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Updated July 7, 2008

The latest increase in the price of beer raised yet another inflationary worry that will affect leisure, especially for middle income groups. All brewers have now upped the selling prices of their products
including Bedele, Dashen, Harar, Meta and BGI.
Sources in one brewery informed Capital that, the latest price adjustment is caused by the local shortage of raw materials and as a result of high international costs due to fuel price escalation, among other factors.
The ever increasing price of malt both in the local and international market as well as transportation cost spikes have now forced Ethiopian brewers to raise prices, according to Capital’s sources.
The increment on one glass of draft beer is 0.75 cents. Brewers are concerned that some unscrupulous outlets may charge unreasonable prices using the new price regimen as an excuse.

Port tariff to increase by up to 15%

By Groum Abate

The Ethiopian government has been notified by its Djiboutian counterpart, as per their bilateral agreement, that it is to increase tariffs by up to 15% on various facilities the Port of Djibouti renders, as of August 15, Capital learnt.
An official at the Ministry of Trade and Industry told Capital that the ministry is currently studying the economic impact and a dialog has been launched recently between both governments’ joint committee members over the issue.

Awash valley attracts 900 mln br investment

By Muluken Yewondwossen

A Dutch company, Africa Juice is under negotiations with the Privatization and Public Enterprises Agency (PPESA) to invest 900 million birr to produce passion fruit juice under a joint venture with the Agency, in the Upper Awash Valley.
Africa Juice will own 80% of the production site on 1200 hectares at Merti farm in Upper Awash, 146 km from Addis Ababa. The company also plans to collect additional fruit from farmers near the factory, projecting their plantation area to be 500 hectares. Drip irrigation and seed will be provided to the farmers for free.

Finally, House approves long debated Press Law; Panel calls for re-consideration

By Abiy Demilew

The Ethiopian Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, 2008, has approved the new press law which has been debated for more than four years. Meanwhile, a panel organized by Horn of Africa Press Institute, on Wednesday, July 2, 2008, called on the government to revise and reconsider the new law.
The panel, discussing various proclamations of the law, underscored that, even though the law embraces positive developments of its own, but it also sets restrictive proclamations against freedom of information and the future of media in the nation.

Fuel rationing begins in Jimma town

By Tedla Yeneakal

The south western town of Jimma, some 340kms from Addis Ababa, has been forced to implement a fuel rationing system to cope with major a fuel shortage over the past weeks; effective as of Monday, June 30, 2008.
According to official sources, taxis have been given a ration of 20 liters a week. Serious transportation problems have occurred in the town.

Local News

Leather institute gets new director

New railway to link Ethiopia, Kenya, S.Sudan

Finance minister slams Auditor General report
New Auditor-General to be sworn in

Ministry’s 22 mln br properties put on auction

Art & Culture

Africa Unite

'Aldewelem'


Interview

THE IRON GRIOT,

Kabore's first feature, Wend Kuuni (1982) was a breakthrough for African cinema notable for the way it translated African oral tradition to the screen. Next, Kabore returned to address the issues surrounding African cinema with a documentary, 'Props sur le cinema' (Reflections on the cinema) (1986). The short film featured two significant African directors, 'Souleymane Cisse' from Mali and Mauritania born Med Hondo discussing the problems facing filmmakers on the continent.

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

		Personal Recollections of the Aksum Obelisk Issue: Early Days
		This first in a series of articles about what must be rated as one of Ethiopia's most successful, wholly unofficial and private initiative led grouping - the Aksum Obelisk Return Committee is timely…. Even as we speak, the returned obelisk is being re-mounted on the same spot it had stood on for centuries before it was carted away to a forced exile…..
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Democracy and the Social Question III

AFTER THE STORM: HOW TO ASSESS THE SETBACK IN KENYA’S DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS

Introduction
The democratization process in Kenya has not been progressing in a sustainable manner over the last eighteen years since the 1990s but has stagnated and at best has been in a cyclic spin. There has been much motion without movement forward. During these years, the democratization process was closely controlled by a dominant ruling class which through the strategy of institutional capture. The institutional capture is so acute in Kenya to the extent that the democratization process has been stymied. The democratization process which was intended to deliver popular power, popular livelihoods and popular participation has been decapitated and subverted by the same ruling class in Kenya.