Austrian
President lauds bilateral ties Economic co-operation up by 500%
By Tedla Yeneakal
Federal President of the Republic of Austria, President Dr. Heinz
Fischer told Capital in an exclusive interview, upon his conclusion
of a three-day official visit to Ethiopia, that he has had a fruitful
discussions with Ethiopian leaders on the continent’s crises
including the Kenyan election violence, the Darfur humanitarian
situation, Chad and the Ethio- Eritrea conflict. The Austrian president
arrived here on Wednesday Feburary 20, 2008.
 MORE
Tesfaye Birru et al to appear in court on
Tuesday
ETC announce 728.4 mln br net profit
By Groum Abate
Tesfaye Birru, former Managing Director of the Ethiopian Telecommunications
Corporation (ETC) and 12 other former officials are to appear on
Tuesday, February 26, before the Lideta Federal High Court 1st Criminal
Bench.
The officials are charged in connection with procurement deals with
Ericsson and Alcatel Lucent. The court granted the Federal Ethics
and Anti-corruption Commission’s prosecutor a one week extension
to complete investigations.
Millennium International Trade Fair opens
India leads among foreign participants
By Kirubel Tadesse
The 12th Addis Chamber International Trade Fair (Millennium Fair)
is being attended by twenty seven countries, comprising 300 participant
companies, from which India holds the largest participation by any
country in the fair’s history.
The Embassy of India has announced that the aim of India’s
participation is to bring businessmen together on a common platform
for increased exposure to each other’s market.
Awash Bank boosting IT systems
By Muluken Yewondwossen
Awash International Bank is developing its information communication
(IT) system in order to achieve acceptance by the Ethiopian Commodity
Exchange (ECX) and to strengthen its relationship with grain exporters.
Mitiku Abeshu, Awash International Bank vice president told Capital
that his bank currently has many grain exporter clients. “To
continue our relationship with grain exporters, we should participate
in the operations of the ECX.
Access acquires 6,000 sq. meters plot
By Tedla Yeneakal
Access Real Estate (ARE) S.C. has acquired 6,000 square meters
of land in Bole Sub-city, near Nyala Motors on the ring road.
Ermias Amelga, major shareholder of Access told Capital that other
similar transactions are in the pipeline to acquire plots on two
spots around the city center and near the Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA).
Benishangul Gumuz issues license to 26 investors
By Addis Mulugeta
The Benshangul Gumuz Regional State has disclosed that investors
have received licenses to invest in various activities including
construction, agriculture, education, health service and hotel.
Head of Investment Bureau Research Unit, Abera Shibeshi disclosed
that in the preceding half year, 26 projects were licensed with
a combined capital of over 219 million ETB creating 5,529 permanent
and temporary jobs.
Addis Ababa Chamber settles for co-ownership
By Kirubel Tadesse
Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA)
has settled for co-ownership with the Addis Ababa City Administration
to own build and manage the Addis-Africa International Trade Center.
Speaking at the colorful opening of the 12th Addis Chamber International
Trade Fair on Thursday 21, February 2008, Eyesuswork Zafu, President
of AACCSA disclosed the agreement which was followed by the signing
ceremony at Municipality Hall.
Orphanage cries out for help
Premises demolished for ring road
By Kirubel Tadesse
Zewditu Meshesha Orphanage Care has called on the public for support
after losing its center last week due to the ring road expansion
which resulted in the demolishing of most of its center, a property
of the Governmental Houses Agency.
Zewditu Meshesha founded the Orphanage in 1991. She told Capital
that the 58 orphans are on verge of being homeless once again since
she can’t afford to rent a private house, which can cost more
than ETB 5,000.
Concerted peace in South Omo
By Addis Mulugeta
A powerful and highly significant peace concert in South Omo zone
was held in the town of Jinka, under the objective of reconciling
misunderstandings among the various ethnic groups. The South Omo
Peace Festival was organized by Pact Ethiopia’s SELAM-C Project,
in partnership with the Jinka Pastoralist Student Association and
South Omo Zone government partners under the sponsorship of USAID.
MORE
‘Ras Alula from today’s perspective’
By Teguest Yilma
Reflecting on an aspect of the relevance to current reality and
historical scholarship of past Ethiopian history, Professor Haggai
of Tel Aviv university and a world renowned writer and scholar of
modern Ethiopian history, delivered a lecture: ‘Ras Alula
from today’s perspective’, an address focusing on the
great Ethiopian general and brilliant strategist.
MORE
bmi celebrates entry into Ethiopian market
By Addis Mulugeta
In celebration of bmi’s entrance into the Ethiopian market
on February 21, 2008 at the Sheraton Addis, Colin Carter, divisional
Manager of the bmi groups, addressed the Media on the benefits of
the airline’s recent launch of five weekly flights - Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Sunday
- from Bole International Airport to London-Heathrow Terminal 1.
“The first genocide of the 21st century-Darfur”-
conference
By Groum Abate
A conference on Darfur has been conducted with the hope that this
kind of cross-dialogue will foster a comprehensive, yet nuanced
understanding of the root causes, manifestations, and implications
of the ongoing conflict, and help generate more informed prospects
for a just and comprehensive resolution of the conflict.
Cattle as classmates?
By Addis Mulugeta
Among Ethiopia’s growing number of education establishments
is the Jinka Technical and Vocational Institute which offers its
opportunities to the 17 ethnic groups in South Omo, contributing
to minimizing unemployment in the region. The institute is not your
typical technical and vocational school, as it is rather equally
shared with cattle and students.
Institute Director, Workneh Haile Mariam, stated to Capital that
the Jinka Technical and Vocational Institute has been facing a number
of problems right from its establishment in 2003.
Music concert for the first cancer hospital
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The Life’s Second Chance Foundation (TLSCF) and Serawit
Multimedia Productions will facilitate a music concert titled “Tena
Yestelegn” on Saturday March 1, 2008, at Millennium Hall.
This was stated by the coordinators of the concert at a press conference
held on February 20, 2008 at Sheraton Hotel.
GTZ launches 12 pilot projects on social
accountability
By Addis Mulugeta
GTZ launched 12 pilot projects on social accountability in 100
Woredas on Thursday, February 21, 2008.
The Ethiopian Social Accountability Program (ESAP) gives voice to
the needs and concerns of Ethiopia’s poor regarding access
to basic services. ‘Civil society organizations are the key
facilitator of the program to bring the poor in to dialogue between
community members and service provider about education, water, sanitation
and agriculture extension for this pilot project,’ said Director
Protection of Basic Service/ Social Accountability program for GTZ,
Gerhard Mai during the launch ceremony held at the Event Hall of
GTZ.
Austrian business delegation confers with
Ethiopian counterparts
By Kirubel Tadesse
An Austrian business delegation led by Josef Mayer, Vice Minister
of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy and Labor, held discussions
with Ethiopian business persons at Sheraton Addis on Thursday February
21, 2008.
The Austrian business delegation comprises of eight company representatives
which are members of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber; the
legal representative of the entire Austrian business community which
lists some 400,000 businesses.
Second regional Nile Day celebrated
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The second regional Nile Day was celebrated on February 22, 2008
at Addis Ababa’s United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
(ECA) hall in the presence of Girma Wolde Giorgis, President of
Ethiopia, regional delegations, diplomats and international donors
under the theme “Cooperation on the Nile: sustaining our life,
our future.”
On the occasion President Girma said, “I believe that no single
riparian nation can claim to ensure the sustainability of the Nile
individually, such that outside the framework of regional cooperation.
It is also true that any nation has the potential to inflict untold
damage and setback if it chooses not to cooperate.
MORE
First women entrepreneurs’ directory
published
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The International Labour Organization (ILO) - Irish Aid Partnership
Program has launched the first comprehensive membership directory
of five major women entrepreneurs’ associations (WEAs) in
Ethiopia, with practical information on more than 4,500 women entrepreneurs
on February 21, 2008, at Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce.
“We have been working to realize this membership directory
from March 2007 and had it published at a cost of USD 40,000,”
Dereje Alemu, national program coordinator, ILO Irish Aid Partnership
Program, told Capital.
Professional accountancy
said vital for economic growth
By Groum Abate
The recruitment, development and retention of finance professionals
is a growing challenge for organisations because the accounting
profession is changing rapidly, global research from the Association
of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) reveals.
ACCA’s research report “A changing profession? The evolution
of accounting roles, skills and career aspirations”, sought
the opinions of more than 2,500 ACCA qualified accountants in 50
countries around the world.
MORE
ERA, Keangnam sign 1.4 bln ETB road contract
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The Jimma-Mizan road upgrading project, consisting of two independent
contracts; Jimma-Bonga Junction and Bonga Junction-Mizan, was signed
between the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) and Keangnam Enterprise
on Wednesday February 20, 2008 at ERA headquarter.
ERA Human Resource and Finance manager, Gelesso Bore and general
manager of Keangnam Enterprises Ethiopian Branch Office, Cho Hyun-Seung,
signed the contract agreement.
MORE
BOMAG eyes Ethiopian market
By Groum Abate
Recognized as the worldwide compaction equipment leader, Bomag,
part of the Fayat Group, has introduced Road Division Products for
interested parties at a seminar held at the Hilton Hotel.
Bomag gave a seminar on basics of compaction of soil and asphalt,
stabilization, and other factors on compaction process as well as
detailed description of its machineries comparing it with other
machineries with similar capacity. Officials of the organization
also said that their products are at work in every climate and in
every application. They said that products range from vibratory
tampers and plate compactors to recycling equipment and landfill
compactors.
MORE
DKT’s first phase Wise-Up condom use
completed
By Groum Abate
DKT Ethiopia, in collaboration with Timret Le Hiwot, Nikat Women
Association and HIV/AIDS Prevention Control Office celebrated its
first phase, 100% Condom Access and Use Campaign under its existing
Wise Up campaign.
The campaign was successful in encouraging the response to HIV in
Ethiopia by working to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted diseases
among sex workers and their clients. Information were made available
and condoms distributed to sex workers who work in bars, hotels
as well as the staff and clients of the establishments, and resource
centers were set up for support and counseling.
MORE
DNA links humanity to one common origin: Ethiopia
By our staff reporter
According to the latest studies on human diversity, scientists
identified that sub-Saharan Africa is the place where the human
migration phenomenon began 100,000 years ago, when a small group
of humans headed for North Africa and Middle East, and kept on going
ever since, reaching the farthest continents of Americas and Australia.
Up until this point, theories on a global migration with an African
starting point have been circulating, but none of them brought the
arguments and evidence this study did on the topic.
MORE
UA to offer classes on disaster management
By Groum Abate
Researchers from the University of Arizona (UA) have received a
three-year, 200,000 dollars grant to aid in famine disaster management.
The UA has teamed with Bahir Dar University to build a center of
excellence and create a new master’s curriculum in disaster
risk management in Ethiopia.
The program will train 15 students through distance learning and
provide them skills for disaster management as well as earning Masters
Degrees from Bahir Dar University. Four of the 15 students are UA
professors and three are Ph.D. candidates.
MORE
LG to launch TV that ‘thinks’
By Groum Abate
LG Electronics is to launch a new TV that allows the viewer to
pause, record, and replay programs and that is expected to revolutionize
viewership trends in Ethiopia especially by enabling people to take
forward viewing of important and favorite programs. The TV has been
developed by LG Electronics.
LG Electronics regional officials pledged the firm’s commitment
towards revolutionizing TV viewing in the wider Eastern Africa region
before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
MORE
|
Austrian
President lauds bilateral ties Economic co-operation up by 500%
By Tedla Yeneakal
Federal President of the Republic of Austria, President Dr. Heinz
Fischer told Capital in an exclusive interview, upon his conclusion
of a three-day official visit to Ethiopia, that he has had a fruitful
discussions with Ethiopian leaders on the continent’s crises
including the Kenyan election violence, the Darfur humanitarian
situation, Chad and the Ethio- Eritrea conflict. The Austrian president
arrived here on Wednesday Feburary 20, 2008.
“We regard Ethiopia as a very important partner in Africa
as it is the seat of the African Union,” he said. “There
is a lot of readiness from the Ethiopian side regarding cooperation
with Europe and in particular with Austria.”
He held thorough discussion with President Girma Woldegiorgis and
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on the prevailing peace situation in
the horn of Africa and the bilateral cooperation between Ethiopia
and Austria.
“We have signed an economic and scientific agreement that
is of great importance to the country,” the President told
Capital. “I have proposed to the outgoing chairperson of the
AU, Prof. Konare and to PM Meles Zenawi for the AU to open an office
in Vienna, where so many international agencies have their offices.”
Ethiopia and Austria signed a 28 million Euros memorandum of understanding
for development programs for the next 5 years. Austrian assistance
increased five-fold from the 5.6 million Euros agreement signed
in 2001.
“I hope we can intensify our bilateral relations in the future,”
he concluded.
The main areas of cooperation are rural development and food security
in North Gondar, Basic Health Services in the Somali region, the
PBS-Program, protection of basic services, and energy.
In 2006, Austrian exports reached 5.6 million Euros, Ethiopian exports
to Austria stood at 3.2 million Euros in 2007, while Austrian exports
rose to 13 million Euros.
In terms of the exchange of official visits, in 1954 Emperor Haile
Selassie paid a visit to Austria, which in 1956 led to the establishment
of an Austrian Honorary Consulate in Addis Ababa. In November 2004,
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi also paid an official visit to Austria
and an Investment Protection Agreement was signed.
Tesfaye Birru et al to appear
in court on Tuesday
ETC announce 728.4 mln br net profit
By Groum Abate
Tesfaye Birru, former Managing Director of the Ethiopian Telecommunications
Corporation (ETC) and 12 other former officials are to appear on
Tuesday, February 26, before the Lideta Federal High Court 1st Criminal
Bench.
The officials are charged in connection with procurement deals with
Ericsson and Alcatel Lucent. The court granted the Federal Ethics
and Anti-corruption Commission’s prosecutor a one week extension
to complete investigations.
ETC had fired sixteen employees working in higher levels of administration
it found to be corrupt as a result of an audit report in July last
year.
The reason given by ETC at the time for firing the officials is
related to the purchasing of Ericsson and Nokia mobile apparatus
and Alcatel Lucent PBXs.
The commission has indicted the loss of 1.52 billion birr, which
ETC incurred, on these former high officials.
A report by the corporation’s auditors has also made liable
the previous five management members and other individuals of the
corporation for involvement in corruption in relation to the above
two projects. The five are Tesfaye Birru, Abebe Belayneh, former
Deputy Manager; Asfaw HaileMariam, former Information Technology
and Data Service Manager; Abayneh Abebe, former Telecom Service
Manager; and Abebe Taye, former Telecom Network Acting Manager.
In related news the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation has
announced that it has secured a 728.4 million birr net profit in
the first half of the 2000 Ethiopian fiscal year.
According to a press release the corporation sent to Capital it
has spent over 1 billion birr on projects completed by vendors.
The press release further states that fixed line customers increased
by 3.2% while mobile line customers increased by 50% during the
first half of the fiscal year. 661,800 new customers have also benefited
from the services of the telecom monopoly.
The corporation announced that from a planned 2.25 billion birr
revenue it has obtained 1.95 billion birr during the current half
budget year.
According to the corporation’s press release the 1.2 million
Millennium mobile project has been completed. The turnkey project
erected by the Chinese ZTE, would support 250,000 3rd generation
networks and the remaining 950,000 would give service to 2nd generation
mobile users.
The WCDMA -3G (Third Generation) service enabling customers to make
video telephony is among the various projects that the Corporation
is undertaking with the Chinese ZTE. The first phase of the project
is nearly finalized and pilot testing of the service has successfully
been completed.
The Chinese telecom giant is also completing the project for another
625,000 wireless telephone lines.
The corporation has also planned a 2nd phase GSM mobile project
that would boost the corporation’s mobile capacity to 5.6
million.
The project also consists of an expansion project in Addis Ababa
and in 18 other major towns of the country.
Millennium International
Trade Fair opens
India leads among foreign participants
By Kirubel Tadesse
The 12th Addis Chamber International Trade Fair (Millennium Fair)
is being attended by twenty seven countries, comprising 300 participant
companies, from which India holds the largest participation by any
country in the fair’s history.
The Embassy of India has announced that the aim of India’s
participation is to bring businessmen together on a common platform
for increased exposure to each other’s market. “The
participation of more than 30 Indian companies in the Addis Chamber
Trade Fair covers the widest possible spectrum including software,
engineering equipment, leather, machineries, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
herbal cosmetics, textiles, ladies garments, handicrafts, plastic
products, packaging materials and the like,” added the Embassy’s
statement.
The Guest of Honor of the Millennium Trade Fair, Girma Birru, Minister
of Trade and Industry on Thursday 21, 2008, expressed his appreciation
to the foreign participants. “I hope this occasion will also
give them the chance to witness the economic and social progress
Ethiopia is conducting,” Girma commented.
In his welcome speech Eyesuswork Zafu, President of the Addis Ababa
Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA), said that
this Millennium International Trade Fair has surpassed all expectations.
“In addition to exhibitors and visitors from countries like
Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, and Egypt, the fair has attracted many others
not so near, like Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, and Great Britain,
‘Incredible’ India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, The Netherlands,
Poland, Thailand, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates,” explained
Eyesuswork.
According to the President, the week-long Fair also witnessed high
domestic participation due to the rising number of Regional Trade
and Investment Bureaus. “The regional participation from which
foremost are Amhara, Oromiya, Southern Nation Nationalities and
People’s state and Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, serve
the double purposes of showcasing the attractive opportunities investors
could expect from these States and the opportunities they get in
turn to network and market their products as well,” added
Eyesuswork. He pointed out that the Fair misses Tigray Regional
state which couldn’t participate due to program overlaps.
The Millennium Fair which opened Thursday is highlighted by dedicated
days to particular nations. ‘India Day’ was marked on
February 22, 2008 at the theatre hall of Addis Ababa Exhibition
Center. The program included a symposium on “Doing Business
with India” and business meetings arranged by the Indian Embassy.
Major Indian companies like Tata International, HCL Info systems
Ltd., Bharat Rassayan Ltd., RP Info systems (P) Ltd., and Swastik
Polymers are participating in the Millennium Fair.
The Italian Day was also marked with a seminar on “Public-Private
Partnership for private sector development on the same day in the
presence of senior officials from the Italian Embassy, Ethiopian
Ministry of Trade and Industry and the European Union.
The delegation of Italian companies led by The Italian Trade Commission
and Italian Ministry of International Trade is taking part in the
Millennium trade Fair together with Italian embassy in Addis Ababa.
Business meetings are also organized between Ethiopian and Italian
companies at the Exhibition Center.
Awash Bank boosting IT systems
By Muluken Yewondwossen
Awash International Bank is developing its information communication
(IT) system in order to achieve acceptance by the Ethiopian Commodity
Exchange (ECX) and to strengthen its relationship with grain exporters.
Mitiku Abeshu, Awash International Bank vice president told Capital
that his bank currently has many grain exporter clients. “To
continue our relationship with grain exporters, we should participate
in the operations of the ECX. Accordingly Awash International Bank
is developing its networking system in all branches of the country,
as modern networking system is a basic requirement to participate
in a commodity exchange scheme,” he added.
According to Mitiku, within a few months Awash will be among the
selected banks working with the ECX.
The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange started its operation two months
ago as a wholly state owned market institution. ECX currently uses
only Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and Dashen Bank. According to Eleni
Zaude Gabre Medhin (PhD), ECX chief of party, the two banks were
selected based on their good IT systems. ECX will start its exchange
with maize, wheat, haricot bean and sesame grains, and plans to
include teff and coffee. Eleni said that if other banks developed
their IT system, they can also work with them.
In related news, the second annual Exporters’ Day facilitated
by Awash International Bank was held on February 19, 2008, at Sheraton
Hotel.
At the ceremony, ninety-eight exporter clients of Awash International
Bank were awarded certificates and trophies. The awarded exporters
are engaged in the export of coffee, chat, flower, sesame and other
produce.
“Awash International Bank has been facilitated a credit and
export credit guarantee in collaboration with the National Bank
Ethiopia,” Leikun Berhanu, president of Awash International
Bank, stated in his opening speech.
According to Leikun, the country has earned over 150 mln USD from
export commodities in 2007 through Awash Bank.
Awash is the first private bank established in Ethiopia since 1991
and currently counts over 2000 shareholders. The total capital of
the bank has reached 6.8 bln ETB.
Access acquires 6,000 sq.
meters plot
By Tedla Yeneakal
Access Real Estate (ARE) S.C. has acquired 6,000 square meters
of land in Bole Sub-city, near Nyala Motors on the ring road.
Ermias Amelga, major shareholder of Access told Capital that other
similar transactions are in the pipeline to acquire plots on two
spots around the city center and near the Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA).
Access will build four condominium buildings on the aforementioned
spot, according to a press release from the company. The buildings
will be in a secure compound and will also feature convenience stores,
a laundry and a recreation center.
“Construction could begin within six weeks, once documentation
is finalized,” read the release. “The agreement signed
on Friday, 22nd February is to buy a majority of the shares in Menagasha
Real Estate Development Plc, which owns the plot.”
Access Real Estate is set up to acquire and develop residential
and commercial real estate properties; engage in construction activities
related to the development of its real estate projects and for third
parties; market, sell or lease and assist in financing real estate
properties; and manage real estate properties.
“Our aim is to reach our target capital of 100 million birr
and we are currently on the right trend of reaching our objective.
That’s why we have started acquiring plots,” Ermias
said. “Currently there are 800 shareholders, however the sales
of shares still remain open.”
ARE bases its business activities and operations on its extensive
research into the residential and commercial real estate sectors,
as well as the construction industry. This has shown the need for
mid-level affordable apartments on plots with easy access to the
city center.
According to the release, the finance raised from selling of the
shares (Min. share price of 25,000 birr), will enable the building
of the apartments, which will be sold through auction once they
are completed.
The Access Real Estate share offer has been extended to February
29, and is likely to be extended again, both due to the interest
at home and internationally and because of the opportunities which
are opening for a prompt and profitable start to business.
Benishangul Gumuz issues
license to 26 investors
By Addis Mulugeta
The Benshangul Gumuz Regional State has disclosed that investors
have received licenses to invest in various activities including
construction, agriculture, education, health service and hotel.
Head of Investment Bureau Research Unit, Abera Shibeshi disclosed
that in the preceding half year, 26 projects were licensed with
a combined capital of over 219 million ETB creating 5,529 permanent
and temporary jobs.
Abera said that 19 investors in Dangur, Guba, Assosa, Mahocoma,
Gelgel beles, Comosha, Wonbera, and Banbacy woredas are involved
in agriculture, one in construction, another in education, two in
hotels and a pair of super markets, in Assosa on a combined 34,550
hectares. All the investors are expected to start work in the next
few months.
He added that investors who come to the region can get the necessary
support including infrastructural and minimum bureaucracy. He said
that the region has studied 100 projects that are available for
investors, including in oilseeds, cotton plantation, marble, mining
and others.
Abera also indicated that the region has a vast land available and
adequate manpower, be it in the rural and urban settlements of the
region, and this also would add to attract investors.
Meanwhile, the flow of investors has increased compared to the corresponding
period last year.
Addis Ababa Chamber settles
for co-ownership
By Kirubel Tadesse
Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (AACCSA)
has settled for co-ownership with the Addis Ababa City Administration
to own build and manage the Addis-Africa International Trade Center.
Speaking at the colorful opening of the 12th Addis Chamber International
Trade Fair on Thursday 21, February 2008, Eyesuswork Zafu, President
of AACCSA disclosed the agreement which was followed by the signing
ceremony at Municipality Hall.
After thanking three ministers; Girma Birru, Minister of Trade and
Industry, Tefera Walwa, Minister of Capacity Building and Ambassador
Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Culture and Tourism, for the agreement
reached, Eyesuswork went on to praise ‘the prophetic vision’
of Arkebe Oqubay, former Mayor of Addis Ababa City Administration,
who first hinted at the possibility of co-ownership. Eyesuswork
explained that in March 2005 when the AACCSA leased the 110,126
sqm land, Arkebe had suggested co-ownership, though AACCSA did not
accept immediately.
The 110,126 sqm of land which AACCSA and Addis Ababa City Administration
will jointly build and run the trade center on is located opposite
the CMC residential complex. The plot had caused a number of disagreements
after it was alleged that it overlapped into neighboring land owned
by Country Trading, the Ethiopian Water Sports Federation and Blue
Nile Trading Plc..
Girma Birru, Minister of Trade and Industry, Berhane Deressa, Mayor
of Addis Ababa and other senior government officials attended the
opening ceremony of the 12th Addis Chamber International Trade Fair
held at exhibition center.
Before opening the fair, Minister Girma said the Fair theme ‘Public-Private-Partnership
for Change” is as timely as it calls on the government and
the private sector to forge strong partnerships urgently. “It
is intended to remind all stakeholders that if this country is to
be among the middle income countries,” Girma explained, “within
a defined period of time Public-Private-Partnership is not only
imperative, but also mandatory upon all concerned.”
Before hosting Addis Ababa City Day at the municipality, Mayor Berhane
Dressa joined other senior government officials in attending the
opening of the fair. The 12th Addis Chamber International Trade
Fair exhibition will remain open until February 27, 2008.
Orphanage cries out for help
Premises demolished for ring road
By Kirubel Tadesse
Zewditu Meshesha Orphanage Care has called on the public for support
after losing its center last week due to the ring road expansion
which resulted in the demolishing of most of its center, a property
of the Governmental Houses Agency.
Zewditu Meshesha founded the Orphanage in 1991. She told Capital
that the 58 orphans are on verge of being homeless once again since
she can’t afford to rent a private house, which can cost more
than ETB 5,000.
“We only had fifteen days official notice before we lost the
main house and now we are all staying in the few rooms which can’t
possibly hold all of the 58 children,” said Zewditu. “I
am well aware that I can’t blame or demand special treatment
from anyone especially after the cooperation we got from the Addis
Ababa Road Authority which saved us the six rooms after it was decided
that the entire house be brought down. However what I am asking
for is a replacement for the house we lost or a plot on which we
can build our own house,” explained Zewditu in tears,”
where should I take these children ? I have already sold my houses
and cars and I no longer have the capacity to buy or build a house.”
Tefetere Worke, son of the founder who is serving as acting manager
of the orphanage told Capital that they don’t have electric
power and water supply, which makes it very difficult for the children
who range between one to twenty three years of age. “We are
seeking any help we can get in order to keep the 58 children who
are living here and some three hundred children who are getting
educational materials assistance,” added Tefetere.
“My biggest worry now is that I will be forced to move to
another place, far from this area, and students will miss this academic
year. We also may lose the support the children are getting in terms
of education cooperation from a US NGO,” said Zewditu. Many
people such as Mayor Berhane Deressa have tried their best to help
us out. He referred us to the City’s Civil and Social Affairs
Office that help us get a plot, but we learned that we need to deposit
10% of our next five years’ plans budget, which is simply
something we cannot afford.”
Ayenalem Eshete of Zone 5 Governmental Houses Agency told Capital
that the Agency has no house available to rent to the Orphanage.”
When families lose a house due to road expansion or other development
activities, it is usually the sub cites and Kebeles that arrange
substitution with other housing facilities such as condominiums.
But the Agency doesn’t have such a policy nor facility to
do the same, due to lack of empty, available houses,” explained
Ayenalem. However, she confirmed that the Agency will consider another
contract with the orphanage that reflects the existing facility,
after visiting the remaining six-room house.
Zewditu Meshesha Orphanage has so far graduated seven children in
degree programs and currently has a number of students attending
degree programs. “It is when I saw these children sleeping
in the streets that I said it is my responsibility to take care
of them,” said Zewditu, “Now, I don’t think I
can keep on doing that but it isn’t the end of the world,
I am sure that God has something in store for us.”
Concerted peace in South
Omo
By Addis Mulugeta
A powerful and highly significant peace concert in South Omo zone
was held in the town of Jinka, under the objective of reconciling
misunderstandings among the various ethnic groups. The South Omo
Peace Festival was organized by Pact Ethiopia’s SELAM-C Project,
in partnership with the Jinka Pastoralist Student Association and
South Omo Zone government partners under the sponsorship of USAID.
The festival brought together various representatives from 17 different
ethnic groups to participate in peace dialogs and music workshops
that aimed to eliminate conflict through appreciation of music and
dance, on Saturday, February 16, 2008. The ethnic groups represented
were the Arbore, Ari, Bacha, Benna, Beraile, Bodi, Dassench, Dima,
Gnangtom, Hamer, Kara, Konso, Male, Muguji, Mursi, Murule, and Tsemay.
The event also featured special guest performers from Gambella Regional
State. Each community chose 10 performers to represent them in the
workshop and perform at the peace concert. In addition, each community
was represented by 10 elders and influential leaders as well as
850 others from all the communities were invited to attend Saturday’s
event.
“The desire for peace comes from the community and Pact Ethiopia
followed the direction of the community,” said Olga Petryniak,
Jinka and South Omo Project Manager for Pact Ethiopia. She explained
during the concert, “Representatives from the 17 ethnic groups
of the zone gathered, slept, ate, and drank together. It has given
them a chance to share their experiences on how they can build sustainable
peace among themselves and listen to each other. Accordingly, they
promised to share experiences they collected from the Peace Concert
with their community at the end of the day.”
Elders from all ethnic groups blessed the participants and prayed
for peace and development to prevail to their community. On the
first day, there was an introduction and welcoming of elders, youth
and women guests from all 17 ethnic groups.
The goal of the festival was to empower key stakeholders in South
Omo zone to actively and effectively engage in peace building through
conflict prevention, and to raise awareness regarding the traditional
cultures of the zone as an asset in peace building. The concert
aims to strengthen the role of youth in promoting peace-building
initiatives and to enhance peaceful interaction among the zone’s
ethnic groups through socio-cultural exchanges.
‘Ras Alula from today’s
perspective’
By Teguest Yilma
Reflecting on an aspect of the relevance to current reality and
historical scholarship of past Ethiopian history, Professor Haggai
of Tel Aviv university and a world renowned writer and scholar of
modern Ethiopian history, delivered a lecture: ‘Ras Alula
from today’s perspective’, an address focusing on the
great Ethiopian general and brilliant strategist.
The February 20, 2008 event, held at the Ras Mekonen Hall of Addis
Ababa University was organized by the Society of Friends of the
Institute of Ethiopian Studies in collaboration with the Embassy
of Israel.
Present at the lecture were Dr. Fasil Nahom, special advisor to
the Prime Minister and Director General of Justice and Legal System
Research Department and Yaacov Amitai Ambassador of the State of
Israel to Ethiopia and other invited guests and members of the press.
In an opening address Ambassador Amitai expressed his appreciation
to the Addis Ababa University and the Society of Friends of the
Institute of Ethiopian Studies for their role in hosting and organizing
the occasion. “It is with great honor and pleasure that I
speak before you today on the occasion of Professor Haggai Erlich’s
lecture on Ras Alula the historic Ethiopian national hero,”
said the Ambassador and added, “As a representative of the
State of Israel, I am honored to introduce one of our leading scholars.
From my point of view Professor Erlich […] has been functioning
for decades as a living bridge between Ethiopia and Israel, a bridge
constructed by direct human touch.”
Professor Haggai Erlich opened ‘Ras Alula from today’s
perspective’ by profiling the hero as the greatest military
general in African history and stated that Alula’s lasting
legacy is Ethiopia’s continued status as an independent entity.
The era was one in which the European powers were dividing up Africa
in the Great Scramble For Africa, and according to the professor
it is due to the efforts of such patriots that Ethiopia managed
to maintain its sovereignty in the face of the colonial onslaught.
Professor Haggai Erlich reflected on the Ethiopian tradition of
patriotism which has endowed the nation with a string of military
victories throughout its history. Though the foundation of its freedom,
independence and sovereignty, emboldened by these victories Ethiopia
perpetuated the continuous recycling of its traditions and perseverance
of its traditional government system - “If something works,
why change it?”
Unfortunately, this situation did not open the way for new and modern
political systems that other countries in Africa embraced at the
time, and which led to Ethiopia’s current features, missing
on a federalist political system. Although, “Political decentralization
was first introduced by Emperor Yohanes in late 1800s who led the
country as a federation,” said Prof. Haggai, the country fell
into an autocratic and totalitarian government both under Emperor
Haile Selassie and Mengistu Haile Mariam eras. “The rulers
of Ethiopia today were inspired by Emperor Yohanes and Ras Alula…”
An expert on the history of Ethiopia’s relations with the
Middle East, Prof. Haggai noted that Ethiopia marginalized the Middle
East in the 70s and focused rather on Africa, with the formation
of the African Union in 1963 and other pan-African movements.
Today, in view of the politico-religious realities around the world,
there is more rapprochement between Ethiopia and the Middle East
including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Prof. Haggai concluded by drawing once again from Ras Alula’s
story and his message that “both Muslims and Christians should
live together”.
Capital will feature an exclusive interview with Prof. Haggai in
next week’s issue.
bmi celebrates entry into
Ethiopian market
By Addis Mulugeta
In celebration of bmi’s entrance into the Ethiopian market
on February 21, 2008 at the Sheraton Addis, Colin Carter, divisional
Manager of the bmi groups, addressed the Media on the benefits of
the airline’s recent launch of five weekly flights - Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Sunday
- from Bole International Airport to London-Heathrow Terminal 1.
The new route to Addis Ababa is part of bmi’s strategy of
expansion following its already impressive flight network, which
now includes 17 new destinations throughout Africa, the Middle East
and Central Asia.
bmi is the second largest airlines operating at London’s Heathrow
airport and is now the sole British carrier operating flights between
Addis Ababa and the UK.
Commenting on the new services, Colin Carter said bmi is extremely
enthusiastic about what it can bring to the Ethiopian market. This
not only allows bmi customers to explore London and the UK for business
or pleasure but also allows them to avail of the many other destinations
that bmi connects to in Europe and the USA. “We will also
continue to focus on maintaining our superior punctuality record
at Heathrow where Civil Aviation authority figures clearly show
we outperform all other British airlines at the airport.”
Coinciding with the launch of the new route, bmi is introducing
major enhancements to its in-flight products. These include improved
food and drinks services, and in-flight entertainment offering up
to 22 films.
“The first genocide
of the 21st century-Darfur”- conference
By Groum Abate
A conference on Darfur has been conducted with the hope that this
kind of cross-dialogue will foster a comprehensive, yet nuanced
understanding of the root causes, manifestations, and implications
of the ongoing conflict, and help generate more informed prospects
for a just and comprehensive resolution of the conflict.
The conference organized by the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and
Cornell University is also in conjunction with the forthcoming edited
volume, Darfur and the Crisis of Governance in Sudan: A Critical
Reader. The conference addresses the major lacunas in the scholarship
and reportage on the war in Darfur by providing a broad, yet focused
range of presentations, which explore the multiplicity of factors
that have given rise to what has been called “the first genocide
of the twenty first century.”
The ongoing conflict in the western Sudanese region of Darfur has
received an unprecedented amount of attention, especially in the
West, from international media and human rights organizations, and
has captured the attention of millions of ordinary global citizens.
Those seeking to learn about the conflict, as well as those who
have reported on it, often rely on information produced by the various
governmental bodies and non-governmental organizations that are
involved in addressing the humanitarian crises spawned by the conflict.
As a result much of what has been written about the conflict tends
to be either aid-oriented or journalistic in nature and often lacks
a strong understanding of the historical, economic, political, sociological
and environmental factors that have contributed to the conflict.
Perhaps most glaringly, with few exceptions, the literature on the
conflict in Darfur is devoid of Sudanese voices, particularly women
and those that are directly affected by the war.
The presentations were engaged in careful analysis of the historical,
geo-political, military, social, environmental, and economic roots
of the conflict, and reflect on the contemporary realities that
shape the experiences of those living in the region.
Importantly, as several of the presentations will attest to, formidable
pre-existing, as well as newly formed multi-regional and multi-ethnic
movements and civil society organizations have organized themselves
in Sudan around the issue of Darfur.
This often neglected development is but one indication that if solutions
to the conflict are to be found they must be developed in dialogue
with ongoing internal efforts to deal with the range of issues that
have given rise not only to the situation in Darfur, but also to
the larger interlocking political crisis in Sudan. In order
to facilitate dialogue across disciplinary and occupational boundaries,
this conference bring together leading scholars, civil society members,
and activists who are involved in proactively addressing the situation
in Darfur and in Sudan more generally.
Cattle as classmates?
By Addis Mulugeta
Among Ethiopia’s growing number of education establishments
is the Jinka Technical and Vocational Institute which offers its
opportunities to the 17 ethnic groups in South Omo, contributing
to minimizing unemployment in the region. The institute is not your
typical technical and vocational school, as it is rather equally
shared with cattle and students.
Institute Director, Workneh Haile Mariam, stated to Capital that
the Jinka Technical and Vocational Institute has been facing a number
of problems right from its establishment in 2003. It does not have
fence-work to separate its premises, leading to invasion by herds.
There is no library to study in as well as machineries for construction
and woodwork classes. Workneh also cites the absence of ICT and
network and the lack of class rooms. The institution boasts a single
pickup truck for a staff service, which is also used by the Zone
Secretary for transport to Awassa on official business.
Workneh said that the institution had been giving 10+1 accounting,
secretarial science, and information technology courses from 2003
to 2006, before the program was upgraded to 10+2 including the extension
program. This year, the regional government has allocated 64,550
Sq Mt of land to enhance the institute’s capacity. The number
of students, just 73 in 2003 has reached 407.
Due to the absence of a fence, cattle and non-institute people walk
across the campus during classes. Freshman, Sintayehu Mikyas, who
studies general electricity, says that lecturers teach courses based
entirely on theory because of lack of teaching aids. Other fellow
students, Kebrom Adhanu, Endalk Menday and Yeftusera Ashagra also
lamented this particular problem in an exclusive interview with
Capital. However, the institute lends books to students by photocopying
from sister institutes in Awassa and Arbaminch.
Music concert for the first
cancer hospital
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The Life’s Second Chance Foundation (TLSCF) and Serawit
Multimedia Productions will facilitate a music concert titled “Tena
Yestelegn” on Saturday March 1, 2008, at Millennium Hall.
This was stated by the coordinators of the concert at a press conference
held on February 20, 2008 at Sheraton Hotel.
According to the coordinators, the purpose of the concert is to
collect funds for the construction work of a cancer referral hospital
that will be built in Sheno town eighty km from Addis Ababa. “Our
main aim is to create awareness about cancer problems in Ethiopia
and to initiate society to participate in the construction work
of this hospital,” Dr Alemayehu Tegene, country chair of Life’s
Second Chance Foundation, said at the press conference.
Serawit Fikre, managing director and owner of Serawit Multimedia
Production, said, “We expect to collect 1.2 mln ETB from this
music concert,” adding that on this program famed singers
and comedians will be performing. Serawit told Capital that for
this concert program, Sheik Mohamed al Amoudi has offered the Millennium
Hall free of charge.
“The regular entrance fee is one hundred ETB and two hundred
ETB for VIP seats;” Serawit stated, stressing that cancer
is an issue that needs more attention in our country.
“We obtained the plot for the hospital lease free from Oromia
Regional State,” Belaynesh Wubshet, board member of the Foundation
stated and commended the support of the Ministries of Health and
Foreign Affairs to realize this project.
The hospital project lies on 68 hectares and will cost 130 mln USD.
According to Belaynesh, the 400 bed referral hospital will be completed
in two years and include a health center and research and training
institutions that related on cancer disease. It is expected to treat
five hundred cancer patients per a day.
“After two years we will increase the intake number and raise
beds to 700,” Alemayehu said. He added that, the hospital
will address seventy percent of the demand. From 20-30 percent of
patients may come from other African countries.
According to studies 65,000-115,000 new cancer cases are detected
yearly, increasing by 5% annually. Tikur Anbesa Hospital can treat
only 500 patients a year. Cancer kills twice the number of people
than HIV AIDS in Africa.
The Life’s Second Chance Foundation is established by Ethiopian
born US citizen Wossene Bowlor, who was herself diagnosed with cancer
in 2005. The following year the foundation opened its Africa branch
in Addis Ababa.
GTZ launches 12 pilot projects
on social accountability
By Addis Mulugeta
GTZ launched 12 pilot projects on social accountability in 100
Woredas on Thursday, February 21, 2008.
The Ethiopian Social Accountability Program (ESAP) gives voice to
the needs and concerns of Ethiopia’s poor regarding access
to basic services. ‘Civil society organizations are the key
facilitator of the program to bring the poor in to dialogue between
community members and service provider about education, water, sanitation
and agriculture extension for this pilot project,’ said Director
Protection of Basic Service/ Social Accountability program for GTZ,
Gerhard Mai during the launch ceremony held at the Event Hall of
GTZ.
Mr. Gerhard stated that to strengthen citizens voices the GTZ, as
the management agent launched 12 social accountability projects
in 100 Woredas of the country implemented by two locally based Civil
Society Organizations (CSO), namely Zema Setoch Lefitih and Initiative
Africa, both indigenous civil service organization. The projects
demonstrated the feasibility and appropriateness of applying these
tools in the country. This experience has inspired other CSOs and
leading the way forward for social accountability, says the Director.
Lideta sub-city is one of the project areas where water and sanitation
are the main issues of the community. Zema Setoch Lefitih is helping
address these problems concerning social accountability. It has
trained 16 community facilitators under the concept of social accountability
as a tool, including community mobilization. The facilitator in
turn recruited a total of 800 people, 100 from eight different kebeles,
representing a cross section of residents, Mr. Gerhard added.
One of the beneficiaries from Zema Setoch Lefitih Association, Senayet
Zenawi commended that regarding social accountability, not only
the government departments are accountable to social responsibility
but the community members including her should be responsible to
facilitate these pilot projects.
Initiative Africa is another CSO that facilities social accountability
and focuses on the city of Debre Berhan. It used social accountability
as tools to start up dialogue between policymakers, service providers
and citizens about budgeting for primary education. They focused
on helping ordinary citizens understand the budget allocation process,
including budget monitoring and literacy.
These pilot projects cover almost all parts of Ethiopia except Afar
region.
GTZ, working with partner organizations, has awarded grants for
about 12 leading CSOs to alleviate poverty from Ethiopia: Jerusalem
Children and Community Development Organization, IIU Women and Children
Integrated Development Association, Oromia Development Association,
Zema Setoch Lefitih, Rift Valley Children and Women Development
Association, Derash Relief and Development Association, Relief Society
of Tigray, Amhara Development Association, Facilitator for Change
Ethiopia, Women’s Association of Tigray, Ethiopian Interfaith
Forum for Development Dialogue and Action and Action for Self Reliance
Organization.
Austrian business delegation
confers with Ethiopian counterparts
By Kirubel Tadesse
An Austrian business delegation led by Josef Mayer, Vice Minister
of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy and Labor, held discussions
with Ethiopian business persons at Sheraton Addis on Thursday February
21, 2008.
The Austrian business delegation comprises of eight company representatives
which are members of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber; the
legal representative of the entire Austrian business community which
lists some 400,000 businesses.
The visiting business delegation accompanied their President Dr.
Heinz Fischer, Federal President of the Republic of Austria, who
came on a short visit to Ethiopia from 21 to 22nd February, 2008.
In the forum organized by the Austrian Embassy and Ethiopian Chamber
of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA), a large number of
local business representatives have participated.
Getachew Ayenew, ECCSA President, said that the two countries have
long standing and ever growing economic ties. Getachew explained
to the business delegation that ECCSA represents one hundred thousand
businesses and the members are rallying behind the apex national
association voluntarily. Membership is compulsory in the Austrian
Federal Economic Chamber. Getachew pointed out that Ethiopia has
put in place a liberal investment code and a range of attractive
incentive packages for foreign investors.
Vice Minister Josef Mayer on his part expressed hope that the forum
enables to further strengthen economic ties of the two countries
and creates opportunities for new partnerships.
The Austrian delegation included Alfred Vesely Timber-Export, one
of the leading Austrian suppliers of timber to the Middle East,
North Africa, and East Africa, Austrian Power and Environmental
Technology (APET) and Geosat Technology limited which is engaged
in defining oil and gas bearing deposits on the basis of satellite
images and Geodata. Each of the eight company representatives explained
their company’s line of business and interest. The local business
representative, from whom some already have business ties as they
import timber from Austria, expressed their line of business and
what kind of partnership they seek.
Tsegaye Abebe, President of the Ethiopian Horticulture and Flower
Growers and Exporters Association (EHFGEA), and a flower grower,
pointed out that Austria buys Ethiopian flowers from other markets
which can be possibly replaced with a direct business line in partnership
with one of the interested members of the delegation.
After the brief introduction of each company, the forum went on
with individual discussions prepared for the respective company
with an interested partner.
Second regional Nile Day
celebrated
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The second regional Nile Day was celebrated on February 22, 2008
at Addis Ababa’s United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
(ECA) hall in the presence of Girma Wolde Giorgis, President of
Ethiopia, regional delegations, diplomats and international donors
under the theme “Cooperation on the Nile: sustaining our life,
our future.”
On the occasion President Girma said, “I believe that no single
riparian nation can claim to ensure the sustainability of the Nile
individually, such that outside the framework of regional cooperation.
It is also true that any nation has the potential to inflict untold
damage and setback if it chooses not to cooperate. Hence, when it
comes to cooperation on the Nile, size and strength matter least:
all nations are equally relevant, equally important. All have roles
to play,”
Asfaw Dingamo, Ministry of Water Resources, on his part said, “We
still have a long road to traverse. We need to further deepen and
broaden the cooperation process by being expedient in concluding
the cooperative legal and institutional framework agreement which
is critical to set up a permanent institution, which NBI is not.”
According to Audace Ndayizeye, executive director of the Nile Basin
Initiative (NBI), high expectations have been created by NBI programs
and projects, and to meet the expectations and sustain the trust
and confidence so far attained, adequate funding is required for
investment projects.
“The institutional transformation from the transitional organization
(NBI) to a river basin commission requires stable and adequate funding,”
he added.
Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Water Resources of Uganda stated, “Through
the initiative, the Nile Basin governments have made great strides
in trust and capacity building, preparation of joint investment
projects at sub basin level, and in addition, pursued negotiations
for the establishment of a Nile Basin permanent cooperative institution.”
In related news, the Ethiopian Nile Basin Discourse Forum organized
a panel discussion as part of the commemoration of Nile Day, under
the title “cooperation on the Nile: processes, successes and
challenges,” on February 20, 2008, at Addis Ababa University
Culture Hall.
First women entrepreneurs’
directory published
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The International Labour Organization (ILO) - Irish Aid Partnership
Program has launched the first comprehensive membership directory
of five major women entrepreneurs’ associations (WEAs) in
Ethiopia, with practical information on more than 4,500 women entrepreneurs
on February 21, 2008, at Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce.
“We have been working to realize this membership directory
from March 2007 and had it published at a cost of USD 40,000,”
Dereje Alemu, national program coordinator, ILO Irish Aid Partnership
Program, told Capital.
“The main objective of the directory is to better connect
the business community with women entrepreneurs through the supply
of key market information,” he added.
According to Dereje, the directory and the development of WEAs databases
will positively impact and enhance the capacity of WEAs to identify
the actual needs, prepare strategic and targeted plans and design
and deliver services specific to their members
The membership directory, which was prepared by the ILO-Irish Aid
Partnership Program financed by Irish Aid in Ethiopia, details easy-to-use
listings on women entrepreneurs associations based in Adama, Addis
Ababa, Amhara, Mekele and the Southern Region.
“Research carried out by the ILO-Irish Aid Partnership Programme
consistently shows that women entrepreneurs have less accesses to
business information and networks than men; this in turn can lead
to limited knowledge of market opportunities and thus lower levels
of growth and employment,” Alice Ouedraogo, ILO Director for
Sub-Regional office in Eastern Africa, said on the launching ceremony.
“The directory and the support offered to women entrepreneur
associations reflects the ILO’s commitment to promoting equal
opportunities for women to engage self employment and create decent
jobs for themselves and others,” she added.
The Directory will also promote targeted interventions by and for
WEAs through private sector and government initiatives using improved
member profiles and availability of up to date information.
This new directory promotes networking opportunities for greater
market access by Women Entrepreneurs Associations Members in Ethiopia.
During the launch, free added-value and informative membership directories
as well as related CD-ROMs were presented by the respective ILO-supported
Women Entrepreneurs Associations.
Major stakeholders and other partners of the ILO Irish Aid Partnership
Program, representatives of the private sector, NGOs, donor community
in Addis Ababa and women entrepreneurs took also part to the half
day event.
Professional accountancy
said vital for economic growth
By Groum Abate
The recruitment, development and retention of finance professionals
is a growing challenge for organisations because the accounting
profession is changing rapidly, global research from the Association
of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) reveals.
ACCA’s research report “A changing profession? The evolution
of accounting roles, skills and career aspirations”, sought
the opinions of more than 2,500 ACCA qualified accountants in 50
countries around the world.
The findings reveal a shifting profession, where new roles and skills
are needed, and where the aspirations of accountants are becoming
much more ambitious, particularly in emerging economies.
The report also confirms that more regulation and an increasingly
complex business environment are changing accountants’ roles
and skills, making their work much more technically demanding, but
also making them strategically important to the performance of businesses.
These changes are compounded by a number of issues from perceived
deficiencies in the softer skills held by many accountants -such
as personal effectiveness and people skills; supply shortages into
the profession, and a much more fluid marketplace for accountants’
services, resulting in recruitment, development and retention problems
for many organizations employing accountants.
Jamie Lyon, Senior Manager at ACCA and presenter of the report,
says “from an individual’s perspective, this is a good
time to be a qualified accountant. The career aspirations of finance
professionals are growing, but as roles and skills are evolving
in response to a changing business environment and increased regulation;
it would appear organizations are struggling to find individuals
with the skills required.
He added that coupled with natural demographic shortages in certain
markets such as Europe, parts of Asia and North America, and increased
competition for candidates from external professions and sectors,
these changes are creating a huge strain on the recruitment development
and retention processes of many organizations.
The findings reveal that finance roles are changing 82% of respondents
agreed that the roles finance professionals were undertaking were
becoming more strategic and 72% of respondents agreed that their
own role was becoming more technically demanding.
Furthermore a war for specialist talent will continue to develop
-key areas of growth across both the corporate and public sector
were identified as risk management and financial analysis. In public
practice, tax, assurance and corporate finance services will continue
to offer the most career opportunities.
Thirdly the finding reveals that, there is a skills gap between
the skills organizations need and those held by finance professionals
-this deficit was most noticeable for the wider business skills
many finance roles are requiring and is impacting on organizational
competitiveness. Many finance professionals will need to develop
improved capability in technical, business and management skills.
Additionally the senior manager demanded for finance professionals
to continue to grow 83% of respondents agreed that increasing globalisation
was increasing the demand for finance professionals across the world
and, 84% of respondents agreed that there would be a large increase
in the demand for professionals in the future, particularly from
emerging economies.
The finding also reveals that accountants are more mobile with less
employer loyalty, and careers will increasingly cross traditional
borders inside and outside of the finance function globally, half
of the respondents believed it would be easy to obtain a finance
role internationally and 45% agreed that they would like to pursue
a career in another country at some point in the future. 70% of
respondents agreed that international experience on their CV s was
becoming increasingly important.
Lastly the pressure on organizational retention strategies is high
organizations have to adapt retention strategies accordingly based
on effective career development. 85% of respondents cited career
development opportunities as a critical factor for choosing their
next role. Only 59% said salary was the main consideration.
Based on the research findings, Jamie Lyon concludes that organizations
need to ensure their development programs manage carefully the career
aspirations of accountants, as well as responding to the new skills
needed by finance professionals. Effective succession planning and
the development of a very strong employee proposition will also
be critical. There will be more career opportunities for finance
professionals and our research suggests nearly 40% of finance professionals
expect their career to develop outside of the finance field. There
will also be much more movement across national borders. Consequently,
the retention of finance professionals will be a critical challenge
for organizations to get right, particularly in the context of an
increasingly international marketplace.
Hikmet Abdella, Country manager for ACCA here in Ethiopia said that
professional accountants play a vital role in sustaining the current
economic growth of the country as their skills and training to international
standards are in high demand both by large investors as well as
the tax authorities, and Small Micro Enterprises.
She added that there will be a workshop for interested parties concerning
the above issue in the coming months.
ERA, Keangnam sign 1.4 bln
ETB road contract
By Muluken Yewondwossen
The Jimma-Mizan road upgrading project, consisting of two independent
contracts; Jimma-Bonga Junction and Bonga Junction-Mizan, was signed
between the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) and Keangnam Enterprise
on Wednesday February 20, 2008 at ERA headquarter.
ERA Human Resource and Finance manager, Gelesso Bore and general
manager of Keangnam Enterprises Ethiopian Branch Office, Cho Hyun-Seung,
signed the contract agreement.
The Project is located in southwest Ethiopia in SNNP and Oromia
Regional States and consists of upgrading 220 kilometers from gravel
to asphalt concrete. It also includes horizontal and vertical alignment
upgrades improvements, rehabilitation of existing culverts and bridges
and construction of new culverts and bridges.
Both contracts, expected to be completed within 34 months is financed
by a loan obtained from the African Development Fund and the government
of Ethiopia.
The two projects were tendered under international competitive bidding
and awarded to Keangnam Enterprise Ltd. Contract 1 Jimma-Bonga junction
has a price tag of 686 mln ETB and contract 2; Bonga Junction-Mizan
is valued 742 mln ETB.
The supervising consultant for contract 1 is LEA Canada in joint
venture with LEA Associates of South Asia and CORE consulting Engineers
of Ethiopia, engaged for over 600,000 Euro (8.4 mln ETB) while the
second contracts consultant are International Consultants and Technocrats
(ICT) plc, in association with Transcom Technologies Ethiopia and
International Consultants and Technocrats Ethiopia plc (sub contract)
for 720,000 USD (10 mln ETB.)
“Putting our experience into practice, and in order to save
precious contract time, immediately after the opening of the tender
amount for Jimma-Mizan and before the signing of the contract, we
took the risk upon ourselves and ordered more than 400 items of
equipment,” stated Cho at the signing ceremony. “From
these items more than 150 are en route,” he added. Cho said,
Keangnam has mobilized highly experienced personnel to the site
and started the preliminary works.
“This area has high potential in coffee and tea so, the project
is important to the country,” Gelesso said on his part. According
to Gelesso, his Authority has plans to link the road to Southern
Sudan.
BOMAG eyes Ethiopian market
By Groum Abate
Recognized as the worldwide compaction equipment leader, Bomag,
part of the Fayat Group, has introduced Road Division Products for
interested parties at a seminar held at the Hilton Hotel.
Bomag gave a seminar on basics of compaction of soil and asphalt,
stabilization, and other factors on compaction process as well as
detailed description of its machineries comparing it with other
machineries with similar capacity. Officials of the organization
also said that their products are at work in every climate and in
every application. They said that products range from vibratory
tampers and plate compactors to recycling equipment and landfill
compactors.
The officials of Bomag also clarified features of hand-held vibratory
tampers, single direction and reversible plate compactors, single
and double drum walk-behind rollers, trench compactors and single
and tandem ride-on rollers.
Bomag has the largest line of the finest compaction equipment in
the world.
According to the official website of Bomag, from an original headcount
of less than 20 people, the Bomag organization is now more than
1500 strong. Boppard, Germany serves as the European headquarters
of the world’s leading compaction manufacturer. Bomag has
also major manufacturing plants in Europe, North America, Asia and
a growing number of subsidiary companies around the world.
Orbis Trading and Technical Center, which is a reputed dealership
for Mercedes Benz automobiles represents Bomag in Ethiopia.
DKT’s first phase
Wise-Up condom use completed
By Groum Abate
DKT Ethiopia, in collaboration with Timret Le Hiwot, Nikat Women
Association and HIV/AIDS Prevention Control Office celebrated its
first phase, 100% Condom Access and Use Campaign under its existing
Wise Up campaign.
The campaign was successful in encouraging the response to HIV in
Ethiopia by working to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted diseases
among sex workers and their clients. Information were made available
and condoms distributed to sex workers who work in bars, hotels
as well as the staff and clients of the establishments, and resource
centers were set up for support and counseling.
The project includes the provision of proper sexual and reproductive
health services, medications, and high quality counseling linked
to HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing with informed
consent, social and psychological support and increased economic
options to support women to stop selling sex or be less dependent
on it.
The Wise Up project has mobilized current and former sex workers
to develop and disseminate resources and to provide training and
support in its first phase.
Wise Up is a project initiated by DKT Ethiopia aiming to empower
high risk groups, particularly female sex workers and their gate
keepers by consistent education programmers on Reproductive Health
and related issues.
DNA links humanity to one
common origin: Ethiopia
By our staff reporter
According to the latest studies on human diversity, scientists
identified that sub-Saharan Africa is the place where the human
migration phenomenon began 100,000 years ago, when a small group
of humans headed for North Africa and Middle East, and kept on going
ever since, reaching the farthest continents of Americas and Australia.
Up until this point, theories on a global migration with an African
starting point have been circulating, but none of them brought the
arguments and evidence this study did on the topic. “It’s
like looking back at the earth with a telescope a thousand times
more powerful than what you had before,” said Richard Myers
from Stanford University school of Medicine, the journal Science
reports.
Two studies have already been published in the journals Science
and Nature on the patterns of genetic mutations and human diversity,
and based on the similar DNA samples, proved one common conclusion:
the modern human left Africa, Ethiopia to be more precise, traversed
Central Asia and continued heading east and west to Europe, Asia
and Americas.
Another genetic study, similar to the other two and published in
the journal Nature, concluded that after the African migration,
the newly settled European population started losing its genetic
diversity and at the same time, while continuing to expand on the
continent, they started accumulating a series of genetic mutations
before older ones, with potentially negative impacts, have had the
chance to wear out.
What was very surprising was that many of the groups thought to
have one well established origin actually presented traces to several
continents. This was the case of the Bedouins in the Middle East,
who were traced back to Europe and Pakistan, or the Yakut population,
who should have the most similarities with the Siberians, but actually
relate to East Asia, Europe and American Indians.
The conclusion draw attention to the fact that we are much more
related than we think we are, curiously enough, to people on different
parts of the world, more than we are to people around us. “A
huge amount of our genomes are the same across the world, and that
helps to argue against racism in my view,” Myers said the
journal Nature.
UA to offer classes on disaster
management
By Groum Abate
Researchers from the University of Arizona (UA) have received a
three-year, 200,000 dollars grant to aid in famine disaster management.
The UA has teamed with Bahir Dar University to build a center of
excellence and create a new master’s curriculum in disaster
risk management in Ethiopia.
The program will train 15 students through distance learning and
provide them skills for disaster management as well as earning Masters
Degrees from Bahir Dar University. Four of the 15 students are UA
professors and three are Ph.D. candidates.
The center will offer short courses on disaster management and offer
certificates of completion to participants.
The program aims to strengthen Ethiopia’s infrastructure and
make Bahir Dar a leader in disaster prevention and risk management.
The curriculum is four semesters with a 30 credit hour graduate
program.
“The students will use an online portal and do their learning
on the web. The project team will be in Arizona most of the time.”
said John Magistro, project coordinator.
He also said during the students’ third year in the program
they will spend 60 days in Arizona doing intensive program preparation.
Tim Finan and John Magistro from the Bureau of Applied Research
in Anthropology, Muluneh Yitayew from the agriculture and biosystems
engineering department, Lezlie Moriniere from the Office of Arid
Lands Studies, along with two private sector partners make up the
team for this program.
Muluneh Yitayew, co-principal investigator for the program and a
professor in the agriculture and biosystems engineering department,
is helping to develop the curriculum on disaster risk management
and sustainable development.
“I think the program is something very worthwhile for the
country because you see a lot of famine disasters in Ethiopia,”
Yitayew said.
TANGO International, a consulting firm in Tucson that works with
non-governmental organizations, and Ferguson Lynch, a consulting
firm in New Mexico has joined the UA to help with the project.
The UA will be working with the Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable
Development Center at BDU.
LG to launch TV that ‘thinks’
By Groum Abate
LG Electronics is to launch a new TV that allows the viewer to
pause, record, and replay programs and that is expected to revolutionize
viewership trends in Ethiopia especially by enabling people to take
forward viewing of important and favorite programs. The TV has been
developed by LG Electronics.
LG Electronics regional officials pledged the firm’s commitment
towards revolutionizing TV viewing in the wider Eastern Africa region
before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
LG Electronics has already launched in the Kenya market the new
TV sets. The new set also has a one-touch commercial skip feature
enabling users to block out unwanted commercials with the touch
of a button. The unit also boasts of continuous automatic recording
in one-hour intervals. Its initial market target is the upper class.
LG has 30 per cent share of the TV market in the Eastern Africa
region, with Sudan as a leader. The electronic firm will be launching
similar TV sets in Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zambia, Seychelles,
Djibouti, Rwanda and Burundi within the first quarter of 2008.
In the wider region, LG expect TV sales increase of 20 per cent.
The LG’s ‘Time Machine’ LCD TV’s are the
world’s first televisions to come equipped with a built-in
Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The TV set has a built-in 80GB hard
drive that can store up to 40 hours of digital standard-definition
programming, eliminating the need for external storage devices.
It also offers sharpness enhancement and 3D noise reduction, with
a sound system that delivers cinematic surround sound. LG currently
occupies the number one spot for LCD and plasma TVs in the Middle
East and Africa, with a combined market share of 40 per cent.
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