CBE opens Three Additional branches in Kemisie and Addis

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has opened its 191st, 192nd and 193rd branches at Kemisie and in Addis- Ureal and Kotebie localities.
The opening of CBE branches in these localities would help render rapid and efficient banking services to inhabitants and business community in the areas.
It was stated at the irlauguration ceremonies that CBE has opened 16 branches in Addis Ababa and other parts of the country over the last 10 months alone.
Government officials, CBE’s senior management members, residents and invited guests attended the inaugural ceremonies. (CBE Press release)

ONLF terrorist activities curtailed: Ministry

Recent military operations against the so-called ONLF, a separatist rebel group in the east, have been successful and cross border arms trafficking and contraband perpetrated by the group has been put in check, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
“It (ONLF) has carried out horrendous human rights violations, including the indiscriminate murder of innocent civilians. Through such acts, it has also severely affected the peace and stability of the region.” The ministry said.
With respect to last week’s eviction warning of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the statement stated: “the ICRC office in this particular region was not engaged with the ICRC mandate. In fact, it was doing the opposite. Giving assistance and succor to terrorists and, thereby engaging in acts of destabilization is contrary to the obligations given to the ICRC under the Geneva Convention.”
The Ministry further warned all other entities operating under the guise of providing humanitarian assistance to refrain from such acts. (The Daily Monitor)

WFP donates technical equipment to ARRA

United Nation World Food Programme (WFP), donated technical equipment to the government of Ethiopia, administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (AARA) in a handover ceremony held at ARRA head office. The donation includes twenty desktop computers and laser jet printers. The equipment valued at $ 38,428 came at the opening of a new refugee camp at Teferi Ber for Somali refugees.
During the hand over ceremony Sonali Wickrema, acting WFP country director in Ethiopia said, “we hope that this donation will help ARRA enhance the processing of data on refugee assistance and the provision of monthly reports on food stocks, distributions and beneficiary numbers, all of which will ensure refugees in this country receive timely food distributions and humanitarian support.” (Capital)

Court gives five CUD members 4 to 16 years jail terms

The Federal High Court has sentenced five CUD leaders convicted of attempting to dismantle the national constitutional system through violence from four to 16-year rigorous jail terms.
In its session held here on Wednesday, the Second Criminal Bench of the Court sentenced Lieutenant Girma Amare to 16 year rigorous prison term and other defendants Kidist Bekele and Mebratu Kebede to 15 year-prison term each.
Editor of Addis Zena, Wosen-seged Gebre-kidan and Editor of another tabloid called Hadar, Dawit Kebede received 4- years behind bar each.
The charges in which Lieutenant Girma Amare, Kidist Bekele and Mebratu Kebede were convicted were heavy and they should have been sentenced either to life in prison or death, the Court said. However, the Court had sentenced the convicts to the stated jail term taking into consideration these attempts had failed to materialize.
The Court postponed its verdict on other members of the CUD leaderships for August 6, 2007. (ENA)

Kenya negotiates with Ethiopia for power supply

Kenya is in negotiations with Ethiopia for a power supply agreement to forestall a looming power crisis, East African Standard reported from Nairobi, Kenya.
“Ethiopia has a total power demand of about 400 MW against a production capacity of over 1, 875 MW and in principle they have agreed to supply us with power as we continue to develop our generation capacity,” said Obwocha.
He said a joint memo of understanding, which also involves power generating has already been signed between Kenya and Ethiopia. According to the memo, Ethiopia is expected to build the transmission line to the border with Kenya from where KPLC shall tap the power to the national grid. (WIC)

UNFPA urges the international community to do more to stamp out FGM/C

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is urging the international community to back its pledge for Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) by intensifying advocacy and grassroots interventions against the practice and mobilizing additional resources to combat FGM/C.
Addressing a five-day Global Technical Consultation on FGM/C in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia today, Ms. Fama Hane Ba, the Director of Africa Division at UNFPA, said that although considerable progress had been made in some countries, worrying trends are beginning to emerge. Chief among them is the increasing ‘medicalization’ of the practice as parents seek to have their daughters cut by health providers so as to minimize complications such as infection and hemorrhage. (UNFPA Press Release)