Ethiopian Airlines to buy a stake in Air Malawi

Posted by Mamo Gebrehiwot on Nov 24th, 2012 // The airline is also set to establish a new airline in Zambia, reports Kaleyesus  Bekele from JohannesburgThe Ethiopian Airlines is to buy a stake in the frail airline of Malawi.  The Government of Malawi recently asked companies to present expressions of interest for the partial acquisition of its failing airline. Subsequently, 11 airlines submitted these to the Malawi Privatization Authority. Ernest & Young has been undertaking a study on the privatisation of Air Malawi which ceased operation this week. After evaluating the expression of interest eight companies were selected to participate in the bid.At the 44th General Assembly of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) held in Johannesburg from November 18-20 CEO of Air Malawi, Patrick E. Chilambe, told The Reporter that the bidding companies will submit their proposals to the Privatization Authority. The companies that presented expressions of interest yesterday had a meeting with officials of Ernest & Young and the Malawi Privatization Authority in Blantyre. Com Air of South Africa is the other airline that submitted an expression of interest.The government of Malawi plans to establish a consortium by selling a 49 percent stake to a foreign airline and a local investor and keep 51 percent of the shares to Air Malawi.Hired by the Malawian government, Ernest & Young advised the government to look for a partner and partially privatize the national flag carrier. Two of Air Malawi’s aircraft are in South Africa, retained due to fuel debt. An official close to the privatization process told The Reporter that Ethiopian is the best company among the eight companies that submitted an expression of interest.Tewolde Gebremaraim, Ethiopian CEO, who was attending AFRAA’s 44 Annual General Assembly (AGA), told The Reporter that Ethiopian wants to help Air Malawi. “They are our African brothers and we want to share our experience,” Tewolde said. The CEO said that Ethiopian is planning to establish a new airline in Zambia. “We have been holding talks with the Zambian government and we hope to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the government soon,” he said.Ethiopian partnership with ASKY Airline of Togo has been successful. The Lome-based airline, ASKY, which operates Bombardier Q400 aircraft currently serves 15 destinations in West Africa. Ethiopian owns a 25 percent stake in ASKY.In a related news, Ernest & Young this week announced that by 2025 Ethiopian will be bigger than South African Airways (SAA). Zemedeneh Nigatu, managing partner of Ernest & Young East Africa, who made a presentation at AFRAA’s AGA held at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg, said that by 2025 Ethiopian will be bigger than SAA. Zemedeneh said SAA will still then be bigger than Kenya Airways (KQ). He attributed Ethiopian Airlines success to management independence. Zemedeneh pointed out that African carriers should collaborate to survive the stiff competition coming from non-African carriers.Source: Ethiopian Reporter

Ethiopia Earns $39 Million from Conference Tourism | 2merkato.com

Ethiopia Earns $39 Million from Conference Tourism | 2merkato.com

How Ethiopia lost Control of its Teff genetics Resources

How Ethiopia Lost Control of Its Teff Genetic Resources(12.11.2012) In 2005, Ethiopia concluded an agreement with the Dutch company HPFI, sharing itsteff genetic resources in return for a part of the benefits that would be achieved from developing teff products for the European market.In the end, Ethiopia received practically no benefits. Instead, due to a broad patent and a questionable bankruptcy, it lost its right to utilize and reap benefits from its own teff genetic resources in the countries where the patent is valid.The amazing story of the Teff Agreement has been uncovered and meticulously documented in a recent FNI report by FNI researchers Regine Andersen and Tone Winge.
FNI News: How Ethiopia Lost Control of Its Teff Genetic Resources

Keller received enthusiastic approval from the minister of education to hand out the English-only devices

It was about eight months ago when a groundbreaking experiment by Cambridge nonprofit One Laptop Per Child brought Matt Keller to the remote village of Wonchi, Ethiopia. There, he had to identify 20 children who would receive a Motorola Xoom tablet.Among them was a boy who didn’t make eye contact. Kelebasa, 8, was withdrawn and disengaged, but when Keller handed him the tablet, Kelebasa soon found the “on” button. He raised his hands in the air and yelled “I am a lion!”Less than a year later, the children — who had never seen a printed word, let alone electricity — have become adept at using dozens of apps, all without instruction. They can identify symbols and sounds, paint and play games with letters and numbers.“It took the kids about 20 minutes to figure it out,” said Keller, vice president of One Laptop, who returns every six weeks to Ethiopia to chart the progress. “The kids self-congregate. They teach each other.”A solar charging station powers the devices. To track the children’s progress, One Laptop swaps out SIM cards. One interesting finding: the kids actually hacked the software, circumventing settings to customize their desktops and enable cameras that were previously disabled.The tablets mark a shift for the famed One Laptop Per Child program, which has distributed 2.5 million of its low-cost, rugged laptops to children in 40 countries since 2005. In Ethiopia, Keller received enthusiastic approval from the minister of education to hand out the English-only devices.“His response was that this is what they want,” Keller said. “English is the aspirational language.”To prepare for the project, Keller went from mud hut to mud hut interviewing parents and children through a translator in the villages. One is Wonchi, a subsistence farming enclave on the edge of an 11,000-foot cliff. The other is Wolonchete, in the Great Rift Valley, where dust and flies cover you.Keller estimates the kids, ages 4 to 11, have reached kindergarten levels of learning and are on the edge of literacy. The program has raised an important question: Do we underestimate the ability of kids to learn on their own?“Think about when a kid in the U.S. doesn’t read or learn at the level of his or her peers. By and large, those kids never catch up,” Keller said. “We start to view tablets as a way for kids to catch up, learn on their own time and at their own speed. Maybe with the help of their friends.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/technology/view.bg?articleid=1061172686&srvc=rss

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines to Increase Flights to Abidjan to daily

 07 November, 2012

Ethiopian, the fastest growing airline in Africa, is set to increase frequencies on its Abidjan route by offering daily flights, effective November 25, 2012. Ethiopian currently operates thrice weekly services to Abidjan.Traffic to and from Abidjan, the commercial capital of Côte d’Ivoire and the most important economic hub in French speaking West Africa, has shown tremendous increase recently, due to the robust economic growth the country has been registering. To meet this increasing demand and to improve flexibility for its esteemed customers, the airline will add four additional flights to and from Abidjan. The new frequencies are already available for booking.Ato Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian said: "The daily service to/from Abidjan will now enable Ethiopian to connect the fast growing city to Asian, Middle East, European, and other African countries".Ethiopian inaugurated its maiden flight to Abidjan on November 1, 1980 and has been serving the city uninterruptedly ever since.About EthiopianEthiopian Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Africa, made its maiden international flight to Cairo in 1946 and now the Airline provides dependable services to 70 international destinations spanning four continents.Ethiopian is proud to be a Star Alliance Member. The Star Alliance network is the leading global airline network offering customers convenient worldwide reach and a smoother travel experience. The Star Alliance network offers more than 21,555 daily flights to 1,356 airports in 193 countries.Ethiopian is a multi-award winner for its commitment and contributions towards the development and growth of the African aviation industry and in recognition of its distinguished long-haul operations enhanced by the introduction of new routes and products. Recently, Ethiopian won Gold in the African Airline of the Year 2011/2012 Awards organized by the African Aviation News Portal. Ethiopian also received the 2011 AFRAA award for being consistently profitable over the years and has won the "AFRICAN CARGO AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2011 Award" for its excellence in air cargo. Ethiopian also won the 2012 "African Airline of the Year Award" from Air Transport Quarterly Magazine

Nile International Film Festival Being Held

Wednesday, 07 November 2012 21:19 Meron The 'Colors of the Nile International Film Festival', organized by the collaboration of the Ethiopian Film Makers Association and the Blue Nile Film and Television Academy is being held in Ethiopia between the 7th and the 11th of November.The festival is going to include a range of activities and training opportunities according to Abraham Haile, President of the Festival. A range of workshops designed to develop the talents of Ethiopian filmmakers will also be part of the festival he said.It is expected that 28 African countries will be represented in the 58 selected movies that will be a part of the festival. The festival was opened by the Alan Gomez film ‘Tey’ which has already won different awards at several international festivals.The festival will place films in competition in different categories such ‘Documentary’, ‘long Story’ and ‘Short Story’ said Abraham.The Ethiopian film ‘Yelomi Shita’ is one of the films nominated in the ‘Long Story’ category. ‘Yeberew Wileta’ and Psychology 101 are other films nominated in different categories. The biggest award offered by the festival ‘The Great Nile Award’ will be presented to directors. Amongst the nominees selected for this award are Abdulaziz Sesin and Andrew Dosunmu. Source: Ethiopian Press Agency

Last 500 Ethiopian Wolves Endangered by Lack of Genetic Diversity

By John R. Platt | November 8, 2012

The last wolves in Africa face a difficult road if they are going to survive. Just 500 Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) remain in the mountains of the country for which they are named. The animals now live in six fragmented populations located hundreds of kilometers apart from one another; three of these populations have fewer than 25 wolves each. According to a study published last month inAnimal Conservation, the Ethiopian wolf now suffers from low genetic diversity and a weak flow of genes between packs. As we have seen with other rare species such as Florida panthers,Tasmanian devils and great Indian bustards, low genetic diversity can result in inbreeding, impaired birth rates and the inability to adapt to diseases or other ecological threats. The danger for Ethiopian wolves is not theoretical—rabies outbreaks in 1991–92 and 2003 each killed several hundred wolves.
The last wolves in Africa face a difficult road if they are going to survive. Just 500 Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) remain in the mountains of the country for which they are named. The animals now live in six fragmented populations located hundreds of kilometers apart from one another; three of these populations have fewer than 25 wolves each. According to a study published last month inAnimal Conservation, the Ethiopian wolf now suffers from low genetic diversity and a weak flow of genes between packs. As we have seen with other rare species such as Florida panthers,Tasmanian devils and great Indian bustards, low genetic diversity can result in inbreeding, impaired birth rates and the inability to adapt to diseases or other ecological threats. The danger for Ethiopian wolves is not theoretical—rabies outbreaks in 1991–92 and 2003 each killed several hundred wolves.The 12-year study, conducted by researchers from the Zoological Society of London and other organizations, examined the genetics of 72 wild Ethiopian wolves from seven different populations. One of those populations, at Mount Choke, died out over the course of the study. The researchers found very little gene flow between the populations and conclude that restoring this flow—possibly by relocating some males or restoring migration corridors—could help increase the number of wolves while reducing the likelihood of inbreeding.The animals aren’t likely to travel between populations on their own. Ethiopian wolves, which arrived in the region 100,000 years ago during glacial times, have adapted to grassy, mountainous ecosystems 3,000 meters above sea level, where they prey almost exclusively on high-altitude rodents such as the big-headed mole rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus). Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s human population continues to expand, from 48 million in 1990 to 84.7 million in 2011, making travel between wolf packs even more dangerous and unlikely.Travel barriers and fragmentation aren’t the only threats the wolves face. The animals are legally protected in Ethiopia but according to the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme they still face persecution by farmers afraid of potential livestock predation. Overgrazing by cattle has also damaged existing habitats and reduced the rodent populations that the wolves depend on for food. Even domestic dogs pose a danger—they have been blamed for the rabies outbreaks and have even, on occasion, bred with the wolves. Although widespread hybridization has not yet been observed, this poses yet another threat to the gene pool for the already endangered animals.Photo: James Hopkirk via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons licenseAbout the Author: Twice a week, John Platt shines a light on endangered species from all over the globe, exploring not just why they are dying out but also what's being done to rescue them from oblivion. Follow on Twitter @johnrplatt. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Solar Power Struggles to Shine in Sunny Ethiopia

7 November 2012 , Source: AlertNet
Ethiopia is known by some as "the land of 13 months of sunshine," a reference both to its climate and to its unique calendar of 12 months of 30 days and an additional month of five or six.But the Ethiopian government's ambitious plans to expand renewable energy production seem to disregard all those months of sunny weather, focusing instead on wind energy and hydroelectric power.The country's ambitious five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), which began in 2010, aims to increase the power generating capacity at least fourfold from the current level of 2,179 megawatts (MW) of electricity.However, solar power is expected to contribute a mere 30 MW to the goal.No one disputes the need for expanded electricity access in Ethiopia. Although almost half the country's area is in principle covered by the national electric grid, 80 percent of the country's 85 million population live in rural areas, and only a tiny minority of these inhabitants - some reports suggest as low as about 2 percent - are thought to have access to electricity.Commonly cited reasons for the low levels of are the scattered locations of rural populations and inadequate infrastructure to connect villages to power lines.COST?Miskir Negash, head of corporate relations at the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, the state monopoly electricity provider, said the relative expense of solar energy compared to wind energy or hydro, especially for big projects, relegates its usefulness to smaller-scale projects.Nonetheless, the Growth and Transformation Plan does target another relatively costly power source, geothermal energy, to contribute 70 MW of power to the grid, more than twice the power targeted from solar energy.A recent survey by the Chinese firm Hydrochina Corporation estimated Ethiopia's solar power potential to be around 2 trillion MW hours, with the northern part of the country having the greatest potential.One organization trying to fill the gap in the provision of solar energy to the rural population is the Solar Energy Foundation. The German-founded international nongovernmental organisation works to provide electrification to rural areas using solar technology and lighting.Its first project started six years ago in Amhara regional state in Rhema, a village not linked to the electric grid, where the foundation supplied a solar panel to each of the 2,100 households. Rhema is now the largest village in Ethiopia with solar lighting.The foundation's revolving fund scheme has enabled 20,000 solar lighting systems of up to 60 watts to be distributed to 70 villages in four regional states: Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples. The foundation has also established a training programme for solar technicians.Gebaynesh Nadewe, a housewife and mother of four who lives in Rhema, said that she uses her solar system to illuminate her grass-thatched house and to charge her mobile phone. Other residents of the village use theirs to charge solar televisions and radios, as well as water pumps for agricultural activities.Samson Tsegaye, country director of the Solar Energy Foundation, said the foundation's plan is to expand the availability of solar technology for rural households, and also to help make it scalable to bigger areas.Tsegaye pointed out that solar energy can be useful on a small scale, making it especially well suited to rural areas rather than urban ones, where individual usage of electricity tends to be greater. According to Tsegaye, rural households can benefit from solar installations with a capacity as low as one or two watts.Tsegaye admitted, however, that financing solar projects is relatively expensive, especially to generate the megawatts of power required for use at a national rather than just local level.HOW TO BOOST SOLAR"One way the government can encourage the use of solar energy is through a clear policy on the implementation of imports of solar panels and other related products," Tsegaye said. He pointed out that finished solar goods imported from countries like China are free from import duties, but components, which can be assembled to make solar products in Ethiopia, are not.The German government-affiliated technical organization GIZ also has already installed more than 100 solar-powered health centres in Ethiopia in areas without grid access, with a total capacity of more than 200 KW.Gerd-Hening Vogel, director of GIZ's Energy Coordination Office, said the cost of solar power can be mitigated by its efficiency and reliability. Solar is also clearly more financially competitive than the diesel generators and kerosene lamps commonly used in times of power outages, he said."Solar power is an infinite resource and available everywhere the sun shines," he said.E.G. Woldegebriel is a journalist based in Addis Ababa with an interest in environmental issues.Read more at AlertNet Climate, the Thomson Reuters Foundation's daily news website on the human impacts of climate change.

A Jumbotrek in Ethiopia's Mountains

Journey across the Simiens, one of the world's most elevated and isolated wonderlands

Today, however, with Ethiopia's economy expanding amid a semblance of political stability, the country is becoming a relatively safe and accessible destination. It's often the tawny grandeur of the Ethiopian highlands, cradling Lalibela's rock-hewn churches and towering above the fabled tombs of Aksum, that most impresses visitors. And it's here in the Simiens that this region can be seen at its biggest and most sensational. Inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1978, it is a place that has been extolled by Unesco as "one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world." When I'd prepared to leave the scruffy, one-road town of Debark to begin a six-day trek of its high plateaus, I found myself wondering whether the hyperbole had left me expecting too much. Read more here http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203922804578080962504573982.html

Ethiopia: an African lion?

Returns of thirty per cent a year sound too good to be true, but that's what it is claimed you can earn by investing in this rising nation. Local businesses say they are booming, meanwhile foreign investors are jostling for opportunities. So where can these incredible profits be made? The answer is Ethiopia. In a Business Daily Special, Justin Rowlatt reports from the country that was once a byword for poverty and famine but which has been tranforming itself, not into a tiger, but into an African "lion" economy. (Image: A woman working in a Chinese shoe factory in Dukem, Ethiopia. Credit: Getty)

Watch video here... Duration18 minutes http://www.bbc.co.uk/modules/sharetools/share?url=http://www.bbc.co.uk%2Fprogrammes%2Fp0104gjj.html&appId=programmes&env=live

Why Ethiopian-Americans should vote for Obama (opinion)

By Mamo Berhan (berhanmamo@rocketmail.com)

Oct. 31, 2012 President Obama has done a lot to change the foreign policy of the United States and worked hard for the development of Africa including Ethiopia. President Barak Obama is also good for world peace. Ethiopian-Americans should be greatful for him.I recently read an article titled, "why I will not vote for Obama again' in one of the so- called opposition web sites. I feel guilty for visiting such web sites.  I feel the same guilt whenever I watch Fox News because of the lack of a semblance of common sense, impartiality and depth in such media outlets.The writer said he is not voting for President Obama because Obama failed to change the economy and because Obama refused to punish EPRDF, the Ethiopian ruling party, as the writer had hoped so four years ago. The writer also agreed with the Republican activists that President Obama is 'a food stamp president'.  As converted Republican would do, the writer added that 'a God fearing Ethiopian' cannot vote for a president who supported same sex marriage.  Basically, the writer is pushing Ethiopian Americans to vote for the Republican Party.I respect anybody's desire to vote for the Republican Party. But I could not understand what a 'God fearing Ethiopian' has to do with the Republican Party? The current Republican Party was shaped largely by the civil rights movement. All these southern and mid-western states, which strongly support the Republican ticket currently, became a stronghold for the Republican Party as a result of their contempt for racial equality of black Americans.Some call the Republican Party ‘the party of Abraham Lincoln’, thus historically crediting it for ‘emancipating’ salves.  But the Republican Party was not the same after the civil rights movement.  This trend continued to this day. I am not suggesting all republicans are racists, but one must wonder why the Republican Party remained overwhelmingly only white. Just to give you an example, Dick Cheney voted against a resolution for the release of Nelson Mandela. Mr. Cheney walked out when Mandela came to speak to the US Congress later after his release. Mr. Cheney also opposed the naming of a holiday in honor of Martin Luther King. Mr. Cheney is an influential leader and an opinion-maker in the Republican Party to this day.Our good writer invokes religion and asks American-Ethiopians not to vote for Obama because of the same sex marriage issue. I have also heard an Ethiopian Protestant Pastor in Washington DC, who believes Ethiopian Christians should vote for Republicans because of the abortion issue. Personally, I wish marriage was only between man and woman and also want to see a world without abortion.   But what baffles me about Christians who stand for Republican politics (they do overwhelmingly in the United States) is when they act as if Christianity is all about abortion and same sex marriage. What about standing for the poor and immigrant, for racial equality and over all fairness?  This is the hypocrisy Jesus spoke about in the New Testament. We know that Romney said the poor are not important and he spoke about 'self-deportation' and other anti-poor and anti-immigrant slogans. We know why they oppose 'Obama care', which aims at benefiting an uninsured Americans, a demography that includes immigrants from poor countries.   The 'God fearing Ethiopian' or the atheist one for that matter, better vote for his/her interests rather than hypocritical social issues which are beyond our control.  This is not even about voting for Obama because he is ‘black’. There is no doubt the Democratic Party has its own shortcomings. But the platform of the Democratic Party at least inclusive of minority and immigrant interests. The Democratic Party attempts to balance the evils of capitalism by creating opportunities for the disadvantaged, investing in education, health and elderly care.The more important reason for the writer of "why I will not Vote for Obama again' is the fact that Obama did not help the hateful and extreme Ethiopian Diaspora in their fight against EPRDF. First of all, the foreign policy of the Obama administration cannot essentially be different from the reality of international politics, i.e. national interests dictate all foreign policies.  Secondly, there is no basis to punish the EPRDF, a party that have placed Ethiopia on the map of the fastest growing economies of the world.As an Ethiopian who is not affiliated to any Ethiopian political party and the ruling party, I am thankful that the Obama administration did not side with the embarrassing Ethiopian Diaspora opposition.  Case in point, I would not cite any better testimony other than David Shinn's recent disgust with Ethiopians who came to oppose or disrupt Church ceremony held the in honor of the late PM Meles. (http://davidshinn.blogspot.com/2012/10/meles-zenawi-memorial-service-at.html). One has to be happy that the Obama administration recognized the late PM Meles as able and effective leader, whatever reservations he or she might have about the EPRDF as I have. President Obama has done a lot to change the foreign policy of the United States and worked hard for the development of Africa including continuing the much admired HIV-AIDS assistance to Africa started by Ex-president Bush.Calling on Ethiopian Americans to vote against President Obama without good reason is another sign how the extreme Ethiopian Diaspora is driven by hate and bias. If we are to learn from our Ethiopian root and culture, as the writer suggested, it is standing for the truth. If we have to support any movement or cause let's do it with principles and oppose based on facts and reason.

The National Flag Day was celebrated (October 29) across the nation for fifth time colorfully

The National Flag Day was celebrated (October 29) across the nation for fifth time colorfully.This year's theme was: "holding our flag high, we shall realize the Ethiopian Renaissance initiated by our great architect Meles". Here in Addis Ababa, a grand celebration was held at Addis Ababa Stadium. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Demeke Mekonenen, Abadula Gemeda, Speaker of the House, General Samora Yenus, Chief of Staff of the National Army and other high level officials and thousands of residents of Addis Ababa and members of the Police and the army. Demeke Mekonenen on the occasion said: "By eradicating poverty we will keep the honor of our flag in the way we did for years through immense sacrifice". He then hoisted the flag accompanied by the Federal Police and Defence forces Guards of Honor. Children wearing costumes of different nations and nationalities presented different activities that reflect the plurality of the Ethiopian people waving National and regional flags. Following the flag hoisting, oath taking ceremony was conducted by Tegene Getaneh, President of the Federal Supreme Court. Citizens across the nation vowed to strive for the realization of the Ethiopian Renaissance. The National Flag Day was observed in similar manner in regional states.

Ethiopian Airlines Signs Agreement with Lufthansa Technik

Monday, 29 October 2012 |Ethiopian Airlines has entered in an agreement with Lufthansa Technik for technical support for the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet.The Total Component Support agreement for the latest aircraft in the Ethiopia long haul fleet will be effective for the coming ten years.Lufthansa has taken on the role of supporting the airline using its pool of material in Germany starting from when Ethiopian took charge of the plane in August. The contractual agreement includes repair and logistics for the Dreamliner fleet comprising the three that airline is already operating and the seven on order.Lufthansa Technik is already engaged in helping Ethiopian Airlines with optimizing the support it gets from the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul sector as well as providing component support for the Bombardier Q 400 aircraft and the MD 11.The current contract is an extension of the existing relationships between Ethiopian and Lufthansa Technik said Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive of the airline. The partnership is expected to enhance the MRO capacity of the airline and reduce maintenance associated costs as well as developing the effectiveness of the management of the new high tech aircraft he said.Lufthansa Technik is delighted by the long term contract and is confident that it will be able to support the economic operation of the new long haul fleet according to Dr. Dr. Burkhard Andrich, Head of Aircraft Component Services with Lufthansa Technik.

Source: The Reporter

Addis Ababa named one of the world’s best cities to visit in 2013

Oct 23rd, 2012 / Lonely Planet, the global travel guidebook company, has named Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as one of the world’s best cities to visit in 2013.Lonely Planet placed Addis Ababa 9th in a top 10 cities list in its Best in Travel 2013 publication.San Francisco, California finished top in the list followed by Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Hyderbad (India) in second and third place respectively.Addis Ababa’s Profile: Like the Ethiopian marathon runners, Addis Ababa (often shortened to plain ‘Addis’) is evolving at a fast pace. The fact that the country’s economic growth should reach almost 5% in 2013 helps create a feeling of confidence and stamina. Founded little more than a century ago, Addis Ababa, which in Amharic means ‘New Flower’, is not only the diplomatic capital of Africa and a thriving metropolis, but also a groovy city that takes pride in its multifaceted assets.
Best in Travel 2013 – Top 10 cities
1. San Francisco, USA – Darling of America’s west coast- Best for: Culture, events, food.

2. Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Golden Age charmer prepares to party- Best for: Culture, events, food.3. Hyderabad, India – Old City recapturing past glories - Best for: Culture, food, value for money.

4. Londonderry/Derry, Northern Ireland – Packed calendar for UK City of Culture - Best for: Culture, events, family.

5. Běijīng, PR China – Capital on cusp of greatness - Best for: Culture, value for money, food.

6. Christchurch, New Zealan – Rising from the rubble with flair - Best for: Culture, events, family.

7. Hobart, Tasmania (Australia) – Harbour town becomes hip - Best for: Events, culture, food.

8. Montréal, Canada – Mélange of cultures marries brains and beauty - Best for: Culture, events, value for money.

9. Addis Ababa, Ethiopian metropolis evolving at pace - Best for: Culture, food, value for money.

10. Puerto Iguazú, Argentina – Much more than just a waterfall - Best for: Family, activities, adventure.Related

Link:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/themes/best-in-travel-2013/top-10-cities/

South Sudan plans mediation between Ethiopia and Eritrea

Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:09pm BST

By Aaron MaashoADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Newly independent South Sudan plans to help resolve the long-running border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a senior official said on Wednesday.
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBRE89N0V120121024?irpc=932

Adam Smith to Study Ethiopian Tax Revenue Potential for 10.7 million birr

UK consultants, Adam Smith International Ltd is to study Ethiopia’s potential to raise revenue from tax under contract to the Ethiopian Revenues and Custom’s Authority. The Consultant will conduct the study for 10.7 million birr according to the contract signed between the two parties last week. ERCA’s interest to engage a company to evaluate the potential tax revenue in the current economy initially attracted 16 companies. The  final shortlist consisted of six companies: included McKinsey & Co, KPMG of Netherlands, DFC &VNG partners, the local office of Ernst & Young, the India office of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd as well as Adam Smith. Three companies, Deloite, Mckinsey and Adam Smith passed the technical evaluations and Adam Smith was awarded the contract because its 10.7 million birr proposal was significantly lower than the 26.5 million birr offered by Deloite and the 38 million birr offered by Mckinsey.  The bid offered by Adam Smith was also lower than the 15 million birr ERCA had been offered two years ago in a bid that was later on cancelled. The project will be funded by financing from the World Bank’s Public Sector Capacity Building Program.  It is expected that the study will be conducted at the national level including all city and regional administrations to identify the potential revenue from each tax category and possible gaps.  The study will correct any flaws in the tax system by establishing the taxable amount in the economy thus ensuring that there will be no over or under collection according to an expert with the tax authority.  It is expected that Adam Smith will complete the job in 12 months.  Source (Merkato.com)

Who is Roman Tesfaye ?

We would like to share with you a little background on   the current Ethiopian first lady, Roman Tesafye . Lately there is a great rumor spreading about her parents and origin of birth. Here is an information we read from Tigrai on line on the PM wife.  As a remark we strongly believe that it really doesn’t matter where you born, or who your biological parents are, what matters is your deeds! Obama’s dad is originally from the small city of Kenya, maybe he is from Qukuiu tribe, his son however runs for the second term of presidency in the great country of US. ! It is certainly yourself to change the world around you.  

Ethiopia Roman Tesfaye was born in a small town near Wolayta soddo called Gacheno from a Wolayta father and mother. She attended her primary education in Gacheno, and soddo Comprehensive High school. After completing her High school studies she went on to study at Addis Ababa University and graduated with her first degree in Economics. Roman Tesfaye also holds Second degree in economics from an Indian university and An American Institution in Leadership. 

Source Ethiopia this week.com

Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines and Seattle Anesthesia Outreach Join Together for first 787 Dreamliner Humanitarian Flight

Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines and Seattle Anesthesia Outreach Join Together for first 787 Dreamliner Humanitarian Flight

- 20,000 pounds of humanitarian aid loaded on Ethiopian Airlines' third Dreamliner

By BoeingPublished: Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 - 9:30 am EVERETT, Wash., Oct. 23, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) joined with Ethiopian Airlines and Seattle Anesthesia Outreach (SAO) to deliver approximately 20,000 pounds (9,000 kilograms) of medical supplies to Ethiopia's largest hospital. The delivery was made to Black Lion Hospital using Ethiopian's third 787 Dreamliner, marking the first time a Dreamliner has been used as part of Boeing's Humanitarian Delivery Flights program. "Ethiopian Airlines is one of Boeing's most active partners in our Humanitarian Delivery Flights program," said Liz Warman, director of Boeing Global Corporate Citizenship for the Northwest region. "Our two companies have a long history together not only buying and selling airplanes, but also in leveraging our resources to help those in need."The airplane was delivered and flew away from Everett on Oct. 22 and flew directly to Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, where it will land after an approximately 15-hour nonstop flight."Ethiopian Airlines continues to be a leader in corporate social responsibility activities in Ethiopia," said Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. "As the flag carrier for the country of Ethiopia, we are viewed as not only an airline but also as a source of vital service for the people of Ethiopia. We are proud and honored to work with Boeing to help our people and country where we have such great needs."The shipment includes several anesthesia machines to be used in the hospital's operating rooms, patient monitoring equipment, as well as intensive care beds and other surgical equipment. SAO has more than 20 physicians, nurses and technicians in Addis Ababa who will help set up the equipment and spend the several weeks teaching in the hospital."Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines continue to be critical partners and supporters of our organization, helping us get these needed medical supplies to Black Lion Hospital, the largest public hospital and main teaching facility in Ethiopia," said Dr. Julian Judelman, board member of Seattle Anesthesia Outreach. "Thanks to this partnership, we have been able to ship 40 tons of medical equipment over the last two years at little to no cost, which is important for a small non-profit organization like ours."The Boeing Humanitarian Delivery Flights program is a collaboration effort between Boeing, airline customers and non-profit organizations to deliver humanitarian aid throughout the world to communities in need or crisis. The humanitarian items are loaded into the empty cargo space of new airplanes being delivered and transported to the customer's home destination.Ethiopian Airlines is committed to support worthy social activities that are designed to help build sustainable livelihoods for individuals, the community and the society in general. In doing so it has left its mark on major social initiatives in Africa.Ethiopian Airlines has seven 787 Dreamliners remaining on order. The airline is the first African operator of the 787, 777-200LR and 777 Freighter. Ethiopian Airlines currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 737, 757, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes in passenger service, and has 757, MD11, 777F and 747 airplanes in cargo operations.Contact: Adam Morgan Boeing Commercial Airplanes International Communications +1 206.766.2229 (desk) +1 281.386.4396 (cell) adam.k.morgan@boeing.comEsete Yeshitla Ethiopian Airlines +251 11(5) 178407 esetey@ethiopianairlines.comPhoto and caption are available here: http://boeing.mediaroom.com

SOURCE BoeingOrder Reprint

Ethiopian Lion Population Proven To Be Unique By DNA

Ethiopian Lion Population Proven To Be Unique By DNA

October 13, 2012920Caption: Adult male from Addis Ababa Zoo in Ethiopia. Credit: Addis Ababa OnlineDNA has proven that the Addis Ababa lion in Ethiopia is genetically unique, prompting researchers to urge the animal be put on an endangered species list.
It has been obvious that some lions in Ethiopia have a large, dark mane, extending from the head, neck and chest to the belly, but it wasn’t known if these lions were a genetically distinct population.Researchers found that captive lions at the Addis Ababa Zoo in Ethiopia are actually genetically distinct from all lion populations both in Africa and Asia.The team compared DNA samples from 15 Addis Ababa Zoo lions to lion breeds in the wild, including eight males and seven females.“To our knowledge, the males at Addis Ababa Zoo are the last existing lions to possess this distinctive mane. Both microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA data suggest the zoo lions are genetically distinct from all existing lion populations for which comparative data exist,” principal investigator Professor Michi Hofreiter, of the Department of Biology at theUniversity of York, said in a press release.He said they believe the lions should be treated as a distinct conservation management unit, and they are asking for immediate conservation actions like a captive breeding program.Lions are principal terrestrial predators in Africa and are a key species of the savannah ecosystem. However, their numbers are in decline and two significant populations have already become extinct in the wild.Ethiopia is one region with a declining lion population, which includes just a few hundred wild lions and about 20 Addis Ababa Zoo lions. The zoo lions belonged to the collection of the late emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie. Selassie established the zoo in 1948, and the seven founder lions are claimed to have been captured in south-western Ethiopia.The team is recommending establishing a captive breeding program as the first step towards conserving this unique lion population.“A great amount of genetic diversity in lions has most likely already been lost, largely due to human influences,” Susann Bruche, with Imperial College London and lead author of the paper published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research, said in a press release. “Every effort should be made to preserve as much of the lion’s genetic heritage as possible.”She said they hope field surveys will identify wild relatives of the Addis Ababa Zoo lions in the future, but conserving captive populations is a crucial first step. “Our results show that these zoo lions harbor sufficient genetic diversity to warrant a captive breeding program.”Previous suggestions said no lions comparable to the Addis Ababa Zoo lions existed in the wild, mostly because they were hunted for their mane. However, Ethiopian authorities say lions with similar appearance to those at the zoo still exist in the east and north-east of the country.The researchers say these regions should be prioritized for field surveys.“A key question is which wild population did the zoo lions originate from and whether this wild population still exists; this would obviously make it a priority for conservation,”“What is clear is that these lions did not originate in the zoo, but come from somewhere in the wild – but not from any of the populations for which comparative data is available,” Hofreiter said in the release.

Source: Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com

Ethiopia’s Imperfect Growth Miracle

Shimelse Ali INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC BULLETIN, OCTOBER 20, 2011Ethiopia―Africa’s sixth-largest economy and second-most populous nation, home to 90 million people―has recently attracted global attention because of its double-digit economic growth. According to the Economist, Ethiopia was one of the world’s five fastest-growing economies in 2010. Despite the country’s remarkable growth performance in recent years, however, its record in promoting socio-economic development is mixed. Ethiopia has made significant strides in reducing rural poverty, improving life expectancy, and raising education levels. But these gains have come with rising urban income inequality and surging inflation. It is also not clear whether the services sector, which has accounted for nearly half of GDP growth since 2004, can continue to serve as an economic engine.

Portland, Oregon declares Sept. 2 to be Remembrance Day for late PM Meles Zenawi (Oct 12, 2012)

Portland declares Sept. 2 to be Remembrance Day for late PM Meles Zenawi (Oct 12, 2012)Mayor of the City of Portland, Oregon, the "City of Roses", Sam Adams, announced publicly that September 2 starting from the year 2012 to be a day of remembrance for late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. A statement issued by the mayor's office said the late Meles was a wise and selfless man who gave up his bright future at early age 19 to join a rebel group in Tigray, to free his fellow Ethiopians from a military junta that hijacked the student revolution of 1974.It also underlines the late PM's unfaltering quest for democracy, economic growth, regional peace and stability that enables him to quickly becoming one of the strongest voices of Africa on the world stage.The Statement said Meles was so determined to lift Ethiopia out of poverty that the youth of Ethiopia are determined to carry the torch forward and lift their country out of economic hardship.Ethiopians in Portland have honored the demise of the late Prime Minister with a celebration of his life under the theme "it is not how long or well you lived that counts, it is how & what you contributed". mfa.gov.et/

In Memoriam: Meles Zenawi

Learning about leaders from individuals who know them at personal level is indeed a rare opportunity. No different could the case of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi be. Although many analysts try to connect the dots and come up with their own best map of the legacies of the Ethiopian leaders, none seemed to have the benefit of personalknowledge.

Gold mining promises big boost for Ethiopia's development

Exploiting Ethiopia's gold reserves should increase exports and diversify the economy – if the industry is properly regulated

Thursday 30 August 2012

An engineer gives instructions to a drilling machine operator in the Lega Dembi gold mine in southern Ethiopia. The outlook for many people in Ethiopia seems less than bright following the sudden death of the prime minister Meles Zenawi last week, yet as far as the country's natural resources are concerned, the outlook is golden. Gold reserves could be a source of greater development for the country.

Photograph: Sven Dumelie

Orderly transition in Ethiopia, business ties with India to grow : Envoy

By Manish Chand

New Delhi, (IANS) There will be orderly transition in Ethiopia despite the the death of its long-time leader Meles Zenawi, the country’s envoy has said, and assured that robust business ties between India and the East African nation – India is the second largest foreign investor there – will continue and get even stronger.

በጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ ምክር ያቋቋሟቸውን ኩባንያዎች ስራ አስፍቼ ቀጥላለሁ አሉ ሼህ መሀመድ ሁሴን አሊ አላሙዲ

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

አዲስ አበባ፣ ነሃሴ 23፣ 2004 (ኤፍ ቢ ሲ) በጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ ምክር ያቋቋሟቸውን ኩባንያዎች ስራ አስፍተው እንደሚቀጥሉ የሜድሮክ ኢትዮጵያ ሊቀመንበር ሼህ መሀመድ ሁሴን አሊ አላሙዲ ገለፁ ።

Meles Zenawi with Rural People in Ethiopia

AfDB Approves $251 Million Loan for Ethiopia

Wednesday, 29 August 2012 -
African Development Bank approved a 251 million US dollar loan for Ethiopia. The two parties signed the loan agreement last Friday at a ceremony held at the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

From Meles’ Mouth

An eloquent leader, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was known for his persuasive and pointed speeches. One of the media savvy leaders in Africa, he was also one of the richly quoted figures. With his death officially announced on August 21, 2012, Fortune collected the famous quotes of the premier from different media outlets in an effort to recall his thoughts. Excerpts:



On the Ethiopian Millennium (September 11, 2007)

Throughout history, we have not been colonized by any foreign nation and hence we have always been the authors of our destiny: both our successes and failures.

President Obama telephones Acting Prime Minister Haile Mariam (Aug 28, 2012)

Following messages of condolence from US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Permanent Representative of the US to the United Nations, Susan Rice, President Obama also spoke by telephone to Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam on Thursday evening.

መለስ እንተ ሞተ እቲ ዓላማ ዘገደፎ ግን ሰረት አለዎ

ኣብ ዕለት 21.08.2012 ዘጋጠመ ሃንደበታዊ ሞት ጠ/ሚኒስተር አቶ መለስ ዜናዊ ንኹሉ ደላይ ሰላምን ምዕባለን ዘሰነበደ አጋጣሚ ኢዩ። አቶ መለስ አብ ዝሓለፈ 40 ዓመታት ኣንጻር ገዛእትን ጸቐጥትን ስርዓታት ብኣታሕሳስባን ብኣካልን ዝተጋደለ ሰፊሕን ነዊሕን ራእይ ዝነበሮ መራሒ ኒሩ። አቶ መለስ ብዘይተጎልባብነት ምእንቲ ሓቂ ደሰርሕን ብዘይ ሰክፍታ ርእይትኡ ዝገልጽን አቦ ሰላምን ምዕባለን ኒሩ።

ሕዝባዊ አሻራ ያረፈበት ታጋይ!!

ከታጋይ ሓዱሽ ካሡ ነሐሴ 19 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም

ዓለማችን ክፋትና ደግነት፣ ሓዘንና ደስታ፣ ሰላምና ጦርነት፣ ልማትና ድህነት፣ የተደላደለና የጉስቁልና ኑሮ፣ ጨለማና ብርሃን ወዘተ የሚፈራረቁባት ናት፡፡ ቀንና ሌሊትም ስፍር ቁጥር የሌላቸው አስደሳችና አስከፊ፣ አንዳንዴም በፍፁም የማይገመቱና ለማመን የሚከብዱ ቅጽበታዊ ክስተቶች በየማይክሮ ሰከንዱ የሚስተናገዱባት ናት ዓለማችን፡፡
«የትያትር መድረኳ ዓለማችን» ዋነኛ ተዋናይ የሆነው የሰው ልጅ በየጊዜው የማህበራዊ ህግጋት የመለወጥ ብቃትና ችሎታ እንዳለው በተጨባጭ አሳይቷል፡፡ ሆኖም በራሳቸው ዑደት፣ ሂደትና የተፈጥሮ ሕግጋት የሚጓዙት የመወለድ፣ የማደግና የመሞት ክስተቶችን፣ የመጨመርና የመቀነስ አልያም ወደ ºላና ወደፊት የመመለስ ሃይል ግን ለሰው ልጅ በፍጹም አልተቸረውም፡፡

If Meles Didn't Exist, It Would Have Been Imperative To Invent Him

Something of a divine touch is sweeping across the nation. Something extraordinary is happening. Ethiopians are more united in his death than when he was walking here on earth amongst us.

Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn speaks to the press (Aug 28, 2012)

The Council of Ministers announced that Hailemariam Desalegn, as Acting Prime Minister will continue to lead the Council of Ministers. He will be sworn in as Prime Minister by Parliament after the funeral on Sunday.

Random Short clips from Meles Zenawi's Past

Why Kenya and the region will miss Meles Zenawi’s brand of leadership

The young medical student who joined the guerrilla war against the Derg — the Marxist junta of Mengistu Haile Mariam — in the 1970s as “Legesse” Zenawi returned triumphantly to Addis Ababa in 1991 as “Meles”, a nom de guerre he adopted in the trenches in honour of a fallen compatriot.

ሳያርፍ ያረፈው መለስ

SUNDAY, 26 AUGUST 2012

BY ZEKARIAS SINTAYEHU

ባለፈው ማክሰኞ ከእንቅልፌ የቀሰቀሰኝ ስልክ የተደወለው በጣም በጠዋት ነበር፡፡ የስልክ መልዕክቱም የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ ሕልፈት ሕይወት በኢትዮጵያ ቴሌቪዥን ይፋ ሊደረግ እንደሆነ የሚገልጽ ነበር፡፡ የኢትዮጵያ ቴሌቪዥን የ1፡00 ሰዓት የዜና እወጃው ላይ የዕለቱ ተረኛ ዜና አንባቢ በረጅሙ ከተነፈሰ በኋላ በርካቶችን ያስደነገጠውን፣ ያሳዘነውንና ታሪካዊ የሆነው የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትሩን ዜና ዕረፍት እንባ እየተናነቀው አነበበ፡፡

Opposition political parties express condolences over the passing of PM Meles

Addis Ababa, August 23 (WIC) -Opposition political parties operating in Ethiopia have expressed their condolences over the passing of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
The Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum (MEDREK), the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP) and Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) were among the parties that expressed their condolences on the death of premier.

Kagame honors Ethiopia's late PM with one-minute silence

Addis Ababa, August 24 (WIC) -In a move that surprised everybody, President Paul Kagame on Thursday asked all people attending a major function in Kigali to stand up for a one-minute moment of silence in honor of former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who died on Monday.

African leaders to attend PM Meles Funeral

Addis Ababa August 24/2012 Leaders of various African countries would attend the funeral ceremony of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi scheduled to be on September 2, 2012, ambassadors said.

Towns’ residents across nation vow to realize PM Meles vision

Addis Ababa August 24/2012 Residents of various towns vowed to realize the vision of the great leader Prime Minister Meles Zenawi as they express their grief over the sudden death of the premier in special programs organized in the respective localities.

Zenawi: The titan who changed Africa

Despite his influence in regional wars, Meles Zenawi was greatly respected by his peers [EPA]

At 23:40 local time, the Ethiopian prime minister was declared dead, the consequences of a mysterious infection that had international policymakers and Ethiopian citizens concerned about his health for weeks. The disappearance of the man who had ruled from Addis Ababa for the past two decades - having come to power through guerrilla war against the communist Derg regime - has unleashed speculation regarding likely successors and an internal power struggle inside the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Less attention is being paid to the regional fallout of the death of this African titan - though the consequences of Meles' demise for the future of millions of Africans could be profound.

Message of Condolence from the President of Kenya

(Aug 24, 2012)

Ambassador Sam K. Ongeri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kenya met with Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, Acting Prime Minister of Ethiopia yesterday (August 23rd). Ambassador Ongeri brought a message of condolence message from the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. The Foreign Minister reiterated the deep sorrow of the Government and the people of Kenya and said that they also greatly felt the loss experienced by the people and Government of Ethiopia. Ambassador Ongeri said President Kibaki and the people of Kenya had been shocked to hear of the death of Prime Minister Meles who had been instrumental in strengthening the relations between Kenya and Ethiopia. The Foreign Minister extends the support of the government and people of Kenya at this difficult time. He said that Kenya hoped to continue to pick up the Prime Minister’s legacy and continue to strengthen the deep relationship between the two countries and accomplish the work in progress between them. He asked the Acting Prime Minister to continue to ensure the continuation of the results already achieved and coordinate continuing efforts. Ambassador Ongeri expressed his confidence that the new leadership would carry on the vision of the late Prime Minister and ensure the transition would go smoothly. Acting Prime Minster Hailemariam thanked the Kenyan Foreign Minister for his support of Ethiopia at this time. He said the late Prime Minister Meles was a statesman and visionary; his death was a great loss for Ethiopia and Africa, but his legacy would continue. Ethiopia was committed to continue the policies and strategies set by Prime Minister Meles. Ato Hailemariam extended his thanks to the Government of Kenya on behalf of the government and people of Ethiopia, and he assured the Foreign Minister that Ethiopia was ready to continue working closely with Kenya to ensure that the achievements in Somalia and between Sudan and South Sudan would be maintained and expanded.

Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam receives condolence message from South Sudan

(Aug 24, 2012)

Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, Acting Prime Minister of Ethiopia, yesterday received Mr. Nhial Deng Nhial, South Sudan’s Minster of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who conveyed a message of condolence message from President Saliva Kiir to the government people of Ethiopia.

Obama Speaks With Acting Ethiopian PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn (2011 photo)

August 24, 2012

U.S. President Barack Obama has urged Ethiopia's acting prime minister to promote "development, democracy, human rights, and regional security."

The funeral of Abune Paulos held

(Aug 23, 2012)


The Body of His Holiness , Abune Paulos, Fifth Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Ichege of the See of St. Tekle Haymanot, Archbishop of Axum and Presidents of the World Council of Churches buried at St. Trinity Cathedral Church.

The funeral of the late Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi

(Aug 23, 2012)

The National Committee established to carry out the arrangements for the burial of Prime Minister Meles have announced that the funeral will be held a week on Sunday, on September 2nd.

More condolences from world leaders

(Aug 23, 2012)

More condolences are coming from world leaders and friends of Ethiopia on the sudden and untimely death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi last Monday (August 20). President of the People’s Republic of China, Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao,. Dr. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki,

Congressional Caucus on Ethiopia and Ethiopian Americans Statement sends condolence

(Aug 23, 2012)

The US Congressional Caucus on Ethiopia and Ethiopian Americans has expressed its condolences on the untimely and sudden death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on the Death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

Statement by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on the Death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, NY
August 21, 2012
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

I am profoundly saddened by the untimely passing of my close friend and cherished colleague, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. My family and I extend our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Azeb, and their children, and to the Government and people of Ethiopia. Prime Minister Meles leaves behind an indelible legacy of major contributions to Ethiopia, Africa, and the world. His loss will be greatly felt in so many places in so many ways.

PM Meles Speech in Togo Lomi - 1991 E.C

The Speech is made by Mr. Meles defending Ethiopia's postion as the AU headquarter.

Remembering Meles Zenawi

webmaster@africanidea.org

August 21, 2012
Ghelawdewos Araia

As the maxim goes, with all the best intentions in the world some sorrow remains, and there is no doubt that the family and extended family of Meles Zenawi are in deep sorrow for his untimely departure. Before I delve into the remembrance notes I like to extend my condolences to Azieb (Gola) Mesfin and his children.

Foreign Policy: The Meles Zenawi I Knew

by Barry Malone

I once asked Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died on Aug. 20 from an unspecified illness at age 57, whether he was a dictator. He grinned and then, stopping, just looked at me.

More... Nervously, I did what a journalist should never do, and filled the silence.

"A lot of people call you that," I said.

He told me he didn't care much what foreigners thought and that the people who described him that way were rarely his countrymen. "If Ethiopians thought that I was what you say, I would not sleep at night," he said. "But I don't believe they do."

Life and times of Meles Zenawi (1955-2012) by Zecharias Mengistu

By Zecharias Mengistu

Life and times of Meles Zenawi (1955-2012)

It was somewhat expected. It was coming, yet it has still hit this nation like a flying brick. Primeminister Meles Zenawi has died. It has been confirmed by state...TV. It still seems somewhat unreal that he is no longer with us. Even during the last few months of his life abroad, I always felt he was still at his desk in Arat Kilo thinking up another plot twist in our country's tiresome lengthy yet winning battle against poverty. But it's time to accept he will no longer be there, he has departed from this world.

A great documentary on MR. Meles Zenawi Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn speaks to the press

(Aug 22, 2012)
The Acting Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, spoke briefly to the press yesterday (August 21st), for the first time about the sudden and untimely death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

Ethiopians mourn a great leader as his body returns home

(Aug 22, 2012)

Thousands of mourning Ethiopians turned out on Tuesday as Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's body arrived at Addis Ababa airport last night .A military band played as the coffin, draped in an Ethiopian flag, was taken from the Ethiopian Airlines flight, and the ceremony was attended by ministers, military and religious leaders as well as diplomats.

Reactions from Europe

(Aug 21, 2012)

The European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said that Prime Minister Meles was a respected leader who demonstrated his strong personal commitment over many years to improving the lives of not just his own but all African peoples, through his work on African unity, climate change, development and in promoting peace and stability, particularly in the Horn of Africa.

Presidents Guelleh, Mussevini ,Kibaki send condolence

(Aug 21, 2012)

President of the Republic of Djibouti Ismael Omar Guelleh, and President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Musevini and President of the Republic of Kenya ,Mwai Kibaki have sent letters of condolences to President Girma Woldegiorgis, and Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn following the news of the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

AU and IGAD send condolences on the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi

(Aug 21, 2012)

The African Union Commission in a statement issued today (August 21), expressed its heartfelt condolences on "the untimely passing away of Ato Meles Zenawi, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia" adding that

Meles Zenawi's death: African leaders' reaction (Aug 21, 2012)

Aug 21, 2012



African and other leaders have been reacting to the news that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has died at the age of 57. South African President, Jacob Zuma, described Meles' death as "an absolute tragedy for Africa and the people of Ethiopia to mourn such an exceptional leader who contributed as an active role-player in various continental and global initiatives".

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi passes away

NEWS
(Aug 21, 2012)

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, passed away at midnight, (August 20th) due to an illness  for which he had been receiving treatment abroad for the past two months. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was a visionary leader who dedicated his entire life to the fight against the brutal military Derg regime and then to the battle to lift the people of Ethiopia out of poverty.  As the head of the executive for the past 21 years, Prime Minister Meles was not only a leader who led his country into a new chapter of development, peace, and democracy but a  person who will always be remembered as a champion of the cause of Africa in international fora.  The Council of Minister said “Meles was Africa’s apostle of change”. It said “the loss the far-sighted great leader Meles is not only a loss to Ethiopia and Africa, but also to the world.” The statement said Ethiopia had “started seeing light at the end of the tunnel through the projects of peace, democracy and development developed through Meles’s great leadership”. It added: “we shall only be consoled by our commitment to bring to end what Prime Minister Meles started in his years of leadership.” The Council of Ministers has announced that in accordance with the constitution Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will continue to lead the Council of Ministers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Prime Minister Meles and to the peoples of Ethiopia. The Prime Minister's body is expected to return to Ethiopia this evening. Details of the funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Belaynesh the first Ethiopian-born Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia

Israel’s Ambassador presents credentials (Aug 16, 2012)

Israel’s newly appointed Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia presented her credentials to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, today (August 14). The Deputy Prime Minister, who noted that Ethiopia and Israel’s historic bilateral relationship was excellent, said the appointment of Ambassador Belaynesh the first Ethiopian-born Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia, was a great opportunity to raise the relationship to an even higher level.

Indonesia extends support to Ethiopia’s GTP: Ambassador

(Aug 17, 2012)

The Indonesian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ramli Saud, said in a press conference on Thursday (August 16th) that Indonesia would be extending support to Ethiopia’s effort to realize the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Indonesia is celebrating its 67th year of independence, and the Ambassador paid tribute to the historical contribution of Ethiopia to the independence of Indonesia.

Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, passes away (Aug 16, 2012)

8/17/2012


His Holiness, Abune Paulos, Fifth Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Ichege of the See of St. Tekle Haymanot, Archbishop of Axum and one of the seven serving Presidents of the World Council of Churches passed away today (August 16) due to an illness for which His Holiness had been receiving treatment for over the past week here in Addis Ababa. Abune Paulos was born in 1935 in Adwa woreda of Tigray region, and entered the Abba Garima Monastery as a young boy to train as a deacon, eventually taking monastic orders and being ordained a priest.

Ethiopian Airlines today became the first airline in the world outside Japan

8/17/2012

Ethiopian Airlines today became the first airline in the world outside Japan to fly paying passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The carrier entered the aviation history books today at 12:50 p.m. ET, inaugurating passenger service on the jet around 1:30 p.m. with a special flight from Washington Dulles to the carrier's hub in Addis Ababa. Today's flight comes just two days after Ethiopian officially took delivery of the first commercial jet to be made from carbon fiber construction instead of more-traditional aluminum and steel.

Ethiopia Ranks Second in Africa in London Olympic

Sunday, 12 August 2012
The country got all the three gold medals by its female athletes while its male athletes failed to get one. Out of the total seven medals the women claimed five.

Ethiopians lost their final hope of getting gold in men’s marathon at the concluding day of the London Olympic 2012 when the unexpected Ugandan Athlete Stephen Kiprotich won the country’s second-ever Olympic gold medal.

Meles is in regular contact with Thabo Mbeki over the issue of Sudan, says an official

8/10/2012
The prolonged absence of Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia’s usually hyperactive prime minister, has sparked a covert succession struggle at home and prompted fears farther afield for a future without one of east Africa’s diplomatic and security linchpins.

Government officials say Mr Meles, who has not been seen in public since mid-June, is recovering from a serious illness, but they deny opposition rumours that he is dead or dying at a hospital in Brussels.

Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Brewed Up by Chef Marcus Samuelsson and Cafe Colucci at SF Chefs

Hiwot Tadesse makes coffee, the Ethiopian way

It's 10am and I'm part of a crowd in the middle of one of the Financial District’s temples to the caffeine-fueled lifestyle. But instead of jittery office workers gulping their lattes, I see an incongruous cultural scene for a downtown java joint. Flanking the gleaming espresso bar, a raised platform is strewn with long grasses and bright yellow flowers, set with baskets, carved wooden boxes and trays of tiny white cups. Just like the mothers and grandmothers of many generations have done before her, a lovely Ethiopian woman in an embroidered dress stirs a pan of coffee beans over a blue flame, while aromatic curls of incense waft across the room

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines unveils B787 Dream Interior

8/7/2012


Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines unveils B787 Dream Interior

Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Africa, is proud to unveil the special features of its B787 Dreamliner. The airline will be the first outside Japan to receive the Dreamliner on 14 August 2012. The Dreamliner applies breakthrough technologies of the 21st century and takes passenger comfort and overall travel experience to a whole new level.

8 Ethiopian sites are inscribed on the UNESCO/World Heritage List

Ethiopia ratified the World Heritage Convention on 6 July 1977

The Inscription of Aksum on the World Heritage List
Aksum’s archaeological site was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1980.
The ruins of the site are highly distinctive and spread over a very wide area, including stelae of imposing height, an enormous table of stone, vestiges of columns, and royal tombs inscribed with Aksumite legends and traditions. The giant stelae include the largest monolith ever carved by human hands. The stelae are unique creations. As masterpieces of human creative genius, they qualify Aksum for inclusion on the World Heritage List. As an urban ensemble, the site was inscribed as featuring testimonies to cultural, architectural and technological developments which illustrate a significant stage in human history. Elements of the site are consequently of outstanding universal value from the historical, artistic and scientific points of view.

Ethiopian Airlines to Receive its first Boeing 787 on August 14

Press Release
8/6/2012

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Africa, is pleased to announce that it will take delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on August 14, 2012, in Seattle, Washington.


Ethiopian Airlines to Receive its first Boeing 787 on August 14


Ethiopian is proud to be the first airline from Africa, Europe, Americas and Middle East to take delivery of the Dreamliner, and to be able to offer its passengers the ultimate travel experience on-board this game changing aircraft before other carriers. “The fact that we are the first airline outside Japan to receive this ultra modern aircraft is an affirmation of our continuing pioneering role in African aviation. It is also a testimony of our commitment to give our passengers the best possible travel experience, with the best industry products and services.,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian.

Nile Hurdles-- By Dr Kinfe Abraham

Psycho- Political Roadblocks to an Agreement and the Way Forward Toward a Rapprochement



By Dr Kinfe Abraham

Team Ethiopia London 2012 Long Distance Events Preview

Ethiopian athletes have taken five of the six gold medals on offer in both the men’s and women’s event in the last three Olympic Games and anything else has become unacceptable for Ethiopians who have come to define gold in this marquee event as a minimum return for their passionate following of the team.

Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh
In the last two years following injuries to 2008 double Olympic champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia’s vanguard event and success has been threatened by sparing success from Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, who took the 5000m and 10000m double at the world championships in Daegu last year, and Britain’s Somali-born European double champion Mohammed Farah, who after years of mediocrity has established himself as one of the athletes to watch out for in both men’s events.
Both Cheruiyot and Farah will again be hoping to claim major Ethiopian scalps this year, but they will face a resurgent Ethiopian team with both Dibaba and Bekele returning from injury to lead the squad over the 5000m and a crop of young stars emerging in the men’s 5000m, perhaps a timely answer to calls by fans for fresh faces in Ethiopia’s major championship squads.