Capital

Rice visit highlights major African issues Sudan’s Al-bashir meets Meles

By Andualem Sisay

New consumers’ policy draft discussion

By Andualem Sisay

Ethiopian targets Western and Southern African markets

By Kirubel Tadesse

Fluoride exposure rises in Rift Valley

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Benshangul Gumuz Regional State vows to continue assisting investors

By Addis Mulugeta

Asphalt-base soil stabilizer introduced

By Addis Mulugeta

Metro becomes Gtv agent

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Anti-Corruption Commission gives protection to 40 whistleblowers

By Addis Mulugeta

Mexico in Addis, 'Etiopia' in Mexico

By Kirubel Tadesse

Opposition MPs divided on H.R. 2003

By Kirubel Tadesse

Affordable connectivity for rural villages

By Kirubel Tadesse

“I want to see a smiling Ethiopia”-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

By Tesfu Telahoun

Coffee micro toxic testing lab opening

By Andualem Sisay

Authority to issue new driving license

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Public school becomes investor

By Addis Mulugeta

“Tax payers maintain different books of account with the intention of lessening the reported taxable profit” FIRA

By Kirubel Tadesse

Indian Initiative program enters production phase

By Kirubel Tadesse

Addis Ababa University - March Project launches

By Addis Mulugeta

Parliament approves the seat tallies of Addis Ababa and Diredawa councils

By Andualem Sisay

Ethiopian women in the agricultural sciences to get fellowship

By Andualem Sisay

NGO Day and exhibition

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Chiro doubles hospital bed capacity

By our staff reporter

Djibouti gets first seven star hotel

By our staff reporter

Rice visit highlights major African issues Sudan’s Al-bashir meets Meles

By Andualem Sisay

United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, on Wednesday December 5, 2007 met with various African leaders in Addis Ababa and discussed on some of the current major issues of the continent.
In her one-day visit, Secretary Rice held talks with the leaders bilaterally and multilaterally on issues such as resolving the conflict in the Great Lakes region, re-building Somalia, deploying peacekeepers to Darfur, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
In the morning, Dr. Rice had a multilateral discussion on the problems of the Great Lakes region with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda, President Pierre Nkurunziza of the Republic of Burundi, and Minister of State for Interior Denis Kalume, representing President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
After the meeting took place in a spirit of frank and open exchange that helped to build trust among the member states, they all agreed on three major points, according to the statement the US Embassy in Addis Ababa dispatched to the media.
Strengthening state institutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the security sector, as a prerequisite for long-term solutions to insecurity in Eastern Congo is one of the areas they have agreed on.
As part of this accord, they will also commit themselves to supporting the rapid strengthening of these institutions. The Great Lakes member states have also agreed not to harbor any negative forces by denying them safe haven or support.
They have also agreed on the implementation of the existing agreements among member states, including that the November 9, 2007 Nairobi Communiqué signed by the Congolese and Rwandan Governments, must urgently be implemented. The participants recommitted to do so, including by strengthening the Joint Verification Commission between Congo and Rwanda with third-party assistance.
“Some of the problems have been dealt with. There are, however, some residual problems which need to be addressed, and we had a very thorough discussion,” said Uganda’s President Museveni at a press conference organized after their agreement.
“Part of the danger for Africa is handling issues in a superficial way, and I am glad that Secretary Rice agreed to stay in the conclave. When you are electing the Pope, you don’t elect him in public, you first have a conclave. So we had a conclave of only the leaders, and we had a very thorough discussion,” he added.
In a statement distributed to the media by the US Embassy in Addis Ababa, Secretary Rice on her part said: “We welcome this opportunity to support our Great Lakes partners as they work together to forge a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future for their people. I am here to underscore the commitment of the United States to your success. The United States remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance to address the current emergency in eastern Congo.”
“We look forward to the full and rapid implementation of provisions of the November 9 Nairobi communique as a major step toward eliminating the threat of violence and enabling development as we press for peace, safety, respect for human rights and justice for all of the people of the Great Lakes region,” she added.

Rebuilding Somalia
Later in the afternoon, Secretary Rice met with representatives of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG,) including newly appointed Prime Minister Nur Adde Hassan Hussein and encouraged the TFG to renew and revitalize efforts towards a lasting political solution based on the Transitional Federal Charter.
“I hope Prime Minister Hussein will draw on his humanitarian background to help facilitate delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid. A ceasefire agreement with key stakeholders, such as clan and business leaders, would be an important step in helping to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance, and would reduce the level of violence and create the conditions for longer-term security sector reform,” said Rice.
“I also encouraged Prime Minister Hussein to develop a timeline for the remainder of the transitional process by early January, including the drafting of a new constitution and electoral law, as the first step in this process,” she added.
Regarding the Somalia case, she also exchanged views with representatives from the African Union and United Nations to discuss the regional strategy to help restore lasting peace and stability in Somalia, including efforts to support the full and timely deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and progress towards national elections in 2009.

Discussion on Darfur
crises
Rice also discussed on the issue of Darfur with different actors in the conflict. Although there was no official announcement about Rice meeting with Sudan’s president, Mr. Albashier was seen meeting with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa on Ethiopian television that evening.
According to the statement dispatched to the press following the meeting, the international community’s commitment to working with the Sudanese to see the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) implemented quickly was underscored.
“The CPA – an historic accord that ended 21 years of a brutal civil war – provides the best framework for a peaceful, democratic Sudan. The parties to this agreement are obligated to make every effort to guarantee its success.”
This meeting also demonstrates broad commitment from states in the region and partners around the world to support the North and the South as they work to solve disputes like the Abyei boundary, conduct a census, and move to deploy their troops in accordance with the CPA. Free, fair and transparent elections in 2009, as stipulated by the CPA, are the best hope of building and sustaining a unified Sudan, the statement continues.
“We also urge all players in Sudan to end the violence in Darfur and to support everyone in the country who wants peace, security, and prosperity for themselves and their children,” she said.
During her stay, Rice also discussed with Prime Minister Meles and representatives of the Ethiopian government on issues of bilateral importance to both nations, with a focus on Ethiopia’s relations with Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea.
During the discussion she held with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also expressed her government’s interest of the rapid deployment of Ethiopian troops pledged to the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
She also urged Meles to work with Khartoum to allow UNAMID deployments, including non-African troops, to move forward unhindered. Rice also urged the Prime Minister to avoid any acts that might heighten friction between Eritrea and Ethiopia and to take concrete steps to lessen tensions on the border. “There must not be a resumption of hostilities initiated by either side,” she said.
The discussion between the two sides also included the importance of strengthening democratic institutions in Ethiopia and the issue of food security, with a specific focus on ensuring unrestricted commercial food delivery throughout the country, including the Ogaden.
Regarding Somalia they also discussed the need for the TFG to urgently resume the transitional political process outlined by the Transitional Federal Charter leading towards national elections in 2009.
“We emphasized the need for a comprehensive ceasefire agreement to be forged between Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and non-extremist opposition groups, which would help prevent further violence and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Mogadishu,” she said in the statement.
Other areas of discussion included regional security and fighting terrorism; democracy and human rights; economic development and food security; and public health concerns such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
She also indicated that the Bush Administration is against HR 2003, which is expected to be presented for the Senate of the US with the intention of protecting human rights in Ethiopia by its advocates and the recently released opposition party leaders of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). “The administration does not support this particular house resolution,” she said.

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New consumers’ policy draft discussion

By Andualem Sisay

The Ethiopian Consumers Protection Association (ECoPA) begins discussion on its new consumers’ policy draft with various concerned authorities and individuals on December 8-9, 2007 at Ras Hotel in Addis Ababa.
The main objective of the policy is to push the government towards providing a better policy, and to strive to affect it accordingly through attachment with a national strong consumers association. The association strongly advocates the need for the government to be involved in market regulation in selected goods and services such as water, electricity, public transport and food security, for the sake of protecting the majority of consumers in the country.
The draft policy is expected to be developed into full fledged policy guide for the benefit of consumers by finally enabling the country to have a consumers’ law. This association plans to discuss it with established businesses and public authorities and lobby law makers until the bill is finally enacted.
‘Finally the consumers’ policy will enable us to have a Consumer Law, which will ascertain consumers’ basic rights,” says Tadesse Gessesse, Consultant of the Board of ECoPA. “This law has to also recognize our organization’s right of representing consumers, protecting the safety of goods and services offered on the market, dealing with guarantees with respect to the supply of goods, and ensuring product liability.”
One of the major objectives of the policy is to facilitate fair trade practices by preventing deceptive practices in the economic sector. “This is possible by establishing an effective national standard body, regulator and enforcer,” recommend advocates of consumer law.
The existing Ethiopian standards, which are technically regulated, are those which are regulated during the Derg regime where almost all of the manufacturing enterprises were owned by government, with the assumption that government can not commit deceptive practices on its citizens.
According to the association, “however, as now Ethiopia is following a free market economy, there shall be a controlling mechanism against selfish individuals who act only with a profit motive but do not want to consider the rights of consumers.
“The existing Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (QSAE) is unable to serve the responsibilities and duties it has been given in its establishment proclamation and it doesn’t give more attention with regard to health, education, agriculture, transport and the like,” according to advocates of the establishment of a strong national standard regulatory and enforcing organ.
When compared to other nations, the existing national standards body’s rules and regulations are not in a position to enable it to enforce responsibilities and consumers association beliefs. The existing standards are not in a position to fully meet national security requirements, do not prevent deceptive practices and protect human, animal or plant life or health or environment effectively, consumers’ policy advocates believe.
The new draft policy is believed to play vital role in the attainment of one of the government’s major task towards the protection of health, safety, environment and national security.
According to the association, the policy will also help address the consumer’s demand towards their needs for more action to deal with emerging economic, social, and environmental issues.

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Ethiopian targets Western and Southern African markets

By Kirubel Tadesse

Ethiopian Airlines targets to increase its profile in the African market by expanding western and southern routes in the coming three years. Planning to increase its fifty routes to sixty, the airline says its main area of concern will be African countries, since the competition is getting stronger, with two American airlines having entered and others showing interest in the African markets.
Ethiopian says it plans to maintain flights to the USA and Europe with a few expansion plans to one or two states in the USA and in Canada. An auditing and inspection team from Canada is expected in one month’s time to allow Ethiopian to fly to Canada.
Ethiopian also plans to acquire two MD-11 aircraft by 2008 and 2009 and expects to receive 10 Boeing 787s, of which eight are expected in 2010 and the remaining by 2011.
There are further plans to increase the fleet from 21 to 30 jet aircraft.
In a half day press conference Junedi Saddo, Transport and Communication Minister, gave on Wednesday December 5, 2007 at the Sheraton Addis, he explained his sector’s five year strategic plan and the last two years’ performance. Junedi was accompanied by CEOs of communication and transport service provider institutions.
Junedi explained that as per the Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) study results, changes have been made in the five main and seven support services of the Transport and Communication Ministry. Juneydi stated that in order to satisfy Addis Ababa’s public transport needs with comfortable, efficient and affordable services, the Ministry has signed an agreement to buy one thousand minibuses of which half are expected to arrive in the next quarter budget year.
Replying to questions related to the importation of electric buses by a certain company recenttly, Junedi stated that the company engaged in the investment imported the buses. He explained that such operation of mass public transportation services could only be run under public investment but that the Ministry gave routes to the investor to complete all necessary tests with the two buses, only in order to encourage future private investment.
“With regard to the telecommunications sector,” Juneydi said, “landline telephone network has registered 14% growth annually with the number of customers going up 21% in the last five years.” Juneydi also said that the mobile network capacity and the number of registered customers have showed an annual growth rate of 123% and 120% respectively. Amare Amesalu, CEO of Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation, on the occasion explained that ETC will work on upgrading its mobile network to 3G level. Amare also stated that in the next three years, ETC mobile service will reach 10 million subscribers and land lines to four million.
Amare used the occasion to announce that a significant amount of the 14 million birr loss ETC incurred due to lack of reporting roaming services in thirty hours period to partners as per the contract, is to be recovered after negotiations with the companies.
Girma Wake, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, and Kasahun Hailemariam, Director General of Transport Authority and others were among the officials in attendance at the press conference chaired by Minister Juneydi.
Juneydi made no attempt to cover up wrongdoings and alleged press unavailability by CEOs and advised them to be more open to the media. Juneydi also warned that if not rescued, the Ethiopian Postal Service will end up in the same state as the Ethio-Djibouti Railway, which is soon to be dissolved and replaced by another corporation.
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Fluoride exposure rises in Rift Valley

By Muluken Yewondwossen

The launch meeting of the National Fluoride Steering Committee, on December 4, 2007 at the Ministry of Water Resources head office, disclosed that flower farming and other vast investment activities have increased the number of people exposed to fluoride in Rift Valley areas.
“When new flowers and other industries are launched in the Rift Valley and workers migrate from other safer places to fluoride affected areas, the number of affected people rises,” Pr. Redda Teklemariam, member of the steering and technical committees said. “This affects the economic productivity of the country,” he added.
The National Fluoride Steering Committee is to guide, coordinate and follow up efforts that are being made to better understand the fluoride problem and to find, select, disseminate, adapt and generate defluoridation technologies that are effective, simple and affordable to the majority of the most affected people, both at the household and community levels.
The technical committee will be responsible for carrying out the necessary groundwork for the decisions of the steering committee.
“A workshop on fluoride removal held in Adama in November 2006 had established a Steering Committee chaired by the Ministry of Water Resources. This special meeting that involved representatives of federal ministries, regional bureaus, higher learning institutes and NGOs had proposed a meeting to be held in Addis for establishing a national fluoride steering committee” Asfaw Dingamo, Minister of Water Resources stated in his speech.
According to the recent UNICEF commissioned study on the issues of fluoride fluorosis, about 10 mln Ethiopians are potentially affected by the fluorosis problem.
The same study has also revealed the severity of impact in terms of medical, social and physiological aspect and its negative consequences in the overall development endeavors of the country.
Recent studies show that Oromia is the most affected region as it occupies 42 per cent of the Rift Valley area followed by the SNNP region’s 30 per cent and the Afar region with 12 per cent. The concentration of fluoride in these areas ranges from 0.4-36 mg/l. Even the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended target of 1 mg of fluoride per liter may increase risk of bone ailments.

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Benshangul Gumuz Regional State vows to continue assisting investors

By Addis Mulugeta

The Benshangul-Gumuz Regional State has disclosed that more than 18 investors have invested since 2002 in various activities including construction, education, health, hotel, mining gold and marble, and agriculture in oil seeds, cotton plantations and others.
Head of Investment Bureau Research Unit, Abera Shibeshi, exclusively told Capital that the region is giving plots of land to investors free of lease inherent to the endeavor of expanding investment in the region.
He also said that each woreda in the region has its own electricity, adequate amount of clean water, health center and, all weather and seasonal roads, which are desirable for a locality’s investment requirements. According to him, investors who come to the region can get basic infrastructure without complex and unnecessary bureaucracy. He even commended that the investors could get plots of land they spot that are important for their operations.
The asphalt road from the Sudan to Metema, under construction, is mentioned by the expert as one of the very important factors which would aggravate investment moves in the region. The president of the region, Yaregal Aysheshum, is known for his official and individual effort in attempting to attract investors to the region who can operate under different fields of operation.
Abera also indicated that the availability of adequate man power in the region, be it in the rural or in the urban settlements of the region, would also add to attract investors. Different marble producers including Tis Abay Marble, and the Ethiopian Incense Enterprise are doing well in their fields of operation. The Tana Beles hydroelectric power plant is also one of the major construction sites that are well underway in the region.
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Asphalt-base soil stabilizer introduced

By Addis Mulugeta

Sunshine Construction Pvt. Ltd. Co. has adopted a new product for road construction called PURE CRETE; a U.S made. It is a complex non-bacterial, concentrated multi-enzymatic formulation that alters the properties of earth materials, providing one of the most cost effective methods to stabilize roads and seal ponds and landfills, on December 8, 2007, at the Sunshine terminal in Dukem.
Phillip Harris AYR Logistics president and Gim Gorden, president of PURE ONE, stated to Minister of Transport and Communication, and other invited guests that the PURE CRETE system is advantageous on high density soil, reduces compaction effort, requires less water, has better load bearing capacity with lower permeability, eliminates need for importing aggregates, computability, reduces maintenance and labor and easy to store and use among other qualities. The new product provides the alternative to the conventional base material method of construction and has been used for over 13 years around the world. The material is guaranteed to last 8 years.
According to the owner of Sunshine Construction, Samuel Tafesse this new product is now available and has been adopted for the first time by Sunshine Construction. Previously in traditional road construction, the cost of one kilometer was 150,000 Birr but this method saves costs by a hundred thousand Birr.
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Metro becomes Gtv agent

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Metro plc has become the Ethiopia agent for new pay television channel Gtv, which had been looking for an agent for the last six months.
According to Dinir Abdulahi ‘Metro Marketing Manager”, Gtv will transmit Ethiopian documentary and feature films around the world. “We expect that Gtv will support our football federation like it does other African countries,” he told Capital.
GTV, which is competing with MultiChoice, offers a range of channels such as European football and exclusive live broadcasts of 80 percent of the UK’s Barclays’ Premiership Football games to 48 sub-Saharan African countries.
“GTV is targeting customers who have previously been unable to afford subscription-based services and have been limited to a small number of national Free-to-Air television stations as the price is not more than others.” Riade Yusuf, Metro business development manager told Capital.
Gateway Communications, a provider of communications throughout Africa, launched of GTV, a pan-African pay-TV satellite deliver service. It provides international and local entertainment content with a subscription price aimed at penetrating the chronically underserved African television market.
However, with over 46m TV sets and growing at well over 10% per annum, Africa represents a large and rapidly growing market for subscription television, which Gateway’s own independently commissioned research estimates will grow to over $3bn by 2015.
GTV will provide a variety of quality content at an affordable subscription price comprising a wide range of sport, movies, popular series, music, education and religious content. The service will carry both major international channels as well as a number of in-house channels, including “G Prime”, a general entertainment and movie channel, and “G Sports 1” and “G Sports 2”. The latter will focus on live sports events, including the major European football leagues. The service will also focus heavily on promoting African content.
Julian McIntyre, president of Gateway Communications and founder of GTV, comments: “The African market has been artificially constrained by monopoly pricing and non-relevant content. Consumers across Africa want to watch the latest high-quality television programming that combines international and local content which is relevant to their lives and at a price that is comparable to a utility. GTV will be a pay-TV platform for Africa, not simply rebroadcasts of European or SA content.”
Gateway Broadcast Services, a subsidiary of UK-based Gateway Telecommunications, has raised 40 mln USD to finance the roll-out in Africa of its new pay television service, GTV.
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Anti-Corruption Commission gives protection to 40 whistleblowers

By Addis Mulugeta

The Anti-Corruption Commission has given witness protection services (physical and job security) for nearly 40 witnesses and whistlers blowers.
The Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has pointed out in the fourth Anti-Corruption Day press conference that was held with journalists on December 4, 2007, that the commission received nearly 9,000 tips from which 165 individuals received 1-19 years of imprisonment and paid from 500-10,000 Birr.
Ato Ali Suliman, the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner, said during the press conference that the watch dog is examining the working procedures in about 50 governmental offices and public enterprises, put forward corrective measures and followed up the implementation of the recommendations. Among the government offices and public enterprises covered by the study are the Ethiopian Privatization Agency, Ethiopian Airlines, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopian Insurance Corruption, Commercial and Development Banks of Ethiopia, Federal Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission, Federal Inland Revenue and Roads Authority, Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation, Ethiopian Electric Power Authority and the Ministry of Inland Revenue.
He described that research was also conducted on procurement and petrol consumption in government departments and public enterprises after which corrective recommendations were given.
The commissioner applauded that it is possible for whistle blowers to report acts of corruption or present their complaints, unethical practices and improper ties in person, by telephone, e-mail, fax, and through the post office. Their identities would be withheld up on their request.
He explained that the Amhara, SNNP, Tigray, Oromia, and Gambela regional states opened their own anti-corruption office for tackling corruption.
In related news, the fourth international Anti-Corruption Day is being marked in Ethiopia for the third time today, with the spirit of change created by the Ethiopian millennium, in the fight against corruption, under the slogan of ‘ Corruption your No Counts ’

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Mexico in Addis, 'Etiopia' in Mexico

By Kirubel Tadesse

According to Berhane Deressa, City Mayor of Addis Ababa, the Mexico Square found in Addis got its name to acknowledge the efforts of the Mexican government to restore Ethiopian administration that was out of place during the fascist Italy occupation. Capital learned that Mexico too has a place named after Ethiopia. Andy Goldman (Photo) told Capital that there is a place called "Etiopia" in Mexico City with its own subway stop, which is four stations away from Balderas Station.
On Friday December 7, 2007 Berhane Deressa and Hector Valezzi, Ambassador of Mexico to Ethiopia, together opened a photo exhibition at the city hall. The photograph exhibition is believed to strengthen the cultural and economic relations between people of the two countries. These exhibited photos, taken by Francisco Mata Rosas, show different views of Mexico City.
"I have been in to Mexico City many times, and it is beautiful and trimming. Even if in my view the photos in this exhibition don't really reflect what Mexico is today; they are very artistic and I hope in the coming days our friends enjoy the views of these pictures," Mayor Berhane said at the opening ceremony of the photographic exhibition. "Not only had the Mexican representative in the League of Nations tried to get the audience to listen to the emperor's famous speech during the fascist occupation, Mexicans also denied recognition of Italy's occupation of Ethiopia," stated Berhane about the historic relations of Ethiopia and Mexico. Berhane added, "The relations between Ethiopia and Mexico are deep rooted and the embassy was here with us many years ago. It was closed for a brief moment, I say of madness unleashed by us, then we came back to our senses and Mexico came back to Addis Ababa."
Ambassador Hector Valezzi on his part stated that collaboration works like this photographic exhibition and pervious programs like music concert by Mexican band help to create cultural relation between the two nations. Ambassador Hector added that he appreciates the joint programs with the Addis Ababa city administration as the collaboration always makes 'something happen.' He invited audience to come and view the photographs which he said 'don't exclude the reality as some cultures do.'
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Opposition MPs divided on H.R. 2003

By Kirubel Tadesse

H.R. 2003, Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007, which its supporters claim helps to encourage and facilitate the consolidation of peace and security, respect for human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia, can’t gain the full support of Ethiopian opposition Members of Parliament as it did in the US House of Representatives.
MPs Capital talked to expressed varying positions on the bill, one even saying that it is impractical. Temesgen Zewdie (MP) explained that H.R.2003 is a bill through which American tax payers have expressed their concern for their sisterly nation of Ethiopia. He said that he supported the bill totally and believes that it will be passed by the Senate. “Despite one’s right to support any agenda, those standing in favor of the bill are targets of the government’s propaganda and accusations,” stated Temesgen. He added that continuous accusations and ‘inappropriate name calling’ by the Prime Minster will not make much of a difference to his full support of the bill. Temesgen stated that rather than the view of the Bush administration, it is the Congress that reflects the voice of the American people. He said, “Simply considering the 20 million USD, which is set as a score card, for the things any democratic government should do anyway, we find it very hard not to support the bill.”
Professor Beyene Petros told Capital that conflicts over H.R 2003 are worthless since the bill is hardly to become law. Professor Beyene explained that the bill is yet to find a sponsor in the US Senate and the recent denouncement of the bill by Secretary Rice proves that. “Personally, as an Ethiopian parliamentary member, I don’t feel proud that Ethiopian related issues are discussed in the US as if we are not capable of solving our problems. This shows that we still lack mutual respect and common ground for dialog in order to narrow our differences and solve problems on our own,” said Professor Beyene. He feared that H.R 2003 is just another issue where Ethiopians get in to conflicts taking supporters and opposition roles instead of toning down and listening to each other. Professor Beyene expressed the bill as “something which isn’t practical.”
Lidetu Ayalew (MP) told Capital that the bill in its nature shouldn’t gain the full support or opposition of any Ethiopian since it has useful ideas on one hand and unacceptable proposals on the other. He explained “For us, whether it is supported by the current administration or not is not a key question, the bill has important ideas which the US and other parts of the international community should continue pressuring on the Ethiopian government, but at the same time it contains proposals which will hurt Ethiopia if it becomes law, so we believe that the bill should be carefully studied and corrected before it goes any other step.”
On Oct 2, 2007, H.R 2003 was passed in the US House of Representatives by voice vote and the Senate on Oct 3, 2007 received and referred it to the Committee on Foreign Relations. H.R 2003 is sponsored by a New Jersey Democrat Congressman Donald Payne.
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Affordable connectivity for rural villages

By Kirubel Tadesse

Nokia Siemens, a joint venture of Siemens Communications and Nokia Networks Business Group, says that it is responding to people’s real needs and budgets by developing solutions and new business models to enable them get connected.
“Around half the world’s population lives in villages,” explains Nokia Siemens, “the challenge now is for network operators to be flexible enough to try and adopt innovative solutions such as Nokia Siemens Networks’ ‘Village Connection’ that transfers responsibility for local network and business functions to a local level, building cost-effective connectivity, village by village.” Nokia Siemens explains that the thinking behind this solution is that now operators across Africa can capture the rural market potential by offering voice and sms services to villages with relatively low investment which, in turn, helps them meet the rural end-user at the point at which she or he can afford to get connected.
At a press conference Michael Maltusch, Ethiopia Country Director of Nokia Siemens Networks, gave on Thursday, December 6, 2007 at Sheraton Addis, said that in order to achieve its goal of connecting 5 billion people by wire and wireless from one end of the planet to the other by 2015, Nokia Siemens Networks believes at least three areas must be addressed, “Innovative solutions; novel business models for rural areas and the synthesis of a new value network where rural roll-outs are turned into a lucrative, realistic business opportunity that will enable the mobile communications industry to provide rural customers with connectivity”.
Explaining Nokia Siemens Networks’ Village Connection, the Country Director said “Village Connection uses a different business model. The Village Subscriber - for whom affordability is key, so he or she can choose between various call plans ranging from local-calls-only to Nokia Siemens Networks Village Connection Domain connectivity and roaming – with post and prepaid options; The Entrepreneur – where local people will now have the opportunity to host their own mobile access point, providing a lucrative business opportunity where the village entrepreneur or franchising business is an entirely new player in the value network; The GSM Operator - which aggregates traffic from various village entrepreneurs and is responsible for channeling the traffic between different villages and for the provisioning of external connectivity to Village Connection subscribers; The authorities – statutory bodies that may include the licensor and/or the regulator responsible for licensing and spectrum allocation; The Solution Vendor – responsible for supplying the network infrastructure and subscriber terminals either to the GSM operator or directly to the village entrepreneur.”
“The importance of the Village Connection model is that it brings business to villages and enables different models of business franchising that create employment for someone in a village. It also recognizes the importance of sustainable growth when connecting rural communities – which become possible when social responsibility and environmental values, are also in place”, added Maltusch.
Combining the legacy of Nokia Networks and Siemens Com, Nokia Siemens Networks has been active in Ethiopia since 2004 and is a major networks solutions provider for Ethiopia Telecom Corporation (ETC). The company has delivered and installed GSM and GPRS Mobile Network to ETC for approximately one million subscribers and delivered and installed a 1,800 kilometers of Fiber Optics Network in challenging geographical environments.

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“I want to see a smiling Ethiopia”-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

By Tesfu Telahoun

Serenity is a man – a surprisingly demure personality who exudes grace and peace. His ever-present smile is touching in its authenticity and you say to yourself, “This person is special”. However, that would be something His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation and a world renowned guru would gently refute.
“We are all, in one way or another, sent for a purpose. I am not here in any special capacity, replied His Holiness, to my question of whether he felt he is on a divine mission chosen by destiny for him to follow.
We were gathered in the splendid grounds of India House, the magnificent residence of the Ambassador of India to Ethiopia, invited to attend a press conference His Holiness granted to local media, on Friday, December 7, 2007.
The Art of Living guru answered a variety of questions from the media. The full text of the press conference will feature in next week’s issue.

Coffee micro toxic testing lab opening

By Andualem Sisay

Cotecna, an international trade inspection, security and certification company has formally engaged itself in Ethiopia to open a micro toxic testing laboratory for coffee.
The company plans to offer the opportunity for Ethiopian coffee farmers to raise the quality of their produce and add value to the industry through the setting up of domestic inspection, testing and quality control services.
“We are excited by the prospects of actively participating in the improvement of the national Ethiopian coffee industry through our added-value services,” said Alpha Sy, Africa Vice President of Cotecna.
As the company serves as a third party between exporters and importers by taking product quality risks, it is believed to make trade easier by avoiding unnecessary quality related disagreements between the exporter and importer. It will also avoid the extensive process in which exporters usually send their product samples abroad for testing.
When the laboratory begins service, it will be the first in Ethiopia to provide micro toxic and pesticides testing exclusively. The company also plans to train and hire Ethiopians to do conducting procedures.
“As the European Union and other importers are continuously introducing more and stricter quality requirements on imported products, the introduction of such a testing center will help Ethiopia keep pace with the dynamic global trade,” says Sinishaw Tiruneh, country representative of Cotecna in Ethiopia, who has conducted research on how Ethiopian export coffee is tested and has advised Cotecna to fill the existing gap.
The company has been offering services for 30 years to all market segments of the agricultural sector: coffee, grains, pulses, oilseeds, and foodstuff to liquid cargoes, sugar fibers, fruit fertilizers.
Cotecna in the long run also plans to work in verifying country of origins of imported items to Ethiopia in collaboration with Customs authorities.
Cotecna, a Swiss company, presently has 15 government contracts through out the world in trade surveillance, trade facilitation and trade security services. It operates a total of 16 large scale fixed mobile and pallet scanners for scanning containers and trucks.
It also provides consultancy services involving 13 scanners that belong to different clients throughout the world. The company’s expertise in institutional inspection services includes destination inspection, capacity building, and computerized risk management, customs valuation, among others.

Authority to issue new driving license

By Muluken Yewondwossen

The Federal Transport Authority is set to change the current graded licenses to professional driving licenses.
Kassahun Hailemariam, Transport Authority director general, said, “The significance of this change is to minimize car accident and to adopt international standards.”
The new licenses have 6 professional categories with each thing their own training formats and examinations.
The first one is motor bicycle driving license; the person who has this license can drive motorbike. Auto mobile driving license permits one to drive only up to twelve seater vehicles.
The third driving license category is the public transport vehicles driving license which has three levels. 24 seater (including driver), from 25 to 44 seaters is the other and the third level allows one to drive more than 44 seaters. And the person who has this license can drive the first two levels.
Dry load truck license is the other category that has also got three levels. The first one is 13,000 kg dry load trucks license while the second ranges from 13,001 to 28,000 kg and more than 28,000 kg of dry load truck license falls into the third level. The third level driver can drive the rest two levels as well.
Yet another category is the liquid carrier truck driving license, which has got two levels in it. The first level allows one drive trucks with a holding capacity of 18,000 liters (not including the truck’s weight) and the other license is for bigger liquid carrier trucks. In the same way as the previous two, someone with the second level license can also drive trucks with lesser capacity.
There is also a special driving license with lowest, middle and heavy licensing levels.
Ato Kassahun said, “The theory and practical training time depends up on the kind of driving license. In addition the authority facilitates a new way of examination for a customer. On this new way nobody can get a license without a training and exam.”
The previous law required people to wait a year or two before they could try to advance to a higher grade. To the contrary, the new law allows getting any category license when the client finished their training.
According to Kassahun, the new law will be endorsed and implemented with in a short time.

Public school becomes investor

By Addis Mulugeta

Ayer Amba Kindergarten and Elementary School, located in the Bole Rwanda area of the capital, has recently demolished its compound and constructed more than 25 container shops to be rented out to commercial use. While some of the shops have already started operations, the remaining are expected to commence shortly.
According to dwellers of the neighborhood who revealed their view about the issue to Capital, commercial activities and education should have been kept apart according to regulations. They also disclosed their fear that the remaining shops would become pool houses and music and video shops where the students of the school would rather spend their time at than at school. They said such places are where quat and other drugs are usually found.
Students, on their part, told Capital that although they had informed the officials of the school that they are disturbed by the noise coming out of these shops, they were told that other classrooms will be arranged for them. However, their fear has become reality and the problem is a daily occurrence.
The Vice Principal of the school, Bekalu Workeneh, admitted that his school did not consult with parents and dwellers of the surroundings while planning to construct these shops. However, the main objective of the construction was to generate income by which better teachers can be recruited for the students. He said that the school’s plan is to rent such shops to fruit sellers, furniture showrooms, boutiques and others rather than noisy businesses such as music and video centers.
Ato Kasahun Tasew, Addis Ababa Education Bureau vice manager said, “I do not think that the shops are built by the school administration, maybe the people who live in that area built them”.
“By law schools must be far from noisy areas. If there is a problem in the learning atmosphere, parents should discuss with school management and their kebele officials”, Kassahun added.

“Tax payers maintain different books of account with the intention of lessening the reported taxable profit” FIRA

By Kirubel Tadesse

Tax payers maintain different books of account with the intention of lessening the reported taxable profit by either understating the revenue figure or overstating the deductible expenses in order to evade tax, Federal Inland Revenue Authority (FIRA) experts say.
Belachew Beyene, FIRA Investigation and Intelligence Department Head, and Yonas Argaw, Finance Auditor at the Authority, explained that the authority revealed that taxpayers maintain two sets of accounts, one for the revenue authority and the other for a bank to support a loan application. On their paper presented at the conference jointly organized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Ethiopian Professional Accountants and Auditors Association (EPAAA), the experts stated that FIRA has been able to assess over 16 million ETB profit tax and 13.6 million ETB value added tax based on the information obtained from banks. They added “some taxpayers have argued that they have only deceived the banks and not the revenue authority as their objective is not to evade paying tax but rather to obtain the loan.”
The experts in their paper, ‘Professionals Ethics and Tax Evasion/ Fraud’, stated that omission of earned income, failure to declare income, usage of unregistered sales invoices, claiming fictitious tax credits and excessive discounts are some of the indicators and means of tax evasion or fraud.
The experts added that creative accounting is also used by tax payers to evade tax. “A taxpayer of FIRA has requested the collection Department at the Addis Ababa main branch to declare 450,000 ETB as royalty tax,” explained the experts. The intention was to have a justifiable deduction of birr 9 million royalty as a business expense to 2.25 million ETB tax advantage.” Even if the collection office head rejected the request, the taxpayer was able to manage declaring and paying the royalty colliding with another officer, the experts disclosed. “While providing professional services”, the FIRA experts advised, “accountants must serve the community with a high level of professionalism so as to improve economic growth, the fair distribution of wealth and good governance.”
In the conference held throughout Tuesday, December 04, 2007 at the United Nation Conference Center, four other papers were presented by experts from local and international organizations. Hikmet Abdella, ACCA Ethiopia Country Manager, said that the conference brought together an outstanding line-up of speakers to address a number of key issues facing accountants and auditors in emerging economies. ‘The Role of Accountants and Auditors in Emerging Economies’ was prepared to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Federation of Accountants.

Indian Initiative program enters production phase

By Kirubel Tadesse

Designers participating in the Indian Capacity Building Initiative have entered the third phase, production of ten pieces each for the competition which will earn four winners a two weeks study tour in India.
The forty participants who first attended a fifteen days workshop which ended November 1, 2007, have submitted their project proposals, which have been approved through consultations with Dr. Neeti Sethi Bose, Project Coordinator.
According to Dr. Neeti, starting from December 1, 2007, the designers have been working on their ten pieces which will be evaluated by independent judges. The final submission of the projects will be on December 31.
Explaining the second phase which ended on November 31, Dr. Neeti Sethi said “after the workshop, what we did was to ask each participant to think of an inspiration or an idea that inspires them, based on which they have to come up with the drawings for the products they are going to make. The idea was that they translate their inspiration and visualize it into their products and finally produce products that talk about their inspiration.” Dr. Neeti added that the very basic criteria for the life style products group designers is for the objects to be functional and for the fashion group, the garments have to be worn, and affordable. “Any kind of synthetic or something not produced in Ethiopia will not be allowed to be part of the designer’s products unless it is essential for the functionality of the object or the garment,” Dr. Neeti stated.
The competition is to be held in January in which all the designers’ projects will be exhibited. Independent judges will choose the best four products and announce four winners, but the participating designers say that there is more to it than just working for the competition. Asenakech Neguise, a designer participating in the program told Capital that she started her project after observing ‘something natural.’ Asenakech added that following one’s inspiration and the series of steps will boost the quality of products and give a chance to always come up with something new in future productions.
“I do interior designing. What we do is to just change the color of the interiors and buy all the necessary goods from the market. Designing your own material as per your needs and following your inspiration is a completely new thing for us to learn”, another participant, Netsanet Alem, explained. “You hear comments that most buildings or interior designs are not Ethiopian or are not localized. This is true. They arise from designers’ works which do not have any kind of inspiration but could show some observation of Ethiopian culture or something local or something you see on streets rather than pure copies. For me the competition is a chance to learn these new methodologies and use them in future projects,” added Netsanet.

Addis Ababa University - March Project launches

By Addis Mulugeta

Addis Ababa University - MARCH project has launched a new HIV communication program in the form of a photo comic book targeting Addis Ababa University students on December 6, 2007, at the Business and Economics Faculty Hall.
The print serial drama “Life 101, The Journey,” project was implemented by the Addis Ababa University and funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Ethiopia and technically assisted and provided by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health /Center for communication programs (CCD) and CDC
The MARCH model has established a new and innovative project by adopting new behaviors usually through a long term serial drama and enhancing the effect of entertainment education activities through reflection, discussion, and other community level activities to combat HIV/AIDS among University students. This project uses entertainment education, peer education and mass media activities in a harmonized approach to help university students avoid behaviors that put them at risk for HIV infection and practice health seeking behaviors.
Dr. Endale Workalemahu, Behavior Change Communication Technical officer for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “this project is one of the three MARCH projects that have been launched in Ethiopia; we are proud to be a part of such a life changing program for University students who need to own the skills that will allow them to make decisions that positively affect their health and well being”.
Dr. Daniel Fekade, Addis Ababa University MARCH project Director on his part said, “We had to give the comic book a more modern and stylish look for University audiences. So we used photo comics rather than cartoon comics. Also instead of peer discussion groups, a certified curriculum has been designed to enable students to conduct events that will promote positive and health behaviors among their peers using the comic book.”
Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, Tsige Gebre-Marriam, on his part said that higher institution students are targeted not just because they are prone to HIV/AIDS infection, but also because they are ideally perceived to “model” behavioral patterns for younger adolescents to abstain from sex or remain faithful to their sexual partners.
The vice president also pointed out that Ethiopia is one of the 15 focus countries to receive support from the president’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) a USD 15 bln project.

Parliament approves the seat tallies of Addis Ababa and Diredawa councils

By Andualem Sisay

The House of Peoples’ Representatives on Tuesday December 4, 2007 approved the number of seats of the respective councils of Addis Ababa and Diredawa, to be contested for during the upcoming February, 2008 by-elections.
280 MPs supported the motion with 80 voting against and 17 abstaining. The House declared the number of seats for the Addis Ababa City Council to be 139. It also endorsed each Kebele council of Addis Ababa to have 300 representatives. Currently, in Addis Ababa there are 99 Kebeles, in ten sub-city units.
The House also endorsed the number of representatives for the Diredawa Council to be 189. Some opposition members at the house asked why the number of seats set for Diredawa City council is higher than that of Addis Ababa and, according to the MP who responded to questions raised by the oppositions Dire Dawa City Council has more seats in order to account for the dispersed character of Dire Dawa town.
The opposition also raised their fear of a possible unnecessary crowd whenever a party tries to bring 300 candidates for one Kebele election. Since there is no additional cost, it will only make the election more participatory at the grassroots level by minimizing the number of people represented by one representative was the response.
One MP from an opposition party also suggested the representation of Oromia Region in Addis Ababa’s Council as the constitution of the country allows Oromia Region to benefit from Addis Ababa.
There is a study underway set to clearly identify on how Oomia Region benefits from Addis Ababa as the city belongs in the center of the Region, according to an MP from the ruling party.

Ethiopian women in the agricultural sciences to get fellowship

By Andualem Sisay

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has launched a program to unleash the expertise of African women in the Agricultural Sciences, providing fellowship for women in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
The 13 mln USD program, which is fully funded, is expected to support the fast-tracking of careers of at least 360 African women engaged in agricultural research. The program Fast Track the Careers of African Women Scientists seeks to fix the “leaky pipeline” of women agricultural researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Nairobi-based African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) program is being funded with a four-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
According to the statement sent to Capital on Wednesday, 5 December, 2007 from CGIAR, the grant represents the Foundation’s belief in the importance of engaging women at every level in agricultural development.
Today, women farmers produce 60 to 80 per cent of crops critical to feeding the people of Africa; yet women comprise less than 20 per cent of agricultural researchers.
The AWARD Fellowship Disciplines provided for women in the above stated countries are: Agricultural economics, Agro-forestry, Agronomy, Animal and livestock sciences, Aquatic resources and fisheries, Biodiversity conservation, Crop sciences (including horticulture), Ecology, Entomology, Extension education, Food sciences and nutrition, Molecular biology (plant/animal breeding), Natural resources management, Soil sciences, Water & irrigation management.
“We cannot fight hunger and poverty in Africa, particularly in the struggling regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, unless women have a strong voice not just on the farm, but in the lab,” said Vicki Wilde, head of the CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program, at the CGIAR Annual General Meeting in Beijing where the grant was announced.
“It is urgent that we increase the number of African women in agricultural research. We are thrilled that the Gates Foundation is funding our work in this area.”
Rajiv Shah, director of agricultural development for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on his behalf said: “Women bear much of the responsibility for cultivating crops in Africa and they face challenging and changing conditions”.
“African women scientists can help bring practical, sustainable improvements to the African farm sector so smallholder farmers - most of whom are women - can build better lives for themselves and their families.”
The AWARD program will address many of the barriers—including a lack of role models and mentors, and institutional biases—that in the past have prevented African women from playing a more active role in agricultural research.
The purpose of the Gender & Diversity Program is to help the CGIAR Centers leverage their rich staff diversity to increase research and management excellence. The program promotes such activities as diversity-positive recruitment, international teamwork, cross-cultural communications and advancement for women.
CGIAR, established in 1971, is a strategic partnership of countries, international and regional organizations and private foundations supporting the work of 15 international agricultural research Centers. In collaboration with national agricultural research systems, civil society and the private sector, the CGIAR fosters sustainable agricultural growth through high-quality science aimed at benefiting the poor through stronger food security, better human nutrition and health, higher incomes and improved management of natural resources.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.
In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people - especially those with the fewest resources - have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, the foundation is led by CEO Patty Stonesifer and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

NGO Day and exhibition

By Muluken Yewondwossen

An NGO Day and exhibition of the Ethiopian Millennium is to be held under the theme “Vibrant NGOs/CSOs – The Millennium’s Development Partners”, from December 14 to 16, 2007 at the Millennium Hall.
The Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) is organizing this program in collaboration with Pact Ethiopia, USAID, Action Aid Ethiopia, Irish Aid Ethiopia and Dan Church Aid.
“This NGO day is organized with the objectives of promoting the development of vibrant NGOs/CSOs (Civil Society Organization) sectors with a view to increase its contribution to sustainable development of the country.” Ato Yabu Worke, board chair of CRDA told journalists at the press conference on December 6, 2007.
According to the organizer, there are 170 aid organizations participating on this NGO day and the exhibition will include a satellite forum, bazaar, media program and educational entertainment.
“The event is also expected to intensify the concerted effort of the NGO sectors towards the attainment of ensuring sustainable development and map out its future direction.” Tsege Hayle, vice board chair of CRDA said.
“We have organized five satellite forums on the titles of good governance, good ownership for civil society, trade liberalization, and national program for the rehabilitation of the urban destitute and on the issue of MDG”, She added.
Girma Wolde Giorgis, President of Ethiopia, will open the program which is being held for the forth time, according to the organizer. The exhibition and bazaar are free for the public. The last NGO Day was held in may 2003 in Addis Ababa with the theme “the future role and contributions of NGOs in Ethiopia.”

Chiro doubles hospital bed capacity

By our staff reporter

Chiro Hospital is the central medical facility for West Hararghe, and is located in Assebe Teferi. At present it is serving as the focal point for medical references from rural clinics, but has absolutely inadequate resources to cope with the increases in gastrointestinal diseases resulting from water shortage and bad quality food. Malaria and Acute Respiratory Infections are also increasing due to the generally weakened state of the population.
Observing this the late Mohammed Abdullahi Ogsadey who was the first African native to export coffee from Ethiopia started an expansion project for Chiro hospital two years ago.
Chiro Hospital that was founded in 1976 at present serves about two million people that come from the surrounding 13 kebeles.
The coffee legend has donated over 3.2 million birr for the expansion project of another ward that would host about 72 beds. The hospital had 103 beds out of which 85 are for adults and the rest for children.
Shortage of beds has forced the hospital to let patients be treated in one room even if they have airborne diseases.
The additional ward that was started by the late Ogsadey was completed by his family and was inaugurated on Saturday December 1, 2007 in the presence of the Oromia Council Speaker Dr. Mohammed Hassen.
Abdurashid Abdullahi, managing director of MAO Import and Export told Capital that an operating table and Anesthesia machine estimated about 250,000 birr would be delivered in a few weeks time. He added that their partner Royal Coffee of California has shipped the two items and they would be installed in the new ward that consists 12 big rooms with 6 beds each.
According to the managing director, Royal Coffee of California would also continue assisting the hospital for the next two months.
Royal Coffee has also donated eye treating equipment for Dil Chora Hospital located in Dire Dawa in collaboration with MAO.
The managing director further noted that Royal Coffee officials have also promised to assist the poor farmers that grow the best coffee in the world in the future collaborating with MAO.
Coffee is an important cash crop of this woreda. Over 5,000 hectares is planted with this crop.

Djibouti gets first seven star hotel

By our staff reporter

The Djibouti Palace Kempinski Hotel, on October 28, 2007 has been awarded the prestigious Seven Star rating by the renowned Seven Stars and Stripes – an American ratings organization, at a ceremony at the same ultra-luxury hotel.
The award was presented to the Kempiniski by Seven Stars and Stripes Chairperson, Mr.Thorsten Buehrmamn, with Djibouti P.M. Dileita Mohamed Dileita and Minister of Youth, Sport, Recreation and Tourism, Fara Miguil and other dignitaries attending.
The Djbouti Palace Kempiniski is a high end luxury hotel which only and opened last year. It is the first in Africa to be rated Seven Star, according to information obtained From the website of Agence Djiboutienne d’ Information.

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Metro becomes Gtv agent

Anti-Corruption Commission gives protection to 40 whistleblowers

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Addis Ababa University - March Project launches

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Djibouti gets first seven star hotel

Rice visit highlights major African issues Sudan’s Al-bashir meets Meles

New consumers’ policy draft discussion

Ethiopian targets Western and Southern African markets

Fluoride exposure rises in Rift Valley

Benshangul Gumuz Regional State vows to continue assisting investors

Asphalt-base soil stabilizer introduced

Metro becomes Gtv agent

Anti-Corruption Commission gives protection to 40 whistleblowers

Mexico in Addis, 'Etiopia' in Mexico

Opposition MPs divided on H.R. 2003

Affordable connectivity for rural villages

“I want to see a smiling Ethiopia”-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Coffee micro toxic testing lab opening

Authority to issue new driving license

Public school becomes investor

“Tax payers maintain different books of account with the intention of lessening the reported taxable profit” FIRA

Indian Initiative program enters production phase

Addis Ababa University - March Project launches

Parliament approves the seat tallies of Addis Ababa and Diredawa councils

Ethiopian women in the agricultural sciences to get fellowship

NGO Day and exhibition

Chiro doubles hospital bed capacity

Djibouti gets first seven star hotel