Poverty in Ethiopia Down 33 Percent Since 2000-PRESS RELEASE

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia January 20, 2015- Agricultural growth was the main driver of poverty reduction in Ethiopia since 2000, according to the World Bank Group’s latest Poverty Assessment. Poverty in Ethiopia fell from 44 percent in 2000 to 30 percent in 2011, which translated to a 33 percent reduction in the share of people living in poverty. This decline was underpinned by high and consistent economic growth.

Since 2005, agricultural growth has been responsible for a reduction in poverty of 4 percent a year, suggesting that the agricultural growth strategy pursued by the Government of Ethiopia has paid off.  High food prices and good weather ensured that increased use of fertilizer was translated into higher incomes for poor farmers with access to markets.  Government spending on basic services and effective rural safety nets has also helped the least well-off in Ethiopia. The Productive Safety Net Program alone has pushed 1.5 million people out of poverty.

Ethiopians Birhanu Gedefa, Yebrgual Arage win 2015 Houston Marathon

As expected, Ethiopia's dominance of the Chevron Houston Marathon continued Sunday with Birhanu Gedefa making a dramatic finishing kick downtown to blow past his countryman Gebo Burka, who had led for much of the race.

Gedefa, who surged to the front about a quarter of a mile from the finish line at Lamar and Crawford Streets near the George R. Brown Convention Center, unofficially ran a personal best 2:08:12. Tolossa, the runner-up in 2012, also posted his fastest time ever, a 2:09:07. Two other men cracked 2:10 under perfect conditions, with temperatures in the high 40s and bright sunshine.

Ethiopians dominate Mumbai Marathon

Ethiopian runners ruled the roost, collecting a bagful of medals in the $360,000 Mumbai Marathon here Sunday.

Tesfaye Abera, making his debut among the men, and women's defending champion Dinknesh Mekash led the charge as Ethiopia dominated the field by winning five of the six medals on offer. Kenyan Luke Kibet denied the Ethiopians a clean sweep by grabbing third place in the men's event.

Both Abrera and Dinknesh, went home richer by $41,000 each.

Abera, 22 and unknown to marathon running, emerged as the surprise by clinching first place (2:09:46) on a not-too-cold morning. Abera, who ran the last stage of the race alone, just missed out on improving the course record (2:09.32) which was set by Ugandan Jackson Kiprop in 2013.

Countryman Dereje Debele finished second (2:10:31) just ahead of Kibet, who clocked 2:10:57 for third position.

KIA accident: Ethiopian plane had flat tyres

The Ethiopian cargo aircraft that skidded off the runway of the Kotoka International Airport, Saturday, developed a flat tyre upon landing leading to the accident, preliminary investigations have revealed.

The Boeing 737 400 aircraft with registration number ET-AQV operated by ASKY from Lomé to Accra, skidded off the runway, causing extensive damage to the aircraft.

The three-member crew on board the aircraft were treated and discharged for various injuries at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

A Suite of Contemporary Ethiopian Poetry

For a group of art performances in July 2013 called Wax and Gold organized by the Netsa Art Village, visual artist Mulugeta Gebrekidan presented “Invading Samsung Square” to protest the corporate advertising takeover of Addis Ababa’s public spaces. Click here to watch a video about the performances put together by the artists’ collective.

The lively center of the contemporary Ethiopian performance poetry scene can be found in the capital, Addis Ababa. Scores of young and old poets have approached the writers presented in this issue (Abebaw Melaku, Misrak Terefe, and Mihret Kebede) in the past two years, asking and auditioning to perform with them. According to Eric Ellingsen, whose essay “In the Listenings: The Gold Waxes” appears in the print edition, “Poetry is really considered a force shaping Addis Ababa today, and this group is a bit of a movement. There is nothing else like it.” 

As an online bonus, we present video clips from the Tobiya Poetic Jazz Group’s DVD, which was filmed at the Ras Hotel in Addis Ababa. Misrak Terefe’s long poem is also presented here as a web exclusive.

              

            

http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org

British MPs to visit Ethiopia in bid to secure release of Andargachew Tsige

Mr Tsege has been held in solitary confinement for the past six months

A delegation of British MPs will visit Ethiopia next month in a bid to secure the release of Andargachew "Andy" Tsege, a British father of three who is under a death sentence.

Mr Tsege, 59, a leading critic of the Ethiopian government who came to Britain as a political refugee more than 30 years ago, has been held in solitary confinement for the past six months.
He vanished during a stopover in Yemen last June, during a trip from Dubai to Eritrea, in what campaigners say was a politically motivated kidnapping. Weeks later it emerged he had been imprisoned in Ethiopia.
His precise whereabouts remain unknown.
The Briton, who is the secretary-general of a banned Ethiopian opposition movement, is facing a death sentence imposed at a trial held in his absence in 2009.

Ethiopia Sentences Three Britons to Jail on Terrorism Charges

An Ethiopian court sentenced three British citizens to prison after finding them guilty of trying to establish Islamic rule in the country through acts of “terrorism,” according to a Justice Ministry official.

Ali Adorus was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in Ethiopian prison, while Somalia-born Mohammed Ahmed and Ahmed Elmi were each given jail terms of four years and eight months, Fekadu Tsega, coordinator of the federal center of prosecution, said by phone yesterday from the capital, Addis Ababa.

“They were accused of trying to unconstitutionally change the government and introduce Islamic government in Ethiopia by terrorism,” he said.

Ethiopia, where Christianity dates to about the fourth century and is followed by about 60 percent of the country’s 94 million people, sent troops three years ago into Somalia to help African Union peacekeepers battle al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab. The group has since 2006 been trying to overthrow the government in Somalia and impose Shariah, or Islamic law, there.