International community urged to exert pressure for release of Ethiopian hostages

The Addis Ababa Teachers' Association called upon the international community to stand on the side of the Ethiopian government and put pressure in the efforts being made to get Ethiopians hostages released.
The association condemned the abduction, which it said, violates the sovereignty of the country.
In a statement they here on Wednesday to the Ethiopian News Agency, Association President Yigzaw Bizuayehu and its Secretary General Shimelis Getachew said the issue of the Ethiopian hostages should be seen as the issue of the international community.
The Security Council of the United Nations should exert appropriate pressure for the release of the hostages, they added. The officials expressed association's satisfaction over the release of the five Europeans, who were abducted along with the Ethiopians, however, they said the association expresses its serious concern over Ethiopians who are still in the hands of the abductors.
They also expressed sadness over the negligence the International community particularly the western media, which ignored totally the Ethiopian hostage crisis after the release of the European hostages. (March 28, 2007, ENA)

Ethiopia takes part in TUR 2007
Ethiopia took part in the International Tourism Trade Fair-TUR 2007 held in Sweden from March 22 to 25, 2007, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The Ministry told Ethiopian News Agency on Wednesday that Ethiopia took part in the trade fair held in Gutenberg for the fifth time.
Citing the Ethiopian embassy in Stockholm the Ministry said four Ethiopian tour operators participated in the exhibition under the coordination of the Ethiopian Airlines and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Ethiopian Ambassador in Sweden, Dina Mufti, after visiting Ethiopian pavilion at the exhibition, said the trade fair provided the opportunity to promote the good images of Ethiopia.
As the trade fair was staged in the eve of the Ethiopian millennium, Ambassador Dina urged Ethiopians in Sweden to use the opportunity to reflect the spirit of the Ethiopian millennium festival.
Tour operators and travel agencies from 100 countries participated in the trade fair visited by about 50,000 people. (March 28, 2007, ENA)

Investors receive land plots

Some 13 investors with a combined capital of over 117 million Birr received construction sites in Robe town of Bale Zone, Oromia State, the town administration said.
Head of information and public relations service with the administration, Jaylan Abdo told Ethiopian News Agency on Wednesday that the administration has provided 42,000 square meters of land to investors to be engaged in education, health, hotel and tourism sectors.
He said five of the investors have already launched construction while eight of them have begun preparation. The hotels to be constructed by the investors would provide services to tourists who would come here for the Ethiopian Millennium celebration, he said.
The administration would provide the necessary support for the investors, Jaylan said.
He said the investment projects, upon completion, are expected to create jobs for over 500 people. (March 28, 2007, ENA)

Senior gov't officials brief Ethiopian community on nation's current issues

Public Relations Advisor to the Prime Minister with the rank of minister, Bereket Semon, and State Minster of Finance and Economic Development, Mekonnen Manyazewal briefed the Ethiopian community in Beijing on the nation's current issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In a statement it sent to Ethiopian News Agency on Tuesday, the ministry said the senior government officials told the community that Ethiopia has registered over 10 per cent of economic growth over the past four years in a stretch. The government has been exerting utmost efforts to make the economic growth sustainable, they said.
The government has also been taking measures to stabilize the soaring commodity prices in some urban areas, they added. The officials said encouraging results have also been achieved in education, health and other social provision services.
Ethiopia has also contributed a lot to ensure peace in the Horn of Africa through eliminating Somali fundamentalists. (March 27, 2007, ENA)

MoE revising civic, ethics

Ministry of Education (MoE) disclosed that it has been revising civic and ethical education textbooks in use across the country.
Opening a training organized here for professionals engaged in revising the textbooks, Civic and Ethical Education Department Head, Girma Alemayehu, said the revision was found necessary so as to fill the gaps in content, organization and writing.
There is also a need to update the textbooks every time as they play vital role in ensuring good governance and building democracy as well as producing able citizens, the head said.
The ministry launched the revision in accordance with its five-year program to revise the textbooks, Girma indicated.
Inputs obtained from teachers, parents and students would be incorporated in the textbooks focusing on 11 civic and ethical values. The revision would be finalized until the end of this Ethiopian year and the textbooks would be made available for the academic year, he further stated. (March 28, 2007, WIC)

EAL achieves IOSA registration

Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) said it has successfully passed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
In its statement sent to Ethiopian News Agency on Wednesday, Ethiopian said the completion of the IOSA registration is a milestone for Ethiopian, and confirms the airline's commitment to safety.
It said the registration is the result of Ethiopian's fundamental commitment to provide safe and reliable air transport services for passengers and cargo.
IOSA is an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. (March 28, 2007, WIC)