Friday, October 31, 2014

Ethiopia withdraws as Cecafa Challenge Cup hosts

Cecafa secretary general Nicholas speaks to Goal.
Cecafa reveal to Goal that Ethiopia have pulled out as this year’s Senior Challenge Cup hosts and that a replacement will be announced next week

Ethiopia have pulled out as this year’s Council of East and Central Africa (Cecafa) Senior Challenge Cup hosts.

Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye has revealed to Goal that Ethiopia will not be in a position to stage the regional tournament due to ‘personal issues.’

Regulator opens new statutory inquiry into Ethiopian church

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church St Mary of Debre Tsion
And, as earlier this year in a separate case, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church St Mary of Debre Tsion has appealed to the charity tribunal

The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into a London-based Ethiopian church for the second time this year.

The trustees of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church St Mary of Debre Tsion have appealed to the charity tribunal against the opening of the inquiry, also for the second time this year.

A spokeswoman for the commission said it had opened an inquiry into the church on 6 October 2014. She said the commission would make no further comment until it made a public statement on the opening of the inquiry.

U.S. Deeply Concerned by Sentence of Ethiopian Journalist-Press Statement

Jen Psaki
Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
October 30, 2014

The United States is deeply concerned by the October 27 sentencing of Ethiopian journalist Temesgen Desalegn to three years in prison for “provocation and dissemination of inaccurate information.” Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are fundamental elements of a democratic society, and the promotion and protection of these rights and freedoms are basic responsibilities of democratic governments.
As President Obama stated during his meeting in September with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam, it is important that Ethiopia’s progress and positive example on economic development and regional conflict resolution extends to civil society as well. We urge Ethiopia to make similar progress with regard to respect for press freedom and the free flow of ideas and reiterate our call for the Ethiopian government to release journalists imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
http://www.state.gov

Thursday, October 30, 2014

ADFF: ‘Difret’ has a powerful message


Heart-wrenching Ethiopian film is based on a true story about a 14-year-old fighting for justice
This year’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) is bringing us some of the best films from around the world in different genres, but for a film to inspire and encourage the feminist in you, we think we have found a winner: Difret.
The film marked its premiere in the Middle East and North Africa on Tuesday at ADFF.
Difret tells the story of a 14-year-old Ethiopian girl (played by Tizita Hagere) who is abducted and raped on her way home from school by a much older man who had planned to marry her against her will. The girl, Hirut, grabs the man’s rifle, and tries to escape, but ends up shooting him dead.
Based on real events that sparked outrage in Ethiopia 20 years ago, the film also follows a lawyer, Maeza Ashenafi (played by Meron Getnet), who works at a women’s association, and takes on the job of defending Hirut in court.

Interview With Ethiopia's Ministry of Water Irrigation & Energy



Gosaye Mengistie of Ethiopia's Ministry of Water Irrigation & Energy discusses the collaboration with Huawei in that country.

Donegal’s All-Star goalkeeper Paul Durcan to take part in Great Ethiopian Run

Donegal’s All-Star goalkeeper Paul Durcan is all set to take part in Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa as well as acting as ambassador for the project.
Paul and his girlfriend, Edel Gannon, will be running and aiming to raise much needed funds for the poorest of the poor.
Fr Michael Mc Cullagh from Dungloe formed VLM (Vincentian Lay Missionaries) in 2002 and for the past 12 years they have done trojan work for the poorest of the poor in Ethiopia.
The charity has two directors from Donegal, Fr. McCullagh and Paul McLoone from Ballyshannon.
Durcan said, “I met Fr. Michael in recent times and I am delighted to be able to help in some small way with the magnificent work that VLM are undertaking in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Commits to Restore One-Sixth of its Land

Communities such as this one in the Loka Abaya watershed in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley are the most vulnerable to the impacts of environmental degradation, and are among the communities most enthusiastic about restoring their lands. Photo Credit: Aaron Minnick/WRI
At the UN Climate Summit last month, an alliance of governments, companies, and civil society issued the New York Declaration on Forests. This declaration includes a pledge to restore 350 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes by2030.
Several countries confirmed their commitment to restore millions of hectares of degraded land, with Ethiopia making one of the most significant pledges. The country set a target to restore 15 million hectares of degraded and deforested land into productivity by 2025—that’s one-sixth of the country’s total land area, a swath larger than Bangladesh.
The significance of this commitment cannot be overstated. Not only does it position Ethiopia as a global leader in the restoration movement, but following through on this pledge could yield environmental, social, and economic benefits for communities throughout the country.

Ethiopia’s Long and Winding Road to Restoration

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Green Technology Africa announces 300 MW PV project in Ethiopia

Utility Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), headed by Engineer Azeb Asnake, on October 14th, 2014 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US-based company Green Technology Africa Inc. (GTA) to develop a 300 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power project, GTA announced.

EEP declines to discuss details
Azeb Asnake confirmed the deal but declined to discuss details. “We are not ready to give any further details about the project and the MoU signed with the GTA,” said Misiker Negash, external relations director at the EEP.
GTA has, nevertheless, published the story on its website, applauding the Ethiopian government for, “supporting organizations that have been launched internationally by Ethiopians that have acquired years of training and professional expertise overseas and choose to return home to go with local specialists to demonstrate best practices and solutions for a greener Ethiopia.”
Green Technology Africa Inc. (GTA) was founded in Arlington, Virginia, US, by Dereje Mesfin to supply innovative energy technologies for local and international business. 
http://www.solarserver.com

Spike in Eritreans fleeing into Ethiopia

Over 200 Eritrean refugees are crossing the heavily fortified and dangerous border into arch-foe Ethiopia daily, the United Nations said in a report noting a "spike" in those fleeing.
Tens of thousands have now run away from the autocratic Horn of Africa country, escaping open-ended conscription and the iron-grip rule of President Issaias Afeworki, with many continuing northwards to brave the often harrowing journey towards Europe.
"The number of daily refugee arrivals spiked since the first week of September," the October report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) read.
"At present, more than 200 Eritreans cross the Ethiopian border each day."
Over 3,500 Eritreans have fled into northern Ethiopia in the past two months, taking the total to over 104,000 Eritrean refugees in the country.

The Next Shirt You Buy May Say 'Made In Ethiopia.' Here's Why

People working on the assembly line in April 2012 at Huajian shoe factory in Dukem, Ethiopia. (Getty)
"Made in China" may be leaving your wardrobe.
As labor costs in the "world's factory" continue to rise dramatically, global fashion brands are looking elsewhere to source apparel. In addition to established hubs like Bangladesh and Vietnam, the garment game is ripe for new players: Myanmar (Burma), Haiti and Ethiopia, among others, are looking to rejuvenate a once-thriving trade or even build one entirely from scratch.
China will shed approximately 85 million manufacturing jobs in the coming years, which some development experts say could be a golden opportunity for producing economic development, a la South Korea. The standard narrative: Start at the bottom with low-skill, basic textile manufacturing (like T-shirts) and work your way up to more complex garments (like suits), then to more complex goods like electronics.
Improved quality of life and a rising consumer class will naturally follow, creating sustainable and natural growth in China. At that point, garment assembly would be seen as lowbrow.
"You don't make tanks out of textiles," says Derek Scissors, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Swedish Migration Board decided Idol sensation to return to Ethiopia

18-year-old Sharon Abraham from Sundsvall, who became nationally famous by the TV show idol, has now been informed by the Migration Board that she must return to Ethiopia. But it is uncertain whether Ethiopia will receive her.

It was clear that Sharon and some friends visited her Ethiopian Embassy yesterday. The embassy is not ready to issue any travel documents.

- Because Sharon has no passport or identification documents, they said at the embassy that she will not be able to get into Ethiopia, says Åsa Johansson, who is a friend of Sharon and was featured at the embassy yesterday.

Jury Finds Tsarnaev Friend Ethiopian Robel Phillipos Guilty of Lying to Investigators

Robel Phillipos left court without speaking to reporters on Tuesday after being found guilty of lying to investigators.
The jury in the trial of the friend of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev found Robel Phillipos guilty of two counts of lying to investigators in a terrorism investigation. Each count carried a maximum sentence of eight years.



Reporters in the courtroom said neither Phillipos nor his family members showed any emotion when the verdict was read. He will remain on house arrest until his sentencing, which is scheduled for January 29. Defense attorneys for Phillipos said outside the courtroom that they would file an appeal in the case.

“Today, we are really gratified with jury’s verdict,” US Attorney Carmen Ortiz said in a statement. “With the verdict today, the jury got it exactly right.”

Prosecutors alleged that Phillipos, 21,intentionally lied about his whereabouts and what he saw on April 18, 2013, when he and two friends allegedly visited Tsarnaev’s dorm room. Prosecutors said Phillipos looked on as the friends removed a backpack allegedly holding some of Tsarnaev’s things, including fireworks, after the Marathon bombings. They argued that Phillipos originally told investigators a different version of events, but then admitted to lying in a signed confession during his fifth interview with investigators.

Eritrean resistance steps up pressure on President Isaias Afewerki

Two opposition members tell the Guardian how Eritreans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the repressive regime
Eritrea’s president, Isaias Afewerki, runs a one-party state and brooks no opposition. Photograph: James Akena/Reuters

Eritrea is the most closed and repressive country in Africa, routinely denying access to the international media. No foreign journalists are based in the country and there is no independent local press. However, in a rare and courageous breach of the wall of silence, members of the internal opposition spoke to the Guardian and Radio France International last weekend.

Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993 Eritrea has been ruled by as a one-party state by President Isaias Afewerki, who brooks no opposition.

Two members of the Eritrean resistance, speaking via a secure connection, described conditions inside the country. “Essentials like water, electricity or petrol have disappeared,” they said. Food is so expensive that even middle-class families find it difficult to find enough to eat.

They said tension in the capital, Asmara, is high, with reports of trucks filled with Ethiopian “mercenaries” – from the Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM), known locally as Demhit, which Eritrea supports – ringing the city. The last round of compulsory military service failed, with only around 50 of the expected 400 conscripts reporting for duty. “We think it is highly likely that Demhit will carry out a door to door sweep to round up recruits,” said Sami (not his real name).

At least 18 Ethiopian heading to Nairobi arrested and charged in Waji

The Ethiopians at Wajir law courts facing charges of being in the country unlawfully
More than eighteen Ethiopian aliens were over the weekend arrested in Wajir county for being in the county unlawfully.

The aliens on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the charges before Wajir resident magistrate Bildad Rogoncho. They were each sentenced to two years' in prison with the option of a fine of Sh100,000 each. Rogoncho also ordered their repatriation after they serve their sentences.

In his judgment, Rogoncho noted that in the wake of the Ebola threat it was important for countries to monitor their border activities as a safety precaution.

“For failure of the accused persons to maintain relevant documents before travelling to Kenya, this court will not shy away from sending a strong message to others who may want to follow suit,” he said.

Monday, October 27, 2014

NYPD: Nun Visiting New York From Ethiopia Missing


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A nun visiting the U.S. from Ethiopia is missing, the NYPD said.
Tadelech Yohanis, 30, was last seen at around 2 p.m. last Thursday. at Sacred Heart Convent on the Lower East Side.
Yohanis arrived in the U.S. Oct. 6 and was set to leave Sunday, Oct. 26.
On the 23rd, Yohanis left the convent with her passport and hasn’t returned, police said.
Yohanis is “in good mental condition” and is 5’9″ and about 150 pounds, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website at or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are confidential.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/

Amnesty Says Ethiopia Detains 5,000 Oromos Illegally Since 2011

Ethiopia’s government illegally detained at least 5,000 members of the country’s most populous ethnic group, the Oromo, over the past four years as it seeks to crush political dissent, Amnesty International said.

Victims include politicians, students, singers and civil servants, sometimes only for wearing Oromo traditional dress, or for holding influential positions within the community, the London-based advocacy group said in a report today. Most people were detained without charge, some for years, with many tortured and dozens killed, it said.

Ethiopian court sentences journalist to three years in prison

Temesghen Desalegn

Nairobi, October 27, 2014--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today's sentencing of Ethiopian journalist Temesghen Desalegn to three years' imprisonment on charges of defamation and incitement that date back to 2012. A court in Addis Ababa, the capital, convicted Temesgen on October 13 in connection with opinion pieces published in the now-defunct Feteh news magazine, according to news reports. He was arrested the same day. Authorities have routinely targeted Temesghen for his writing. Temesghen's lawyer said he plans to appeal the ruling, according to local journalists.

Ethiopian government signs $865 mln railway financing

(Adds details of ECA financing, banker's quote)

By Sandrine Bradley

Oct 27 (Reuters) - The Ethiopian government has closed a $865 million financing package that funds the development of some of the country's railway infrastructure.

The proceeds of the financing will be used to build the Awash-Weldia/Hara Gebeya Railway Project, one of the key railway corridors that will form part of the National Railway Network of Ethiopia.

The financing is split between a $450 million seven-year commercial loan, which includes a syndicate of lenders from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the US, and pays 375 basis points over Libor.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Speaks to the press from Addis Ababa

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It’s a great pleasure to visit Addis Ababa again at this time.  I am very pleased  to be joined by Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group; and I also appreciate our partners from the African Union, the Islamic Development Bank and the European Union.

Our organizations are united in our determination to support the Horn of Africa.

This is my third joint visit with World Bank President Kim and our partner organizations.  Our visits last year to the Great Lakes and the Sahel provided timely political and financial support to those regions.  We hope to do the same here this week as we visit Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya.

We are carrying three main messages.

Ethiopian Aberu Kebede win BMW Frankfurt Marathon

Aberu Kebede
Aberu Kebede upstaged her male counterparts at the BMW Frankfurt Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, when she won in 2:22:21 on Sunday (26).
For much of the second half of the race, Kebede looked set to break the course record of 2:21:01 set by her compatriot Meselech Melkamu two years ago, and she reached the 35km mark in 1:56:38 after having been out on her own from just after the halfway point, but she tired over the final four kilometres and Melkamu’s mark slipped from her grasp.
Despite her win in the third fastest time of her 13-marathon career, with six wins now to her name, there will be an element of disappointment for Kebede that she did not run faster.
At the pre-race press conference, she openly talked about reducing her personal best of 2:20:30 set two years ago when winning in Berlin.
Kenya’s 2011 IAAF World Championships bronze medallist Sharon Cherop was second with 2:23:44.

Ethiopia's Behailu Mamo and Konjit Tilahun savour victory in Venice

Behailu Mamo
Ethiopia claimed a winning double at the 29th edition of the Venice Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, thanks to Behailu Mamo and Konjit Tilahun on Sunday (26).
Mamo crossed the finish line in 2:16.45 while Tilahun justified her mantle of favourite for the women’s race and won in 2:40:20, the times slowed by strong winds. In fact, the women's winning time was the slowest in the race's history, almost 17minutes adrift of the women's course record of 2:23:37 set by Kenya's Helen Kirop three years ago.
The men’s race set off at a very restrained pace. Kenyan pacemaker Robert Ndiwa went through the first 5km in 15.52 while towing a quartet of his compatriots:Donald Sambu, Weldon Korir and Elijah Serem and Joseph Kiptum, the latter being the fastest man in the field with a best of 2:09:56, as well as Mamo.
Ndiwa, who was designated to pace the race until 25km, then sped up just before at 10km with a 2:59 kilometre, passing 10km in 31:17 but Mamo decided to reel in the rampant pacemaker at 15km and pulled away from the chasing group of Kiptum, Serem and Korir before closing the gap on Ndiwa.
The race then settled down and continued at a modest pace: 15km in 46:58, 21km in 1:05:52 and 25km in 1:18:08.

“The Ethiopians” -Organized Criminals in South AFrica


In the criminal underworld they’re known as “The Ethiopians” - a brazen syndicate linked to several truck hijackings, warehouse and mall robberies. Their loot of choice? Designer jeans, mobile phones and electronics. Carte Blanche investigates.

http://carteblanche.dstv.com

Eritrea, Ethiopia among 10 countries most affected by hunger


Time is dwindling to meet the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations’ blueprint to tackle an array of large-scale global problems by a target date of 2015. One of those goals, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, has seen progress, but there’s still work to be done.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute’s 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI), released last week, hunger in developing countries has decreased by 39% since 1990. However, the global state of hunger remains in the “serious” category — the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 805 million people continue to go hungry around the world.
In fact, Burundi and Eritrea fall into the “extremely alarming” category of hunger (the highest level), while 14 other countries’ levels of hunger are “alarming.”

        

Cranes line up Ethiopia

It is exactly nineteen days before The Cranes take on Ghana in a must-win 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Namboole stadium.
Four days later, Uganda will lock horns with Guinea in the decisive fixture to be played on neutral ground in Morocco. And bearing in mind the magnitude of these encounters, The Cranes technical team are leaving no stone unturned in a bid to have the ideal preparations. That is why The Cranes will be engaged in two international friendly matches against Ethiopia and Sudan on November 9 and 11 respectively.
To many observers, these friendly games couldn’t have been scheduled at a better time. In fact, following Cranes’ below-par display in their last round of qualifying games against Togo, that saw them lose 1-0 both home and away, fixtures against Ethiopia and Sudan are seen as an opportunity for Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic to work out some new tactical approaches.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

56 Ethiopians appear in Zimbabwean court

56 Ethiopian nationals who allegedly entered the country illegally through Nyamapanda Border Post have appeared in court facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act.

Belachaw Abyo aged 28 and 55 others, some of whom are as young as 15, were not asked to plead to contravening section 29 (1) of the Immigration Act chapter 4.2 of unlawful entry and remaining in the country without permits.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Ethiopia release 26 foreign pilots, helicopters

The Ethiopian government last week released five helicopters with 26 foreign crew members who recently entered Ethiopian air space without legal permission.


The five Russian-made civilian helicopters belong to a leasing company based in Khartoum, Sudan. The leasing company is registered in Sudan and operates in different African countries. The helicopters were leased by the Tanzanian government. Three weeks ago the helicopters departed from Khartoum and were heading to Dar es Salaam. Sources at the Ethiopian Ministry of Defense told The Reporter that prior to their departure the pilots did not communicate with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) to secure a fly-over permission.  Sources said the pilots wanted to land in Bahir Dar town of the Amhara Regional State to refuel.  Since helicopters have limited fuel-carrying capacity they make frequent landings to refuel on long flights. A helicopter consumes up to 800 liters of jet fuel an hour.

Pankhurst memorial restored to original name

Ethiopian Reminiscences - Rita and Richard Pankhurst


Britain's first ever anti-war memorial has been restored and renamed to coincide with World Disarmament Day. 

The monument was commissioned by leading suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst and sculpted by Eric Benfield outside her 'Red Cottage' off the High Road, Woodford Green, in 1935. 

In an article published by Ms Pankhurst in 1936, she referred to the grade II listed monument as the 'Anti-Air War Memorial' but over the years had misleadingly become known as the 'Anti-Abyssinian War Memorial' - Abyssinia being the historical name for Ethiopia. 

In her later life, Ms Pankhurst left Woodford Green for good and migrated to Ethiopia on the invitation of her good friend Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. 

She died aged 78 in the country's capital Addis Ababa and was named an 'honorary Ethiopian' at her state funeral.

INSPIRED BY GEBRSELASSIE, MEKONNEN AIMS TO BREAK ETHIOPIAN RECORD IN FRANKFURT

Tsegaye Mekonnen 
Distance-running legend Haile Gebrselassie has encouraged Tsegaye Mekonnen to attack his own Ethiopian record at the BMW Frankfurt Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on Sunday (26).
It's also thanks to Gebrselassie that Mekonnen has chosen Frankfurt for his latest marathon outing. The 19-year-old teenage sensation clocked a stunning, though unofficial, world junior best of 2:04:32 when he won the Dubai Marathon in January on his debut at the distance.
Now he hopes to improve that mark and has set himself the target of breaking Gebrselassie’s national record of 2:03:59, which was a world record at the time when he ran it in Berlin in 2008.
While Mekonnen hopes to become the first non-Kenyan men’s champion since 2001, there is also the possibility that Germany’s oldest city marathon will have its first double Ethiopian win on Sunday, as Aberu Kebede and Meselech Melkamu are strong contenders in the women’s race.
All three Ethiopians appeared confident in Frankfurt.

Cancer on the rise in Ethiopia: Official

Colorectal cancer is the leading cancer in males followed by leukemia and prostate cancer, according to the registry
An Ethiopian official said Saturday that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and particularly cancer are alarmingly increasing in Ethiopia.
"Earlier NCDs were considered as problems affecting developed countries," Dr. Mahlet Kifle of the Health Ministry told Anadolu Agency.
"Currently, they are affecting developing countries like Ethiopia as the lifestyle in such countries is being changed," Kifle said.
According to the Addis Ababa Cancer Registry, a total of over 5700 cancer cases were recorded in Addis Ababa in the period from September 2011 to August 2014.
The registry indicates that females constitute 67 percent of cancer cases in Addis Ababa, while 33 per cent are said to be males.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Police arrest 57 Ethiopians

The Star Kenya 

AP officers from Githurai on Wednesday arrested 57 Ethiopians in Kahawa Wendani area. Ruiru police chief Hesbon Lusweti led a team that found the foreigners in a house belonging to resident John Ngigi.
The Ethiopians were in transit to South Africa. The suspects and their Kenyan host were taken to Kasarani Police Station. They were due to appear in court yesterday.
The leader of immigrants, Melisa Manage, escaped during the raid.

 http://www.the-star.co.ke

200 Ethiopian volunteers to join West Africa Ebola fight

The Africa Report

In response to an urgent appeal by the African Union for medical staff to avert West Africa's health crisis, Ethiopia has pledged to send 200 volunteer health workers to countries hit by the Ebola outbreak.
DRC and Nigeria have also announced plans to respond to AU's call for member countries to show solidarity in the fight against Ebola.
Several African member states have pledged to send in a number of health workers
Last week, AU appealed to member states to contribute to the Ebola fight, after Liberian officials lamented a lack of solidarity in their struggle to contain the outbreak.

Ethiopia should wake up and smell the coffee

Financial Times

Ethiopia, Africa’s biggest coffee producer, will benefit from unusually dry weather in Brazil that has lowered the output and helped lift the price of Arabica beans. Arabica prices surged to a three-year high – to over 200 US cents per pound – in October, which is expected to lift Ethiopia’s coffee export earnings by 25 per cent to $900m this year.
But Ethiopia is missing an opportunity to make a lot more money from arabica, which originated in the country’s highlands, and is considered the superior of two main varieties of coffee bean (the other, robusta, is more bitter and tends to be used to make instant coffee).
A note from Ecobank said that:
Ethiopia could position itself as a low-cost Arabica naturals producer, but it faces constraints, notably an inefficient supply chain and the low productivity of smallholder coffee farmers.

David Cameron writes to Ethiopian PM on behalf of British political dissident on death row

The 59-year-old sought asylum in Britain in 1979 after being threatened by Ethiopian authorities over his political beliefs
The Prime Minister has personally intervened in the case of a British father-of-three facing the death sentence in Ethiopia, after the man’s children appealed for his help.
David Cameron wrote to the Ethiopian Prime Minister in a bid to save the life of Andargachew “Andy” Tsege, 59, whose plight was revealed by The Independent last Friday.
His actions were in response to what he described as “very touching messages” from Mr Tsege’s children, who are calling for the Prime Minister to help get their father home.
Mr Tsege, who came to Britain as a political refugee in 1979, was arrested at an airport in Yemen in June and promptly vanished. Two weeks later it emerged he had been sent to Ethiopia, where he has been imprisoned ever since. The Briton, a prominent opponent of the Ethiopian regime, is facing a death sentence imposed five years ago at a trial held in his absence.
Menabe, his seven-year-old daughter, recently wrote to Mr Cameron asking him to help get her “kind, loving and caring dad” out of prison. Her twin brother, seven-year-old Yilak, simply asked: “What are you doing to get my dad out of jail?” Mr Tsege’s 15-year-old daughter, Helawit, summed up the mood of the family in her letter: “Please, please, please (!) bring him back soon. We miss him so much.”

No Lipstick in Lebanon:Book Project about the life of Ethiopian Maid in Beirut




The Synopsis

 Her devout mother was firmly against it. But as a teenager drifting through the drudgery of Addis Ababa’s slums, the possibility of earning dollars as a maid in Beirut was irresistible. Why shouldn’t a poor Ethiopian girl choose her own destiny? Except that Meron Lemma, like so many other Habesha (Ethiopian) migrants to the Middle East, had no idea what she was doing.
The ugly truth hit Meron as she peered down thirteen storeys to the Beirut street below. Trapped and mistreated by the harsh Madame and callous offspring in a tempestuous penthouse-cum-prison, Meron wondered if she’d return to her mother in a coffin. Was jumping from the balcony the only escape? What would happen if Madame’s son, Shafeek, showed interested in Meron? And why did Meron provoke such spite in Madame’s two daughters? How could Meron’s Habesha spirit hold out against this daily onslaught? Would her wit, memory and Bible verse be enough?

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Uganda, Kenya fall as Tanzania, Ethiopia Rise in Latest FIFA Rankings


Uganda has fallen five places according to the latest Coca Cola FIFA rankings released on Thursday October 24.

Uganda; 79th last month is now ranked 84th in the world and 21st in Africa with 389 points.

The fall is attributed to the back-to-back losses to Togo in the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers and Uganda Cubs' (U-17) failure to go past Zambia in the Africa Youth Championship qualifiers.

Neighbours Kenya have also fallen five places from 111st to 116; a fall attributed to losses against Morocco and Egypt in international friendlies.
However, there was rise for Tanzania and Ethiopia who are now ranked 110 and 111 in the world respectively. Ethiopia were the biggest movers rising 21 places from 132 last month.

Building a big, bold, beautiful market | Eleni Gabre-Madhin | TEDxWBG

Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of eleni LLC, a newly formed company with equity investments by Morgan Stanley, IFC, and 8 Miles Fund, that is positioned to be the industry leader in designing, building, and supporting the operations of commodity exchange eco-systems in frontier markets. The company’s business model is to deliver exchange turnkey projects on a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) basis. Eleni Gabre-Madhin is the founder and former CEO of the highly acclaimed Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX), which she founded and managed from 2008 to late 2012, successfully trading $1.2 billion annually after 3 years of operation. A globally recognized thought leader on agricultural commodity markets and African development, she has held prior roles at the World Bank, the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, and UNCTAD in Geneva. Eleni has been named among the 125 Global Women of Impact by Newsweek in April 2013, among 100 Most Influential Africans by New African in 2012, and received the prestigious Yara Prize for Agricultural Transformation in Africa and the African Banker Icon Award, both in 2012.

        

http://www.tedxwbg.com

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Addis Ababa’s monorail project keeps Ethiopia on track for transformation

Addis Ababa’s $475m light railway system, part of a five-year growth plan, covers a 21-mile stretch through the Ethiopian capital. Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty
Although there will be shortfalls in the country’s infrastructure programme, the railway will be an impressive achievement

Out of the dust and rubble of decimated junctions, soaring slabs of concrete are returning a semblance of order to the centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s mushrooming capital.

The edifices are there to prop up Africa’s first light rail system, an arresting sign of Ethiopia’s progress since the dark days of famine and military rule (pdf) in the 1980s. The government hopes the project, funded and built by China, will be running next year – possibly in time to transport voters to polling booths at national elections in May.

Ethiopia, 30 years after the famine

Three decades after images that shocked the world, country has become darling of the global development community – and the scourge of the human rights lobby
 A man walks past a portion of the Addis Ababa light railway under construction in Addis Ababa. Photograph: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images

With an Einsteinian shock of hair and a wise man’s beard, Mulugeta Tesfakiros, just off a flight from Washington, settled into an office of glass walls and vibrant artworks in Addis Ababa. The millionaire magnate, who has gone into the local wine business with Bob Geldof, mused on the new Ethiopia: “Most of the people need first security, second food … and democracy after that.”

An hour’s drive away stand the corrugated iron watchtowers of a prison. The inmates include nine bloggers and journalists charged with terrorism. Standing in a bleak courtyard on a family visit day, they talked about how they had been tortured.

“I feel like I don’t know Ethiopia,” one said. “It’s a totally different country for me.”

Ethiopian children in a refugee camp during the famine. Photograph: William Campbell/Sygma/Corbis
This is the Janus-faced society that is the second most populous country in Africa. A generation after the famine that pierced the conscience of the world, Ethiopia is both a darling of the international development community and a scourge of the human rights lobby. Even as investment conferences praise it as a trailblazer the entire continent should emulate, organisations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) describe it as “one of the most repressive media environments in the world”.
To be in Ethiopia is to witness an economic miracle. The country has enjoyed close to double-digit growth for a decade. One study found it was creating millionaires faster than anywhere else on the continent. The streets of Addis Ababa reverberate with hammering from construction workers as the concrete skeletons of new towers and a monorail project rise into the crane-dotted sky. Ethiopia’s government says it is on course to meet most of the millennium development goals and, by 2025, to be a middle-income country.

Asian Paints to buy 51% stake in Ethiopia-based Kadisco Paint

The acquisition will enable the company to expand its international footprint

Asian Paints will acquire 51% stake in Ethiopia-based Kadisco Paint through its Singapore-based subsidiary Berger International for an undisclosed sum.

"Berger International Limited, Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary of Asian Paints (International) Limited on October 22, 2014 has signed a share purchase agreement and other definitive agreements and documents to acquire 51% stake in Kadisco," Asian Paints informed the BSE.

Ethiopia’s ‘African tiger’ leaps towards middle income

People wait for a bus in Addis Ababa. The government has launched an ambitious modernisation plan in the Ethiopian capital. Photograph: Giorgio Cosulich/Getty
Progress has been remarkable since 1984’s ‘biblical famine’, but inequality, ethnic tension and civil rights issues need to be addressed
It is now three decades since Ethiopia experienced the infamous famine that cost the lives of more than a million people. The tragedy prompted the BBC’s Michael Buerk to describe it as “a biblical famine in the 20th century” and “the closest thing to hell on Earth”.

In sharp contrast with that devastating poverty, Ethiopia is now widely considered to be one of a pack of “African tigers”, with ambitious plans to become a middle-income country by 2025. The nation has, “like the proverbial phoenix, managed to rise from the ashes to become Africa’s fastest-growing non-energy-driven economy”, a senior tax adviser at KPMG Kenya recently noted.

Devex partnerships forum bridges the global-local gap in Addis Ababa

A view of the audience during Day One of the Devex Partnerships and Career Forum from Oct. 21-22 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. What’s next for global development in the next decade? Photo by: Goitom Habtemariam / Devex
Global development is going local — what will that look like a decade from now?

The message from Ethiopia this week is that the answer will hinge on a new vision of partnership, guided by clear strategy and increasingly allied with a poverty-conscious private sector.

“The ground beneath our feet is shifting,” Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar told attendees at the opening plenary of the Devex Partnerships Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday.

The growth of developing economies, emergence of new actors into the development space and dispersed power of technological innovations have converged to redefine the practice of global development in ways that organizations, businesses and governments are now trying to anticipate and understand.

Ebedu Shebeshee“ዕብዱ ሺበሺ” by Adam Reta Narrated by Teferi Alemu

Adam Reta, who has been writing for the last quarter of the century, has published a novel and three collections of short stories and novellas. Nevertheless, the critical attention given to his works was very insignificant. The author's relationship with existentialism, however, is much stronger and conspicuous. Thus, the study aims at discussing the tenets of existentialism found in the creative works of Adam Reta, which eventually gear up to elucidate his overall existentialist philosophical thinking. To this end, the philosophy of existentialism and its concepts are employed to analyze the selected works of the author; his novel, Giracha Kachiloch, and six other narratives from his anthologies. The researcher has also employed textual and descriptive criticism as method. From the analyses and interpretations made, the writer of this study found out that the characteristic tenets of existentialism are shared by Adam Reta. Absurdity, alienation, death and repetition are among the major ones. Thus, Adam Reta is found to be a literary existentialist, who achieves in turning his philosophical ideas into symbols and myths, which greatly add up to the aesthetic value of his works.

Ethiopian Maids Reveal Abuse From Employers in UAE

Maids Wube Tamene (left) and Hedja Ousman (right)
Government officials in the UAE claim there is enough legislation to protect domestic workers from abuse by employers – but admit more can be done to help.

It comes a day after 7DAYS reported on the abuse of two Ethiopian maids – prompting their country’s Consul General in Dubai to brand their treatment “household slavery”.

Afra Al Basti, Director-General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC), said there are protection policies in place.

“We have received cases in our foundation (in which people) have been abused, but these are individual cases.

“There are no government policies which support such abuse.”

Running battles between Ethiopians and Eritreans, a teenage girl killed

Their faces covered, a gang of Ethiopian youths marches towards a rival camp in Calais brandishing sticks and rocks.

As they come into sight, a group of Eritreans arm themselves and rush out to defend their territory.

But French riot police are on the scene within minutes. After firing tear gas from behind their shields they manage to drive the groups apart.

Yesterday’s clash was over almost as soon as it started – but it will happen again today. And tomorrow.


In the dune area of Calais, a small piece of land near the Channel Tunnel which is home to up to 2,000 migrants, violent clashes between rival ethnic groups have become an everyday occurrence.


Eritreans and Ethiopians fighting over various routes into the ferry port appeared to be the principal reason for the fights, a police spokesman said.

Ethiopia FA Denies Keshi

Disengaged Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi's reported move to Ethiopia may have hit the rocks as the Ethiopian Football Association has denied ever getting any application from him.

Top Ethiopian journalist Taddeshp Mandefro with the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation said yesterday that the Ethiopian Football Association had not received any application from Keshi.

Keshi was reported to have opened talks with the EFA to take over the country's team.

"I spoke with the EFA president Juneidin Basha yesterday (Sunday) on the report of Keshi taking over and he said the EFA have not received any application from Keshi for the EFA job," Mandefro explained.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Ethiopians accused of trying to steal steal Dh250,000 from clerk

Dubai: Two men have been accused of attempting to steal Dh250,000 from a clerk who had just withdrawn money from a bank.
The Ethiopian men, 32-year-old M.B. and 26-year-old A.A., were said to have followed the Indian clerk as soon as they spotted him leaving the bank carrying the money in an envelope in August.
Prosecutors charged the duo with assaulting the clerk inside the lift and in the building’s corridor and attempting to steal the money.
The suspects were additionally accused of beating an Indian worker who intervened and foiled the theft attempt.
A.A. admitted that he tried to steal the money but denied beating the worker when he defended himself before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.

South Sudan’s Warring Factions Agree to Talks Mediated by Tanzania

Talks Are Intended to Complement Negotiations Being Mediated by IGAD in Ethiopia

 Warring factions within South Sudan’s ruling party have agreed to talks mediated by the Tanzanian government to help resolve a nearly yearlong conflict, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement officials said Tuesday.
Last week, delegates from rival groups within SPLM met in Tanzania’s northern city of Arusha at the invitation of President Jakaya Kikwete to address the internal power struggle. Finland-based independent mediating group Crisis Management Initiative is facilitating the talks, which are slated to resume within two weeks, officials said Tuesday.
The intraparty talks are intended to complement the peace negotiations being mediated by the regional Inter Governmental Authority for Development in Ethiopia, according to Eemeli Isoaho, a project officer with Crisis Management Initiative.

26 Ethiopians jailed for failing to appear before immigration officers in Zambia


LINDA NYONDO, Lusaka
THE Nakonde Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 26 Ethiopians to one year imprisonment each with hard labour for failing to appear before an immigration officer.
And a total of 24 Ethiopians have been removed from Zambia with financial support of the International Organisation for Migration.
Immigration public relations officer Namati Nshinka said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that the Nakonde Magistrate’s Court also slapped a K4,500 fine on the convicts, in default nine months imprisonment.

Ethiopia Moves in Right Direction with Climate Change Response But Challenges Remain


ADDIS ABABA, Oct 21 (IPS) - Ethiopia is widely regarded as an African success story when it comes to economic growth. According to the International Monetary Fund, the country economy is growing by seven percent annually. But there are concerns that climate change could jeopardise this growth.

At a recent meeting at the United Nations conference centre in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the world foremost climate change experts sent a clear message: the impacts of global warming, rising surface temperatures and extreme weather will be felt as acutely in Africa as anywhere in the world.

For the last 18 months, more than 800 climate scientists have been compiling the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report, which is being released in four parts until November, is according to the IPCC the most comprehensive, authoritative, objective assessment ever produced on the way climate change is affecting our planet.

Its findings are unequivocal “ climate change is real and there is more evidence than ever before that it is being driven by human activity.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Ban Ki Moon and Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank to Visit Ethiopia

Two most notable international personalities are due to visit Ethiopia next week, sources disclosed to Fortune. Ban Ki Moon, secretary general of the United Nations, and Jim Yong Kim (PhD), president of the World Bank, are scheduled to arrive here in Addis Abeba on October 27, 2014, to visit projects financed by the two organizations.

This will not be Moon’s first visit to Ethiopia, although it will be for Kim, the duo will stay here for two days, these sources disclosed.
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Fikru Teferra finding his feet in India


Former SuperSport United and University of Pretoria striker Fikru Teferra Lemessa has seemingly found his feet in India.


The Ethiopian attacker has netted two goals in his first three games for Atletico De Kolkata in the 2014/2015 Hero India Super League.

He struck in the team's 3-0 win over Mumbai City FC and the 2-0 victory over North East United FC.

“I am enjoying it here and the fans are great,” said the 28-year old Lemessa.