Capital

United Bank elect new board members
‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

By Andualem Sisay

Agency to build residential apartments

By Groum Abate

Ishac Diwan makes way for Kenichi Ohashi

By Groum Abate

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance
UNSC confers with AU

By our staff reporter

Aviation employees express fears of layoff
‘Calm down,’ says Director General

By Andualem Sisay

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears
To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

By Andualem Sisay

Haile to build resort in Awassa

By Tedla Desta

NOT FOR SALE:
TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

By Murugi Murekio

Nutrisky trade shoots in the city

By Tedla Desta

Traffic Police to hunt car decorations

By Tedla Desta

Over 200 AAU students resume class after protests

By Tedla Desta

Parliament confers on ombudsman report

By Andualem Sisay

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan,
Chair of the Board

By Groum Abate

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa,
Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

By Tedla Desta

Habesha to introduce tour bus to Addis streets

By Andualem Sisay

House turns down UEDP-Medhin cost of living motion

By Andualem Sisay

INDEVCO to penetrate flower market

By Tedla Desta

AAU, UNISA launch lecture series

By Tedla Desta

NATO agrees to provide airlift for African peacekeepers in Somalia

By our staff reporter

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists
Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD

By our staff reporter

United Bank elect new board members
‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

By Andualem Sisay

The United Bank has elected four board members, on Thursday June 14, 2007 at a General Assembly that took place at the Hilton Hotel.
Eyesuswork Zafu, Omedad plc, Ayele Belachew and Getachew Ayele have been elected according to the new directive of the National Bank of Ethiopia. According to this directive if a person serves as a board member for six consecutive years, he/she has to wait another six years to be board member again, but however can be elected if one third of the previous board members vote for them.
Some critics comment that the directive won’t alter all that much the previously applied trend of certain individuals’ dominance over the banking and financial sector by serving for many years as board members.
“Though the intention of the National Bank of Ethiopia is to minimize the unfair influence and malpractice among some major share holders in the finance sectors: banks and insurance, the new directive still has gaps that allow for the previous practice,” said one critic who declined to be mentioned by name.
Also according to the new directive, an individual can not be a board member of a bank and an insurance company at the same time.

Agency to build residential apartments

By Groum Abate

TheRented Houses Agency has decided to build residential apartments that are going to be rented out to the public.
According to the nine month performance report of the agency to the House of People’s Representatives, the agency decided to demolish small houses that are located in the Agency’s land and planns to build residential apartments.
The government has in its long-term plans to move out of the rental business step by step, until it sells the entire property of the agency in the long run.
The agency would build the apartments on plots after demolishing villas.
The Agency in its nine month report said that it has also made a feasibility study for selling 200 houses that are currently used for commercial purposes.
Recently, the board rejected a five-year strategic plan presented to it by the management to sell its existing villas and to construct houses for sale to the public.
The agency proposed to sell all its villas in different parts of the city in the next five years, and would only administer apartments.
A Singapore-based company involved in real estate development some years back had submitted a proposal to the office of the Prime Minister’s for the acquisition of the property of the agency. However the negotiations failed due to unknown reasons.
The agency was established 30 years ago as the Administration for Rented Houses during the Derg regime. The agency administers more than 5,000 houses including 111 apartments and spacious villas that host embassies, governmental institutions, residential units and offices.
The agency has a workforce of over 4,700.

Ishac Diwan makes way for Kenichi Ohashi

By Groum Abate

The World Bank has appointed Kenichi Ohashi as its new country director for Ethiopia and Sudan.
Kenichi Ohashi will succeed Ishac Diwan, who had been serving in the position since 1997.
According to the WB, Kenichi served the World Bank as a Country director for Nepal and would be replaced by Susan Goldmark on July 1st 2007.
Ishac Diwan is Country Director for Ethiopia and Sudan in the Africa Region of the World Bank. Before his current position, Ishac served as Manager of the Economic Policy for Poverty Reduction Unit of the World Bank Institute (WBI) and head of the Institute’s Attacking Poverty Program. Earlier, he was regional coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in WBI, Deputy Director of the World Development Report 1995, entitled “Workers in an Integrating World,” an economist in the MENA Region, and a financial specialist in the research arm of the Bank. He was also Assistant Professor of Finance at New York University and has published extensively in the areas of international finance, labor, and trade. Mr. Diwan has dual Lebanese and Canadian nationality with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance
UNSC confers with AU

By our staff reporter

A statement posted on the state-run website of the Ministry of Information, shabait.com, Eritrea dismissed Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance of the Boundary Commission’s decision that awarded the key town of Badme to Eritrea as half-measure and a “ bid to mislead the Ethiopian people and the international community”.
However, as clearly spelt out in the message that the regime’s Foreign Minister sent to the President of the UN Security Council on 8 June 2007, apart from the fact that the TPLF stance has only assumed more misleading phrases, there is no change at all in essence. Although, the TPLF regime claimed it had accepted the ruling of 13 April 2002, it is putting forth dialogue as a precondition in the implementation of the Commission’s ruling, according to the message.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the report circulated by foreign media on Friday concerning the Ethio-Eritrea border demarcation is a “gross distortion”.
The thrust of the foreign minister’s letter is in fact not demarcation but rather a call on the Security Council to take measures against Eritrea as provided for in Article 14 of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities for its violations of the Algiers Agreement, the ministry said.
After years of conflict and a tense border dispute, Ethiopia announced that it has accepted the U.N. commission’s ruling to turn over a disputed town to Eritrea.
The mission of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Saturday held discussions with the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) here at the headquarters of the AU.
The visiting delegation and AUPSC exchanged views on how best to maximize the relationship between the UNSC and regional organizations, in particular the AU.
The two parties discussed mechanisms for elaborating closer ties in the fields of conflict prevention, mediation, and post conflict reconstruction, among others.
The councils exchanged views on wider African situations of interest of both councils.
Reconciliation process and progress and challenges of deployment of AU peacekeeping mission to Somalia, facilitation of the implementation of the deployment of AU/UN hydride operation in Darfur, Sudan are the major issues on which the councils deliberated on.
Prospects for development of a UN mission to Chad/Central African Republic, post election progress and challenges in Democratic Republic of Congo and political transition in Cote d’ voire, among others, are the other issues the discussion centered on.
The mission, led by Ambassadors Emyr Jones Parry and Dumisani Kumalo of United Kingdom and South Africa to the UN respectively, commended the efforts of the AU to achieve lasting peace in Africa.
The two sides are also expected to seek how best to develop closer relations between the UN and AU, in line with the 10-year plan for capacity building with the African Union.
The mission of the UNSC are scheduled to travel to Sudan, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in support of ongoing peace efforts in Africa.
Concluding the visit to five African countries the mission will return to New York, headquarters of the UN on 21 June 2007.

Aviation employees express fears of layoff
‘Calm down,’ says Director General

By Andualem Sisay

Following the Ethiopian Civil Aviation listing some 98 employees who do not fit into the Business Process Reengineering (BPR), which is a customer focused approach, the employees expressed their fears of being layoff.
The employees, who requested not to be quoted by name said, the results of the BPR worried them in that it may soon be followed by lay offs. However, the Director General says: “calm down, we haven’t yet reached the layoff stage”.
Mesfin Fikru, Director General of Ethiopian Civil Aviation, who commented to Capital on the issue, says: “We have just begun implementing a study that took us almost two years and there is no reason for a single employee to worry under the condition that we haven’t reached the layoff stage.”
“There is no employee has been given a layoff letter. Currently, they are getting their previous salary and we are preparing various projects for them, which will enable these employees either to run their own business or entitle them to get compensation or pension at the end of the day.”
“We have been discussing the need to introduce BPR with all our employees for the past two years to increase the efficiency of our work. Besides, this is not something that our organization is trying to introduce, it is what the whole world is doing and other organizations in the country are applying,” he says.
Before starting to introduce BPR, the Ethiopian Civil Aviation has undertaken benchmark studies to see the experiences of the United States and Singapore, according to Mesfin.
The main objective of introducing BPR is to avoid unnecessary duties which do not add value to the work. Its intention is to focus on customer satisfaction by providing one stop shopping system.
Currently the Ethiopian Civil Aviation has 500 plus employees. According to the BPR study, some 550 employees are required for the sector to function effectively. This figure will rise when the Ethiopian Civil Aviation begins 24 hours service at Bahir Dar and Mekele airport in a few months.

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears
To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

By Andualem Sisay

The Rented Houses Agency is undertaking a study, which will enable it to collect and right off the over 100 mln birr in accumulated debt owned to it by tenants.
According to the report the agency presented to the ‘House of Peoples’ Representatives on Wednesday, June 13, 2007, it is owned over 100 mln birr by former and current tenants.
Embassies and international organizations owe almost half the money claimed by the agency amounting to 43,497,658 and 2,508,739 birr respectively. The agency claims some 47 mln birr from individuals, about 5.8 mln from government organizations and 1.4 mln from political parties.
In the nine months from last July onwards the agency has collected accumulated debts of over 15 mln birr. The agency has also collected over 119 mln birr in total from July to March, 2006/7.
During this period the agency was able to collect only 2.5 mln birr from four embassies. In collaboration with the Ministry of foreign affairs the agency is engaged in discussion with other embassies in order for make them to pay their accumulated debts to the agency.
In a related development, to answer the ever growing housing demand, the Rented Houses Agency is planning to replace its old houses with buildings that accommodate many people in a small place.

Haile to build resort in Awassa

By Tedla Desta

The renowned Ethiopian athlete, Haile Gebrselassie, is to build a resort near Lake Awasa, sources told Capital.
Haile’s resort is expected to cost about 70 million birr and will be completed within two years.
The resort will be a three storey building with 112 rooms.
It has been three months since construction work commenced on a -hectare of land, near the share line the sources said.
Lake Awassa is witnessing major development with the construction of several hotels and recreational centers. Currently 10 such establishments centers are being constructed.
Different sources state that the lake is being polluted and requires an environmental protection course of action.
Capital also learned that Haile had hired a professional consultant to study the lakes condition and build the hotel in an environment friendly way.
“Haile has given emphasis the protection of the lake. To this end, there were various awareness workshops conducted” the sources added.
GERETTA Consulting Architects and Engineers are carrying out the resort’s architectural works.
Haile owns a large company named after him wife, Haile-Alem International is engaged various business activities.
Haile Gebrselassie, born in 1973, born as one of ten children in the family in Assela, Ethiopia. He is considered by many to be one of the best distance runners of all time.
The dominant long-distance runner of the 1990s, he was four times world champion (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999) and twice Olympic champion (1996, 2000) at 10 000 m. He broke his first world record in 1994, reducing the 5000 m record to 12 min 56·96 and had set 15 world records by 2000.
Undefeated outdoors at distances between 1500 m and 1000 m in the 1997 and 1998 seasons, he was the International Athletics Federation Athlete of the Year in 1998.
He was in the movie ‘Endurance’, a Walt Disney production, where he played as himself.
Haile’s hotel is going to be the largest of all the hotel and resorts in the town beautiful of Awasa, it was learnt.

NOT FOR SALE:
TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

By Murugi Murekio

The 2007 US State Department Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report released Tuesday, reveals that Ethiopia is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and sexual exploitation. Rural children and adults are trafficked internally to urban areas for domestic servitude and, to a lesser extent, for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour, such as street vending, traditional weaving, or agriculture.
The details of this report are well tied with this year's Child Trafficking theme of the Day of the African Child, celebrated on June 16.
The TIP Report is the most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments all over the world to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons. It covers the period April 2006 through March 2007. It focuses on countries that have been determined to be countries of origin, transit, or destination for a significant number of victims of severe forms of trafficking.
The Report ranks countries into different Tiers. This year, alongside eastern Africa's Tanzania and Uganda, Ethiopia has been ranked in Tier 2. This means that though the Government does not currently comply with the minimum standards for the abolishment of trafficking, the efforts it has made so far have been significant.
Sudan which does not fully comply with the minimum standards and is not making significant efforts to do so is placed in Tier 3. For the second year running, Kenya is placed on the Tier 2 watch list. It continues to be a source, transit and destination for human trafficking victims. However the Report states that in February 2007 two men were indicted for allegedly trafficking two Ethiopian minors to Kenya for domestic servitude.
According to UNICEF, approximately 1.2 million children are trafficked every year and the causes of child trafficking in Africa are as diverse as they are complex. Article 3(c) of the UN protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, particularly Women and Children defines child trafficking as "the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation." Trafficking is driven by the global demand for cheap, vulnerable, and illegal labour.
Though the common practice of child trafficking within national borders is mostly rural to urban, a significant number of children are also trafficked from one rural area to another for use as cheap or unpaid labour. All forms of child trafficking have one thing in common. It is for the purposes of exploiting the child for profit.
The Good News
Within the TIP Reporting period, significant efforts were made by the Ethiopian government to investigate and charge suspected traffickers. Police in Awassa and Shashemene apprehended at least 10 traffickers traveling with children intended for sale to farmers in the Oromiya region.925 cases of child trafficking were reported to the police, a significant increase over the previous year. Of these, 67 cases were referred to the prosecutor's office. In September of 2006, one trafficker was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined over Birr 5000 for forcing two children into domestic servitude. Today 23 cases are pending prosecution, and the remaining 43 have been closed for lack of evidence or absconded defendants. In Addis Ababa there operates a joint police - NGO child victim identification and referral mechanism. In 2006, 240 child victims were referred to the International Organization of Migration and local NGOs for care.
What Next?
Despite these steps in elimination of human trafficking in Ethiopia, efforts to eradicate child trafficking in Ethiopia remain largely uncoordinated and unsatisfactory.
The Report makes a number of recommendations. To further its anti-trafficking efforts, the government should improve the investigative capacity of police and enhance judicial understanding of trafficking to allow for more convictions of traffickers. More needs to be done also to raise awareness about the trafficking of children within Ethiopian borders. It is time Ethiopia ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.

Nutrisky trade shoots in the city

By Tedla Desta

Nutrisky (Sky juice), a fruit extract sold in sachets that claimed medical value, is in roaring high trade in Addis Ababa, sources told Capital.
This product said to be distributed by one of the network markets in the world, Quest Net, is being widely sold in different parts of the city.
The medical claims of the drug-juice include increasing life span by reengineering the growth hormone, reducing stress and other medical assertions.
NutriSky is available in a box of ten sachets and a carton of five boxes, containing Pandanus Conoideus, Gingko Biloba, Fruit and Vegetable Fibre, Dextrose Monohydrate, Citric Acid, Guar Gum, Sodium Bicarbonate, Aspartame and flavor ingredients..
“I had bought a sachet of Nutrisky for 75 birr and I really saw tremendous changes in my health as soon as I consumed it. It is really an effective drug and juice as well,” a source who wanted to remain anonymous said.
“Groundbreaking fruit beverage that peps up your life and fortifies your strength has been renamed NutriSky. Daily life is hectic and juggling the demands of work and home can be truly exhausting. Now you can manage stress and improve your quality of life with a regular glass of refreshing Nutrisky as part of a well-balanced diet,” says a promotional statement found on the producing company’s, Amezcua Body &Health website.
Manufactured using a proprietary formula Nutrisky contains ‘precious’ extract of Pandanus Conoideus and Gingko Biloba, a combination that results in a uniquely healthy drink that supposedly adds a spring to your step.
The consumption of this drug-juice is 1/3, 1/2, or 1 sachet per day mixed with 200ml of cold water and taken immediately.
This drug –juice has got on it medical ‘precautions’ that say- Store in a cool and dry place, keep out of reach from children, not Suitable for Phenylketonurics, for children and pregnant women, please consult your physician first’.
According to sources from the Ethiopian Drug Administration and Control Authority (DACA), this drug-juice is not registered in Ethiopia.
The authority ensures quality, safety, and efficacy of drugs, traditional medicine, medical supplies and instruments, pesticides, cosmetics, and their raw and packaging materials through evaluation and certification.

Traffic Police to hunt car decorations

By Tedla Desta

The Addis Ababa Police Commission Traffic Control and Inspection Department said that it would start to purge car decorations, seregent Daniel Tadesse, Public Relations Expert at the Commission told Capital.
According to the expert, the reason for removing the decorations is that they are, hiding views to the driver himself, the travelers and mainly by reflecting on the other driver it increases the probability of accidents.
These decorations include different items, flags, and celebrities pictures.
“Following our prior education and instruction through the media, we will start our operation as of 22 June, 2007 in different parts of the capital. Those who are found with decorations in their cars will be fined up to 80 birr”
The City’s Police Commission Traffic Control and Inspection Department is also scheduled to take other consequent measures on its current scheme of reducing car accidents and reaching a millennium of lesser car accidents.
In our next move, we will fine cars that emit high smoke, have damaged, or partially harmed plates and tinted mirrors, he said.
“If the company tinted the mirrors originally, it is free from the measures but if it is locally tinted then we will directly remove them.”
The Commission is moving with a five years plan of reducing the current traffic accident tool by 50 percent.
In a related development, in a sudden checks and inspections being conducted by the Commission, on one day, June 12, 2007 alone 910 were found with violation of traffic laws, 216 driving without license and 10 with different related cases were held and were fined. Of all, violations of traffic laws are largely to blame for the accidents.
A taxi driver who wanted to remain anonymous said that he had been penalized in several instances and he believed that the sudden searches are being done to just collect money. Even if there were cars, which originally did not have the cars parts were reprimanded.
“These measures are not aimed at generating income but controlling the accidents that could occur with the negligence or illegality of the drivers.” seregent Daniel explained.
Traffic accidents in Ethiopia are among the highest in the world by far exceeding the rates in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Around 2,000 people die of car accidents in Ethiopia every year while thousands of others sustain injuries Ethiopia loses up to 1% GDP every year to traffic accidents and some 42 percent of road accidents occur in Addis Ababa. Addis A

Over 200 AAU students resume class after protests

By Tedla Desta

Over 200 students of the Addis Ababa University School of Journalism and Communications undergraduate division first and second year students resumed classes after stopping for two days on June 12 and 13, 2007, sources told Capital.
The students, who said are angry over the issue transportation, and other benefits they said were denied,internship payment, went on to strike after making a number of deliberations with the university officials.
“We have been requesting to the university administration since we joined the university to facilitate transportation or revise the issue and in addition to this there were several moments that we didn’t have our meals because we arrive very late from class to the main campus where the meals are ready. In spite of all these requests, we have been given a deaf ear.” A print journalism student said.
The protesting students have their dormitory in the Addis Ababa University Sedest Kilo Campus while they travel for around 30 minutes to reach their class, which is around Abune Petros Monument.
“As the summer season is approaching some sort of means should be created where by we can get an option of service buses to take us from and to the main campus moreover we are requesting the hours when the Cafeteria is open to be extended.”
The students reportedly resumed their class two days later being told by the relevant university administration officials that their pleas would be fulfilled.
Addis Ababa University (AAU) is one of the largest higher learning institutions in Africa that was established at the end of the 1940s. Formerly known as Haile Selassie I University, AAU was established by Ministry of Education in 1949 as a Trinity College with 71 students and 9 academic staff. It was granted a charter in July 1950 as an autonomous higher learning institution under a different name of the University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA). This makes AAU one of the oldest, if not the oldest, modern African university.
The Ethiopian government created several institutions since UCAA was established in 1950s. These include a College of Agriculture in Alemaya, Harar, and College of Building Technology in Addis Ababa. In 1961, the different institutions of higher learning came under a central administration to form what is to become the AAU. It should be noted that many of the institutions in the country that have now become separate institutions, were part of AAU at one time.
The recent merger of the then Ethiopian Mass Media Training Institute with the University established the Addis Ababa University School of Journalism and Communications Undergraduate Division.

Parliament confers on ombudsman report

By Andualem Sisay

The House of People Representatives on its second year 34th session conferred Tuesday, June 12, 2007 on the ten month report of the Ombudsman.
The formation of the first Konso Children’s Parliament in the Southern Region was appreciated by the house as a good achievement of the ombudsman, which needs to be replicated in other parts of the country. It was formed as a pilot program by 100 children of Konso Wereda last September. As a result, the ombudsman in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has planned to replicate children’s parliaments in two other regions.
So far, the ombudsman has looked in to 12, 770 cases in the past 34 months. Out of this figure, 7023 have got resolution by the ombudsman. The ombudsman was able to resolve the administrative problems that came to its office by talking to various government institutions.
Issues related to confiscated properties, house building permits license, pension payment, compensation, claiming the return of properties taken illegally, job position and salary deduction and being barred from work are the cases frequently comeing to the ombudsman in the past three years.
According to the report, the ombudsman has faced resistance from some executive organs of the government although “the time has not yet come to disclose who these executive organs are”. They stressed the need for one special court, which can see such cases separately. The unlimited period of time of cases that people come to their office under the limited capacity and resource of the ombudsman is also mentioned as another challenge of the ombudsman.
After the ombudsman presented its report, Members of the Parliament criticized it for locating itself (choosing its office to be) at Dembel City Center in Addis Ababa while most of the maladministration occurs in rural areas.
Stressing the need for the ombudsman to be present in other regional states, “since the majority of the people of our country live in the rural areas, you can even close your office at Dembel in Addis Ababa and open some in the region,” said one MP.
“Let alone a farmer who comes from a far place to Addis Ababa, it is difficult even for us to find you in such a complex,” said another.
Admitting the need for the ombudsman to change its location from Dembel building, Head ombudsman, Abay Tekle indicated that his team is looking for a fund for the design of the ombudsman’s office that is intended to be constructed in Addis Ababa.
Regarding the need for the regional offices he also indicated that they are planning to add two offices in different regions of the country to be close to the majority of the people who seek ombudsman service.
Even though the ombudsman report includes the number of cases during the past three years, the report didn’t include the specific areas where good governance is not practiced.
One MP also described the ombudsman as the institution which stands for the benefit of government officials rather than the public. According to him, people who work at the ombudsman are chosen by their political stand.
Describing the long process that took some ten years for the ombudsman to start functioning in Ethiopia, others also accused the government of not showing commitment to the proper functioning of the ombudsman in the country.
As a result, some MPs criticized the report of the ombudsman as being incomplete, which lacks detail such as which government institutions or agencies frequently practice maladministration.
The ombudsman on its part indicated that this was done to save time of the parliament and protect from boring them with too much details. In the future, they promised to present detail the future and its readiness to show the details for the MPs by request.

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan,
Chair of the Board

By Groum Abate

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, today announced the appointment of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as its first chairman.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa meeting in Cape Town, where he was due to deliver a keynote address on African agriculture, Mr Annan said he was deeply honoured to be taking up the position and hoped to use it to help drive forward progress on an issue critical to wider African development.
“I am honoured today to take up this important post and join with my fellow Africans in a new effort to comprehensively tackle the challenges holding back hundreds millions of small-scale farmers in Africa,” Annan said. “Africa is the only region where overall food security and livelihoods are deteriorating. We will reverse this trend by working to create an environmentally sustainable, uniquely African Green Revolution. When our poorest farmers finally prosper, all of Africa will benefit.”
The Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa, which was established last year with an initial US$150 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, seeks to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families across Africa to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and hunger through sustainable increases in farm productivity and incomes. It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and will be working throughout the continent on a wide range of interventions across the agricultural “value chain,” ranging from strengthening local and regional agricultural markets, to helping improve irrigation, soil health and training for farmers, to supporting the development of new seed systems better equipped to cope with the harsh African climate.
The Alliance is a response to recent calls by African leaders to chart a new path for prosperity by spurring the continent’s agricultural development and also seeks to help reverse decades of relative neglect in funding for agricultural development for Africa. It strongly endorses the vision laid out in the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which seeks a 6 percent annual growth in food production by 2015.
Dr. Monty Jones, head of FARA, a leading African agricultural research organization and a board member of AGRA, warmly welcomed the appointment. ”With Kofi Annan as our new chairman the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa will be much better placed to build broader political and economic support behind our vision of pro-poor, pro-environment partnerships needed to revitalize agriculture for Africa’s small-scale farmers, and replace wide-spread poverty with prosperity,” he said.

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa,
Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

By Tedla Desta

A new World Bank report on HIV and AIDS launched on June 14, 2007 said that the epidemic is showing a decrease in Africa.
The report explained that the mobilization of empowered ‘grassroots’ communities, along with delivering condoms and life saving treatments, are beginning to slow the pace of the continents epidemic, which last year killed more than two million African adults and children and left another 24.7 million Africans struggling to survive.
The reports also explained that these changes are taking place as the epidemic shows signs of slowing in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and urban Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zambia. In Eastern Africa, countries are facing a mixed epidemic pattern with significant numbers of new infections originating in the commercial sex trade, and in the general population.
In related news, a delegation of Ethiopian health professionals, members of PEPFAR Ethiopian team and representatives from partner organizations are to attend an international conference in Kigali, Rwanda from 16-19 June.
The 2007 HIV implementers’ meeting of the President’s Emergency Initiative for HIV/AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) gathers experts, clinicians, policy makers, and practitioners involved in the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
More than 1500 participants are expected to attend this year’s meeting, with vast majority traveling from developing countries.
Around nine contributions are expected from Ethiopian participants at the Kigali Implementers Meeting.
According to the AIDS in Ethiopia 6th report and based on reports taken from VCT centers, blood banks, and ART programs, the cumulative number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is about 1.32 million (45% male and 55% female).
This results in a prevalence rate of 3.5% (3% among males and 4% among females; 10.5% urban and 1.9% rural areas) for the total estimated population of 73 million.
The estimated number of new adult AIDS cases was 137,499. The number of new HIV infections was 128,922 (353 per day) including 30,338 HIV-positive births. Females accounted for 53.2% of new infections.
There were 134,450 (368 per day) AIDS-related deaths including 20,929 children 0-14 years (83.6% under age five). Females accounted for 54.5% of AIDS-related deaths. The number of AIDS orphans aged 0-17 years reached 744,100.
The number of PLWHAs in need of antiretroviral treatment (ART) was 277,757 including 43,055 (15.5%) children aged 0-14 years.

Habesha to introduce tour bus to Addis streets

By Andualem Sisay

Habesha Traditional Center and Art Gallery plc, indicated that it is going to introduce two Europe standard tourist buses to the streets of Addis Ababa in September.
The two buses, which will approximately cost the company 6 mln birr by the time they are ready for business, will arrive Addis Ababa next month and are expected to join the transport sector of the city at the beginning of September. With its two levels each bus accommodates 70 people and has a flat screen TV, LCD and refrigerator.
The audio systems will also give translations in four languages: English, French, Italy and Germany or/Spanish. The price of one ticket is equivalent to the price of Europe, which is between 10 to 12 euros and serves for 24 hours.
“It is our gift to Addis Ababa that we give to solve the transportation problem, which may occur during the Ethiopian Millennium festival,” says Bedru Muzeyen, Owner and Managing Director of Habesha Traditional Center and Art Gallery plc. “This is just the beginning and as we also plan to expand such services in other cities as well,” he says.
The bus is designed to serve tourists that come to Ethiopia during the celebrations of the Ethiopian Millennium, which was launched last week and stays for 15 months. After the celebrations, the company plans to use the buses for other businesses such as weddings.
“As Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world and tourism has a big role in our economy, what Habesha Traditional Center and Art Gallery plc has done is eye opener for others to see the gaps in the sector and fill them,” says Teferi Yemane, Department head of projects that will be implemented under the Addis Ababa Millennium Festival Counsel.
“Beyond its contribution of solving the transportation problem that is currently observed in Addis Ababa, the buses will also give the city a good image and make visiting tourist attractions easier,” he says.
The Addis Ababa Millennium Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism have contributed to the realization of Habesha Traditional Center and Art Gallery’s project idea, according to Bedru. Altogether, the company is engaged in various projects worth 20 mln birr, which will be implemented during the celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium.

House turns down UEDP-Medhin cost of living motion

By Andualem Sisay

The House of Peoples Representatives on Thursday June 14, 2007 turned down a motion presented by UEDP –Medhin, aimed at reducing the hike in the cost of living exasperated by inflation that has hit 14 per cent.
The motion, which was supported voted for by only 12 of the 366 members of parliament present, asks the government increase salaries commensurate to rising prices of commodities. It also includes reducing the amount of service charges on utilities such as power and telephone lines.
In addition, the motion also requests the government to provide provisional assistance for those who are not employed and thus are highly affected by the situation. “It is not right to pass this resolution at moment that the government is undertaking various activities and studies to address inflation,” was among the reasons given for the ruling party to go against the motion. “Besides the parliament should not to it is interfere in the working of public enterprises,” said an MP from the EPRDF.
Some opposition MPs on their part indicated that, “voting for or against doesn’t make a difference since the problem cannot be fully addressed by the motion”. “The problem can only be solved by increasing supply, according to the basic supply and demand theory of commodity exchange, which can only be addressed when the government brings to an end its monopoly over sectors such as power provision “ they added,
According to another opposition MP, the motion is incomplete and did not include the major reasons for the spike in the cost of living, such as the prices increased on fuel, fertilizer and the lack of good governance, etc. “Therefore, passing this resolution will make no difference,” he said.
“We have been warning the government that its policy of agricultural led industrial development will cause such crises and we have been proved right”, said another opposition MP.
Responding to the stances of the ruling party and opposition parties, “it should be our moral obligation to pass a resolution on the motion and present what we think should be included on other sessions,” said a member of UEDP-Medhin.

INDEVCO to penetrate flower market

By Tedla Desta

INDEVCO Group, an international group of companies, is interested in penetrating the Ethiopian flower market by introducing its packaging product, Masterpak, Raji N.Bitar, Regional Manager of NAPCO Group, umbrella of INDEVCO of East, West, and South Africa told Capital.
During the presentation of Masterpak held last Tuesday for Ethiopian flower growers, the Regional Manager said that the company is very much keen to enter the Ethiopian market by introducing its products for trials for the growers in a more competitive market and we believe we have comparative advantages to the farmers as well. Imported from Lebanon, the products are supposed to be in store within a short period.
“ We have discovered that there is a big market in agricultural films for greenhouse, corrugated cartons for rose packing, and detergent films” he said.
Founded in 1956 INDEVCO is a privately owned multinational group of industrial enterprises with 50 companies worldwide and 30 manufacturing plants.
INDEVCO Group comprises 47 companies worldwide, including 27 manufacturing plants and 20 commercial companies across Brazil, Cyprus, Egypt, England (UK), France, Greece, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United States.
The company manufactures paper and plastic packaging, corrugated containers, and personal care hygiene disposables and household and institutional tissue products. It employs over 7500 people.
It supplies co-extruded polyethylene films and bags to a comprehensive variety of industries: horticulture and agriculture, food and beverage, tire and rubber, building and construction, household, and packaging supply.
The manager also said that after making feasibility studies it would probably open a manufacturing plant here in the future.

AAU, UNISA launch lecture series

By Tedla Desta

The Regional Learning Centre of the University of South Africa (UNISA), in Kaliti, Ethiopia and the Addis Ababa University launched a monthly lecture series entitled ‘Africa: Deliberate Politics and Change.’
The first launch was made on June 14,2007 at the Kifle Wodajo Center for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights with guest speaker of the inaugural lecture Sandile Schalk,Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Ethiopia, presenting a lecture on “Prospects for the African Union Move Towards the United States of Africa: Challenges.”
“Since the beginning of decolonization Africa has experienced tumultuous changes. In the immediate post- independence period, “the dependency syndrome’ was used to account for the slow pace of structural change. The backdrop of these debates included the Cold War, the Non- Aligned Movement, calls for A New International Economic Order; liberation struggles against colonization and not least the albatross of poverty and hunger hanging around Africa’s neck. By 1980s, arguments emerged that pronounced ‘the death of dependence”, a pres release stated.
In the recent past, there are signs of purposeful and strategic thinking about the present and future of Africa. For example, the central theme of the much-acclaimed New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), is that Africans must take control of their own destiny. The NEPAD document categorically declares that “Africans must be the architects of their own sustained upliftment’ and the “hopes of Africa’s people’s for a better life can no longer rest on the magnanimity of others.”
During the current conjuncture, the pace of change that Africa is experiencing has accelerated and a considerable number of these changes have been momentous. It is believed that fifty years after the beginning of independence, the times are propitious for asking hard questions.
It was understood that a key focus of the Lecture Series would be to explore if these changes occur because of Africa’s free and deliberate decisions or are these decisions in Africa dependent upon the countries that support African states? It is this question that suggests the shift from ‘dependency’ to deliberate.
Coming from a wide array of disciplines, each month, a renowned guest speaker will address one facet of the multifarious changes with an approach that is broad ranging, most compelling and thought provoking. One of the major anticipated outcomes is the development of a culture of dialogue through the promotion of robust debates that inspire and challenge, Capital learnt.
“In addition, subsequent lectures will address the many facets of political, economic, and social changes in contemporary Africa in the context of a rapidly changing world. Some of the thematic areas to be addressed in the coming months include preventive diplomacy; democracy; human rights; gender; decentralization of governance; self-determination; and jurisprudence. The audience will consist of academics, members of the public from the government, the diplomatic community, and civil society organizations.” it was reported.

NATO agrees to provide airlift for African peacekeepers in Somalia

By our staff reporter

NATO defense ministers agreed Friday to provide an airlift for embattled African peacekeepers struggling to halt fighting in Somalia.
Alliance spokesman James Appathurai said the ministers had responded to a request for transport support from the African Union, which runs a force of 1,700 Ugandan troops in Somalia.
“NATO has agreed to stand ready to help,” Appathurai told reporters. He said no specific requests for flights had yet been received, but added that the NATO assistance mission would be similar to that already provided to fly rotations of African Union troops in and out of Sudan’s Darfur region.
Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned against one another, defending clan fiefdoms.
The transitional government, formed in 2004, has struggled to assert any real control and was only able to enter the capital, Mogadishu, with backing from Ethiopian troops who helped dislodge an Islamic movement from the capital six months ago.
Since then, government forces and their Ethiopian allies have had to battle Islamic insurgents and clan militiamen in Mogadishu. Thousands of civilians have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in the fighting.
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday emphasized “the urgent need” for the United Nations to start planning for a possible peacekeeping mission in Somalia to replace the African Union force.
Meanwhile, Burundi will deploy its first battalion of nearly 1,000 peacekeepers to war-ravaged Somalia by the end of next month, the army said Friday.
Army spokesman Adolphe Manirakiza said the deployment of 978 troops, which had been hobbled by lack of funds and equipment, had been made possible after France pledged to provide transport while the United States and Kenya offered military equipment.
The tiny central African nation plans to send a total of 1,700 soldiers to Somalia as part of African Union force.
The troops will join some 1,500 AU peacekeepers from Uganda who arrived in the Horn of African nation in March.
The pan-African bloc plans eventually to deploy an 8,000-strong contingent to Somalia to help the country to return to stability after 16 years of bloodshed.

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists
Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD

By our staff reporter

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the conviction of four journalists and three publishing houses in Ethiopia on charges that they attempted to “dismantle the constitutional system” after they had published articles about the anti-government riots in November 2005 that came after elections in the country six months earlier.
“We are shocked by this case and the fact that two of our colleagues now face life imprisonment or the death penalty simply for reporting on public demonstrations,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ-Africa office. “We call on the judges to drop all the charges against the journalists and the publishing houses and to release unconditionally these journalists and all the others who are still in jail.”
Ethiopia has one of the worst records on press freedom in the world. It has held about twenty journalists in jail since 2005. On 9 April, eight jailed journalists were acquitted and released by the Federal High Court. At least 13 journalists are still in jail in Ethiopia.
The journalists Andualem Ayele Legesse of newspaper Ethiop, Mesfin Tesfaye Gobena of Abay, Wonakseged Zeleke Tessema of Asqual and Dawit Fasil Woldeselassie of Satenaw, were convicted on Monday along with 34 opposition activists. They refused to recognise the court or defend themselves because of the political nature of their arrests and detentions.
They were accused of attempting to “dismantle the constitutional system by instigating violence and collaboration.”
Tesfaye and Ayele could face life imprisonment or the death penalty. Tessema and Woldeselassie face 3 to 10 years in jail for their convictions. The sentences will be handed down on July 8.
The convicted publishing houses are Sisay Publishing and Advertizing, Serkalem Publishing and Fasil Publishing and Advertizing.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court convicted 38 individuals and three printing presses on charges of treason after they had forgone their rights to defend their cases in spite of repeated rulings calling on them to submit their defense evidence. Some, including Eng. Hailu Shawl were convicted on multiple counts.
The Second Criminal Bench passed the verdicts saying it had given them ample chance to go on defending their cases, which they expressly rebuffed.
In their refusal of repeated rulings, the court said they even claimed to do without saying “we shall not have to defend; the court does not have the authority to sit in judgment on our cases”.
In view of the seriousness of the charges brought against them, the court had repeatedly called on them to deposit details of their defense evidences at the registrar, it said.
Responding to their appeals, it said, the court made sure that they had received copies of charges brought against them and that they had been allowed to look again at the audio- and video-taped prosecution evidences that were run in their presence during previous pre-trials.
The court said procedure number 124 of the country’s Criminal Code has it that any defendant should submit his/her defense evidence details to the court’s registrar upon reception of copies of the charge files and prosecution evidences, and before hearing of charges commences.
The court said it has just received from the prisons administration a letter of confirmation that it did what it had been ordered to by the court for the defendants, that is allowing them to look at the audio-visual prosecution evidences and to deliberate on their defense.
All these were in spite of the un-relatedness of the demands made by the defendants to submission of defense evidences to the court, which is a procedure required by law. It said, their refusal to submit their defense evidences is tantamount to not having any, and the court had nothing but to let go of the chance the defendants missed out. The court said it was clear that any defendant who willfully fail to make use of his/her right to defend is liable to face a guilty verdict on the corresponding charges.
Accordingly, the court found guilty of the first count Eng. Hailu Shawl, Abayneh Berhanu, Major Getachew Mengistie, Eng. Gizachew Shiferraw, Dr. Hailu Araya, Muluneh Eyuel, Sileshi Tenna, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Dr. Befikadu Degife, Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam, Dr. Yacob Hailemariam, Bertukan Mideksa, Aschalew Ketema, Dr. Tadios Bogale, Gebretsadik Hailemariam, Assefa Habtewold, Beruk Kebede, Tamrat Tarekegn, Andualem Aragie, Nigist Gebrehiwot, Debebe Eshetu, Yeneneh Mulat, Mamushet Amare, Anteneh Mulugeta, Melaku Fantaye, Mesfin Debesa, Berhanu Alemayehu, Wudneh Dechi, Abyot Waqjira, Melaku Uncha, Daniel Berihun, Tesfaye Tariku, Waltanigus Asnake, Mulugasho Wondimu, Andualem Ayele, Mesfin Tesfaye, Wonakseged Zeleke, Dawit Fasil as well as Sisay Publishing and Advertizing, Serkalem Publishing and Fasil Publishing and Advertizing organizations.
On the second count, the court found guilty Eng. Hailu Shawl, Abayneh Berhanu, Major Getachew Mengistie, Eng. Gizachew Shiferraw, Dr. Hailu Araya, Muluneh Eyuel, Sileshi Tenna, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Dr. Befikadu Degife, Dr. Yacob Hailemariam, Bertukan Mideksa, Aschalew Ketema, Dr. Tadios Bogale, Gebretsadik Hailemariam, Assefa Habtewold, Beruk Kebede, Tamrat Tarekegn, Andualem Arage, Nigist Gebrehiwot, Debebe Eshetu, and Yeneneh Mulat.
The first and second counts relate to trying to dismantle the constitutional system by instigating violence and collaboration.
On the third count, which is instigation of armed riots, the court found guilty Eng. Hailu Shawl, Abayneh Berhanu, Major Getachew Mengistie, Mamushet Amare and Tesfaye Tariku.
On the fifth count, direct or indirect attempt to harm the national defense force, Eng. Hailu Shawl, Abayneh Berhanu, Major Getachew Mengiste, Eng. Gizachew Shiferraw, Dr. Hailu Araya, Muluneh Eyuel, Sileshi Tenna, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Dr. Yacob Hailemariam and Dr. Befekadu Degife were found guilty.
The court adjourned until July 8 to begin passing sentences on the forenamed and to determine further hearings of those defendants who had already submitted as ordered details of their defense evidences.
It also adjourned until June 18 to give rulings on the claims and counterclaims made last week by some defendants and the prosecutor on the issue of defense delivery.

United Bank elect new board members ‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

Agency to build residential apartments

Ishac Diwan makes way for Kenichi Ohashi

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance UNSC confers with AU

Aviation employees express fears of layoff ‘Calm down,’ says Director General

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

Haile to build resort in Awassa

NOT FOR SALE: TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

Nutrisky trade shoots in the city

Traffic Police to hunt car decorations

Over 200 AAU students resume class after protests

Parliament confers on ombudsman report

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan, Chair of the Board

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa, Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

Habesha to introduce tour bus to Addis streets

House turns down UEDP-Medhin cost of living motion

INDEVCO to penetrate flower market

AAU, UNISA launch lecture series

NATO agrees to provide airlift for African peacekeepers in Somalia

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD

United Bank elect new board members ‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

Agency to build residential apartments

Ishac Diwan makes way for Kenichi Ohashi

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance UNSC confers with AU

Aviation employees express fears of layoff ‘Calm down,’ says Director General

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

Haile to build resort in Awassa

NOT FOR SALE: TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

Nutrisky trade shoots in the city

Traffic Police to hunt car decorations

Over 200 AAU students resume class after protests

Parliament confers on ombudsman report

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan, Chair of the Board

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa, Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

Habesha to introduce tour bus to Addis streets

House turns down UEDP-Medhin cost of living motion

INDEVCO to penetrate flower market

AAU, UNISA launch lecture series

NATO agrees to provide airlift for African peacekeepers in Somalia

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD

United Bank elect new board members
‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance
UNSC confers with AU

Aviation employees express fears of layoff
‘Calm down,’ says Director General

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears
To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

NOT FOR SALE:
TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan,
Chair of the Board

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa,
Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists
Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD

United Bank elect new board members
‘New directive won’t make much of a difference’, critics

Eritrea dismiss Ethiopia’s unconditional acceptance
UNSC confers with AU

Aviation employees express fears of layoff
‘Calm down,’ says Director General

Agency move to collect 100 mln birr in arrears
To build apartments on sites of to be demolished villas

NOT FOR SALE:
TIME TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa appoints Kofi Annan,
Chair of the Board

HIV/ AIDS slowing in Africa,
Ethiopian health professionals to visit Kigali

IFJ condemn conviction of journalists
Court ruled guilty verdict on CUD