Bamboo
to join country’s export list
By Andualem Sisay
Following the increase of commercial and residential building
construction in the country that was led to ever-increasing demand
of bamboo products for finishing materials, a local investor has
launched a 50 million birr investment on a bamboo processing factory.
A local company, Mirga Wood Industry, is to construct a factory
on 3 hectares in Egere, Addis Alem, 40 kms from Addis Ababa. The
factory plans to start with products such as floor parquet, incense
sticks and toothpicks from bamboo.
owner of Mirga Wood Industry. When the factory begins production,
it is expected to employ some 100 permanent employees in its early
phase.
 MORE
Chancellor Merkel to visit Ethiopia
By Andualem Sisay
German Chancellor Angela Dorothea Merkel is expected to visit
Ethiopia in October, sources told Capital.
During here visit, Chancellor Merkel is expected to hold talks with
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and other government officials, according
to the source. Her visit is also expected to boost the close socio-economic
and political ties that exist between the two countries.
MORE
Maaza Mango to be produced localy
By Andualem Sisay
Maaza Mango, an internationally renowned beverage brand with over
40 years in the global market, is to be produced in Ethiopia, according
to Yeshola Tsehay Pvt. Ltd. Co.
Disbursing USD 150,000 for the branch franchise, Yeshola Tsehay,
a local company, has launched a 50 mln birr investment and is currently
under process to obtain a 25,000 square meter plot in the Burayu
area, Oromia Region, to set up the plant - Yeshola Tsehay Bottling
Factory.
MORE
Inflation projected to rise
Price hike frustratingly goes to the roof
By Tedla Desta
Following the ever increasing food prices, supported by a steady
rise in non-food prices, the general inflation of Ethiopia is projected
to rise from the reported 17.2 percent rate, experts who sought
anonymity told Capital.
The reviewed month, May of 2007, headlined inflation was significantly
higher owing to an increase in food price inflation which reached
18.1 percent by the end of the month compared to 14.4 percent a
year ago.
MORE
Will Ayr stir other American companies?
By Andualem Sisay
Lemma Haile Giorgis, Chairman of NIB International Bank, met Dr.
Nabih Badawi, representative of an American company in Singapore
at the annual IMF-World Bank meeting in September 2006.
The incidental meeting was productive as Ato Lemma was soon to represent
Ayr Logistics Limited in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, the later
encouraged by the investment opportunities made available in the
country.
MORE
City Government’s data entry blunder
benefits 3000 residents
By Kirubel Tadesse
Addis Ababa City Government Information and Culture Bureau head,
Mesganu Arega, said that data errors made by the city government
will benefit three thousand additional winners among Addis Ababa
residents.
It was learnt at a press conference held by the City Government
on Wednesday August 15, 2007, that the computer based condominium
winners selection had slip-ups and as a result some of the condominiums
were awarded to two residents instead of one. Condominiums which
had already been assigned to owners in the previous lottery were
also re-assigned to new winners in the current selection.
MORE
Company to build ‘a villa a day’
Cement consumption for house construction will also be cut three
fold
After realizing the installation of the 119 mln birr Pre-cast
concrete factory in Akaki Kaliti sub-city, OLOGO Construction plc
indicated on Thursday, August 18, 2007, that the company can construct
a villa a day as a result of this new technology.
The new factory produces columns, slabs and walls that will be used
for constructing a house within one day, according to Georgio Lanata,
General Manager of the company. Using this pre-cast system, the
construction company has built a villa in the Bisrate Gebriel area
in Addis Ababa.
Millennium Secretariat launch multi-lingual
site
By Tedla Desta
The Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat is to launch a website
in eight languages at a ceremony to be held at the Addis Ababa City
Administration tomorrow, Yonas Sime, Web Expert at the Secretariat
told Capital.
According to Yonas, the website is unique in that it endeavors to
give comprehensive information about the City and the millennium
celebration in Amharic, English, French, Arabic, Chinese, German,
Spanish and Italian.
MORE
Castel Wine farm in Zeway stuck
By Andualem Sisay
Realizing the presence of some 40 hectares of land allocated to
Awash Winery in the middle of the 453 hectares it received from
the government at the beginning of last month, BGI Ethiopia’s
winery farming seems to be stuck, sources told Capital.
Two months ago, before it was attributed to BGI Ethiopia, the land
valued at 7.1 million birr by Ernst & Young in 2001, was under
the administration of a government institution, The Ethiopian Fruit
Development Enterprise (EFDA).
MORE
TAAAF’s Meskel Square Millennium event
cancelled
By Tedla Desta
The Grand Festival of Taste of Addis - Africa Festival (TAAAF)
which was to take place from September 11 to19 at Meskel Square
has been canceled, Capital learnt.
It was disclosed that the event scheduled and approved by the Addis
Ababa Millennium Secretariat to be held at Meskel Square was cancelled
by the same government body for reasons related to security.
MORE
Ethio-Sudan relations, model for African
integration: Ambassador
Prominent Sudanese singers to entertain Ethiopian fans for the Millennium
By Andualem Sisay
The Ambassador of Sudan to Ethiopia, Mohieldin Salim, said the
joint projects by Sudan and Ethiopia that are under implementation
can be taken as a model by other African nations to finally realize
the long talked about regional integration of the African continent.
MORE
Dignitaries as parking attendants
By Tedla Desta
Around 350 selected people, most of whom are dignitaries, are to
act as parking lot attendants for three days in major traffic areas,
Tadele Seifu, Founder and Chief Executive Director of EZANA Ethiopia
(Earnest Zeal Against Nimby Attitude) told Capital.
MORE
HiLCoE to launch twenty new software products
developed by its students
By Kirubel Tadesse
HiLCoE School of Computer Science and Technology, the first private
college in Ethiopia, will introduce twenty new softwares, a selection
from more than 100 projects of its millennium graduate students
comprising 350 B.Sc and 50 postgraduate diploma holders.
According to Nassir Dino, Director General of HiLCoE, the projects
were conducted in consideration of the current public and market
needs so as to encourage students to engage themselves in satisfying
the country’s demand in ICT.
Drawing investors via taxis, hotels
By Tedla Desta
In an effort to attract investors and tourists in the country,
a local company called Harmony PLC has introduced technology that
is to be put in selected taxis and hotels, Dawit Shewangzaw, shareholder
and General Manager told Capital.
The system is installed in 100 taxis with plans for expanding the
system. The in-taxi and out door audio visual information and advertisement
promotional service introduced is widely used in the developed world.
Boston Partners on the move to real estate
To complete a resort and Spa at Lake Tana
By Tedla Desta
‘Boston Partners’ is moving into real estate development,
Tadiwos Getachew, General Manager and owner of Boston Partners P.L.C
told Capital.
Tadiwos stated that the company will build 50 residential houses
at Lake Hora each costing a minimum of two to three million birr.
“The construction of the houses will commence in the summer
and each house will be constructed on 2000 sq mt,” he said.
Taxi drivers and touts to wear IDs
By Kirubel Tadesse
Drivers, touts and coordinators of Addis Ababa taxis are to wear
identification cards as of next week.
More than 500 participants were present at the half day training
and discussion organized in collaboration of taxis, peace and development
associations and the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat on Thursday
August 16, 2007.
EBCA vows to combat HIV/AIDS in business
community
By Andualem Sisay
Ethiopian Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (EBCA) has approved
a three-year strategic plan that will enable it to tackle HIV/AIDS
among the business community.
At a one-day workshop held at the Ghion Hotel on Tuesday, August
16, 2007, the coalition has refined, with its members, and approved
its mission, vision, objectives and action plans for the coming
three years.
Campaign launches petition to ratify the
Rights of Women
By Tedla Desta
An electronic petition calling for the ratification of the African
Union Charter on the Rights of Women was launched on August 17,
2007, in Addis Ababa.
The petition was launched at an event for the millennium with the
theme ‘End Violence against Women in the New Millennium.’
The main purpose of the event was to win national and international
concern and commitment towards Ethiopia’s ratification of
the protocol on the rights of African Women by November 2007, exert
public pressure on the ratification of the sexual harassment law,
enhancement of public knowledge and awareness on women’s and
girl’s rights and secure public support to stop violence against
women, said Mulu Tsehaye, representing Network of Ethiopian Women’s
Associations (NEWA).
MORE
USD 50 mln donated to support Ethiopia’s
democratic institutions
By Tedla Desta
Mekonnen Manyazewal, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development
signed a grant agreement amounting to over USD 50 million on behalf
of the Ethiopian government with Fidele Sarassoro, UN Resident Coordinator
in Ethiopia representing the UNDP and other contributing donors
on August 15, 2007.
Police urge public cooperation for peaceful
Millennium celebrations
By Kirubel Tadesse
The Addis Ababa Police Commissioner, Fekadu Seboka, called on residents
of Addis Ababa to work closely with the Police so that the millennium
celebrations can be enjoyed peacefully.
At the graduation ceremony for three hundred forty police officers
trained to address crime and traffic accidents, the commissioner
said that residents should report immediately anything suspicious
to the police during this special millennium celebration.
Four decades of coffee research and development
in Ethiopia
By Tedla Desta
A national workshop under the theme “Four Decades of Coffee
Research and Development in Ethiopia,” was held in Addis Ababa
from August 14-17, 2007.
The workshop saw papers presented on the achievements and prospects
of coffee in Ethiopia from 1967 – 2007, with the main objectives
of presenting and documenting all the findings of research programs
on coffee in various disciplines. It also aims at generating and
transferring technologies to stakeholders; and enhancing development
works in production, protection, processing and marketing of this
economically important crop in Ethiopia.
No NGO promotes child right at regional
levels
By Kirubel Tadesse
According to the study conducted by Save the Children Alliance
in Ethiopia, at the moment there are no NGO consortiums with the
objective of setting and participating with task forces or networks
of NGO’S to promote and defend child rights, particularly
at regional levels of the country.
MORE
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Bamboo
to join country’s export list
By Andualem Sisay
Following the increase of commercial and residential building
construction in the country that was led to ever-increasing demand
of bamboo products for finishing materials, a local investor has
launched a 50 million birr investment on a bamboo processing factory.
A local company, Mirga Wood Industry, is to construct a factory
on 3 hectares in Egere, Addis Alem, 40 kms from Addis Ababa. The
factory plans to start with products such as floor parquet, incense
sticks and toothpicks from bamboo.
“Once we meet the local demand our target is to provide most
of our products for the export market,” says Ephrem Gugsa,
owner of Mirga Wood Industry. When the factory begins production,
it is expected to employ some 100 permanent employees in its early
phase.
Currently, some one million hectares of land in Ethiopia is covered
by bamboo plantation of smallholder farmers. Out of this, 850,000
hectares of land is covered by low land bamboo, known for its high
fiber content, while the rest is covered with a medium density fiber.
Realizing this potential, prior to Mirga Wood Industry, Land and
Sea Development Company (LSDC), an Indian, Chinese and Ethiopian
joint venture has finalized construction of a bamboo processing
factory in Assosa area, Benishangul Region, which primarily produces
paper and pulp. Afro-Asian, which is constructing a Trolley (electric)
Bus factory located near the town of Metekel also plans to floor
board bamboo that is expected to be produced by LSDC.
These days, due to the strength and long quality services, many
train and bus manufacturers choose floor board bamboo for their
products interior equipments such as chairs, etc.
The global application of bamboo products in both office and household
furniture is also showing increment. Cement particle board, bamboo
curtains, floor board, floor parquet, toothpicks and tools handlings
such as hammer and screwdriver, etc are among the major applications
of bamboo.
Dejen Endowment, a company in the Maichew area of Tigray Region
and another MIDROC company are also among the major companies engaged
in processing bamboo and eucalyptus for various applications. More
than 250,000 hectares of land in the country is believed to be covered
by eucalyptus.
“Should Ethiopia continues supporting investors realizing
the abundant bamboo resource, in two years time the country will
become the leading African nation in using the resource effectively,
exceeding South Africa,” says Seyoum Kelemework (PhD), Researcher
at Agricultural Research Organization.
Chancellor Merkel to
visit Ethiopia
By Andualem Sisay
German Chancellor Angela Dorothea Merkel is expected to visit
Ethiopia in October, sources told Capital.
During here visit, Chancellor Merkel is expected to hold talks with
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and other government officials, according
to the source. Her visit is also expected to boost the close socio-economic
and political ties that exist between the two countries.
Ethiopia has been visited by numerous Heads of State and Government
recently, including late 2006 official visits by Merkel's predecessor,
Gerhardt Shroeder and PM. Tayib Erdogan of Turkey. The Prime Minister
of the Czech Republic and the Foreign Minister of India are among
the foreign dignitaries to have visited Ethiopia in 2007.
Merkel's first foreign trip took place on the day she was sworn
in as Chancellor, when she went to Paris for a meeting with the
then French president, Jacques Chirac. Merkel made her first visit
to the Middle East as President-in-office of the European Council
on April 1, 2007.
Maaza Mango to be
produced localy
By Andualem Sisay
Maaza Mango, an internationally renowned beverage brand with over
40 years in the global market, is to be produced in Ethiopia, according
to Yeshola Tsehay Pvt. Ltd. Co.
Disbursing USD 150,000 for the branch franchise, Yeshola Tsehay,
a local company, has launched a 50 mln birr investment and is currently
under process to obtain a 25,000 square meter plot in the Burayu
area, Oromia Region, to set up the plant - Yeshola Tsehay Bottling
Factory.
“If the provision of the plot is as rapid as the licensing
process is, we will very soon shift from importing Maaza Mango to
exporting it to neighboring countries - Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda
and Somalia,” says Hiwot Melku, owner of Yeshola Tsehay Plc,
which has been the exclusive importer of the product from Dubai
for over two years.
As the local demand of the product continues to increase, the company’s
import of Maaza Mango has now reached 30 containers plus monthly,
according to Hiwot. He believes that his factory will begin production
in less than 18 months.
Yeshola Tsehay Plc. will not the first company to produce Maaza
Mango locally. Hiwot notes of a Sudanese company that began to production
of the juice locally a few years ago but, he says ‘has yet
to meet increasing demands even after the factory installed a modern
12 million Euro production plant’. This is, according to him,
a point strengthening his decision to open the factory in Ethiopia.
“It is primarily to fulfill the increasing demand in our country
and to export to neighboring countries that we decided to open the
factory under license, here in Ethiopia,” he says.
The company plans to provide the product at a price equivalent to
other bottled drinks. Yeshola Tsehay also produces the bottles and
the labeling.
Maaza Mango was first introduced in the late fifties in India. Currently,
there are eight factories around the world: Sudan, Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan, Kuwait, Tanzania, Armenia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Maaza Mango is packed in all types of forms - Glass, Pet, Paper-pack
and Cans in various sizes ranging 250ml, 330ml up to 2 liter.
Inflation projected
to rise
Price hike frustratingly goes to the roof
By Tedla Desta
Following the ever increasing food prices, supported by a steady
rise in non-food prices, the general inflation of Ethiopia is projected
to rise from the reported 17.2 percent rate, experts who sought
anonymity told Capital.
The reviewed month, May of 2007, headlined inflation was significantly
higher owing to an increase in food price inflation which reached
18.1 percent by the end of the month compared to 14.4 percent a
year ago. Comparing year on year basis, non-food inflation was 7.6
percentage points higher mainly due to the significant rise in the
index of house rent, construction materials, fuel, water and power,
beverages, furniture, furnishing, household equipment and operation,
transport and communication, clothing and foot wear components of
the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The observed pick up in the inflation
rate of these components was mainly due to higher investment demand
in these sectors.
According to reports of the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), the
monetary expansion continued to be moderate as broad money supply
increased by 2.0 percent and 20.9 percent on monthly and annual
basis, respectively, as a result of domestic credit expansion and
improvements.
Interest rates on deposits except on demand deposits which slightly
declined did not change during the review month, May.
Concerning the external sector, both exports and imports tended
to show strong growth. Yet the trade deficit widened in the month
of May 2007 as the growth of imports outstripped the export growth.
Year-on-year basis, however, the trade deficit has narrowed by 17.3
percent.
Regarding the exchange rate, the Birr continued to depreciate in
the inter-bank market and reached Birr 8.921/ USD in May 2007 from
Birr 8.848/USD a month ago. Similarly, in the parallel market, it
depreciated to Birr 9.0233/USD from Birr 9.0025/USD. Accordingly,
the parallel market premium went down to 1.15 percent against 1.74
percent in the preceding month due to faster depreciation of the
Birr in the official market.
As for the securities market, treasury bills sales and purchase
continued and the average weighted yield slightly rose for all the
three types of maturity. Inter-bank market and discount window facilities
remained dormant.
The annual average headline inflation in Addis Ababa increased to
18.3 percent at the end of May 2007, showing 0.7 percentage points
increase over the previous months too.
Similarly, the price of food and consumer goods showed a high increase
in the last few weeks.
A quintal of Teff, which is the staple food of Ethiopians, is being
sold from 550 to 600 birr this week and in some markets up to 700
birr. A quintal of Berbere (Pepper) is being sold for 1000 birr
rising from its most recent 200 Birr. Various merchants when asked
about the reason for the hike in price, replied that the price is
set from the main source and they don’t have a say on it.
Other cereals and pulses also showed a 30 to 50 birr increase.
Will Ayr stir other
American companies?
By Andualem Sisay
Lemma Haile Giorgis, Chairman of NIB International Bank, met Dr.
Nabih Badawi, representative of an American company in Singapore
at the annual IMF-World Bank meeting in September 2006.
The incidental meeting was productive as Ato Lemma was soon to represent
Ayr Logistics Limited in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, the later
encouraged by the investment opportunities made available in the
country.
Dr. Nabih Badawi together with the President and General Manager
of the company, Mr. Philip Harris, visited Ethiopia to assess on
the ground Lemma’s conviction of a great business opportunity
for Ayr Logistics Ltd, and left satisfied.
They returned last week upon his invitation and met with high government
officials from August 8-12, 2007. Ayr officials who are currently
running in excess of 3 bln USD contracts globally, met with the
Administrator of Oromia Region, Aba Dulla Gemeda, Mayor of Addis
Ababa, Berhane Deressa, Minister of Trade and Industry, Girma Biru
and Minister of Mines and Energy Alemayehu Tegenu.
The two businessmen of the Texas based company decided to engage
in various sectors in a joint venture with other Ethiopians including
Lemma. “We identified investment sectors which could generate
income in foreign currencies so that debt servicing would not sap
Ethiopian foreign exchange earnings,” Lemma says.
These include four to five star hotels, large flower farms, energy
generators (wind farms as well as hydroelectric powers) and the
Addis Ababa to Djibouti railroad with a possibility of extending
it to potential mining and industrial sites.
During their stay, the President of Ayr extensively discussed with
the Minister of Trade and Industry, to start the investment immediately
after acquiring land for a 15-storey twin building hotel and the
arrangement of financial guarantees (20% of the project cost) for
two other five-star hotels.
As a result, three joint venture companies for a five-star hotel
and two flower farms worth 700 mln birr in total have been signed
by American, Jordanian and Ethiopian nationals.
Currently, in Addis Ababa there are 52 sites that the City Administration
has reserved for hotel construction.
According to Lemma, it is hoped that the railroad link may be connected
to other neighboring countries like Sudan. The two sides realized
that the existing 1,000 kms long railway is not adequate and that
the country needs at least 5,000 kms of railroads.
The President of Ayr discussed with the Minister of Transport and
Communication, Junedin Saddo, on how and where railroads may be
constructed in Ethiopia. The two sides further discussed on possibilities
of designing, constructing and part owning of a tram system (passenger
vehicle on rail) for Addis Ababa as well as the supply of transport
vehicles on credit from Ayr’s factories in Mexico.
It is recalled that modernization of the Ethio-Djibouti railway
was previously awarded to the South African company Comazar, which
was later cancelled as the company has not met its agreement to
begin work before June 15, 2006.
Ayr has offices in thirteen countries around the world with projects
in China, South Africa, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Jordan, United
Arab Emirates, Australia, Zambia, Indonesia, Mozambique and Yemen.
According to Lemma, lack of accurate information about the current
situation in Ethiopia and the cumbersome bureaucracy that is still
observed in some offices are the main drawbacks that have been hindering
big American companies from investing in Ethiopia.
But critics attribute China’s engagement in Africa as the
main cause for the change of attitude of American and other western
companies towards the continent. They say that this shows the shift
of American view from considering Africa as their aid-dependent
continent to a business partner, which has come as a result of recent
Chinese and Indian active engagement in African economies.
City Government’s
data entry blunder benefits 3000 residents
By Kirubel Tadesse
Addis Ababa City Government Information and Culture Bureau head,
Mesganu Arega, said that data errors made by the city government
will benefit three thousand additional winners among Addis Ababa
residents.
It was learnt at a press conference held by the City Government
on Wednesday August 15, 2007, that the computer based condominium
winners selection had slip-ups and as a result some of the condominiums
were awarded to two residents instead of one. Condominiums which
had already been assigned to owners in the previous lottery were
also re-assigned to new winners in the current selection.
Apologizing for the mistakes, Dr. Engineer Wubeshet Berhanu, Addis
Ababa City Manager, announced that three thousand condominiums which
were originally reserved by the administration, will be assigned
to all those people who were mistakenly announced to be condominium
winners in the Addis Lesan newspaper.
Addis Ababa Housing Agency Manager, Daniel Tadesse on his part said
that hand over of the studio apartments and single-bedroom condominiums
will be done in a short period of time, as they are not subject
to bank interest. He added that after negotiating with banks, the
administration will now cover the bank interest and a system will
be set up to allow residents pay up their debts, interest-free.
Even though some of the city’s previous condominiums had been
awarded to others in the current lottery system by mistake, Daniel
assured owners that they will not lose their homes, and new winners
will be assigned to other condominiums.
Capital learnt that if one leaves the country he or she is not entitled
to claim a condominium and neither can families of people who won
the lottery but are now deceased.
Company to build
‘a villa a day’
Cement consumption for house construction will also be cut three
fold
After realizing the installation of the 119 mln birr Pre-cast
concrete factory in Akaki Kaliti sub-city, OLOGO Construction plc
indicated on Thursday, August 18, 2007, that the company can construct
a villa a day as a result of this new technology.
The new factory produces columns, slabs and walls that will be used
for constructing a house within one day, according to Georgio Lanata,
General Manager of the company. Using this pre-cast system, the
construction company has built a villa in the Bisrate Gebriel area
in Addis Ababa.
This technology replaces the use of bricks with cement and iron
walls, which only require finishing and painting.
In addition, OLOGO has also imported a new technology that will
decrease by nearly four times the amount of cement that is being
used in Ethiopia for constructing houses. The new technology is
called foam concrete and is now applied by the company for house
partition purposes only.
Currently, the company is undertaking research on the usage and
composition of chemicals that help apply the technology for construction
in Ethiopian weather. In Addis Ababa, OLOGO is currently building
villas and apartments in Kazanchis, Bole and Sarbet areas.
Oromia Region-Burayu, Tigray Region-Mekele and Amhara Region-Gondar
are areas where Ologo has also began constructing buildings, villas
and apartments for sale on more than 80,000 square meters.
Appreciating the rapid services he got from the Gondar investment
office that allowed his company to obtain land in just one day,
the General Manager called on other regional investment offices
to take lessons from their Gondar counterparts.
OLOGO Construction plc joined the construction sector in Ethiopia
last year. The company, which is now run by two brothers with dual
Ethiopian and Italian nationality, has been in the construction
business for more than three decades around the world.
Millennium Secretariat
launch multi-lingual site
By Tedla Desta
The Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat is to launch a website
in eight languages at a ceremony to be held at the Addis Ababa City
Administration tomorrow, Yonas Sime, Web Expert at the Secretariat
told Capital.
According to Yonas, the website is unique in that it endeavors to
give comprehensive information about the City and the millennium
celebration in Amharic, English, French, Arabic, Chinese, German,
Spanish and Italian.
“This would enable a large number of visitors to learn about
the country and its history. It would be the first locally available
sites to host so many languages,” Yonas said.
The website incorporates the millennium radio and television programs
that are transmitted through the City Administration’s Media.
“This option is also an additional input for website visitors
to view programs they may have missed.”
It also includes a centralized hotel information system.
A meeting jointly organized by the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat
and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism which brought together
hotel operators, owners and secretariat officials to discuss on
how to incorporate information to a new web based hotel application
program was found fruitful.
The web based Hotel Application System set up by Electrical Solutions
for Ethiopia in collaboration with the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat
will provide visitors with information about on line hotel reservations
and bookings. The system is expected to curb the challenges visitors
arriving in to the city may encounter.
The multi-lingual website www.addismillinnium.org was developed
at a cost of Birr 23,000. \
Castel Wine farm
in Zeway stuck
By Andualem Sisay
Realizing the presence of some 40 hectares of land allocated to
Awash Winery in the middle of the 453 hectares it received from
the government at the beginning of last month, BGI Ethiopia’s
winery farming seems to be stuck, sources told Capital.
Two months ago, before it was attributed to BGI Ethiopia, the land
valued at 7.1 million birr by Ernst & Young in 2001, was under
the administration of a government institution, The Ethiopian Fruit
Development Enterprise (EFDA).
The enterprise was then ordered by Private and Public Enterprises
Supervising Agency (PPESA) to hand over the plot to Castel Winery,
represented locally by BGI Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, as the government owned winery Awash was getting its
supply of grapes from this plot, it was offered to take it over.
However, according to sources from EFDA, Awash Winery had restrained,
complaining that the 40 hectare plot was too small and was pushing
for more.
Castel Winery on its part aptly sent its acceptance and was waiting
for October to take over and start preparing the land for vine plantation,
as soon as the maize already planted by EFDA would be harvested.
Lately, Awash Winery has agreed to take the 40ha land fully surrounded
by Castel Winery’s plot.
Some two weeks ago, sources say, the latter submitted a letter to
the Ministry of Trade and Industry stating that the land owned by
Awash Winery in the middle of the plot allocated for Castel Winery’s
grape farm has created a hindrance for its preparation of the surrounding
plot for grape plantation.
In its letter, it requested the government either to be given Awash
Winery’s plot too or to get land in other parts of the country
for planting wine grapes, which will be used for the winery that
Castel is to establish.
As time goes by, sources say, the company will not be able to prepare
the land for the upcoming October planting. The delay in response
from the Ministry of Trade and Industry in deciding on the issue
engenders financial loss as well for the company. Currently, the
company is paying for experts it brought from abroad for the project,
but has also rented tractors and other equipment for farming, according
to sources.
Castel Winery’s decision to open a winery in Ethiopia came
about following Mr. Pierre Castel’s, President of Groupe Castel,
fruitful discussion with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi during his
visit this year in late January. At the time the envisioned investment
of plantation on 100 ha land and winery plant was estimated at 10
million USD.
Studying the climate and topography of various areas in the country,
Castel Winery has decided on Zeway for its wine plantation. Currently
Castel Winery owns 1500 hectares of wine farms in Africa with 300
hectares in Tunisia alone. 70 per cent of its product in Ethiopia
is planned for export to neighboring countries.
BGI joined the Ethiopian beer market in 1998 by introducing Castel
Beer and buying St. George Brewery, which was government owned.
Wine production would ideally take four years from planting the
first vine to producing the first bottle. Mr. Castel, during his
visit to Ethiopia had told Capital that vineyards plantation on
100 hectares with 500,000 vines, would create permanent employment
for several hundred people in the area. Once the winery is operational
it was estimated to produce up to 1 million bottles annually.
TAAAF’s Meskel
Square Millennium event cancelled
By Tedla Desta
The Grand Festival of Taste of Addis - Africa Festival (TAAAF)
which was to take place from September 11 to19 at Meskel Square
has been canceled, Capital learnt.
It was disclosed that the event scheduled and approved by the Addis
Ababa Millennium Secretariat to be held at Meskel Square was cancelled
by the same government body for reasons related to security.
Similarly, Mekonen Beyene, CEO and founder of TAAAF, said to Capital
that they are working to hold the event from 31 December to January
7, 2007/08. “We would like to express our distress and apologize
for any inconvenience that may be caused due to the unforeseen occurrence
that is beyond our capacity and control. We would also like once
again to invite the participants to take part in the event that
will be held at the end of December,” TAAAF said in its press
release.
Taste of Addis - Africa Festival is a large-scale event modeled
after Taste of Chicago, an annual festival that brings together
more than 3 million people from all over the world. For over two
decades, the Taste of Chicago has served as a vehicle for generating
tax-revenues of major significance. Similarly, TAAAF was preplanned
to serve as an epicenter to attract thousands of Ethiopians, including
family members in the Diaspora and students on their summer break.
“There is, however, a strong likelihood that the more than
20-30 foreign food and entertainment establishments that were to
take part in the event remain barely known to many Addis-Ababans.
The events were planned to include pot luck of national foods, fire
works, children’s play ground and diaspora market place. At
the same time it was planned to have an African market place where
various nations can represent their culture and food. Health awareness,
African music and drama were also to feature in those 8 days.
Mekonen told Capital that he spent 1.5 million birr in preparation
of the event. He said that he has been discouraged by the decision
taken.
Ethio-Sudan relations,
model for African integration: Ambassador
Prominent Sudanese singers to entertain Ethiopian fans for the Millennium
By Andualem Sisay
The Ambassador of Sudan to Ethiopia, Mohieldin Salim, said the
joint projects by Sudan and Ethiopia that are under implementation
can be taken as a model by other African nations to finally realize
the long talked about regional integration of the African continent.
In an exclusive interview with Capital on Wednesday, August 15,
2007, the Ambassador indicated that the joint projects both completed
and underway are symbolic for the rest of Africa on the continent’s
journey towards integration.
He noted the Ethio-Sudanese fiber optics line inaugurated last week
and the asphalt road connecting Gedaref to Metema, which now enables
one to drive from Addis Ababa to Khartoum as concrete examples of
the exemplary relations. The inauguration of this road was previously
scheduled for last month but it has been postponed to October due
to the rainy season, according to the Ambassador. In addition to
the second road under construction that links the two countries
in a different direction, the Ambassador further mentioned that
the two sides are also studying the possibility of a third road.
He also pointed out the ongoing railway project, which aims to connect
Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan, and the electricity project that targets
to sell 200 MW for Sudan as part of activities underway with commitment
of the two countries to benefit each other and facilitate the continent’s
urge for integration.
He stressed the need for other countries to follow in the footsteps
of the two countries and pull the long-awaited dream of one integrated
Africa closer to reality.
“The fact that the High Ministerial Joint Committee is led
by President Albashir of Sudan and Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia
shows the strategic concern and commitment that the two countries
have shown to their relationship,” he said.
Stating the almost similar culture and social norms the people of
the two countries have, he said that if one refers to historic books,
the words Abyssinia and Sudan are used interchangeably to describe
the same people living in both countries now called Ethiopia and
Sudan.
He also indicated that his government will bring famous Sudanese
singers such as Mohammed Werdi that have millions of Ethiopian fans
for the Ethiopian Millennium celebrations. The musicians are expected
to entertain fans in various parts of the country throughout the
year-long celebration.
The long border of 1,600 kms, the Nile water they share, deep historical
ties and common cultural heritage are also among the facts that
compel the two countries to work closely for mutual benefit, according
to the Ambassador.
Of the nine countries neighboring Sudan, Ethiopia is the only one
neighboring it both to the South and North. Using this long border
line between them, the two countries are studying various joint
projects such as free trade zones, agro-industry, livestock and
meat processing.
The two countries are also discussing issues such as double taxation
and installation of an oil pipeline between them. So far, the two
sides have signed 35 agreements related to trade, politics, education,
immigration, transportation and culture.
Dignitaries as
parking attendants
By Tedla Desta
Around 350 selected people, most of whom are dignitaries, are to
act as parking lot attendants for three days in major traffic areas,
Tadele Seifu, Founder and Chief Executive Director of EZANA Ethiopia
(Earnest Zeal Against Nimby Attitude) told Capital.
EZANA Ethiopia, a local NGO which is the organizer of this program,
has brought together over one hundred graduating university students,
founders of private universities/colleges, journalists, principals
and instructors at universities, comedians, talk show hosts, women
leaders, representatives of national and international clubs and
public celebrities - winners of peace, honorable world laureateship
awards, owners of intellectual patent rights of innovation, world
record holding athletes and international award winning personalities.
The director said that this Innovative Graduation Week Campaign
is to serve as a promotional event to communicate powerful, important,
and positive messages to the public in an innovative and practical
manner.
The event to be held from August 20 to 22, 2007 for three consecutive
days aims to promote work ethic among the public mass, assist the
campaign participants to experience and understand how the less
privileged groups of society earn their living and persuade them
to establish a permanent personal attachment with the parking lot
attendants, help the prospective college and university graduates
to experience the challenges of work life and make them ready to
turn challenges into opportunities for growth, and demonstrate innovative
ways of improving the working environment of parking lot attendants.
"There are many parking lot attendants who do not even tell
their parents what line of work they are in. Most of them face very
challenging work situations mostly due to the ill-treatment they
face from drivers. The participation of these selected individuals
would change their image and make them feel that they are really
being supported," the director added.
In the three day program the campaign participants will serve as
parking lot attendants, each of them partnering with one attendant.
It was also disclosed that the participants will be provided with
vests, umbrellas, car cleaning and promotional materials as gifts
to car parkers.
The event is expected to be transmitted live on FM radio in which
campaign participants will vent their experiences and opinions.
For the execution of the program, around 60,000 birr has been budgeted.
EZANA is training 450 parking lot attendants on personal developments
and leadership skills.
Parking spaces are becoming a scarce commodity in the world. In
the streets of Addis it is not rare to see heated arguments revolving
around the 'ownership' of a particular parking space.
Internationally, the practice of saving spaces has become controversial.
Indeed, parking space in the US is such a rare commodity that in
2006 a parking spot was sold for $250,000.
EZANA Ethiopia was established in 2005 as a local NGO in four regions
of the country in addition to Addis Ababa.
HiLCoE to launch
twenty new software products developed by its students
By Kirubel Tadesse
HiLCoE School of Computer Science and Technology, the first private
college in Ethiopia, will introduce twenty new softwares, a selection
from more than 100 projects of its millennium graduate students
comprising 350 B.Sc and 50 postgraduate diploma holders.
According to Nassir Dino, Director General of HiLCoE, the projects
were conducted in consideration of the current public and market
needs so as to encourage students to engage themselves in satisfying
the country’s demand in ICT. He said that the software developers
mainly did their projects in areas which are currently unaddressed,
such as emergency call identifier, mobile positioning system, Addis
guide, geographical information system (GIS) for fire, micro finance
management system, mobile phone Amharic message, online kindergarten
school, Amharic dictionary, content management system and others.
The twenty selected projects will be presented and implemented with
different partners after being exhibited at HiLCoE’s tenth
year anniversary on September 8, 2007, at Sheraton Addis.
Nassir Dino, Director General of HiLCoE, said, “In the last
decade, HiLCoE has been providing international standard tertiary
level education in the challenging field of computer science and
technology. We really appreciate and thank the government for the
income tax holiday it extended us as an incentive for the investment
we made to the college for the five consecutive years starting from
the first year of the college’s establishment.”
Nassir however added that although the government’s support
has helped the college come this far, its unaddressed request to
be allotted a plot of land is keeping the school from working at
its full capacity. Shortages of classrooms, labs and dorms for students
are the major drawbacks which could be answered if HiLCoE gets the
land it requested with a project proposal submitted to the Investment
Authority of Ethiopia, Nassir explained.
Dr. Ahmed Hussein, Director of Academics, told Capital that HiLCoE
has finalized preparations to launch two M.Sc programs in Computer
Science and Software Engineering that involve a combination of taught
courses, research and industrial projects.
HiLCoE was founded by Nassir Dino and Ahmed Hussein (PhD) with financial
assistance of another partner, Seid Kasse. The two professionals,
Nassir and Dr. Ahmed, started HiLCoE in the year 1997 with its sister
company HiLCoE Computer Systems engineering.
HiLCoE has so far graduated more than one thousand students currently
working in different organizations and academic institutions here
in Ethiopia and abroad as programmers, database administrators,
system analysts, system and network administrators, internet and
web page designers, instructors and many other ICT field professionals.
A significant number have also continued their education locally
at AAU and at international universities in America, UK, Europe
and Asia, Dr. Ahmed concluded. HiLCoE received an award from the
Ethiopian investment authority in 2002 Investors’ day for
“Knowledge based services”.
Drawing investors
via taxis, hotels
By Tedla Desta
In an effort to attract investors and tourists in the country,
a local company called Harmony PLC has introduced technology that
is to be put in selected taxis and hotels, Dawit Shewangzaw, shareholder
and General Manager told Capital.
The system is installed in 100 taxis with plans for expanding the
system. The in-taxi and out door audio visual information and advertisement
promotional service introduced is widely used in the developed world.
The technology was developed with an outlay of 1.8 million birr.
The touch screens are equipped with audiovisuals plus text on a
14x55 cm screen and boasts hard disc which works for 12 hours non
stop. The service works on 12 volt DC power and as it is power packed,
will function when the car’s battery is off. In addition,
it has a heat disruption fan, LCD screen, storage compartment and
cooling fan. The device is installed behind the driver’s seat.
“According to various studies an average of 250 to 300 people
use a single taxi within a day. The aggregate number of visitors
becoming 25,000 to 30,000 people in 100 taxies per day, it would
enable us to target many travelers and pass the needed messages,”
Dawit said.
The advertisements in these taxis are produced by the company itself
and are renewed.
“The messages to be transmitted include positive messages
that could change the attitude of the society towards taxi drivers
and lead to correspondingly harmonious conduct between travelers
and drivers” he added.
Correspondingly, touch screens would be installed in 21 hotels with
three stars and above. This is mainly aimed at giving adequate information
for foreigners to be acquainted with tourism activity and inform
them about investment opportunities without having to travel the
regions.
The company earns an income from the subscription fee from of the
advertisers and the price differs according to the file size. The
company is working together with hotels and traffic police in facilitating
the application of the devices.
There is a long-term plan of installing the technology in airports,
banks, hospitals, trade centers and many other places, he added.
Boston Partners
on the move to real estate
To complete a resort and Spa at Lake Tana
By Tedla Desta
‘Boston Partners’ is moving into real estate development,
Tadiwos Getachew, General Manager and owner of Boston Partners P.L.C
told Capital.
Tadiwos stated that the company will build 50 residential houses
at Lake Hora each costing a minimum of two to three million birr.
“The construction of the houses will commence in the summer
and each house will be constructed on 2000 sq mt,” he said.
Tadiwos also said that Kuriftu Resort and Spa, another of his holdings
found in Debre Zeit town on the shores of Lake Kuriftu is undergoing
expansion work. “On the land that the government gave us,
we will construct more houses with seven presidential suites and
22 bungalows, conference centers, horse stables riding and others.”
The expansion work is expected to cost 50 million birr.
In a related development, Boston Partners is completing a resort
and spa that it is building on the shores of Lake Tana. Of the 25
rooms that are to be constructed, half are near completion and will
go operational within 10 months, Tadiwos stated.
“Spas are being developed rapidly in our country and Addis
Ababa is going to become the spa capital of Africa. This is a very
good trend and the market is successful,” he added.
Speaking about the company’s plan to build housing for its
employees, Tadiwos said, “We believe in training and giving
respect to our employees. It is our belief that success comes through
good relationships with our employees. So it is with best millennium
wishes that we are going to build them one bedroom houses for 80
of our employees who were together with us since the beginning.”
The houses that are expected to be completed within three years
are to be built on 4,000 sq.mt land in Burayu.
Mulatua Wondosen, one of the first employees of Boston Day Spa,
said that she is grateful that the organization she works for is
building her a house. “This is the trend of business that
has to be developed in the country. Business people should be committed
to their social responsibility as well. I am dedicated to contributing
my own share in the facilitation of the construction,” She
said.
Boston Day Spa specializes in advanced aesthetics, massage therapy
and therapeutic body care.
Taxi drivers and
touts to wear IDs
By Kirubel Tadesse
Drivers, touts and coordinators of Addis Ababa taxis are to wear
identification cards as of next week.
More than 500 participants were present at the half day training
and discussion organized in collaboration of taxis, peace and development
associations and the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat on Thursday
August 16, 2007. The participants were given advices and lessons,
which will help them serve Addis Ababa residents properly. The Addis
Ababa Police Commission pledged to take measures if any misconduct
of traffic laws is reported. Overcharging was noted as the major
problem that needs to be solved as promised by taxi drivers’
representatives.
At the end of the training, a six point notice was agreed upon.
Capital learned that the Addis Ababa Police Commission and the participants
arranged to work together to protect the residents from crimes and
service related abuses.
According to Sergeant Daniel Tadesse, Public Relations officer of
the Addis Ababa Traffic Police, wearing ID’s will create a
sense of responsibility in drivers, touts and coordinators which
will ensure that travelers are treated well. He also disclosed that
efforts to do away with recent robberies of mobile cell phones and
other properties in taxis will be strengthened with the apprehension
of some taxi drivers who commit such crimes. During the training,
it was announced that Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat will assist
the Police Commission in providing the IDs that help create smooth
transportation service for residents and visitors coming from abroad
for the millennium celebrations.
The same training was given for higher public transport service
drivers, and porters. Addis Ababa Police Commission reached an agreement
with 1500 participants who took the half day training on August
6, at Selam Center of the police commission. The agreement also
includes passengers to carry things which weigh less than 25 kilogram
for free. The Addis Ababa Police Commission further stressed porters
to refrain from bothering passengers and to serve them only when
they are asked to do so.
EBCA vows to combat
HIV/AIDS in business community
By Andualem Sisay
Ethiopian Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (EBCA) has approved
a three-year strategic plan that will enable it to tackle HIV/AIDS
among the business community.
At a one-day workshop held at the Ghion Hotel on Tuesday, August
16, 2007, the coalition has refined, with its members, and approved
its mission, vision, objectives and action plans for the coming
three years.
During the workshop, EBCA has proposed to further develop its strategic
direction to improve sustainability, focusing on increasing its
membership profile and scaling-up its technical support, community
engagement, business assessment and information-sharing programs.
Sharing information, engaging the community, providing technical
support and developing business assessment tools are accepted by
the participants as major business-focused programs and key activities
of EBCA.
It was in 2004 that local business leaders launched EBCA with a
deep concern for how the HIV/AIDS pandemic could impact their future.
The coalition brought together large companies, business associations,
workers’ organizations, and micro, small and medium enterprises
on HIV/AIDS.
According to its statement at the workshop, the coalition has been
able to mobilize some 60 businesses, reaching out to more than 40,000
employees in total.
In addition to the membership fees that EBCA collects annually from
its members, which is 1,000 birr for a foreign company and 500 birr
for local firms, EBCA’s major sponsors include GTZ and the
World Bank.
Currently, there are 57 EBCA member business companies and the coalition
expects to raise this number to 200 in the coming two years.
Harrar Brewery, BGI Ethiopia, United Bank, Debre Brehan Blanket
Factory, Unity University College, Ambo Mineral Water, Wegagen Bank,
Total Ethiopia, Ethiopian Employers Federation, Chamber of Commerce,
Ethiopian Manufacturing Industries Association, Tibeb Ethiopia and
the Women’s Entrepreneurship Association are among the founding
members of the coalition.
Campaign launches
petition to ratify the Rights of Women
By Tedla Desta
An electronic petition calling for the ratification of the African
Union Charter on the Rights of Women was launched on August 17,
2007, in Addis Ababa.
The petition was launched at an event for the millennium with the
theme ‘End Violence against Women in the New Millennium.’
The main purpose of the event was to win national and international
concern and commitment towards Ethiopia’s ratification of
the protocol on the rights of African Women by November 2007, exert
public pressure on the ratification of the sexual harassment law,
enhancement of public knowledge and awareness on women’s and
girl’s rights and secure public support to stop violence against
women, said Mulu Tsehaye, representing Network of Ethiopian Women’s
Associations (NEWA).
During the session, Yeshareg Damtie, Commissioner of Children and
Women Human Rights, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, said the
event was organized because the conditions of violence against women
and the nature of crime in Ethiopia are becoming more atrocious
and alarming.
“And yet, the actions and the commitments by governmental,
international, and non-governmental organizations have picked up
momentum and are showing promising results. Hence, in order to tackle
these alarming gender based violence on the one hand and to maximize
this momentum and commitment on the other hand, it is necessary
to have such an event which can enable us to enhance public and
official awareness regarding the problem to develop strategies towards
a collective action for change,” She added.
The protocol on the rights of women in Africa which has been adopted
and later ratified as part of the African Charter, affirms the primacy
of women’s rights to non-discrimination and reproductive self
determination under regional law. It also requires states to eliminate
cultural and traditional practices that discriminate against women.
The Gender Based Violence Campaign-Ethiopia is a campaign against
gender based violence in Ethiopia and involves local and international
NGOs and organizations. NEWA is the coordinator of the Campaign
and the secretariat of the coalition.
USD 50 mln donated
to support Ethiopia’s
democratic institutions
By Tedla Desta
Mekonnen Manyazewal, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development
signed a grant agreement amounting to over USD 50 million on behalf
of the Ethiopian government with Fidele Sarassoro, UN Resident Coordinator
in Ethiopia representing the UNDP and other contributing donors
on August 15, 2007.
According to the agreement, the grant will be used to support the
Capacity Building component of the Program of Accelerated and Sustained
Development to End Poverty (PASDEP). Specifically, the Democratic
Institutions Program (DIP) aims to strengthen democratic governance
institutions, namely the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the
Ethiopian Institute of Ombudsman, the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption
Commission, the House of Federation, the House of Peoples’
Representatives and Regional State Councils and the National Electoral
Board of Ethiopia.
The fund in support of this program is pulled from donors operating
in the country and includes the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA), the United Kingdom Department for International Development
(DFID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the Netherlands,
Denmark, Irish Aid, Austrian Cooperation, Italian Cooperation, Norway
and UNDP, it was reported.
Mekonnen emphasized the importance of donor harmonization in accordance
with the principles of the Paris Declaration. The State Minister
further stated that the DIP would be instrumental in achieving the
PASDEP governance objectives of enhancing the capacity of democratic
institutions and fostering democratic governance in Ethiopia.
Sarassoro on his part said that the Development Assistance Group
(DAG) has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the development
of democratic institutions in Ethiopia. “The DAG, through
this program is once again giving concrete meaning to National Ownership,
Harmonization and Simplification in the context of the Paris Declaration”
he said.
The Resident Representative also expressed his confidence that the
program will be implemented soon and be able to demonstrate results
in the area of governance and human rights.
It was learnt that the Donor funds contributed in support of this
program will be pooled into one basket fund and the Democratic Institutions
Program (DIP) will be managed by a Project Management Unit under
the UNDP as a National Execution Project (NEX).
Police urge public
cooperation for peaceful Millennium celebrations
By Kirubel Tadesse
The Addis Ababa Police Commissioner, Fekadu Seboka, called on residents
of Addis Ababa to work closely with the Police so that the millennium
celebrations can be enjoyed peacefully.
At the graduation ceremony for three hundred forty police officers
trained to address crime and traffic accidents, the commissioner
said that residents should report immediately anything suspicious
to the police during this special millennium celebration. He added
that residents who rent their houses are advised to notify the nearest
police station about the identity of the lessees. The newly trained
Police Officers were selected from the ten sub-cities of the capital.
During the graduation ceremony, Chief Inspector Abdela Mohammed
said that the trainee Police Officers attended 314 hours of theory
classes which include 24 hours training on traffic accidents investigations.
He added that they took 240 hours of practical training and successfully
passed their exams.
Chief Inspector Abdela further said, “This training is a unique
one as we are graduating police officers who will be tested as they
work to secure the city for the millennium celebration which will
be attended by guests coming from different parts of the world.”
He also added that his expectations are high since these graduates
are superior in their academic achievements with years of experience
in police work.
Four decades of
coffee research and development in Ethiopia
By Tedla Desta
A national workshop under the theme “Four Decades of Coffee
Research and Development in Ethiopia,” was held in Addis Ababa
from August 14-17, 2007.
The workshop saw papers presented on the achievements and prospects
of coffee in Ethiopia from 1967 – 2007, with the main objectives
of presenting and documenting all the findings of research programs
on coffee in various disciplines. It also aims at generating and
transferring technologies to stakeholders; and enhancing development
works in production, protection, processing and marketing of this
economically important crop in Ethiopia.
As Ethiopia is home to a wide gene-pool and primary centre of origin
and diversity of Arabica coffee, research results and deposited
experiences of senior scientists will provide state-of the art knowledge
to other coffee producing countries.
The workshop was held on the following themes: Coffee Genetics,
Breeding and Biotechnology, Coffee Ecology, Agronomy and Physiology
(including Agrometeorology and GIS), Plant Protection (Pathology,
Entomology, and Weed Science), Coffee Soil, Nutrition and Water
Management, Coffee Quality and Post-harvest Processing, Technology
Transfer and Socioeconomics, Development and Marketing In Coffee
Industry, Coffee Diversification (Coffee-based Fruits, Spices, Tea
and Field Crops Research).
Dr. Solomon Assefa of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
(EIAR) said that there has been low productivity of coffee in the
last four decades and stated weak linkages as causes for the lack
of improved technology transfer. Dr.Birru Abebe, on his part, said
that high amount of caffeine has been analyzed in Ethiopian coffee.
On a related development, Dessalegn Jena, Deputy General Manager
of Oromia Coffee Farmer’s Cooperative Union which fought long
representing Ethiopian coffee exporters said “Since the branding
of Harar, Yirgacheffe, and Sidamo coffee, there has been no change
in the price of coffee.” According to him the most valuable
thing gained from the controversy is the growing popularity of Ethiopian
coffee.
“People or traders who didn’t know about Ethiopian coffee,
its quality, the status of the coffee farmers and most importantly
those who didn’t know that we produce have now come to know
that we are the producers of the finest quality coffee in the world.”
He said in theory, trademark agreements could bolster incomes for
Ethiopia’s farmers by allowing the country to negotiate purchasing
conditions for coffee roasters or retailers that want to use the
names and the struggles gone through to reach this level were effective
in advertising and promoting Ethiopia’s coffee.
The licensing, distribution and marketing agreement acknowledged
Ethiopia’s ownership of three coffee names: Yirgacheffe, Harar
and Sidamo, regardless of whether they are trademarked, which would
not reap Ethiopia any royalty payments. “What I see is a booming
and bright future for Ethiopian coffee. The already gained popularization
that couldn’t have been obtained with larger investments,
will give us a large and more profitable market,” he concludes.
No NGO promotes
child right at regional levels
By Kirubel Tadesse
According to the study conducted by Save the Children Alliance
in Ethiopia, at the moment there are no NGO consortiums with the
objective of setting and participating with task forces or networks
of NGO’S to promote and defend child rights, particularly
at regional levels of the country.
In a one day validation workshop organized by the union of seven
Save the Children organizations represented in Ethiopia (Canada,
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, UK, and US), the study “Systems
of child rights monitoring and reporting: the case of north Wollo
of Amahra national regional state and Addis Ababa Administration,”
explained that despite the fact that Ethiopia took concrete measure
to comply with UNCRC ( UN convention on the rights of the child
), institutionalizing and systematizing of child right committees,
implementation, monitoring and reporting practices, data and information
substantiating progress in endeavors of child rights promotion gaps
still persist. At the opening of the workshop, Susanne Kirk Christensen,
country director of Save the Children Denmark (SCD), explained that
the study was about the monitoring of the UN convention on the Rights
of the Child.
The study findings and recommendations were discussed by representatives
from regional women’s affairs bureaus, the Ministry of labor
and social affairs (BOLSA), relevant NGO’s and other bilateral
and multilateral agencies at Ghion Hotel on August 17, 2007.
The study recommends three approaches for consideration to the child
rights NGOs: a pilot project establishment of NGO-CR (child right)
consortiums at woreda level, support and guide woreda based child
rights NGO taskforces and networks, and support and guide the CYF/
CRDA (children and youth forum ) to emerge as an autonomous national
child rights consortium.
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