Ethiopian Airlines graduates pilots

Ethiopian Airlines' African Aviation Academy has graduated 15 pilots of Ethiopian nationals on November 14, 2006, that have completed two years of training on Commercial Piloting with Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings from its Pilot Training School.

During the training period, the pilots have undergone intensive flight training of 250 hours and a ground school of over 1000 hours. Established in 1964, the PTS has graduated 755 Pilots. Today's graduating class will bring the total number of trained Pilots to 770, out of which 477 are Ethiopians. The remaining 293 are foreign nationals mainly from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe . In the past couple of years alone, the Pilot Training Center has graduated 17 pilots of other airlines.

Currently 87 pilot trainees are taking training at the PTS. Out of this figure, 71 are Ethiopians and the rest 16 are Chadians and Djiboutians. The CEO, Ato Girma Wake decorated the graduates with wings and gave out certificates to all. He also handed over prizes to top ranking graduates both in academic and practical performance and good governance. (EAL Press release, Nov, 14, 2006)

ACF launches Survey of African Children's
and Youth's feeling and thought

A survey conducted by African Child Forum and UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office in eight African countries including Ethiopia , in general are happy and optimistic about their own and their country's development, the most notable exceptions being Ethiopia and Burundi , a press release stated. Whilst 78% of the children in other countries claimed to be happy, only 45% of the children living in Ethiopia and Burundi claimed to be so! Some of the other findings are: Africa 's children are found to be hopeful for their future, dream of becoming a doctor, know about their right of education, but they don't know about their other basic rights and are worried about how HIV-infected children are treated. More over, the release stated that there are 90 million children in these countries and the survey was made on 4000 children aged 9 to 17 years from both urban and rural populations. (Press release)

Ethiopian firm, Russian companies sign agreement to assemble,
manufacture hydro electric power-driven buses

Afro Asia Technical Trading Enterprise and two Russian companies signed an agreement providing for the assembling and manufacturing of hydro electric power-driven buses here at Ethiopian Investment Agency on Tuesday.

According to the agreement, Rus-Afro-trol, a Russian company would be established in a joint venture to assemble and promote the buses in Ethiopia and Africa as well. The total capital of the project is 100 million USD and some 43 hectares of land has already been allocated to establish the assembling plant in Debremarkos town of the Amhara state.

Afro Asia Technical Trading Enterprise has 70 percent ownership share of the company, while 30 percent of the ownership belongs to the Russian companies . ENA, November 14, 2006)

Japan supports irrigation improvement project
in Ejere Woreda, Oromia Regional State

An inauguration ceremony took place on Tuesday 14 November 2006 in Ejere Woreda, Oromia Regional State . In October 2005, the Embassy of Japan signed a grant contract with Call Ethiopia for the amount of 49,942 US dollars. This project is aimed at providing safe water to the community in this woreda by constructing 12 water wells and conducting training for maintenance and public health in the Ejere Woreda. Mr. Shinichi NAKATSUGAWA, the Charge d' Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Ethiopia , in his speech at the ceremony said that the Japanese Government recognizes that many people in Ethiopia do not have access to safe water.

This causes serious health problems as well as a burden for women, who have to walk long distances to o btain safe water. The Japanese Government has been working with both non-governmental and governmental organizations to reduce such risks and burdens by supporting water well establishment. The government of Japan is currently supporting a groundwater well construction project in SNNPRS with a Japanese general grant of about 4.6 million USD to the Ethiopian government. (Press Release)

Micro hydropower project in Ethiopia becomes finalist for
BBC's award of World Challenge 2006

A self-help micro hydropower project carried out in Yayee town, Sidama Zone of South Ethiopia Peoples' State has become one of the 12 finalists to win BBC's award of World Challenge 2006, Sidama Development Action (SDA) said. The project which enabled the community to have access to round-the-clock electric power supply has become one of the 12 finalists in the World Challenge 2006 competition from the total 800 nominees. As a requisite process to arrive at top three from the 12 finalists, BBC has been receiving public vote on its website: www.theworldchallenge.co.uk. Prize money amounting to 20,000 US Dollars will go to the winner whereas the projects to be voted 2nd and 3rd will be entitled each to 10,000 US Dollars. If the project wins the money would go directly into implementation of community-based services provision such as schools and clinics. The project was believed to contribute, and is beginning to do so, to the growth of investment in the town as well as to helping students achieve better results in the national examinations. (ENA, November 13, 2006)