Ethiopian Geological Survey to engage in early warning activities

The Ethiopian Geological Survey disclosed that it has finalized preparations to monitor natural disasters and undertake early warning activities in addition to exploring precious minerals and petroleum.
Ethiopian Geological Survey Director General Tolosa Shagi told WIC that it has been undertaking a study in collaboration with experts from Czech Republic to seek sustainable solution to the landslide around Jema River basin in North Shoa Zone of Amhara State.
He said the organization is also making preparations to undertake similar activities around Woldia in North Wollo Zone in response to the request made by the Amhara State Mining Development Agency to reduce damages that follow disasters like the recent landslide in the locality.
Tolosa further indicated that in addition to its regular activities of exploring minerals, Ethiopian Geological Survey has procured equipment with eight million birr to carry out research and studies by drilling medium holes and 1.5 million birr worth appliances to build up its laboratory. (WIC)

WFP donates 380,000 USD worth of items to the Ministry of Agriculture

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced a donation of vehicles valued at 381,324 USD to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoRAD) to assist the Ministry's programmes to sustain livelihoods in six different regions of the country.
The donation includes one hundred motorcycles, spare parts and various accessories, five double cabin pick-up vehicles and one Toyota Land Cruiser.
"MoRAD employees need to be mobile in order to reach often remote communities in different parts of the country to carry out their monitoring duties," said WFP Deputy Country Director, Miguel Barreto, during the handover ceremony. "WFP hopes that this donation can go some way towards helping MoRAD enhance its monitoring and reporting capacity, on what is very important development initiative." (WFP news release)

China donates 300,000 US dollars to assist AU peacekeeping operation in Somalia

The African Union (AU) said the Chinese government donated 300,000 US dollars to assist the AU in its ongoing peacekeeping operation in Somalia.
In a statement it sent to Ethiopian News Agency on Tuesday, the AU said the Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, Lin Lin handed over the donation to AU Commissioner Professor Alpha Oumar Konare on Monday, at a ceremony that took place at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Professor Konare thanked the Chinese government for supporting the peace keeping mission in Somalia. He also commended China for its support in Darfur and other areas of conflict in Africa.
He said such assistance from the international community was welcomed, as it would help the African Union deploy the much-needed military force in Somalia, which contributes to stabilizing the situation there. (ENA)

Students dread of ethics, civics clubs involvement

Labeling school clubs dealing with ethics and civics as political instruments of the ruling party, students were afraid of engaging in the clubs, creating a major barrier to their growth in Addis Ababa, a research pointed out.
The impact assessment conducted in Addis Ababa primary schools last year and presented this week at the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission accused parents of preventing their children from joining such clubs in school.
The researcher, Girma Dejene, said that the reason behind could be tense political conditions like the May election.
But in general, the problem still exists and much has to be done with respect to raising awareness about the concepts and benefits of having such clubs, he stressed. (The Daily Monitor)

Somali State Council allocates over 1 billion birr annual budget

The Somali State Council approved yesterday more than one billion birr annual budget in a bid to bolster the livelihood of pastoralists.
After hearing the performance report of the Finance and Economic Development Bureau and its budget plan for this fiscal year, the fifth regular conference of the state council endorsed the 1,095,000,000 birr budget.
Of the budget, 472 million birr would be utilized for capital and 623 million birr as regular budget, 434 million birr going to woredas.
Finance and Economic Development Bureau Deputy Bureau Head, Ismael Mohammed, said 488 agriculture, potable water, education, health and capacity building projects would be carried out.
Upon completion, the projects would raise the state health coverage to 64 percent from 50, water coverage to 33 percent from 27, education coverage to 43 percent from 35,and animal health coverage to 29 percent from the current 25 percent, Ismael added. (WIC)

Norway cut aid to Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s decision to expel six of nine Norwegian diplomats from the country means Ethiopia will lose around Nok 30 million in Norwegian Development aid.
“This isn’t a punishment, but a consequence of the fact that so many people at the Norwegian Embassy are being kicked out,” Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store told newspaper Aftenposten. That will leave a staffing shortage at the embassy, that will hinder its ability to handle foreign aid.
One of the diplomats’ most important jobs involved monitoring the use of aid funds that are sent through the embassy. The total amounts to around NOK 100 million (about USD 16 million) this year alone.
With only three diplomats left on the embassy staff, capacity to handle aid funding is sharply reduced, and the aid itself will be reduced as well. (BosNewsLife)

UN assesses needs, abuse claims in Ethiopia region

A team of U.N aid officials and human rights investigators arrived in Ethiopia’s Ogaden region on Thursday to assess claims of abuses made by separatist rebels facing a military crackdown.
The 14-person mission which arrived in the regional capital Jijiga will also examine the food, water and health needs of Ogaden’s ethnic Somalis, largely cut off from the rest of the country because of security concerns and poor infrastructure.
Paul Hebert, head of the U.N’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ethiopia, said two members of staff of the U.N agency for human rights were part of the mission.
Rights groups have accused soldiers of shooting civilians, burning homes and seizing livestock in its two-month campaign to root out Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebels who killed 74 people in an April raid on a Chinese-run oil exploration field. (BosNewsLife)