Capital

ETC, ZTE strike $1.5 bln loan

By Groum Abate

The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), has signed a 1.5 billion dollar loan with the Chinese ZTE for the upgrading of its telephone network.
ETC in September 2006, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with three Chinese telecom companies; ZTE Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co and Chinese International Telecommunication Construction Corporation (CITCC), to undertake expansion projects worth 1.5 billion dollars, effective for four years.

PPESA seeks partner for palm oil project

By Andualem Sisay

The Privatization and Public Enterprises Supervising Agency PPESA, is looking for a partner for its palm oil project which is to cost an estimated 299mln birr.
The objective of the project includes edible-oil production for domestic consumption and substitutes of edible and non-edible oils and fats. In addition, the project also intends to produce raw materials for local industries, increase the export of oil seeds and opportunities for the transfer of technology to suitable areas.

Ethiopia keeps booming

By our staff reporter

No oil, no precious minerals are driving Ethiopia's economic growth forwards by two digits each year. Hard work, economic reform and investments in its people and infrastructure are showing results to lift one of the world's poorest nations up to new heights.
Ethiopia, with a population of 75 million, is the second most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, Ethiopia is also one of the world's poorest. At US$ 130, Ethiopia's per capita GDP is only about a fifth of the sub-Sahara African average, according to the World Bank.

Entreprenuer Profile is Capital’s youngest page and is already eliciting warm reviews. We have received dozens of e-mails, scores of letters and a clamor of phone calls of appreciation, suggestions and ideas which will all contribute for a better Entrepreneur Profile strengthened by your continued participation.

		Introducing Addis Ababa University’s Oldest Building
		Professor Richard Pankhurst is the son of Miss Sylvia Pankhurst, the great British suffragette and advocate of Ethiopia during and after Fascist Italy's occupation of Ethiopia. Professor Pankhurst taught for many years at Addis Ababa University and has written widely on Ethiopian history and culture. He is also the founder of Addis Ababa University's Institute of Ethiopian Studies and a founding member of the Axum Obelisk Return Committee and the Association for the Return of the MaqdalaEthiopian Treasures (AFROMET)
			Click Here

Art & Culture

New Ethiopian Millennium
Arts and Culture Supplement

Vital Facts

Real Women


Interview

OF empowering women

March 8, International Women’s Day, was observed throughout Ethiopia for the 30th year since the day was officially endorsed in the mid 1970’s. The military regime of the period however, couldn’t disassociate Women’s Day from socialism, repeating the error it had already made by also portraying May Day in the same light. This situation led many to regard these most international and humanistic of days with profound wariness.
Today we observe a growing awareness and belief that Ethiopia is a participant in global events and is attuned to sociological realties without resorting to ideological branding.
March 8 and what it signifies to the Ethiopian woman was the overriding theme of the many conferences, symposiums and special commemorative events staged at various venues. One such was ‘The Gender Talk Forum’ , held at Damo Hotel on March 9,2007.
This week’s interviewee is W/o Saba Gebre-medhin, an earnestly committed woman busily juggling in two serious occupations- her position at, NEWA and as a mother.
Capital’s Mina Yirga spent a few precious moments with her on the sidelines of the conference and invites us to the following excerpts.

Click here

Introducing African philosophy

By Dr. Bekele Gutema

What is philosophy? Does it have an absoluteness about it or can there be varieties of thought such as ‘European’ or ‘African?’ Who has the moral, academic or other authority to determine what constitutes truth, be it philosophical or historical? These are just a few of the mighty questions raised and answered in this Capital Focus column, contributed by Dr. Bekele Gutema who is the head of the Department of Philosophy, AAU. The text is an excerpt of a lecture given at the ‘Philosophy Forum’, held at Goethe-Institut Gebrekristos Desta Center, Tuesday March 6, 2007.

Click here

Electoral Politics and the Future of Ethiopian Democracy

The fifth lecture in the series on “Democracy and the Social Question II” was given by H.E. Dr. Merera Gudina, Chairman of the UEDF, on Tuesday, 27 February.
In his speech Dr. Merera outlined the post 1991 Ethiopian political scene the superficial democracy and the exact meaning of what constitutes free and Fair elections.

Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin and Minister of Transport and Communication Juneydi Saddo, at Hilton Hotel conclave where Millennium preparations were evaluated and additional plans drawn up, Thursday March 8, 2007.