Bureau licenses 311 mln Birr worth investment projects in Somali region

Investment Bureau of the Somali State said it issued licenses to 35 investment projects with an aggregate capital of over 311 million Birr during the just-ended Ethiopian budget year.
The new investment projects focus mainly on agriculture, real estate, education, construction, and catering and tourism sectors, registration and license department head with the bureau, Abdullahi Abdurrahman.
Upon going fully operational, the investment projects will create jobs to 1,351 people.
Investment flow into the regional state has been steadily increasing owing to the improved working procedures and suitable investment environment that exist in the region. According to the head, some 500 hectares of land has been designated as investment site.(ENA)

AAU to launch BA training in Ethiopian Sign Language, Deaf Culture

Addis Ababa University is to launch as of 2001 academic year (2008/09) a BA program in Ethiopian Sign Language (ESL) and Deaf Culture.
The announcement was made by Chairperson of the Department of Linguistics, Dr. Hirut WoldeMariam who addressed a class of ESL trainees graduated. A curriculum has already been approved by the academic commission and training is expected to be launched on October. The university, made a call on its partner, Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf to work in closer collaboration with the department.
The 250 graduates, all members of the University community, attended courses on ESL and Deaf Culture in six classes for six months in a non-credit, free of charge terms. The first BA program in ESL and Deaf Culture for Ethiopia aims at training Deaf teachers and Deaf sign linguists, Promoting the growth and enrichment of the ESL and, Promote collaborative research on ESL. The department has a future plan to set up a Regional Sign Language Center.(ENA)

Arbitration trainees received certificate

Some 34 lawyers and other professionals received certificates after concluding a three-day training on arbitration on July 9,2008. The Ethiopian Arbitration and Conciliation Center (EACC), a local non-profit organization established to promote alternative dispute resolutions organized the training. Another group of 19 trainees took part in similar training from July 2 to 4, 2008. The training was aimed at enabling arbitrators to organize and conduct the practice of arbitration in an efficient and effective manner.
Mr David R. Haigh and Mr. Allan J. Stitt, both from Canada, provided the training. Mr David R. Haigh is a senior partner with the Calgary law firm of Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP where he has practiced as a commercial litigation counsel in the Canadian courts and as an arbitrator in the field of international commercial arbitration.
Mr. Allan J. Stitt, the President of the Stitt Feld Handy Group and ADR Chambers Inc., is a Toronto-based mediator, arbitrator, negotiation consultant, facilitator, trainer and ADR systems design specialist. Similarly EACC in May and June conducted a four-round training on mediation skills it organized for 115 Social Court judges, registrars, Women's Desk and bylaws working at Kebeles from Addis Ababa and regions.
Initiative Africa, CIDA Canada and SIDA Sweden are major supporters of EACC.
EACC plans to facilitate a free mediation service in 20 Kebeles across all the Kifle Ketemas in Addis Ababa. (Press Release)

DKT launches new contraceptive pills

For the achievements of the development of the health sector Ethiopia DKT Ethiopia launched three new family planning contraceptives pills on July 10, 2008, at the Gandhi Hospital.
One of the products is Emergency Contraceptive Pills that can be used by women to prevent unwanted pregnancy following unprotected intercourse or if women encounter contraceptive accident such as, breakage of condom. It is not to be used as a regular method and used as an emergency or as a backup. The second product is Hyana, which is a coated mono-phasic oral contraceptive pill, one of progesterone only hormonal contraceptive are ideal for clients who have contraindication for the use of estrogen containing contraceptives, best for lactating mothers and women over 40 years of age. The third one is Trigestrel, a coated a Tri-phasic contraceptive useful for contraceptive as well as regularizing the menstrual cycle.
These contraceptives pills will be available in all pharmaceutical outlets from July 2008 on wards at an affordable price to everyone.(Capital)

Over 142 mln Birr worth clean water projects go operational in Somali State

Clean water projects executed in 24 pastoral localities of Somali State at a cost of over 142 million birr have gone operational, the state water, mines and energy bureau said. The projects, executed in collaboration with the regional government, UNICEF, World Bank and African Development Bank, are catering for over 900,000 people.
The projects include digging of 49 deep water wells, construction of two water reservoirs and an irrigation dam. The dams have the capacity to hold 198,000 cubic mt. of rain water. The execution of the projects raised the state's clean water service coverage to 33 percent from 27 percent.(ENA)

Mayor urges youth in democracy dev’t activity

Addis Ababa City Mayor, Kumma Demekssa urged the youth to actively participate toward ensuring development, democracy, and good governance across the metropolis.
The mayor said the celebration of the National Flag Day aims at encouraging the youth to fully discharge its national duties and responsibilities.
Speaking at launching of 'Youths' Voluntarism Program' and the celebration of the Flag Day of the Addis Ababa Youth Association, Kumma the participation of the youth has greater role toward extricating the nation out of poverty. The mayor commended the youth association for its efforts toward addressing the major problems of the youth and calls upon development partners to support the voluntarism program. The day is also an event for the youth to renew its commitments in making the nation one of middle-income earning countries, according to the mayor.
Youth and sports bureau head with the city administration, Zerihun Biadglign for this part said the city administration has designed various programs as per the development strategy of the nation. Accordingly, he said, the city administration will speed up construction of youth centers, libraries, and sport fields for the benefit of the youth. Association Chairperson, Tatek Kassa on his part said the youth volunteerism program will contribute a lot toward expansion of voluntary services in the country. He said the 6th phase program includes provision of tutorial classes for the low-income people and other related activities to be carried out across the metropolis.(ENA)

Irish team of experts here to offer computer science training

A team of experts from 'Camara for Africa', an Irish-based organization, arrived at Adama town of the Oromia State to offer a month-long training on computer science. The organization donated more than 1,000 computers (PCs) to 'Harambe Collage', a private higher learning institution located in Adama town, and pledged to provide additional 1,600 PCs next year.
Welcoming the team, President of the Oromia State Chamber of Commerce Feyisa Ararsa said this is for the third time organization send such a team to Ethiopia. Feyisa, who is also General Manager of the Collage, said the 25-member team consisting senior computer professionals will offer relevant training at five towns of the state including Adama, Awassa, and Assela towns. Feyisa said the collage has been providing the PCs to various governmental, non-governmental, and private institutions for free.
A delegation of Irish entrepreneurs will be coming to Ethiopia, he said, adding preparations are well underway to launch sisterly relations between Addis Ababa and Dublin, Mekele and Belfast as well as Adama and Cork Cities.

Ministry revising, improving National General Education Curriculum

Revision and improvement of the national general curriculum has already been finalized in order to improve provision of quality of education in Ethiopia, the Ministry of Education disclosed. State Minister of Education, Faud Ebrahim said the ministry has been striving to bring about radical change on the quality of education since provision of quality education plays key role toward the overall development of the nation.
The minister, through his representative, made the remark on Tuesday while addressing a national workshop organized on the revised English language curriculum of the country. He said the ministry has already finalized the revision and improvement of General Education Curriculum since curriculum development is one of the factors that affect the quality of education. The curricula of higher learning institutions have also been revised and improved, the state minister said.
English language curriculum improvement department head with the ministry, Mesfin Derash on his part said the workshop is expected to enrich the newly-revised revised English language curriculum. The five-day workshop, which dwells on revised national English language curriculum, attracted various scholars from the field. Camara for Africa is an organization that sends secondhand but renovated PCs from Ireland to schools and other educational institutions in Africa.

University launches 92 million Birr expansion project

Adama University, one of the state-owned universities in Ethiopia, launched an expansion project at cost of 92 million Birr.Administrative affairs vice president of the university, Tola Berriso said that the expansion project aims at boosting the annual intake of the university to 12,000, which stands at 6,000 at present.
The university has already executed various projects at cost of 38 million Birr to receive 3,500 students in the coming academic year. The university has launched 12 postgraduate programs as of the current academic year, according to the vice president. The university was selected as 'Model University' in the country in provision of quality education as of the current academic year, it was noted