Capital

Two more banks on the menu: Buna, Gena

By Groum Abate

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building
China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

By Groum Abate

Three companies in 40mln br Addis water project

By Groum Abate

Specialized life insurance company under formation

By Andualem Sisay

ART faces off holy water

By Andualem Sisay

All eyes on Harar in July
Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

By Andualem Sisay

Ethiopia easily adapt to climate change: scholar

By Andualem Sisay

Investing in the future

By Tesfu Telahun

Mammoth millennium signature register

By Mina Yirga

British prisoners raise cash for inmates in Ethiopia

By our staff reporter

Single dose tablet regimen for HIV patients in Ethiopia

By Mina Yirga

Hunger project epicenter opens in Debre Libanos

By Groum Abate

Gambella to host peace and development festival
Displaced people from the region are returning home

By Andualem Sisay

Path to the light

By:Tsion Aklilu

IAG launch inaugural forum on millennium program

By Mina Yirga

ILO Awards Mandela and Carmelo Mesa-Lago

By Andualem Sisay

Good Samaritan celebrates student’s graduation

By Mina Yirga

Two more banks on the menu: Buna, Gena

By Groum Abate

In the face of scarce foreign currency in Ethiopia’s banks, a successful fiscal performance and lucrative net profits in the banking industry during the past year is attracting new investors in the field.
In the last fiscal year, all the banks that operate in the country including governmental banks announced large profits.
In an otherwise gloomy business atmosphere, the past year has been a golden year so far for Ethiopian banks, giving the feeling that the banking industry is an ideal niche market for potential investors.
Capital learnt that, attractive profits and promising prospects have encouraged Ethiopian businessmen, some even with shares in other private banks and insurances, to establish new banks.
Buna and Gena banks are the latest that are lining up to be added to the list of operational banks.
Buna and Gena banks, which are to be the 10th and 11th private banks in the country, are expected to be established officially over the next couple of months, and have already managed to raise over 75 million birr, which is the minimum initial capital required by the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE).
Analysts say, looking at the past fiscal years’ performance of the existing banks, there is still room for a new bank to come into the market and be a success in a short time. Currently, there are nine private and governmental banks serving the Ethiopian market. The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Development Bank of Ethiopia, Construction and Business Bank, are government owned banks, while Awash Bank, Abyssinia Bank, Dashen Bank, United Bank, Access banks are private.
Modern banking was introduced in Ethiopia with Emperor Menilik II signing an agreement in 1905 with Mr. Ma Gillivray, representative of the British owned National Bank of Egypt. Following the agreement, the Bank of Abyssinia was inaugurated on February 16, 1906 by the Emperor.
By 1931, shortly after Emperor Haile Selassie I came to power, Bank of Abyssinia was legally replaced by Bank of Ethiopia. Bank of Ethiopia was a purely Ethiopian institution and was the first indigenous bank in Africa. It was established by an official decree on August 29, 1931, with a capital of £750,000.

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building
China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

By Groum Abate

Ethiopia hosted a celebration of African independence on Friday, with China looking like an honorary member of this struggling continent as the only non-African delegation to attend.
Chinese investment in Africa, in terms of business ties, aid and attempts to secure political influence, has soared in recent years in deals to keep Africa's natural resources flowing to China's booming economy.
The Chinese delegation's presence at Africa Day was the latest example of increased ties between Africa and China.
"The Chinese government cherishes its relationship with the African Union," said Wang Chao, assistant minister of commerce for the Chinese government.
China is spending 150 million dollars to expand the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The new premises will stand on the site of an infamous prison where former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam executed 60 top officials of the late Emperor Haile Selassie.
The former Addis Ababa City Government Mayor, Arkebe Oqubay, at a ceremony held in July 2004 had announced a land grant title deed worth 28 million dollars for the AU.
Subsequently, the AU had not utilized the plot because of lack of finance.
The city cleared the area for the expansion project shortly after it granted the plot. The state penitentiary was among the demolished buildings on the site.
The plot would be used to satisfy the office expansion needs of the AU and for the construction of residential houses for the Deputy Chairperson and the eight Commissioners as well as for building chanceries and residences.
Construction work on the site was launched last week.
The Chinese government is to fully finance the cost of the buildings estimated to be worth around 150 million dollars.
Arkebe had said during the handing over ceremony of the plot, “The City Government is committed to upgrading the city's facilities, infrastructure and service delivery up to international standards so as to live up to the trust our African brothers and sisters placed upon us by making Addis Ababa the headquarters of the African Union.”
He said one of the key objectives of all-round urban renewal initiatives that the city is engaged in is to raise the city's standard to match its status as the capital of the Federal Government and as the seat of the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
"I say, long may this spirit of China-Africa cooperation live. Thank you, China," said Ghanaian President John Kufuor, who holds the rotating AU chairmanship.
The current Chairman early Friday arrived in Addis Ababa to pay a three-day official working visit to Ethiopia.
China's dealings in Africa have generated criticism. Unlike Western countries also interested in Africa's markets and resources, China steers away from pressuring nations on their human and political rights records. Critics say China is abetting pariah nations by doing business with countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe.
But African Union chief executive Alpha Oumar Konare said the relationship is beneficial.
"Africa is not going to be manipulated," he said. "It is not going to be a Trojan horse. It is only going to benefit the African people."
Librating Africa from colonialism, apartheid, and racism was the main and primary focus of OAU during its formation. Establishing such organization was a symbol of Africa unity. It was after twenty-seven years that the organization started to look ahead of new agenda to work on-by that time; the 1990s’ all countries were librated and combating their difficulties alone.
Before the establishment of the organization, Africa has been facing different unions like, Monrovia bloc, Brazzaville bloc, and Casablanca groups and so on. However these blocs were not the very interest of Africa leaders or the nations needed, establishing the OAU was crucial and as it is known Ethiopia has take the initiative. Following OAU the decolonization struggle was achieved; but still the organization could not handle the ongoing civil problems of the nations.
In 1999, the OAU called for the establishment of the AU in its summit in Surt, Libya. It took three years for the states to agree to the establishment of the OAU in a new format; it accelerated the socio-economic integration with respecting sovereign equality and member independence and leads the AU to a more effective organization.
May 25, 2007 is marked as Africa Day; in commemoration of the union’s establishment. The Addis Ababa University has celebrated the day with a panel discussion, in which Ambassadors, professors, prominent figures and more than a hundred students participated.

Three companies in 40mln br Addis water project

By Groum Abate

Three private companies have participated in the opening of the tender for drilling 40 emergency boreholes for Addis Ababa
Hagbes Plc, Yadot Business Group and Biselex, participated in the open tender of the Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA), where the authority invited participants.
Previously AAWSA short listed seven private companies to rehabilitate the 12 already drilled boreholes and over 30 emergency wells for Addis Ababa to curb the severe shortage of water in the city.
The open tender the three private firms participated on would cost the authority over 40 million birr.
The Authority, in a discussion held in the beginning of April told the selected companies to notify their stock as soon as possible to start the said projects in the coming few weeks.
The six companies, GI Synthetic, Watt, Yadot, PipeNet, Tensae, and Siuma are the selected companies to participate in the emergency borehole drilling.
About 40 emergency wells would be dug for the city along with rehabilitating other wells formerly in use.
Only 48% of the Addis Ababa population gets access to treated water currently.
The authority also advised the companies that before the Legedadi Dam rehabilitation project starts, the wells should be dug and supply the city with water. When the dam is in rehabilitation in three months time, it would decrease production capacity by almost half.
The authority recently increased the price of water, which is the last part of the price adjustment that has been going on for the last five years.
The adjustment of water tariffs was introduced in order to ensure financial sustainability in the provision of utilities and viability of planned expansion programs of the authority.
According to a World Bank Group report, water tariffs are less than 20% of operations and maintenance costs. Moreover, the price increase in Addis Ababa aim at total cost recovery through time (which covers operation & maintenance costs, depreciation and debit servicing).
Average water production in Africa costs about 0.20 dollars per cubic meter, while average water tariff is 0.10 dollars per cubic meter.
Furthermore, the authority charges 1.60 birr per cubic meter cube for the first block of consumption and 2.85 birr for the second block, which will be added after consuming seven cubic meter of water for the first block. The price would also rise gradually the more the consumption rate.
AAWSA has so far executed 13 major water supply projects. These are Kebena Mini-Dam, Kechene Mini-Dam, Series of Springs Development, Entoto Water Treatment Plant, Gafarsa-I Dam, Gafarsa-II Dam, Gafarsa-III Dam, Water-I (Legedadi Dam & Water Treatment Plant), Water-IIA (Legedadi Water Treatment Expansion & Rehabilitation of the Existing Legedadi & Gafarsa Water Treatment Plants), Water-IIB (Replacement of the Existing Legedadi transmission & Major Lines as well as Construction of Service Water Reservoirs), Wells & Springs Development-Emergency, Akaki Town Water Supply and Dire Dam-Emergency Projects.

Specialized life insurance company under formation

By Andualem Sisay

Ethio-Life Insurance Share Company, is underway to introduce specialized long-term insurance, being the first of its kind in the country’s history.
Being a specialized long-term insurance company engaged in life, the company is planning to begin with introducing life insurance this September and aims to include health and pension insurances later on. “Modernization, the development of the private sector in Ethiopia, the shift of urban people from dependency on extended families to nucleus ones are among the indications that show us the need for a specialized long-term life insurance,” said Teshome Beyene, project Coordinator of the company, on the press briefing held at the Hilton Hotel on Friday, May 25, 2007.
The company will join the industry with an authorized capital of 50 mln birr and subscribed and paid-up capital of 8 mln birr. The company is currently finalizing selling 8,000 shares with 1,000 birr for each share and 30 shares as a minimum share for one buyer. The company projects to sell 30 to 40 mln birr worth of shares in the coming three years. The minimum subscription and paid-up capital requirement to establish an insurance company in Ethiopia is 4 mln birr.
“The reason why life insurance has not grown in Ethiopia so far is because it was not treated and promoted separately,” says Mohamed Hussein, conceiver of the idea and a share holder of Ethio-life Insurance Share Company. “Besides, there are only few experts in the field in the country and it needs visionary investors, who are patient to grasp a long-term return.”
Critics mention the nation-wide usage of traditional social security systems such as Edir, Ekub and the like as the main reason for the slow growth of life insurance in Ethiopia. According to Teshome, one can not be an obstacle to the growth of the other since there is a chance for these institutions and life insurance to coexist by supporting each other. He also described that the company is undertaking a study on how both can work together effectively.
“The potential for long-term insurance in Ethiopia is huge yet untapped,” Teshome said. “The contribution of life insurance is a mere slice of the total insurance sales in the country, which is only 5-6 per cent as compared to Kenya’s 30.5 and Egypt’s 39.5 per cent. On a different scale of measure, the per capital expenditure per annum on long term insurance is about sixty cents making Ethiopia among the least penetrated countries in the world.”
Mentioning India’s 80.6 per cent of life insurance share of the total insurance share in the country and the global mystification, which says life insurance is only for the rich people, Teshome stressed that life insurance is more viable for the poor than the rich.
Though there was a failed attempt to introduce specialized life insurance in Ethiopia by a company named Ethio-American Life Company some 40 years ago, from then onwards, there was no other company who tried to fully be engaged in providing only life insurance in Ethiopia.
Currently, there are nine companies in Ethiopia are engaged in general insurance service, including life insurance.

ART faces off holy water

By Andualem Sisay

When the world, after more than two decades of struggles to identifying a cure for HIV/AIDS and provide it free to People Living With HIV (PLWHA) the effort seems to be up against resistance from religious groups. It was three years ago when the government tried to introduce Antiretroviral treatment /ART/ as a ‘life extending’ remedy, that religious elders, began refusing to accept the drugs, claiming that it is only God that extends life, not man made medicine.
Now, the word ‘life extending’ is avoided ART and it is simply called HIV/AIDS medicine. Sky News report about the holy water usage in Ethiopia at Entoto Church compelled the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Patriarch and the United States Ambassador to Ethiopia to discuss the issue on the spot on Wednesday May 23, 2007.
According to the Sky News report, those people who take holy water to be cured of HIV/AIDS are not allowed to take ART.
“This is not true and doesn’t reflect the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s stance towards ART,” said Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. “Whatever is stated by certain people for their own purpose should not be reported as an Ethiopian Orthodox Church declaration. Our church believes that there is no power other than God as everything is made by God.”
“Holy water (Tsebel) and ART are made by God. It is God who gave the wisdom and knowledge for people who invent all medicines including ART. Therefore, using ART and holy-water can go together. One can even take the medicine with the holy-water,” he says.
The Ambassador of the United States to Ethiopia, Don Yamamoto, on his part also urged the pilgrims and PLWHA at the church to transmit the message of using ART along side religious practices such as prayer and holy-water, as they return to their respective communities.
Earlier, on World AIDS Day, November 23, 2006, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church gave a special endorsement on the such compatibility of religious practices such as prayer, and holy water usage with ART. Following this, many PLWHA have frequently given testimony on the benefits of ART at EOC facilities in Addis Ababa and other cities.
“The reason why most of these PLWHA are refusing to take ART is because we are unable to provide them with all the necessary things such as enough food and medical assistance,” the Patriarch stressed. According to Abune Paulos, it is difficult and not viable to insist someone take medicine while he/she has nothing to eat.
Though it is insisted by many physicians that PLWHA should have better nutrition than an uninfected person, Dr. Solomon Zewdu, Country Director of Johns Hopkins University Tsehay project, which is providing ART and care services two kilometers from the holy-water site, has a different view on the issue. The matter of getting enough nutrition and taking ART should be seen separately,” he says. One does not have to interrupt taking the medicine claiming that he/she is not getting adequate food, according to Dr. Solomon.
Lack of a proper diet to take the medicine is repeatedly mentioned by the PLWHA, who briefed journalists gathered at the clinic. A 14 years old orphan boy, who has lost both his father and mother due to HIV/AIDS, said that he contemplated quitting due to the shortage of food.
They claim that the food which is brought to them by individuals, is taken by the street vagabonds who come to Entoto Church, where the PLWHA live and take holy-water. Though we have reported to the Police and the administration of the district, we haven’t yet got any one who can protect us from these vagabonds,” says Aba Gebre-Medihin, who is in charge of baptizing the patients with the holy water at Entoto Church.
The Patriarch appealed to the donors to enhance their support to curb the problems. Ambassador Yamamoto on his part stressed his government’s commitment to support the fight against HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and the continuation of other development support.
Out of the total of 73 million people and a prevalence rate of 3.5%, there are about 1.3 million people living with HIV The number of AIDS orphans aged 0-17 years has reached 744,100. The number of PLWHA in need of antiretroviral treatment (ART), was recorded at 277,757, including 43,055 (15.5%) children aged 0-14 years.
According to United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki Moon’s report on Monday, May 21, 2007, globally, for every person who starts anti-retroviral treatment, six more become infected.

All eyes on Harar in July
Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

By Andualem Sisay

The Harar First Millennium was launched in the presence of Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The president it is to be re called has authored a book about the city entitled, “Then and Today”.
“I believe that the celebration of Harar’s one-thousandth anniversary of its founding as a city imparts a uniquely beautiful Harari color to the multi-facetted celebration of the Ethiopian third Millennium,” said the president, speaking at the event here in Addis at the Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday May 23, 2007.
With the motto of ‘think globally and act locally’, the Harar Millennium Committee has been undertaking various activities here and abroad to colorfully promote Harar’s first Millennium. The city was registered by UNESCO in 2006 as the 45th historical town of peace and coexistance.
Ms. Florence Ssereo, UNESCO Representative on the ceremony indicated that the conservation activities underway in Harar are encouraging and the World Heritage Council is expecting a progress report in July, 2007. She also stressed UNESCO’s readiness to cooperate with the town in order to protect and promote the intangible heritages of Harar such as traditional music and dance.
Ethiopian third Millennium Festival Council Director, Siyum Bereded, on his part indicated that both the Harar First Millennium celebration and Ethiopia’s third Millennium celebrations have created good opportunities to restore and rehabilitate the degrading environment of the country.
According to the Lunar Calendar, 405 Hijra means it is now 1023 years old. The city could be even older and further studies should be conducted to know the exact age of the city, according to Ambassador Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Tourism and Culture, who spoke at the launching.
After Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem; with 82 mosques and uncountable shrines, the walled city of Harar is the 4th holiest city of Sunni Islam. It is also considered as an original domestic center of the world famous ‘coffee Arabica’ and the mild stimulant leaf chat (catha adulis).
Harar, located in eastern Ethiopia 526 km from Addis Ababa, is expecting tens of thousands of visitors as well as its own population for the celebration of its first Millennium. The city has dedicated the full month of July for the colorful celebration of its Millennium with various events such as festivals, bazaars, tree planting, as well as other developmental programs.
World Heritage registration of Harar Jugal fiesta, investment opportunity& promotion program, the 12th Harari sport tournament , handing over of land for investors and the inauguration, of Abdella Sherif`s museum are among the programs which will be undertaken during the month long Harar first Millennium celebration.
According to Ahmed Zekeriya, Harar Millennium Project Advisor, out of the one mln sq.mt of land that the city administration is preparing for the Ethiopian diaspora who are interested to build houses and settle in Harar, some 600,000 sq mts are now ready.

Ethiopia easily adapt to climate change: scholar

By Andualem Sisay

The existence of large genetic diversity is an advantage for Ethiopia to adapt to climate change more easily than most other countries in the world.
This was stated by international environmentalist Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, at the workshop took place at Simien Hotel from May 24-25, 2007. He was among the seven 2006 Champions of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
”Ethiopia has an abundance of hydro, geothermal, solar and wind power. It can thus industrialize by harnessing its wealth of renewable energy resources without polluting the atmosphere. Strengthening its existing organic agriculture with needed scientific inputs will therefore give Ethiopia a globally competitive edge in agriculture,” he said.
Addressing the workshop entitled, Organic chain development in Ethiopia, participative networking, he stressed that organic agricultural products gives Ethiopia a globally competitive edge in trade in this era of climate change if the country is able to develop a formal system of certification for its organic agricultural products.
“In industrial agriculture, we put on the deprived soil the same plant nutrients, but having made them from petrochemicals. We put the nutrients on or in the soil in one go. Therefore, most of them are washed or leached away by rain or irrigation water. This reduces the usefulness of the nutrients. Equally importantly, both the ground water and the water that flows from our fields into streams then become polluted,” according to Tewolde Berhan.
If we depend on industrially produced nutrients for our crops, the soil organisms lack food and reduce in species numbers and in population size per species. It will be easy for Ethiopia to maneuver this global need to a national advantage in development, according to the environmentalist.
Climate change is caused by global warming, which itself is caused by atmospheric pollutants that traps the sun’s heat in the biosphere and keep it from being reradiated back into outer space.
The main atmospheric pollutant responsible for global warming is carbon dioxide.
This pollutant has increased in the atmosphere because of the burning of fossil fuels, which, like the increase in agrochemicals, has been caused by industrialization.
“While we are shifting our strategy of industrialization, however, any human activity that sequesters carbon dioxide will help us stave off the threat of climate change. Ethiopia should, therefore, recognize its agricultural research capacity away from supporting a mistakenly expected growth in industrial agriculture to supporting the strengthening and fine-tuning of its widespread but mistakenly sidelined organic agriculture. Not only Ethiopia, but also the global need requires that it does so,” Tewolde Berhan said.
Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher has put much of his energy into negotiations to protect biodiversity at the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Investing in the future

By Tesfu Telahun

Our little convoy set out for Tiya late in the morning on Thursday May 24, 2007. The vehicles were led by Capital’s crew car and included the car bearing H.E. Ambassador Can Altan of the Republic of Turkey and a Landcruiser with Mr. Hikmet Ozdeoneglu Director of Turkey International Cooperation Agency (TICA), and other officials of the agency.
We drove westwards out of Addis traffic and came to the Butajira turn-off where we could speed up and not keep hundreds of expectant children awaiting our arrival in Tiya, 83 kms away.
We were on our way to see the progress of a classroom construction project at TIYA Primary and Junior High and to hand over electronic equipment for the school. The classroom upgrading and donation were sponsored by TICA- Turkish International Cooperation Agency.
This small roadside town has about 5,000 inhabitants and virtually no infrastructure apart from the odd private service business and a huge, spanking new gas station. Tiya does have one tourist attraction that is anything but new. This is the field of giant tombstones which we were told, date from the 13th century. Their builders unknown, the granite stones of varying sizes, shapes and symbolisms were quarried from over 1km away and apparently dragged to the ritual burial site. Excavation work has revealed skeletons of people buried in a sitting position, indicating a belief system that was neither Christian nor Islamic. The tombstone field has been reserved, fenced off and is protected by a polite guard-cum-guide.
Tiya Primary and Junior High is the only school in the town. It was established in 1977 by community initiative and has since had little improvement and maintenance for many years. Tiya may be a small town but it is blessed with a community that holds its only school close to heart. This sense of shared town spirit led some elder’s, dynamic individuals and others to explore ways in which TIYA Primary and Junior High could be upgraded both in terms of learning facilities and school supplies.
Taking advantage of the good auspices of a home town girl who has made good in professional life, the school submitted a letter requesting the assistance of the Turkish International Co-operation Agency, TICA.
TICA’s Addis Ababa office is the first in Africa and reflects the strength of long standing relations between the two countries.
Responding to the Tiya school’s request, TICA offered to give their support with the construction of six classrooms and upgrading of others. The assistance provided by TICA includes the supply of over 200, three seater desks and electronic aids such as computers and a photo copy machine. The Tiya Primary and Junior High upgrading project is valued at over birr 200,000 so far.
As the convoy approached Tiya, it was soon joined by Abiy Zeleke, a business man, educator and ardent supporter of the project. We rolled into the surprisingly spacious campus to a rousing welcome from the assembled students, school administration and officials of the wereda Bureau of Education.
After a welcomeing speech by school director, Ato Sisay Kurbo, H.E. Ambassador Mr. Can Altan along with officials of TICA visited the site. Speaking on the occasion Ambassador Can stated, “It’s always a great pleasure to visit educational institutions. It feels good to be around children and if we have made a contribution, however modest, to improve the condition of this school, we are very happy. Turkey has had a co-operation office here for two years now. We are especially interested in collaboration in the field of education. Investment in education is an investment in the future.”
Abiy Zeleke is a young entrepreneur and delighted the assembled gathering by giving a surprise donation in kind valued at birr 10,000.
Said Abiy, “My firm made the furniture for Tiya Primary and Junior High School in co-operation with TICA. It’s great to be here to see our furniture being put to good use. I also feel that this school requires our continued support and that’s why I am announcing that I will personally and on behalf of my firm, donate 10,000 birr worth of additional furniture.”
Mr. Hikmet Ozdeoneglu, TICA Director, on his part stated his agency has been involved with the Tiya school upgrading project as part of its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations: Added Hikmet, “this is a modest contribution and one based on an initiative from the Tiya community. We are very happy to reply to their request.”

Mammoth millennium signature register

By Mina Yirga

Gana-Seb Trading Plc, in collaboration with the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat Office has prepared a register for the collection of signatures and vision statements of representatives of industrial institutions in Ethiopia and from the diaspora as well as foreigners arriving for the new third millennium celebrations.
The document prepared for vision signature statements of Ethiopian companies is to be officially launched with the honorary signature and vision statement of 10 star institutes( Addis Ababa University, Dire Industry, CRDA, Ethiopian Air Lines, Ethiopian Commercial Bank, Chamber of Commerce, Menilik Hospital, Bekele Mola Hotels, Berhanena Selam Printing Press) and 12 honorary ambassadors( Wobeshet Workalmahu, Fitawrari Amedae Lema, Mamo Wedneh, Berhne Kelkay, Dr. Belay Abegaz, Assistant professor Abonesh Girma, Karl Henz Bem, Abebech Gobena, Selam Tewahesom, Sabela Abay, Bob Rahnsom, and Major Haile Gebreselasie ) signatures which were appointed with votes.
“Our aim is to make everybody put his/her signature with a view to making the event remain documented for depicting that the celebration is lasting in nature. Its intention is to enable organizations learn more through comparison between the epochs on the basis of these signatures,” said Mesgana Gedle, Manager of Gana-Seb Plc.
“For this vision it has produced high quality paper weighing that will carry the visions and signatures,” he further remarked.
The book of collected registers will eventually weigh 500kg with dimensions of100x70 cm (height 1.40 cm) and will be 440kg heavier than the largest book recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
The front cover of the massive document bears a picture depicting the past, present and future epochs. It was designed by renowned artist Robel Berhane and engravers and has three kgs of silver binding on the side.
The register will also travel abroad for Ethiopians who couldn’t return due to different reasons, in addition to online registration. Moreover, in extending its outreach, the Gana-Seb Plc has plans to include the vision statements of Ethiopians in different regions. State prisoners, street children and even hospital patients have been included in the procedure.
As soon as the program of the collection of signature concludes, it will be deposited at the National Museum of Ethiopia.

British prisoners raise cash for inmates in Ethiopia

By our staff reporter

A fund-raising campaign is being launched at Haverigg prison on Thursday May 24, to support fellow inmates in Ethiopia.
It is hoped that cash can be raised to help provide basic facilities for prisoners in Africa.
The campaign, which is being launched at HMP Haverigg with a gathering of dignitaries from west Cumbria, is being run in conjunction with the Christian mission charity, Prison Fellowship.
Prayer groups and volunteers from the charity support prisoners by visiting and befriending them, and giving practical help, as well as assisting with chapel services and discussion groups.
Some of Prison Fellowship’s volunteers working at Haverigg Prison have also made regular trips to work with prisoners in Ethiopia.
In stark contrast to Haverigg, prisons in the African country often lack basic requirements such as clean water, sewage facilities, medicine and education.
A number of inmates are also HIV positive.
Although many of the upcoming fund-raising events have not yet been finalized, a summer ball will bring in cash.
Haverigg prison is getting well used to raising much-needed cash for worthy causes.

Single dose tablet regimen for HIV patients in Ethiopia

By Mina Yirga

ATRIPLA, the first-ever, once-daily, single tablet combination regimen for the treatment of HIV infection in adults has been launched in Ethiopia.
According to Zelalem Anteneh, Medical Representative, MSD, Atripla is a fixed-dose combination of efavirenz (Stocrin) 600mg + emtricitabine (Emtriva) 200mg + tenofovir (Viread) 300mg.
“ATRIPLA offers an important new tool to patients and physicians for simplifying the treatment of HIV infection and improving adherence rates. What has been the trend 28 years ago is that the HIV patient is expected to take 28 different tablets per day. In recent three to four years it has decreased five to six tablets. Now we have reached to latest scientific results that only require the HIV patient to take one tablet per day at bedtime. Atripla is recommended as first line in most international treatment guidelines and it is believed to increases quality and life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS. Moreover, it decreases the spread of antiretroviral resistance virus and it is very much easy to use.”
Accordingly, Gilead and Merck reached agreement in August 2006 to work together to pursue registration of the product with individual country health authorities in the developing world. The component therapies are already registered, or in the process of being registered, in many of these countries. Under the terms of the agreement, Gilead will manufacture ATRIPLA using efavirenz supplied by Merck. Merck in turn will handle distribution of the product in the countries covered by the agreement.
“The two US companies, Merck and Gilead are working together to distribute Atripla in developing world countries. Both companies are committed in making this important new tool for fighting HIV/AIDS available to all patients as quickly as possible. Merck (MSD) providing Atripla at not for profit in Africa and hope Ethiopia will be benefiting from this access program,” Zelalem added.
Merck & Co., Inc. Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, is known in most countries outside of the United States as Merck Sharp & Dohme, or MSD. It is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but also help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service.

Hunger project epicenter opens in Debre Libanos

By Groum Abate

The Hunger Project-Ethiopia (THP-E), the latest Hunger Project country in Africa, welcomed Project Officers from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda, who appreciate, celebrate, and take home the stories of on-the-ground strategies to end hunger in Ethiopia.
Last week on May 19 THP-E inaugurated its second epicenter in Debre Tsigie, located in Debre Libanos Wereda, 98 kms north of Addis, where many representatives from other African countries with Hunger Project offices, appreciated their Ethiopian counterparts for achieving such kind of accomplishment in such a short time.
Rowlands Kaotcha, Country Director of THP-Malawi, said that the Ethiopian project is going at a faster pace than any other African country achieved so far.
He said that his country’s office was set up in 1999 and has so far built six epicenters.
The Hunger Project’s work in Ethiopia began in April 2004 after underwriters agreed to fund the work for its first 3 years. Since then, all actions have been forwarding the integrated epicenter strategy, which is The Hunger Project’s hallmark in Africa.
In less than two years, a National Council was formed, a full staff was set up and is in action with various constituencies from local government to grassroots levels, and the work on the ground to create the first epicenter in partnership with the local communities has begun.
Although past famines are remembered, most people don’t realize that the population of Ethiopia is five times poorer than the average Sub-Saharan Africa population. Ethiopia has been The Hunger Project’s biggest challenge to date.
On February 2006, the first actual epicenter building was inaugurated at Jaldu, 150 kms West of Addis in the Oromia Regional State.
Debre Libanos is the second epicenter to be inaugurated in Ethiopia. It consists of 4 kebeles (villages) with a population of 19,000.
THP-E Country Director, Gubaie W.A, said that they are also planning to inaugurate their third epicenter in the near future in Mesquan Wereda, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Regional State. He also added that his office has been granted a plot in Amhara Regional State for their fourth epicenter.
Muktar Kedir, Vice-President of the Oromia Regional State and Global Hunger Project Vice-President, Dr. Fitigu Tadesse, inaugurated the second ever epicenter in Ethiopia where many agree such kind of epicenters are badly needed in the country widely.
During the inauguration, a loan was disbursed to one women’s group, bringing the number of women’s loan groups at the epicenter to 12. There are also eight men’s loan groups. In addition to nurses’ quarters, toilets, and the standard L-shaped building with a health center, meeting hall, office, credit facilities, nursery school, and food bank, Debre Libanos epicenter also features drip irrigation-fed vegetable gardens and an incredibly large plot of a nine-hectare communal farm, which was already plowed and ready for the upcoming cultivating season.
As with all epicenters, the organizational structure and catalytic projects for self-reliance are well underway before the actual “L” shaped building is completed.
Rowlands also said that their project demands to start operation when the building is inaugurated and added that he was impressed to see that in Ethiopia, which is the youngest country for the project.
The Hunger Project is an unconventional, strategic organization. The Hunger Project does not provide “relief.” Rather, it works in authentic partnership with the people of developing countries to address the root causes of hunger and to ensure that all people have the chance to lead healthy and productive lives.
The Hunger Project was founded in 1977, in the wake of the rising debate on world hunger triggered by the first Rome World Food Conference.
Rather than simply being "another" relief organization, The Hunger Project was created as a new form of organization – a "strategic" organization. The Hunger Project continually poses the question "what’s missing" which, if provided, would enable humanity to make a quantum leap towards the end of hunger? Over the years, The Hunger Project has reinvented itself time and again to meet each challenge along the path of ending hunger.
Today, The Hunger Project works in more than 10,000 villages across 13 developing countries in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. It carries out proven strategies that are empowering millions of people to achieve lasting progress in health, education, nutrition and family income.
In addition to directly empowering hungry people, The Hunger Project works strategically to change policies, catalyze society-wide transformation of the conditions holding hunger in place, and strengthen the local democratic structures through which people can meet their basic needs on a sustainable basis.
Development efforts in Africa have too often failed to invest in the capacity of Africa’s rural people.
In much of rural Africa, there is no infrastructure. No schools, no health centers, no all-weather roads. What is usually not understood is that the lack of physical infrastructure reflects a lack of human infrastructure — no village councils, no health and education committees.
Since 1991, The Hunger Project has pioneered a strategy, based on its strategic planning-in-action methodology, known as the epicenter strategy. This strategy empowers rural Africans to meet all their basic needs on a sustainable basis. It is a unified, people-centered approach that has proven effective in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda. During 2004, this strategy was extended into Ethiopia.
As of December 2004, there were 69 epicenters and 91 subepicenters, mobilizing more than 2.6 million people in more than 1,000 villages. Elements of the strategy include:
Epicenters go with the millennium development goals by increasing villagers, particularly women incomes through literacy, training in new skills, introduction of more profitable crops through the community farm, and access to credit through the rural bank. With local food storage, farmers are not forced to sell crops at low prices right after the harvest. Families receive training in nutrition, and nutrition supplements are produced locally and provided to children in the preschool. Secondly a high priority for epicenters is literacy training for adults. As the community is organized, it often improves the schools. And when families have more income, they can afford school uniforms and supplies to send their children to school.
Nearly all the funding for the Hunger Project comes from highly committed individuals who direct a meaningful share of their financial resources to achieving the end of hunger.
Those who give their money to The Hunger Project do not see themselves as donors - giving their money to someone who is, in some way, less than themselves - but as investors, as stakeholders, standing in full and coequal partnership with hungry people in achieving a future free from hunger.
Investors in The Hunger Project experience a return on their investment that is immediate and lasting - the joy and satisfaction that come from investing their resources in a way that benefits all humanity, and leaves a legacy for future generations that would not otherwise be possible.

Gambella to host peace and development festival
Displaced people from the region are returning home

By Andualem Sisay

‘Gambellla Reflections (Gambella 2007 Sport for Peace and Development Festival) will take place from June 2-3, 2007 in Gambella under a motto of we play for peace.’
This was indicated by the organizer of the event, Athletic Resource Services International (ASRI), on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at a press briefing held at the Hilton Hotel. Promoting peace and peaceful coexistence among the members of the society and foster development activities was one of the major objectives of the event.
In addition, enabling the youth and vulnerable groups of the society to actively participate on the peace building process of the region through practicing sport and promoting social activity was also mentioned as the goal of the festival.
It is also believed that the festival will contribute towards improving the existing image of the region via integrated promotion arrangements and boost regional development. “As sport by its very nature is a participatory event, we believe this festival will help enhance the peace and stability of the region by creating understanding among all the five ethnic groups of in Gambella,” said Guaner Yer, Vice President of Gambella National Regional State.
The festival includes sporting competition, peace discussions and a music concert on which famous singers of the country such as Michael Belayneh, Tigist Weyesso, Henok Abebe, Kuku Sebsibbie and Shewndagne Hailu will take part.
ARSI is partnering with Gambella National Regional State government, Health, Information and Youth and Sport bureaus of the region and PACT Ethiopia-USAID in preparing the event. It is to be recalled that last year, a similar festival was organized by PACT Ethiopia.
In related news the weekly Humanitarian Bulletin highlighted in its May 21, 2007 edition that return movements of displaced peoples from Itang to Akobo woreda and other areas in the west of Gambella region continued during the week.
In addition to those recently displaced by Sudanese Murle incursions, communities displaced by previous conflicts are now among those returning to their places of origin with road transport support provided by regional authorities. Such large movements combined with the onset of the rainy season, have increased fears of a potential disease outbreak along transit routes.
Already a suspected Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) outbreak has been successfully contained by MSF Switzerland in Burubey. In addition to AWD prevention and preparedness activities, returnee groups on the move continue to need food and non-food assistance.
OCHA is currently considering applications to its Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF), for NFI assistance. In the meantime, Action by Churches Together/Coordination Office (ACT/CO) in Geneva has provided US$ 50,000 to their local implementing partner, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), to address the NFI needs of those affected by the Murle attacks.
Meanwhile the Federal Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA), has allocated one month’s relief food to 11 woredas based on the recommendations of the verification assessment team that was deployed following the region’s request for assistance.
In addition, the Regional Disaster Prevention Food Security Bureau (RDPFSB), has requested assistance from both the DPPA and the UN for humanitarian and resettlement assistance for the affected population.
The UN has expressed concerns regarding security of civilian populations moving into Akobo where previous conflict had occurred. An attempt is being made to bring Lou Jikany Nuer leaders together for discussion to prevent possible renewal of conflict in Tiergol, Akobo.

Path to the light

By:Tsion Aklilu

High schools are one of the most dangerous places for young women security. Female students are facing the offensive action of male students, teachers, and security guards.
Taking these and other difficulties of girls into consideration NEWA has takes the step of organizing a forum where high school girl-students can share and discus the difficulties they encounter. In 2005, NEWA collaborating with UNICEF and HAPCO, formed regional girls forums in five capitals, Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Mekelle, Adama and Awassa.
The forums were designed for girls to speak their minds about gender related challenges like sexual harassment in and around schools, reproductive science education and guidance counseling.
The project has began with consultation meetings between NEWA and the officials of regional states. About 1767 girl students from 32 schools attended the forum and the three pre-forums held in each region.
On Tuesday May 23, 2007 NEWA gathered representatives of the forum and launched the project officially. Participants of the forum said that they have gained more insight about their rights. Participants from Dire Dawa said that the forum is a great opportunity for them to stand together to fight sexual harassment and other complimentary problems.
One of the trainers was W/t Selome Taddese, “I feel excited when I see the energy and information these girls have. They only need to be heard, they have every thing.” On the launching, in addition to the girls, regional education bureaus officials and women teachers were participants. One of the teachers from Adama stated that NEWA is lighting the girls a path.
The participants have raised the question of sustainability of the forum. On responding the question Seloma makes it clear that the accelerators and caretakers of the forum from now on is the responsibility of the girls. However, she also added that NEWA to support them according to the request of the girls.

IAG launch inaugural forum on millennium program

By Mina Yirga

Inter Africa Group (IAG), a center for dialogue on humanitarian, peace and development issues in the horn of Africa, launched its new third Ethiopian millennium program.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Tamrat Kebede, Executive Director, IAG, stated that the new third Ethiopian Millennium Program consists of a series of conferences and stakeholders forums that are designed for political actors and other members of the society at large.
“We have planned the program to give possibilities for discussion on issues of Ethiopian customs, heritages, religion and past state development history. For this, we have plans to work with the Addis Ababa University. The second phase is expected to involve women, youth, and professionals to reflect on their achievements and challenges in the past and their common interest and vision in the next millennium. The last of the program will be literary competition between elementary, secondary and university students and among different cultural groups in Ethiopia. We believe this will enable the different age groups of students to exchange their views on cultural ideas.”
The inaugural forum featured Ethiopian leaders and scholars registered in different sectors to share their challenges and their achievements. Among the speakers, Professor Ephraim Isaac, an acclaimed linguist and research scholar gave a brief review on cultures, religion and pluralism.
“What we are going to celebrate is a great historic day. It is the third new millennium for Ethiopian’s, the beginning of Ramadan for the Islamic religion followers and Rosh-Hoshanah for Judaism. Ethiopia is the cradle of humankind, a country to have the phonetic alphabets before 4000 years,” He explained
“Images of poverty should be abolished and for that, Ethiopians should work hand in hand,” the Professor added.

ILO Awards Mandela and Carmelo Mesa-Lago

By Andualem Sisay

The International Labour Organization announced that the first annual ILO Decent Work Research Prize is awarded to Nelson Mandela and Carmelo Mesa-Lago.
This was decided on May 23, 2007 by a jury of eminent international experts in labour and social policy issues. According to the statement of ILO sent to Capital, Nelson Mandela, former President of the Republic of South Africa and Nobel Peace Laureate, is awarded an exceptional prize for his extraordinary lifetime contribution to knowledge, understanding and advocacy on the central concerns of the ILO.
With this prize the jury and the ILO wished to recognize and honour his sustained efforts that helped to make decent work a central objective in the policy agenda in South Africa and worldwide, furthering the vision of work which is free from discrimination and oppression, and of social justice and dialogue as the essential base for progress.
Dr. Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Professor Emeritus on Economics and Latin American
Studies of the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, awarded the prize to recognize his major scholarly contributions to the analysis of socio-economic relationships and policy instruments for the advancement of decent work, in particular on social security and pension reform which the jury stressed has had notable impact on the reform processes in Latin America for many years.
Created by the ILO's International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS), the prize will be awarded at the closing plenary of the ILO's International Labour Conference on 15 June before some 3,000 government, employer and worker delegates and media representatives.
Members of the jury include Ms. Gemma Adaba, Representative to the United Nations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); Professor Bina Agarwal, Professor of Economics, University of Delhi, India; Professor Emeritus Eduard Gaugler, University of Mannheim, Germany; Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UN HABITAT; and Dr. Carlos Tomada, Minister of Work, Employment and Social Security, Republic of Argentina, and Chairman of the ILO Governing Body, 2005-2006.
The IILS was established by the ILO in 1960 as a centre for advanced studies in the social and labour field to further a better understanding of labour issues through education and research.

Good Samaritan celebrates student’s graduation

By Mina Yirga

Graduation is a very special event in everyone’s life and in the life of teachers since it symbolizes a major accomplishment.
Good Samaritan Child Care and Training Center was established in April 2003. During those years the centre has been a shelter for many children who do not have anybody to help them and has been training 50 women with basics of embroidery, mat making, knitting and sweater production, catering and has a long term plan to increase their number to 80
The center has now for the 3rd time graduated 26 qualified women that can spread to the society with the skills.
“Two ladies, a mother and daughter ( Elizabeth Abebe and Rahel Habtamu) have had their share of ordeals. They cannot bear to see those women without a job, without a future. They cannot bear to see those children condemned to ignorance. Thus they set up the Good Samaritan Training Center; a place where women referred by nearby kebeles learn a proper job: sewing, hair dressing , catering. A place where children have their garden of learning. A place, above all where everybody is respected and receives a smile. The Good Sams, as their numerous friends call them, sell beautiful shawls and other art craft which illustrate the creativity of Ethiopian craftsmen,” said H.E Mr. Stepahne Gompertz and Mr. Christina Gompertz, French Ambassador to Ethiopia and his wife.
Christina, the head of the project Matrix group of the Ambassadors' Wives Group have created an association in France, Gwadegna,( a friend) to help the Good Samaritan Training Center and other Ethiopian civil society organizations.
Elizabeth Abebe, founder and general manager, Good Samaritan Training Center, passed through a humble background. The experiences she had became her strength in brightening the future of those vulnerable.
“The idea came to me to make shawls and send them to one of my friends in E.C.A to sell some of the products for me. The capital to start the business was Birr 10.50 cents. After a year, the capital became 36,000. I got my license from the Ministry of Justice. I started in a plastic shelter at my residence. With the help of God now my dreams have come true,” says kind hearted Elizabeth.
“It is a great joy for me to have so many sisters. They all are great. They only need love and attention as they are very quick to learn if they get the chance. They have a lot to tell in there heart if they have got some one who can be close to them. Most of them have potential to be teachers, nurses, artists, musicians and many more if they get a chance …….,” says Rahel Habtu on her behalf.
The center will soon contract a lease for a new plot of land to regroup their premises on a permanent basis. Furthermore, they have plans to acquire new equipment to train the women.

Two more banks on the menu: Buna, Gena

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

Three companies in 40mln br Addis water project

Specialized life insurance company under formation

ART faces off holy water

All eyes on Harar in July Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

Ethiopia easily adapt to climate change: scholar

Investing in the future

Mammoth millennium signature register

British prisoners raise cash for inmates in Ethiopia

Single dose tablet regimen for HIV patients in Ethiopia

Hunger project epicenter opens in Debre Libanos

Gambella to host peace and development festival Displaced people from the region are returning home

Path to the light

IAG launch inaugural forum on millennium program

ILO Awards Mandela and Carmelo Mesa-Lago

Good Samaritan celebrates student’s graduation

MORE

Two more banks on the menu: Buna, Gena

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

Three companies in 40mln br Addis water project

Specialized life insurance company under formation

ART faces off holy water

All eyes on Harar in July Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

Ethiopia easily adapt to climate change: scholar

Investing in the future

Mammoth millennium signature register

British prisoners raise cash for inmates in Ethiopia

Single dose tablet regimen for HIV patients in Ethiopia

Hunger project epicenter opens in Debre Libanos

Gambella to host peace and development festival Displaced people from the region are returning home

Path to the light

IAG launch inaugural forum on millennium program

ILO Awards Mandela and Carmelo Mesa-Lago

Good Samaritan celebrates student’s graduation

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building
China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

All eyes on Harar in July
Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

Gambella to host peace and development festival
Displaced people from the region are returning home

AU lays cornerstone for spacious office building
China, honorary member in the celebration of Africa Day

All eyes on Harar in July
Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

Gambella to host peace and development festival
Displaced people from the region are returning home