.The ongoing volcanic eruption is blowing ash and large amounts of poisonous gas such as sulfur dioxide causing pollution to the environment and other natural resources that 'remote community depends to lead their day-to-day life.“People in the southern Denkelyia region are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The local communities at the vicinity need an urgent supply of food, water, shelter and medical attention,’’ he said.“People, mainly children and mothers, are getting sick. Unless an urgent medical team is deployed the death toll will sharply rise in the days to come.’’The toxic gases emitted by lava in an eruption can cause asphyxia and death to both animals and humans if inhaled.ssh can travel for miles in the air and can also cause rashes and irritation to skin if it is left exposed.During the late evening of 12 June, Narbo exploded into life sending plumes of ash 14 km (eight miles) into the air and triggering two moderate earthquakes of 5.7 magnitude.According to the director general of Mines at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Alem Kibreab, the volcano spewed so much ash and lava that it has created a new land mass measuring hundreds of square meters.A similar volcanic eruption in Eritrea occurred in 1861, in Dubbi, Southern Denkel.
The latest volcanic eruption on Eritrea has also affected at least 5,000 people living at the borders in Ethiopia, aid workers told the BBC.It has polluted water and salt beds in Ethiopian border villages, leaving children ill and killing animals. (Sudan Tribune)
The latest volcanic eruption on Eritrea has also affected at least 5,000 people living at the borders in Ethiopia, aid workers told the BBC.It has polluted water and salt beds in Ethiopian border villages, leaving children ill and killing animals. (Sudan Tribune)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Addis Ababa, Nairobi best locations for airlines hubs in Africa
Addis Ababa,Tuesday, 22 June 2011- Addis Ababa and Nairobi are the best locations for the creation of airline hubs in Africa, the Malaysia-Africa Business Forum reported.Ethiopia's Precise Consult International PLC managing partner Henock Assefa said this was because the best connections to African destinations were actually provided by Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.He pointed out that Ethiopian Airlines, an over-a-billion dollar company, right now flew to about 60 countries, which included more than two dozen flights weekly to India and China."The airlines industry is growing very fast in Africa even when the global aviation industry is falling apart. All African airlines, the one that are run well, happen to earn profits."We need more help and I know for sure, AirAsia, or any airline in Malaysia, would like to make a connection," Assefa said in response to a proposal by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that African countries should come together to set up airline hubs to derive more benefits and increase inter-connectivity.
Dr Mahathir has suggested that low-cost airlines such as AirAsia seriously consider flying to Africa to facilitate travel and increase trade and investment linkages.Currently, Johannesburg in South Africa is the known hub for Africa.
Assefa also emphasised that there were huge business opportunities in Africa for Malaysian businessman to explore, especially in the consumer market, infrastructure, construction and telecommunications sectors."There is so much demand for construction services in Addis Ababa, that when the government opened up applications for a low-cost housing project five years ago, 400,000 households signed up in a matter of two weeks."So, this is an opportunity that cannot be missed by Malaysians," he noted. (source..Malaysia-Africa Business Forum )
Ethiopia to start power supply to Sudan after Djibouti
Addis Ababa, June 22 - Ethiopia will start supplying electric power to neighboring Sudan next month as part of the Horn of Africa country’s plan to become a regional power exporter. Power exports to Djibouti began two weeks ago. Miheret Debebe, CEO of Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo.) on Monday announced that Ethiopia had begun supplying power to Djibouti as part of an agreement between the two countries. And following the near completion of transmission grids between Ethiopia and Sudan, the latter will be the second country to receive electric power from the landlocked country as of July, 2011. According to Miheret, EEPCo is expected to generate enough power in the next 36 months to enable Ethiopia to honor electric power demands from its neighbors. It was reported that Ethiopia had signed an initial agreement to supply 200 megawatts (MW) to Djibouti, 200 MW to Sudan, and 500 MW to Kenya.Ethiopia, which is undertaking Africa's biggest dam over the Nile River, is expected to generate around 5,250 MW of power upon completion of works, has an annual power generation capacity of 2,000 MW. The Horn of Africa country plans to boost its capacity by up to 10,000 MW, as envisioned in its ambitious Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Meanwhile, the country is set to launch its first ever wind farm in July, 2011. The 210 million euro wind farm project will provide the country with 120 MW. It adds to a number of multi billion hydro power projects as part of the country’s plan to reach a power generating capacity of around 10,000 MW in the next five years. But besides support from international financial institutions for Ethiopia's power projects as part of a wider regional integration programme in Africa, government estimates indicate that the country will spend about 3.3 billion euro on the construction of the hydro electric dam over the Nile River. (The Africa Report)
Ethiopia to deploy over 3,000 peacekeeping force in Abyei
Addis Ababa, June 22- Ethiopia said on Tuesday that it will send a peace keeping mission to the Sudan’s contested region of Abyei after North and South Sudan on Monday signed an agreement in Addis Ababa-agreement to fully demilitarise the central region and allow in an Ethiopian peacekeeping force.The two Sudanese sides agreed in principle on the need for a third party to monitor the border between North and South Sudan as the later approaches independence on 9 July.According to the latest agreement signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which is seen by both North and South Sudan as honest broker will deploy a peacekeeping force of over 3,000 soldiers to ensure border security, including policing a demilitarised border zone that the sides have already agreed to.“Ethiopia will deploy one brigade - around 3,200 - troops to Abyei after both North and South Sudan fully withdraw their forces from the region’’ Ambassador Dina Mufti, Ethiopia foreign affairs spokesperson told Sudan Tribune.North Sudan’s military took the oil-producing area by force in May in response to attacks on its convoys that were being escorted by the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). The South and the UN Security Council condemned the Sudan Armed Forces occupation of the contested region. “On the agreement the African Union (AU) and the United Nations are asked to make sure the Abyei region gets demilitarised to allow Ethiopian forces move in” he added. Both Khartoum and Juba have commended the Ethiopian government for the role it played in the peace process."Particularly the Ethiopian government has been instrumental in bringing in the two sides together and showing readiness to take honest responsibility of being there to secure Abyei and make sure the two sides are going to accept," a representative from North Sudan told journalists right after the agreement was signed."The role of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi personally and the role of the Ethiopian government has been very crucial to this process," he added. Representatives from South Sudan similarly hailed the Ethiopian government for the relentless and diplomatic efforts it exerted to peacefully resolve the conflict. The agreement comes less than three weeks before the South Sudan will become an independent state making it the world’s 193rd nation.(source.. waltainfo.com)
Friday, June 17, 2011
Gondar City has been formally selected to be a sister city to Montgomery County, Maryland
Amir Abdulla
June 17, 2011
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA Officially Selects Gondar, Ethiopia as a sister City
Therefore, the selection of Gondar, Ethiopia was based on these criteria, Montgomery County-Africa Sister City Committee arrived here is the copy of the letter that is part of the approval Read it it is worth it..this link is the approval letter... http://aigaforum.com/news/Gondar_Sister_City_Approval_Letter.pdf
OFFICES OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Isiah Leggett Timothy L.
Firestine County Executive Ch:'efAdm1'm'strative Qfiicer
Montgomery County Sister Cities Board Members,
Five months ago, you gave the Afiican Affairs Advisory Group the task to select one country and one cityin Africa to be Montgomery County’s first Afirica Sister City. These were the steps we required all the localAfrica communities in Montgomery County who wanted their cities in Africa to become the first SisterCity with Montgomery County. The African Affairs Advisory Group developed a questionnaire forcommunity groups and sent representatives to community meetings in order to explain the criteria listedbelow. Therefore, the selection of Gondar, Ethiopia was based on these criteria, which help theMontgomery County-Africa Sister City Committee arrived to the finial decision.1. The Ethiopian Community was the first to schedule a community meeting and encourage as many people(Diaspora and friends off) to come and be apart of the process.2. When the meeting was scheduled, the Ethiopian Community invited a member from the MontgomeryCounty - Africa Sister City Committee to attend and went over the criteria.3. The questionnaires in support of Ethiopia were filled out at the community meetingsMONTGOMERY COUNTY SISTER CITIES BOARD SELECTION COMMITTEE CRITERIAThese are the Montgomery County Sister Cities Board selection criteria and the African Affairs AdvisoryGroup assessed through the five months process, that the Ethiopian Community met these criteria also.l. Ethiopia has a substantial ethnic presence in the County and are ready to partner with the county.2. The Ethiopian Community is ready for a Long Term Relationship3. The Ethiopian Community is ready to obtain appropriate governrnent approvals in Ethiopia to partnerwith the Montgomery County Sister Cities Organization4. The Ethiopian Community has outlined identifiable benefits in the areas of Culture, Education, andEconomic Development for Montgomery County and Gondar, Ethiopia.5. The Ethiopian Community has the capacity and accountability needed for both financial and on sitemonitoring, which are very important for any project agreed uponThe African Affairs Advisory Group is proud of the work that was done by the Ethiopian StudentAssociation and gladly recommends Gondar, Ethiopia to be Montgomery County’s first Africa Sister City.
Speech made by H.E. Wzr/o Azeb Mesfin on the occasion of First Spouses on the Elimination of HIV in Children in New York, 8th June 2011
H.E. Wzr/o Azeb Mesfin
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Mrs. Ban Soon-tuk,
Dr Michel Sidibe,
Your Excellencies the First Ladies,
Distinguished Guests,
I am honored to be here today and would like to thank Dr. Sidibe for organizing this very important meeting.
Dr. Sidibe has been a tireless supporter of our organization and we, the First Ladies of Africa, are grateful for both the financial and moral support he has given us over the years.
Mrs. Ban Soon-tuk has given generously of her time and has addressed the OAFLA General Assembly on two occasions. Thank you, Mrs. Ban.
I am pleased to see so many First Ladies form around the world at this meeting.
Your attendance shows not only your concern for this issue but your readiness commit to achieving virtual elimination of mother-to- child transmission of HIV. As President of the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS, the elimination of HIV in children is at the top of our agenda.
Let me begin by telling you a little bit about OAFLA. Nine years ago, 37 African First Ladies gathered in Geneva to mobilize ourselves in the fight against HIV/AIDS. As First Ladies, we had a responsibility to be a powerful voice for Africa's most vulnerable-women and children.
We created this organization-OAFLA-to advocate, mobilize resources, and create partnerships to help those infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. Since then, we have taken this idea and institutionalized our organization to fight against this powerful foe.
We believe that only by empowering women we can make sure that they have enough food, a decent place to live, are free from violence and disease, deliver their babies safely, and stand alongside men equally and confidently. Today, we are here at this UN High Level Meeting to recommit ourselves to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission by 2015. It is a goal within reach. How do we do this? How do we make a future where no woman dies while giving life and no child is born with HIV?
One thing we have learned is that the collective voice of women is powerful. And as First Ladies, we have the attention of not just our country but the international community at large. What can we do, then?
We can organize ourselves both regionally and internationally as a collective voice to eliminate HIV in children. On a global level, we can advocate on behalf of UNAIDS goal of eliminating new infections among children by 2015. On a national level, we can advocate to increase investment and spending on women's and children's health.
We can advocate to increase the number of health centers that provide free maternal, newborn and child health services. We can commit ourselves to supporting women living with the HIV virus as well as their families. We can encourage women to seek pre-natal care and deliver their babies at health centers or use skilled birth attendants. We can eliminate new infections of HIV in children by 2015.
At the same time, we can work together towards the goal of empowering women everywhere. We can take our rightful place alongside men in tackling the pressing issues that hold back the development of many countries in the world-poverty, hunger, inadequate education, gender inequality, child and maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation.
Your Excellencies the First Ladies,
Distinguished Guests, We have all traveled a long way to gather here in New York to pledge ourselves to reaching the goal of eliminating new infections of HIV in children. There can be no higher goal than to ensure that every child born is free of this deadly disease. This is achievable. In December 2011, the International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.The theme is, 'Own, scale up and sustain.'I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to this regional conference. As First Ladies, as mothers, as grandmothers, as sisters, as daughters, we will face the challenge of eliminating HIV in children. If women around the world are not involved in facing this challenge, we cannot win. If we all play our part, we cannot fail. Thank you (source..waltainfo.com)
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Ethiopia earns over 280 mln USD from traditional gold mining
Addis Ababa, June 16, 2011–. Ethiopia obtains over 280.2 million dollars from traditional gold mining over the past 11 months, Ministry of Mines (MoM) said Tamirat Mojo, traditional mines manufacturing and transaction process owner, told WIC that the sum was obtained from proceeds of 6,615 kg of gold supplied to the National Bank of Ethiopia. According to Tamira, this year’s gold supply surpasses that of the same period of the previous budget year by 2,866 Kg. The supply also surpassed MoM’s projection of 3,616 Kg supply of gold from traditional mining for the entire budget year. “This shows that traditional gold mining is growing over time,” Tamira noted attributing the increase in the supply with the rise in the price of gold in the international market. The increased supply also prompted the ministry to target a 7,000 kg supply of gold to the NBE from traditional mining for the next budget year, according to Tamirat. He said that with a view to achieving the target, MoM plans to organize individual miners into associations and provide trainings. There are over 400 associations engaged in traditional mining in Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Benishangul and Gambella regions.(Source..waltainfo.com)
Amir's Response to Lester R Brown “When the Nile Runs Dry”
Written By Amir Abdulla.
June 16, 2011
A Response to Lester R Brown “When the Nile Runs Dry”
Lester who wrote an article called “When the Nile Runs Dry” on www.nytimes.com which was published on, June 1, 2011 is far from the truth rather a cry for correction!! We expect that somebody in his position would be very aware and has done study on this matter but the article lacks simple history about Ethiopia but is fully equipped very well about the plight of Egypt. I wouldn't be surprised if he was another "self-proclaimed independent" writer yet has a bias agenda toward Ethiopia rather promote Egypt secretly as evident his article. His article is so full of errors and incorrect historic analysis as well inadequate responses to Ethiopia’s legitimate concern that one could conclude Lester’s article was written by Egypt's ex-dictator Hosni (now in jail for corruptions and murder).
Lester his article says "They (land grab) also pose a grave threat to Africa’s newest democracy: Egypt". Ethiopia has leased and will continue to lease to other interested countries land that are not being used. This policy is great and does not affect Egypt in any shape or form. Lester is worried about the democracy of Egypt but he was not worried when Dictator Hosni was ruling it!! Extremely bias and ill informed. Lester goes on to say “land grabs to the south are threatening its ability to put bread on the table because all of Egypt’s grain is either imported or produced with water from the Nile River” this analysis also another wrong assessment on his part because Egypt’s monopoly use of the Nile River should not be an excuse for its domestic problems. Does Lester want Ethiopia to remain the way it is??
Lester reminds his readers the agreement of “The Nile Waters Agreement, which Egypt and Sudan signed in 1959, gave Egypt 75 percent of the river’s flow, 25 percent to Sudan and none to Ethiopia” he sees nothing wrong with this agreement and he fails to even be concerned about Ethiopia’s 82 million people which more than 60 percent of the Nile River originates from. Lester considers “The Nile Water Agreement of 1959” normal yet worried that the agreement might be abandoned which is an extreme view even Egyptians themselves disagree with the agreement are working to rewrite it with their African nations of the Nile River Basin. Lester’s view even contradicts the new governments of Egypt policy toward the Nile River.
Lester’s boldest lie and factual misrepresentation is his claim “Ethiopia has announced plans to build a huge hydroelectric dam on its branch of the Nile that would reduce the water flow to Egypt even more” such a statement is a complete inaccurate and very poor knowledge of the New Abay Project. As the matter of fact the Abay project that Ethiopia has begun would not reduce or hamper the flow of water to Egypt since it would only be use for electricity. Ethiopia has made no secret that it has the right to use the Nile River water without any fear and it shall do so in accordance with international rule in terms of water regulations. Ethiopia has been following all the rules in accordance.
As of now Ethiopia and Egypt are working are working together not only regards to the Nile River but other trade agreement such as the selling of Electricity from Ethiopia. The new Prime Minister of Egypt arrived in Ethiopia and made it very clear to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia that the relations of Egypt and Ethiopia is much greater than anything as evident to their signing of several agreement. I guess Mr. Lester should do more research and rewrite his article in proper and unbiased form.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Amir: America Need Health Care Now
America Need Health Care Now
By Amir Abdulla
Monday 6-13-2011 Such a great nation like America would have been even greater if its congress member forget their ideologies and differences as to pas a health care bill that will serve all the Americans such as the 40million uninsured including the millions of American who have a job but can't afford the health care deduction. In particular many older people and young who have to decide whether to use the money to buy food or get health care. Cleary, it is utterly disgrace to our representives who listen and obey the health care industry rather than the people who elect them. Also, study have shown that the emergency hospital are costing the tax payers hefty due the fact that even people who have insurance would rather go to Emergency hospital rather use up or pay the deduction in their insurance which is very costly. It is reported that we would save money if there was a National Health care plan where all Americans can particiapate rather than pushing them aside. Our health care system is on a national crisis that needs an immidiate soultion with no delay.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Secretary Hilary Clinton to arrive Ethiopia Monday
Addis Ababa, Saturday, 11 June 2011 – United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay a two day working visit to Ethiopia on June 13 and 14. During her visit to the country, Secretary Hillary is expected to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. She is also expected to deliver a speech at the African Union (AU) and meet with Jean Ping, Chairperson of the AU commission. Her visit to Ethiopia will focus on discussing regional issues as well as trade and development aspects.Before concluding her visit, the secretary is also scheduled to visit U.S. government supported programs at various venues in Addis Ababa. (waltainfo.com)
Ethiopia woos Saudi investors
JEDDAH:Jun 12, 2011 Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Sunday that he had been involved in fruitful discussions with the Kingdom’s top leadership including Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal.
“Aside from cementing historic bilateral ties, we discussed regional and international issues including Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea,” he told a press conference. Desalegn, who headed a high-level nine-member delegation that included Tekleab Kebede who recently returned to Addis Ababa after representing his country as consul general for 15 years here, said: “We will be further discussing a number of issues during the joint economic commission meeting coming up in September in Addis Ababa. The earlier such meeting was held in Riyadh two years ago.”
Ethiopia has a population of 81 million and its Muslim population, which stands at around 33 million, continues to increase. But that does not reflect in the number of pilgrims performing Haj every year, partly due to economic reasons. An average of 10,000 Ethiopians perform the annual Haj. Bilateral trade volume is around SR2 billion but this does not reflect the actual potential, he said, calling on Saudi businessmen to visit and explore the vast investment avenues available in a number of sectors.
“Ethiopia continues to create a conducive investment environment and we hope Saudi investors will take advantage of our vast potential for ventures and joint ventures,” he said, adding that Ethiopia has already initiated steps that could benefit the Kingdom in its ongoing program to provide food security for its increasing population.“What’s more, we have the best environment for investments and tourism because of a good climate, rich flora and fauna, attractive historic sites and sound infrastructure.”Ethiopia has become one of Africa’s investment destinations, he said and urged businesses and companies to explore opportunities to engage in agriculture, agro-processing, energy, infrastructure, tourism and mining.
“Ethiopia has drawn up foreign policy focused squarely on tackling economic backwardness, desperate poverty, lack of good governance and democracy,” he said.
“That is why economic diplomacy is at the centre of our foreign policy, as a nation seeking rapid economic development together with the objective of advancing democracy.“This is what we will reiterate, among many other things, during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s scheduled visit to Ethiopia on Monday.”(arabnews.com)
Ethiopia budget to expand by 22 pct to fight poverty
ADDIS ABABA Jun 11, 2011- Ethiopia has proposed a record 117.8 billion birr annual budget for next year, aiming to build infrastructure, health and education services in one of Africa's fastest growing economies. Although still one of the world's poorest countries, the Horn of Africa nation says its economy has grown by an annual average of 11 percent over the past five years, one of the continent's highest rates. Ethiopia devalued its currency by 10 percent in 2009 to boost foreign reserves. The first draft of the 2011/2012 (July 8-July 7) budget shows spending up by 22 percent from the $5.7 billion endorsed in 2010/2011. Domestic revenue accounts for more than 67 percent of the proposed budget, with the rest generated from external loans and grants, the draft says. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his council of ministers passed the proposal late on Friday and it will be presented first to a parliamentary committee, before Meles presents it to parliament for approval in early July, finance ministry spokesman Haji Ibsa told Reuters.
Addis Ababa has been attracting interest from investors, many from China and India, looking to its agriculture, oil and gas exploration and hydropower sectors. pposition parties say the ruling party inflates the country's growth figures to attract investment and that growth has not filtered down to the poor in a country where last year, 13 million out of 80 million people needed foreign food aid. While the government forecasts growth of 11.4 percent this year, the International Monetary Fund says it will be only about 7.5 percent.The Washington-based body predicts the figure will slow to about 6 percent in the 2011/12 fiscal year, due to high inflation, restrictions on private bank lending and a trickier business environment. Ethiopia's year-on-year inflation rate surged for a second straight month to 29.5 percent in April, from 25 percent a month earlier. Of the total budget, 48.7 billion birr will be used to improve health, infrastructure and education services, according to the proposal. Ethiopia has spent over $3.6 billion on the construction of roads over the last decade.Regular spending is up by 35 percent to 23.3 billion birr."We have a very efficient tax system now and we are confident we will hit the target," said Melaku Fenta, Director of the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority..(source..http://af.reuters.com)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Ethiopia Begins Electricity Exports to Neighboring Djibouti,
Jun 10, 2011 Ethiopia began power exports to its Horn of Africa neighbor Djibouti, an Ethiopian Electric Power Corp. spokesman said.
The electricity shipments began on May 27, Addis Tagele, a spokesman for the state-owned utility, said in a phone interview today from Addis Ababa, the capital.
“The maximum at the moment is about 20 megawatts,” he said.
Ethiopia plans to produce as much as 8,000 megawatts of additional electricity from hydropower sources over the next five years, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on April 30. The country will generate most of the power that will be traded among nine countries that are expected to connect to a regional grid by 2016, according to the Eastern Africa Power Pool.
Construction of a $4.76 billion, 5,250-megawatt project near the Sudanese border was announced on April 2 by Meles. The country’s hydropower potential of 45,000 megawatts is second only to the Democratic Republic of Congo on the continent, according to the World Bank.
A World Bank-funded transmission line to Sudan may be completed this year, Raihan Elahi, the World Bank’s senior energy specialist in Ethiopia, said last month. There is an agreement for Ethiopia to supply as much as 200 megawatts to Sudan, he said.
The African Development Bank provided a total of $95 million to Djibouti and Ethiopia for the project that links the two countries, Ethiopia Resident Representative Lamin Barrow said today in a phone interview from Addis Ababa.
“The beauty of the project is that Ethiopian and Djibouti have diverse peaks,” he said. “So supply will be very easy.”
The connection will bring Djibouti cheap energy to fund its industrial development and is expected to generate $10 million for Ethiopia in the first year, according to Barrow. The foreign exchange earned by Ethiopia can “be ploughed back into fund its Universal Electrification Access Program,” he said.
Ethiopia plans to increase access to electricity to as much as 75 percent of the population in July 2015 from 41 percent now, according to the government’s five-year growth plan!(source..www.Bloomberg.com
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Ethiopia: Japan Grants over 6 Billion Yen to Ethiopian Infrastructure
Thursday, 09 June 2011-The Governments of Japan provided a grant of close to 1.4 billion birr (6.567 billion Japanese Yen) to Ethiopia for three infrastructure projects.The grant will be used for rehabilitation of trunk road Phase IV from Dejen to Lumame, Replacement of the Awash Bridge and construction of secondary schools in Amhara Region.The grant agreement is signed this morning (June 9, 2011) between Ethiopian Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Sufian Ahmed and Ambassador Hiroyuki Kishino of Japan to Ethiopia.After signing the agreement Ambassador Kishino promised that his government will continue supporting Ethiopia’s plan of extending the existing road networks of 49,000 kilometres to 64,500 kilometres in five years.
Sufian on his part also noted that all the three projects, which Japan is going to finance, are top priorities in the coming five years growth and transformation plan of Ethiopia.“It is very timely to replace the bridge,” said the minister, commenting on the replacement of the strategic Awash Bridge, which links Addis Ababa to Port Djibouti and located 200 kilometres east of the capital. Japan cars and trucks are the number one choices of many Ethiopians. Import data shows that over 80 percent of vehicles in Ethiopia are made in Japan including the famous ones such as Toyota, Isuzu. Ambassador Kishino, the third project of the agreement will assure the construction eight new secondary schools in Amhara region with each having 32 classrooms. In addition, nine schools will also be expanded. “Japan has already been engaged in school construction in various regions of the country with grants of 1.64 billion Japanese Yen,” he said. The progress in education, which the ambassador quoted shows that from 2004-2008, secondary school enrolment rate in Ethiopia has increased from 27 to 35.6 percent.In the coming five years, the country planned to raise the rate from 39 percent in 2010 to 62 percent at the end of the ambitious growth and transformation period (2015).(NewBusinessEthiopia.com)
Ethiopia: Ukraine sells 200 tanks to Ethiopia for $100 million
6-8-2011 Interfax-Ukraine Ukraine's state arms exporter Ukrspecexport and the Ethiopian Defense Ministry have signed a $100 million contract for the supply of over 200 tanks to Ethiopia, the company told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
The details of the contract at this stage were not disclosed.
The company said that the tanks "are equipped with modernized propulsion, guided weapons and a reactive armor system."
The company said that the contract with the Ethiopian Defense Ministry was among the eight largest deals concluded by Ukrspecexport in the past 15 years.
According to Interfax-Ukraine sources in the defense sector, the Ethiopian customer will most likely get upgraded T-72 tanks.
According to unofficial estimates, the portfolio of orders of Ukrspecexport and its subsidiaries was estimated at over $1 billion as of early 2011.(source http://www.kyivpost.com)
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Savanna East Africa explores expansion into Ethiopia
Addis Ababa,Wednesday, 08 June 2011- Savanna East Africa, Inc. announced that it plans to explore widening its business development into Ethiopia and has scheduled stakeholders meeting in Addis Ababa next week. A senior management and key stakeholders meeting is scheduled for the week of June 13th in Nairobi, Kenya intended to finalize a number of strategic next steps. Next week's agenda will also include finalizing plans for a Trade Mission intended to encourage investment into East African regional small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Savanna East Africa is concentrating on developing high growth potential capacities within the housing, healthcare and high tech sectors in East Africa. (www.marketwire.com)
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Dutch Deputy Foreign Minister to visit Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, June 6,2011 - Dutch Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Ben Knapen is visiting Ethiopia this week for talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi as well as non-governmental organizations involved in human rights, humanitarian aid and reproductive health.
According to Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Knapen will also meet with African Union Chairperson Jean Ping during his visit, which will take place between Monday and Wednesday.
High on the agenda are the fight against poverty, progress towards the millennium goals, human rights, bilateral and economic ties with the Netherlands and regional and international political developments, among others.
Source..waltainfo.com
Ethiopia 18th founding anniversary of SEPDM marked in Hawassa University
Hawassa, Tuesday, 07 June 2011 – Hawassa University community members have observed the 18th founding anniversary of the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM) today.Members and supporters of the movement marked the anniversary through discussions held at Sidama Hall in Hawassa town, which mainly focused on national development issues.Participants of the event pledged to scale up their participations in development activities in order to attain Ethiopia’s ongoing drive toward renaissance.President of Hawassa University, Dr Yoseph Mamo, on the occasion said that the results that we see today in the area of peace, democracy and development are results of joint efforts of SEPDM and its affiliate organizations.
He said the changes registered in the economy, social and political sectors as a result of struggle wedged over the past years have laid foundation for the coming generation.The enrollment of students in higher learning institutions of Ethiopia, which was less than 10, 000 during the Derg regime, has now raised to 275,000 as a result of the construction of new universities and expansion works carried out on existing ones, he said. Communication Affairs Bureau Head of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s State, Zerihun Zewde, said students and instructors of higher learning institutions must do their parts in the efforts to join Ethiopia to the group of middle income countries.
source..www.waltainfo.com
Monday, June 06, 2011
Former Derg officials express remorse, gratitude
Addis Ababa, Monday, 06 June 2011 – Former Derg officials, whose death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment, expressed their remorse and gratitude to the public.
President Girma Woldegiorgis last week announced the act of clemency to 23 former Derg officials convicted of genocide in 2008.In an exclusive interview with WIC, Fikreselassie Wegderes, Legesse Asfaw, Melaku Tefera, Tesfaye Woldeselassie, Fisseha Desta and Debela Dinsa said that they are ready to individually apologize to each victim.“I take full responsibility for all the inhuman acts committed by the Derg regime,” Tesfaye Woldeselassie (Col.), former Security Minister of the regime, told WIC. “We are grateful for the act of clemency”. Former vice president of the regime, Fisseha Desta (Col.) expressed his belief that the public would be able to truly forgive them. “We deeply regret and extend our heartfelt apologies to the society,” he said, a sentiment shared by Legesse Asfaw (Cpt.), former member of the polit-bureau and head of the transitional administration of Tigray.
“Our plea for forgiveness stem from deep regret,” Legesse told WIC.
Expressing their delight for the act of clemency, the regime’s former Prime Minister, Fikreselassie Wegderes (Cpt.) and Debela Dinsa (Col.), said they have been looking for a way to publicly apologize to all the victims.
“We are grateful for the act of clemency,” they toldl WIC.
The former Derg officials remained behind bars since 1991. Deputy Director of the Addis Ababa Prison Center, Abraham Woldaregay, told WIC that the convicts have learned a lot during their stay at the correction center.
“I am sure it will not be difficult for them to live amongst the society,” Abraham told WIC. We regret to inform our readers the passing of Tesfaye Woldeselassie last Saturday, June 4, 2011. This interview was conducted on Friday, June 3, 2011.
source..waltainfo.com
Saturday, June 04, 2011
French investment growing: France’s Ambassador to Ethiopia
Addis Ababa,Saturday, 04 June 201) – Jean-Christophe Belliard, Ambassador of France to Ethiopia, said that Ethiopia is attracting more investment from French companies in recent years.
In an exclusive interview with WIC, the ambassador said the bilateral ties between the two countries in areas of politics, trade, culture and social aspects is growing.
“We have a lot of French companies and businessmen coming to Ethiopia,” he told WIC. “We would like that to continue”. French companies mainly engage in energy and infrastructural developments in Ethiopia.
In the past two years major business deals have been signed with big French companies such as Vergnet Group, Airbus, France Telecom and many others are showing keen interest in Ethiopia.
The 210 million euro Ashegoda Wind Farm Project, the 2.9 billion dollars aircraft supply deal between Ethiopian airlines and Airbus and the 40 million dollars two years contract of management takeover of the former Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) now re-named ethio telecom, are business deals made in the past two years.
“What we want to do now, which is also Ethiopia’s interest, is to attract more middle and small size companies,” Ambassador Belliard told WIC.
According to the ambassador, during the first three months of 2011 alone Ethiopia’s export to France has shown a 100 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Imports have also shown a 70 percent surge during the same period.
In recent times, Ethiopia is attracting huge investment from India, China and Turkey. However, investment from Europe has not been to the satisfaction of the Ethiopian government.
“The decision to come and invest is a decision coming from private companies,” the ambassador said. “We have to convince these [European] companies to invest in Ethiopia”.
He said the Ethiopian government and the embassy of France are working to convince French companies to come and invest.
“Prime Minister Meles [Zenawi] have talked to French Organization of Businessmen in his most recent visit to France,” he added.
Expressing his government’s support for the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project, the ambassador backed the Ethiopian government to successfully realize the five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP).
“I have observed the inauguration of three dams [Gibe II, Tekeze and Tana Beles] in my two years stay,” Belliard said. “Even the World Bank was saying that it was too ambitious and impossible but Ethiopia did it”.
He said that the international community will be behind Ethiopia for the successful realization of the GTP, which will be instrumental for the country to meet the MDGs by 2015.
France Development Bank has announced that it will provide 300 million euro for Ethiopia for the next three years, the ambassador told WIC.
source...http://www.waltainfo.com
Last Updated ( Saturday, 04 June 2011 )
Friday, June 03, 2011
Germany vows to assist Ethiopia’s GTP
Hawassa, Friday, 03 June 2011 –Ambassador of Germany to Ethiopia, Lieselore Cyrus said that her government would provide the necessary support to Ethiopia’s five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP).
Ambassador Cyrus said while visiting the development activities underway in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State that the government and people of Germany would give all the support required for the successful implementation of the GTP, a plan intended to ensure the sustainability of ongoing development activities in the country.
“The government of Germany would enhance its support to Ethiopia’s effort to beat poverty and improve the livelihood of its citizens,” she said. “The infrastructural development activities being carried out in the state are encouraging”.
Ambassador Cyrus held discussion with leaders at all levels and the community during her stay in Hawassa, Halaba, Wolaita, Gamogofa, and South Omo zones.
Moreover, she held discussion with teachers and students of technical and vocations training institutions as well as people engaged in small and micro enterprise sectors.
Speaker of the SNNP State Council, Lemma Gezume, on the occasion urged the government of Germany to strengthen its support in the areas of capacity building, urban development and poverty reduction.
Last Updated ( Friday, 03 June 2011 )
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Thursday, June 02, 2011
Ambassador Gennet Zewdie of India
Ambassador Gennet Zewdie
Monday, 30 May 2011
“The last thing I want to do before I leave office is to help facilitate and achieve the agreements the two countries have made” - Ambassador Gennet Zewdie
“The last thing I want to do before I leave office is to help facilitate and achieve the agreements the two countries have made,” Ambassador Gennet.The 2nd Africa-India Summit held this week in Addis has equally served as an evidently fitting platform for bilateral talks between Ethiopia and India, where Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had to say: “This was one of the most fruitful meetings I have ever had in my life” and where India pledged to offer USD 300 million for the renovation of the Ethiopia-Djibouti railways line. The bilateral meeting between the two countries marks the growing trade and business relationship between the Africa’s and Asia’s emerging economies, especially over the last few years. Gennet Zewide, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to India spoke to The Reporter’s Hayal Alemayehu about recent developments between the two countries.
For how long have you been serving as Ethiopia’s ambassador to India?
Ambassador Gennet: For over five years now.
Can you tell me by how much trade and investment between the two countries grew over the last five years?
About five years ago, the registered investment capital of licensed Indian companies in Ethiopia amounted to some USD 500 million. That figure has now risen to over USD 4.5 billion. In addition to that, the Indian investors are now being engaged in various sectors of the economy than it had been the case some five years ago when Indian investment projects were mainly in the flower and other agricultural sectors. Now they are being engaged in various fields in the manufacturing, agro processing, information technology (IT), service and other sectors, with big-name Indian companies being involved in such investment projects and more of them planning to come. The two countries have now made agreements to increase Indian investment in Ethiopia to USD 10 billion by 2015 and raise the over USD 600 million trade between them to USD one billion during the same period.
While the growing trade between the two countries is gathering momentum, it is largely in favor of India. Will there be a chance that Ethiopia’s exports to India would significantly grow and somehow narrow the imbalance in the future when we have much less to sell to India than import from it?
Yes. Trade between the two countries is not only going to grow but Ethiopia will be able to export more as more of those big Indian companies who are investing in Ethiopia in the agro processing and manufacturing export their products to India and somewhere else.
To what do you attribute the growing investment and trade between the two countries, especially over the last few years?
As India has long been a growing economy, they are looking for favorable markets in foreign countries. And Ethiopia, aside from being herself a growing economy, qualifies for that in many ways. Better incentives being provided to investors in Ethiopia compared to other markets and economies, market access India companies could secure by investing in Ethiopia including AGOA and COMESA, the security and peaceful situations in the country and commitment from government authorities to assist Indian investors here are the major elements accounting for the growing Indian investment projects here, with over 450 Indian companies currently operating in Ethiopia from a few several years ago.
With some Indian companies looking forward to get hold of up to 300,000 ha of land to produce food for export, some observers fear that that might bring about food insecurity in the country some time in the future. What is your take on that?
No.You should look at it from the overall Ethiopian economic policy or agricultural industrialization policy. I presume you are aware of what we are doing with the peasant land holdings. We have this extension program through which we are providing trainings and so on that enable the farmers produces to double or triple. That will allow us to become food self-sufficient. The government has put in place a policy that will help the country to become food self-sufficient in the coming two to three years. Let alone the Indian companies, the locals themselves are and will be exporting their products. By the way, the Indians who have taken land so far are going to produce high value products like palm oil, process it here and export the oil. Or they grow cotton, like one big Indian company, Spentex, is now doing here on 25,000 ha of land. This company is forced to grow this high value growth because there is not enough cotton harvest in the country for the textile plant the company plans to set up. We are encouraging them to engage in such agro-processing activities. And the land allotted for commercial farming is only three million hectares is peanuts compared the total arable land in the country.
Do Ethiopians who wanted to invest in India get the same treatment and privileges as Indian investors get here in Ethiopia?
Honestly, I haven’t come across any Ethiopian who wants to invest in India. But if they do, I am sure they will get the same treatment because there are many non-Indian investors in India who are treated in such a way. Why would Ethiopians be discriminated against if they are in the right sector and have all that it takes for the kind of investment they want to be engaged in?
The two countries have concluded various agreements of cooperation and trade. Does that include the avoidance of double-taxation between them which the India investors were relentlessly asking for?
Yes it does. We have been talking about it for the last three years. It is particularly good news for Indian investors in Ethiopia as the agreement relieves them from paying tax in India for their business and investment engagements here in Ethiopia.
You have been serving as Ethiopia’s Ambassador for the last five years and two months. What do you want to accomplish most before leaving the office?
The last thing I want to do before I leave the office is to help facilitate and achieve the agreements the two countries have entered into during the bilateral talks between them.
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Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Ethiopia offers peacekeepers for Abyei in Sudan
6/1/2011-Ethiopia offers peacekeepers for Abyei in Sudan
The south says it wants a UN peace force to monitor the border
Continue reading the main story
Sudan: Set for divorce
Ethiopia has offered send peacekeepers to Sudan's disputed border region of Abyei after its recent seizure by northern troops.
Analysts have feared the Abyei dispute could reignite the civil war between the north and South Sudan, which is due to become independent in July.
Officials say the south has accepted the offer; the north is considering it.
It comes after both sides agreed to set up a demilitarised zone along their border to be jointly patrolled.
Sudan expert Alex De Waal, who is has been working on the African Union-mediated deal, told the BBC negotiations about how it would work were ongoing.
Some 1.5 million people died in the 22-year north-south civil war which ended in 2005.
Border force request
The UN Security Council condemned the occupation of Abyei and called for the immediate withdrawal of northern troops from the oil-producing region also claimed by the south.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis on demilitarised zone
Alex De Waal
Africa expert, interviewed by the BBC World Service
This agreement sets up a joint political and security mechanism as well as a demilitarised zone 10km either side of the border line.
It provides a mechanism for allowing the Sudanese army to leave Abyei and it also provides the structure on to which a possible third party could be locked.
What is under discussion now is what form that third party should take: Should it be the UN, should it be another third party, should there be troops to protect those monitors or should those monitors be protected by the parties themselves?
At the moment the trust between Sudan and South Sudan is not really there but what is quite remarkable is that when the soldiers get together, they get down to business. The business-like and co-operative approach of the senior military officers on both sides gives a lot of reason for confidence that they will actually sort it out.
But Sudan's ambassador to the UN Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman has said it will do so only when new political and security arrangements have been agreed.
Meanwhile, he said Sudan's government wanted peacekeepers to leave its territory when South Sudan becomes independent in July.
The request comes after UN chief Ban Ki-moon proposed a three-month extension to the force's mandate while the north and south resolve outstanding territorial issues.
Mr Osman told the UN Security Council such issues could be settled at the negotiating table.
But a senior official from South Sudan, Ezekiel Gatkuoth, said the UN should have a presence on both sides of the border.
He welcomed its continued existence in the south, saying its main objective should be to avoid a security vacuum.
"We were asking for [a] more than 7,000 UN peacekeeping force. Then we have asked for the UN to do a consultation with the governors of southern Sudan so that we can have a new mission with responsibility to monitor the border and also protect civilians," he told the BBC's World Today programme.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in New York says it is not clear how the UN Security Council will respond to Khartoum's request.
Limiting peacekeepers to the south could complicate efforts to monitor the boundary, parts of which, including Abyei, are contested.
As the Security Council debated the UN's mission in Sudan, Ethiopia said it would send peacekeepers to Abyei if both north and south made the request.
"It is within our interests and that of the region to maintain stability in Sudan," foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told Reuters news agency.
Mr Gatkuoth said Juba accepted Ethiopia's proposal, but Mr Osman said Khartoum was still considering it.
Abyei is claimed by a southern group, the Dinka Ngok, and northern nomads, the Misseriya.
Under the 2005 peace deal, which ended the 22-year civil war, Abyei was granted special status and a joint administration was set up in 2008 to run the area until a referendum decided its fate.
That vote was due to take place in January, when the south decided to split from the north, but has now been postponed indefinitely.
Last week, South Sudan's humanitarian affairs minister said he estimated 150,000 people had fled from Abyei state and border regions fearing further attacks. The UN's currently overall figure is 60,000.
Source...BBC.uk.co
Ethiopia' former Derg 23 officials received the pardon on the basis of the Ethiopian Constitution.
Ethiopia commutes death sentences of Derg officials
Addis Ababa, June 1, 2001 – The government of Ethiopia today commuted the death sentences of 23 Derg officials convicted of genocide to life imprisonment
President Girma Woldegiorgis, told journalists here today that the 23 officials received the pardon on the basis of the Ethiopian Constitution.
He said the pardon, which became effective from May 28, 2011, is in response to a request for clemency and expression of regret by the officials for the death of thousands of innocent Ethiopians.
Below are lists of the officials who received the pardon:
1. Captain Fikresilasse Wogderes,
2. Capitan Legesse Asfaw,
3. Major Melaku Teferra,
4. Abdualkadir Mohammed Burka
5. Colonel Tesfaye Woldesilasse,
6. General Legesse Belayneh Mersha
7. Gesgis Gebremeskel,
8. Lieutenant Petros Gebre,
9. Lieutenant Sileshi Mengesha,
10. Colonel Nadew Zekariayas,
11. Captain Begashaw Atalay,
12. Major General Wubishet Desse,
13. Colonel Fisseha Desta,
14. Colonel Endale Tessema and
15. Colonel Debella Dinsa.
16. Lieutenant Argaw Yimer,
17. Major Degene Wendimagegnew,
18. Eshetu Shenkute,
19. Capitan Gesesse Woldekidan,
20. Lieutenant Desalegn Belay,
21. Private Lisanu Molla,
22. Private Abebe Eshetu and
23. Private Berihun Mammo
Source..waltainfo.com
Ethiopian Women, youth leagues regular conference kicks off
ADDIS ABABA 6-1-11- The Addis Ababa Women and Youth EPRDF Leagues 1st regular conference kicked off as of yesterday under the theme: '' We will ensure our sustainable benefits through the active participation of women and youth of our city in realizing the Grand Renaissance Dam''.Briefing journalists on the overall objective of the conference, Wobeshet G/Egziabher, Addis Ababa Youth League Chairperson said that the main aim of the conference is to evaluate the previous performances of both Women and Youth Addis Ababa EPRDF Leagues while discussing the future strategies towards making youth and women beneficiaries from the ongoing development packages at various levels.
According to the Chairperson, the primary need for establishing both women and youth leagues is to produce potential leaders. Particularly, it necessitate to establish the leagues to build the overall stewardship capacities of women and youth thereby make them capable of assuming political responsibilities. Hence, as per its objectives of establishment, the political participation of women and youth in Addis Ababa city is increasing, he added.
Wobeshet further indicated that the leagues are also in charge of fighting against rent seeking attitude and malpractices as well as power abuses in the city through the participation of members. To properly discharge these responsibilities the leagues were offering training to members and even other women and youth to avoid problems related to attitude, inputs and skills gap among them, he added. Kiros Atsbeha, Addis Ababa EPRDF Women Leagues Chairperson on her part said that women are being economically empowered following the establishment of the league despite their economical dependence on their counter men earlier. Specifically, the Leagues have been helping the women in offering necessary training as how to organize themselves through micro and small scale enterprises for their common benefits, she said.
Making women and youth equal beneficiaries from the ongoing development of the country at all levels is among the major pillars of the National Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Therefore, the leagues are making every effort towards proper implementation of the plan in this regard.
Source: Ethiopian press agency
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