Capital

Finally, Ambo gets partner

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Minister orders cancellation of Bedilu bldg. auction

By Tedla Yeneakal

Revenues Ministry urges key tax reforms

By Kirubel Tadesse

Directive imposes VAT on NGO’s, embassies

By Tewodros Kebkab

Ethiopia buys $80 mln oil from ExxonMobil

Ministry to assist South Sudan housing

By Muluken Yewondwossen

UDJ holds founding congress, names Birtukan Chair MP Temesgen among deputies

By Kirubel Tadesse

Foreign companies dominate mining investment

By Kirubel Tadesse

Ethiopia’s natural resources near exhaustion: WWF

By Groum Abate

Over 12,000 vehicles enter Ethiopia in 10 months

By Tedla Yeneakal

International conference to be held on boosting Ethiopian cinema

By Abiy Demilew

House splits on NEBE

By Kirubel Tadesse

Another Kuwaiti entrepreneur shows interest in agriculture

By Groum Abate

Ethiopian refugees’ clean stoves scheme wins international green energy award

By Our staff reporter

Israeli company introduces irrigation technology

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Association to discuss women’s challenges

By Addis Mulugeta

Psychiatry Dept. organizes trauma awareness

By Addis Mulugeta

An international workshop on PhD

By Addis Mulugeta

Finally, Ambo gets partner

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Ambo Mineral Water Factory is under negotiation with a company based in South Africa, SABMiller Beverage, for joint venture management. According to the nine months report presented to parliament, Ambo has finalized the study for expanding the Factory.
Beyene Gebremeskel, general manager of the Public Privatization Enterprises Supervisory Agency (PPESA), told Capital that because of the expense needed for the expansion and to sustain its competitiveness in the market, the factory was looking for a potential company to partner with it.
Currently SABMiller is negotiating for shares of Ambo along with a local company called South West Development.
According to sources within PPESA, the negotiation is showing a green light for the companies.
SAB Miller is collaburating with South West Development on the negotiation which is expected to be completed in the near future.
Ambo Mineral Water Factory, located 130 km west of Addis in Ambo town, was established 77 years ago and controls over 85pc of the mineral water market. Before the ongoing negotiation PPESA’s repeated international calls for joint ventures didn’t get a positive response.
The other state owned mineral water plant, Babile Mineral Water Factory, is located 526Km east of Addis in the Harari Regional State and was sold to local company Petram Plc in March 2007. Petram bought the factory for 6.5 million birr.
SAB Miller is one of the world’s largest brewers and includes premium international beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Miller Genuine Draft, as well as an exceptional range of market-leading local brands such as Aguila, Miller Lite, Snow and Tyskie. It is also one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world.

Minister orders cancellation of Bedilu bldg. auction

By Tedla Yeneakal

Sufian Ahmed, Minister of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), has ordered for the cancellation of an auction on Bedilu building, after it was announced on a state owned newspaper last week by the Construction and Business Bank (CBB), that the owner was unable to pay his due.
Bedilu Building, named after owner Yilma’s father was to be auctioned at a floor price of 10.07 million birr.
Yilma Bedilu told Capital that the building, even if it is in his father’s name, it is not his.
“The construction of the building was started in 1967 and was completed two years later. In 1975 the Derg regime confiscated the building, and put me in jail for a year and six months. When it was confiscated it was taken with all the debts that I owe to the Bank. In fact at that time the maximum loan allowed was 300,000 birr which I have paid back. The current owner of the building failed to pay the interest on the debt,” said the 85 year old Yilma.
However, on Thursday, June 19, 2008 Sufian has ordered a letter for the cancellation of the auction saying it is an illegal measure taken against the owner of the building sighting relevant articles in the commercial code.
“When I saw the announcement for the auction, I was surprised that the owner failed to pay back 400,000 birr. I was planning to negotiate with the concerned authority to allow me pay the 400,000 birr and take back the building. I was happy when I heard about the cancellation of the sale, because for me, I prefer that it should not be passed to a third party,” added Yilma.
Bedilu Building rests on one thousand square meters which was bought for 120 birr per square meter.
According to Yilma, the building was confiscated in 1975 by the Derg regime after it nationalized private property and the building was inaugurated during the the Haile Selassie regime.
Article 40 of the constitution, regarding the law of expropriation states that when the Council of Ministers reaches an agreement to take over private properties that are beneficial for public use, it has the authority to take over the building only after paying the required compensation.
Yilma states that he has not recived any compensation.
“I have tangible evidence to prove that the government is using the building for non-public services, which is illegal,” Yilma said. “However, I am grateful that the auction has been cancelled.”
Sighting proclamation number 110/ 1987, the current government has taken over the 7-storey building.
Officials of CBB were unavailable for comment.

Revenues Ministry urges key tax reforms

By Kirubel Tadesse

The Ministry of Revenues (MoR) is soon to allow taxpayers transfer loss and have it deducted from the coming year’s profit, before validating audit reports that show stated loss.
MoR is also pushing for another amendment to avoid challenges faced while enforcing the existing tax laws and prosecuting offenders. It needs a lift in the five day period taxpayers have in order to give receipts for services that are liable to VAT taxations. When prosecuted for not issuing receipts for taxable services, according to MoR, the defendants claim that they are still entitled to have five days in order to give receipts for their customers. If approved, the amendment puts a condition to issue receipts immediately after the service.
As per directive 78/2002 of MoR, income taxpayers can only have their loss transferred and deducted from the coming year’s profit after MoR auditors verified their audit report, but this practice, according to an MoR tax reforms proposal tabled to parliament this week, has been discouraging investments as it was impossible for MoR to validate all reports regularly on a yearly basis, resulting in years of delay before taxpayers are finally entitled for the transfer.
MoR proposed an amendment that allows tax payers to transfer loss even if MoR fails to approve reports in time [before the announcement of next year’s revenues] but also seeks to keep rights to reverse the transfers and prosecute the external auditor if fraud found while inspecting the audit report that may come any time. This is among proposed amendments in the tax laws [ Income, VAT, Excise and ToT] MoR tabled to the House of Peoples’ Representatives, which accepted the proposal of its Budget and Finance Affairs Standing Committee and endorsed the decision of merging Ministry of Revenues (MoR) and Customs Authority as a single entity [Revenues and Customs Authority].
In the proposed amendment MoR appeals full authority for its officers to carry out investigations at any taxpayers business place, in order to seize fraud documents and vouchers which would have the police cooperation at its disposal if the taxpayer refused to comply. During some trials that involved tax frauds, some of the MoR exhibits were subjected to appeals from defense lawyers which had demanded the court to suppress the evidences claiming that the evidences had been obtained illegally, through searches without the court’s permission. If the proposed bill is approved by the house, such appeals wouldn’t hold since MoR will be entitled to obtain illegal vouchers, documents or books of account with out needing courts order.
This amendment bill which would follow the approved merger of MoR and Customs Authority was sent to the Budget and Standing Affairs Committee that would send back the bill to the House with a final decision proposal in less than three weeks time.

Directive imposes VAT on NGO’s, embassies

By Tewodros Kebkab

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) has put in place a new directive on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and Embassies, starting as of mid-June 2008, for the stated organizations to collect and pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on any services they carry out.
Previously all NGO’s and embassies operating in Ethiopia were exempted from paying or collecting VAT.
Yezena Worku, Public Relations Head with the Ministry of Revenues (MoR) told Capital that NGO’s and embassies are registered categorically as VAT payers in order to clarify their mandate and work policies.
“It will however be refunded after the end of each fiscal year,” Yezena said.
Some service providers approached by Capital said that they were not aware of the new policy beforehand and it was on June 10, 2008 that they found out.
“We are billing the organizations without adding VAT as there is a need to revise invoices and other related changes that need to be made before the new system is put into place,” some providers commented.
Tamerat Assefa, a lawyer by profession, commenting on the new directive, said that the government must cancel the previous proclamation with a new proclamation after tabling it to the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, Tamerat says in some proclamation there are articles in place to pass directives for reconsideration of the proclamation.
The VAT proclamation No 285/2002 was issued on 4th July 2002 by the House of Representatives and came into force as of 1st January 2003. The proclamation has 13 sections and 66 articles. VAT is collected by the Federal Inland Revenue Authority, VAT Department in Addis Ababa and the branches; and at customs stations of the Ethiopian Customs Authority, upon importation of goods.

Ethiopia buys $80 mln oil from ExxonMobil

Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise (EPE) has bought on tender 1.87 million tonnes of gas oil and jet fuel from July 2008 to June 2009, up 13 percent from a previous purchase, industry sources said on Wednesday.
EPE bought 1.32 million tonnes of 0.5 percent gas oil and 550,000 tonnes of jet fuel from ExxonMobil, they said.
The premiums were $38.03 a tonne for gas oil amounting to 50.19 million dollars and $54.50 a tonne for jet fuel amounting to 29.97 million dollars on a cost-and-freight basis, they said.
The total cost of the purchase would be 80,174,600 dollars.
“Demand is increasing. There is more construction going on,” said one.
EPE previously bought 1.2 million tonnes of gas oil and 450,000 tonnes of jet fuel for the July 2007 to June 2008 supply, the sources said.
The premiums for gas oil were $27.41 a tonne and $33.82 a tonne for jet fuel in the past tender.
Ethiopia does not own any refineries and relies on fuel imports to meet its domestic consumption.

Ministry to assist South Sudan housing

By Muluken Yewondwossen

The Ministry of Works and Urban Development of Ethiopia (MWUD) and the South Sudanese Housing, Land and Social Services Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 17, 2008. The agreement is for MWUD to assist the Sudanese with constructing houses in Juba, South Sudan.
Mekonnen Shiferaw, public relations head of MWUD, told Capital, the standards of the contractors who will participate on the projects have not been yet identified, but in the near future the ministry will announce the set standards.
Construction of the houses will be launched in January 2009 on the first 200 houses on the pilot project. According to the agreement, the government of Southern Sudan will cover all expenses.
“Participation of local contractors will be a good opportunity for capacity building and will create economical strength for them,” Mekonnen added.
According to Mekonnen, the agreement will enable the Ethiopian ministry to provide support to its South Sudanese counterpart including preparation of designs, establishing a project office, technical assistance as well as supplying construction materials.
He said that the memorandum of understanding did not indicate the time frame of the agreement.
This MoU was signed based on the agreement reached between the two governments earlier. The government of South Sudan has been striving to alleviate a shortage of residential houses and administrative offices in Juba, South Sudan.
Arkebe Ekubai, State Minister of MWUD, visited the area and discussed with respective counterparts six months ago.
Juba became the capital of autonomous South Sudan, and many former refugees subsequently crowded into the city and the surrounding area.
over 114, 000 people live in Juba city. It is the southern terminus of river traffic in Sudan and is a highway hub, with roads radiating into Uganda, Kenya, and Congo (Kinshasa).

UDJ holds founding congress, names Birtukan Chair MP Temesgen among deputies

By Kirubel Tadesse

After the aborted meeting last Saturday at Imperial Hotel, the former Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUDP) majority that is striving for a formation of a new party, Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), held its founding congress and elected party leaders at its office Wednesday, June 18, 2008.
UDJ gathered some 300 members of which 60% were selected from seven regions, representing more than 120 woredas. According to UDJ's first ever press conference on Friday June 20, 2008, around 400 members were called and present at the Imperial Hotel but couldn't stay in Addis Ababa for the Wednesday meeting due to personal commitments. After a full day meeting on Wednesday, the founding congress approved the twenty two page party programme, by-laws, anthem and elected party leaders.
As per UDJ law, sixty permanent and fifteen alternate members were elected to serve in the national council, the next highest governing body of the party after the general assembly. Eighteen members of the executive committee were also named including Chairperson Birtukan Midekesa. According to senior members, UDJ has opened a new chapter in Ethiopian history by electing the first ever female chair of major political parties and showed its commitment to empower the nation's largest group, women. Birtukan had to top Gizachew Shiferaw(Eng), who took the second job, vice chair in charge of organizational affairs. The former United Nations prosecutor, Yacob Hailemariam (PhD) and Hailu Araaya (PhD) were both elected as vice chairs in charge of foreign affairs and public relations respectively, while Asrat Tasie was elected as General Secretary, one of the prominent figures of the opposition in parliament, Temesgen Zewdie (MP), elected to take the fourth deputy chair seat.
Chair Birtukan disclosed that after obtaining legal status from the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, the leadership's main target will be building the party's organizational strength. " Our aim isn't to bring about the 2005 election period’s momentum, we aim higher. We will work tirelessly to achieve a momentum that resists when pushed, the one that doesn't crumple in the face of challenges, " Birtukan responded to the local and international press that questioned whether UDJ can achieve what the former CUDP had during the May 2005 elections.
Justice Birtukan, a 34 year old, relatively very young politician, has a long road ahead to bring most groups that once were huge fun of the Opposition. According to UDJ members, Birtukan will enjoy financial assistance from foreign chapters founded by Ethiopians in the diaspora [estimates showing 19 in North America, 15 in Canada and few more in Europe] that were supporting the former CUDP. According to critics, she remained one of the few former CUDP icons that are still appealing to supporters which she plans to use before 2010 Ethiopian national elections." Even if UDJ, due to lessons learned, would pursue collective leadership, I am hopeful that my election will inspire millions of women in Ethiopia to claim their share in the peaceful political struggle that will liberate the nation for once and for all, " Birtukan told cheering members in her victory speech before they went partying on the successful completion of the founding congress.

Foreign companies dominate mining investment

By Kirubel Tadesse

In the last eleven months of this budget year, thirty investment requests, with shares partly controlled by foreign companies, were granted accreditations for exploration and production.
Registering 850 million USD capital, forty five companies of which only fifteen are fully controlled by local investors, obtained operation certificates from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MoME). Among exploration operations that enjoyed 15 million USD investments, one is to explore gold, zinc, lead, and copper in northern parts of Ethiopia in new areas that weren’t included in pervious explorations. Exploration for potash in Afar Dalole areas is among projects granted to foreign companies by the MoME. B.H.P Billiton is the international company that was granted the license to look for potash, which is a major ingredient for fertilizer. B.H.P Billiton operates a wide variety of mining and processing operations in more than 25 countries, employing some 38,000 people.
Another five foreign companies that are joint ventures with local partners were also granted licenses to produce minerals [limestone, gypsum, clay, marl, land stone and others] that are major inputs for cement production. An Indian company already has embarked on a 591 million USD investment in potash production. This company has accomplished construction works in less than two years and has entered a trial production phase.
Currently sixty five companies are under operation with 112 licenses. These investments are believed to create a total of 2500 job opportunities.
Presenting his Ministry’s performance report on Tuesday June 17, 2008, Alemayehu Tegenu told the House of Peoples’ Representatives that promoting investment opportunities for interested and potential investors were among priorities in the last budget year. According to Minister Alemayehu, MoME has successfully promoted petroleum potentials and other investment opportunities in the sector. His report explained that MoME over performed its target of inking three distribution agreements in petroleum explorations and developments, by achieving five. The companies will invest more than 308.3 million ETB primarily.
Minister Alemayehu told the House that because of attacks by anti-peace forces attack, South West Company which was operating in Ogaden, closed down operations. He added that in order to keep the project alive, MoME has been supporting Sino Africa that is expected to launch studies in July this year.

Ethiopia’s natural resources near exhaustion: WWF

By Groum Abate

Swiss-based WWF, known as the World Wide Fund for Nature announced that Ethiopia is using its natural resources beyond capacity and is using up more than it produces.
The report noted that, compared to the rest of the world, the average African’s footprint is small – for many, too small even to meet basic needs. While Africa still has more biocapacity than it uses, this margin is shrinking, largely due to population growth. If current trends continue, Africa will soon be facing an ecological deficit, with demand exceeding the continent’s supply.
Some of Africa’s biocapacity is being used to meet its own needs; some is being used, legally and illegally, for exports of natural resources; and some serves as part of the global commons that is absorbing carbon dioxide. Moving into ecological deficit will make it harder to even maintain existing living standards, and the loss of export potential combined with a growing need for more imports could weaken Africa’s economy.
The conservation organization WWF warns that many African countries are rapidly running down their natural resources as growing populations push the continent towards its ecological limits.
The warning was contained in the group’s first-ever detailed report on Africa’s ecological footprint–an estimate of the area of a country’s land and sea surface used annually in meeting the individual consumption demands of its people.
‘’A growing number of African countries are depleting their natural resources–or will shortly be doing so–faster than they can be replaced,’’ said WWF president Chief Emeka Anyaoku who presented the findings to a Johannesburg conference. The report put Egypt, Libya and Algeria at the head of a list of nations of the continent living beyond their ecological means followed by Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The Swiss-based WWF, previously known as the World Wide Fund for Nature issued the report, Africa- Ecological Footprint and Human Wellbeing, together with the U.S.-based Global Footprint Network. (NNPA)

Over 12,000 vehicles enter Ethiopia in 10 months

By Tedla Yeneakal

12,116 new and second hand vehicles have entered the country in this Ethiopian budget year, up to the end of June 2008, according to information obtained from the Ethiopian Customs Authority (ECA).
“The stated number of vehicles has legally entered the country from the ports,” a report stated. “4,334 vehicles that have entered the country duty free and which have been transferred to a third party illegally have been legalized and more than 289 million birr has been collected from tax revenue on these vehicles.”
According to the report, during the aforementioned period 248 vehicles that had been transferred to a third party have been seized by Customs police.
Recently the Ministry of Transport and Communications announced its plans to pass a directive that would prohibit second-hand vehicles imported to the country that are more than five years old, with the aim of restricting the entry of obsolete vehicles into the country.
Restricting the import of vehicles that are below standard became essential due to the rising motor vehicle accident rate on Ethiopian roads in addition to pollutants particularly emitted from vehicles using leaded petrol.
According to a report by the Ethiopian Economic Association, on average, per 10,000 vehicles 170 deaths occur every year, making the country one of the few countries with high accident fatality in spite of low vehicles density.
However, other researchers on motor accidents in the country claim that the main factor for such significant problems in road safety is the human factor, mainly drivers’ ethics and low skills rather than technical issues.

International conference to be held on boosting Ethiopian cinema

By Abiy Demilew

On boosting the booming Ethiopian cinema and the film industry, the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture, Addis Ababa University and the International Emerging Talent Film Festival (IETFF) based in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, are launching an international conference here, June 23 – 24, 2008, in attendance of international and local film makers, at the conference hall of ECA.
“The initiative is meant to give a massive boost to the emerging local film industry and enable it to reach the high standards enjoyed in other countries,” organizers told Capital.
According to Keith Bowers, International Media Consultant, over a two-day conference, more than a hundred invited guests and delegates, including film-makers, government officials and university leaders from Ethiopia and around the world will discuss on how to build a film infrastructure in Ethiopia with professional crews, equipment and knowledge.
“This is an exciting international and national initiative to develop filmmaking and cinema in Ethiopia,” says the press release sent to Capital.
Even though the country had a long tradition of filmmaking, after the establishment of Ethiopian Cinema Corporation, which is known for making only four films in its 50 years of existence, filmmaking in Ethiopia has shown a significant boom only in the last ten years.
“Although there is currently an impressive growth in the number of films being made in the country, filmmakers face an uphill battle due to lack of money, lack of professional training of film crews and artists, and limited screening opportunities,” describes the press release. And until about ten years ago the number of films shot in Ethiopia was limited and largely produced by established Ethiopian filmmakers trained and living abroad.
Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir Gheddi, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Patron of the meeting said, “This is a propitious opportunity for our nation to grasp one of the most powerful tools of social influence known to man – film,” and according to him, the development of film in Ethiopia will offer Ethiopia the opportunity to speak loudly to the world with its own voice and in so doing, vigorously promote tourism and cultural exchange.
Ms Ragnhild Ek, the IETFF’s Global Film Expression and one of the co-organisers of the initiative, also said, “Ethiopian film could play a critical role in changing the image of the country, as well as depicting the country’s ancient heritage of culture, religion and art, its multitude of ethnic groups and the beauty of its varied landscape.” And that is why Ethiopia was chosen as the pilot country during the IETFF Festival in Monaco in May 2007.
The two days’ conference, sponsored by The ECA, UNESCO, Ethiopian Airlines, the American Embassy and the Indian Embassy here in Addis, will be headed by a number of distinguished experts on African film, including Professor Mbaye Cham from Howard University, renowned director Gaston Kabore, the Director of Houston School of Film and Digital Media in Ireland Mr Rod Stoneman and Mr Eddie Mbalo, CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation in South Africa.
According to the organizers, the Ethiopian Film Initiative advisory committee will ensure that it continues in the future to encourage aspiring local filmmakers realise their potential.
The International Emerging Talent Film Festival (IETFF), known for its mission of discovering and promoting emerging cinema talent from around the world, encourages dialogue between filmmakers, promotes cultural diversity and international understanding and to engage the art of cinema, and aims to provide both opportunity and education to those who lack the resources for cinematic expression, according to the report sent Capital.
The conference will be opened tomorrow with speeches by the Ethiopian Minister of Culture, Ambassador Mohamoud Dirir and Mr Nureldin Satti, Director, UNESCO; and will continue with presentations of international film experts including Salim Amin, the CEO of Camerapix in Nairobi, and founder and Chairman of The Mohamed Amin Foundation and Chairman of A24 Media.
Mbaye Cham, Chairman and Professor of Literature and Film in the Department of African Studies at Howard University, Washington, D.C., Michael Auret, specialized Entertainment and Media consultant, Trey Ellis, a novelist, screenwriter, essayist and professor, whose works for the screen includes the Emmy nominated Tuskegee Airmen, and Good Fences, Samson Giorgis, Ethiopian filmmaker living in Paris, Moira Griffin, Vice President of Pipedream Productions overseeing development, Parine Jaddo, Iraqi-born filmmaker, Gaston Kaboré, who in 1997 won the first prize at the 15th Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) with the film Buud Yam and who from 1985 to 1997 was the Secretary-General of Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers, are reported to attend the conference.
The conference has also embraced the attendance of Salem Mekuria, Associate Professor of Art at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and Ethiopian independent film producer, writer, director; Eddie Mbalo, the CEO of The National Film and Video Foundation of the South African film and video industry; Kaare Melhus, Assistant professor at the Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication, Kristiansand, Norway; Keith Bowers works as a broadcasting consultant and teacher/trainer in a number of countries including the UK, Ethiopia, Kosovo and Spain; Metasebia Woldemariam, PhD,an Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Plymouth State University in Plymouth , New Hampshire, USA; and many others.

House splits on NEBE

By Kirubel Tadesse

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) received two opposite assessments from parliament as opposition party members say the board is incompetent and too weak for the job when the ruling party and affiliated parties see its performance promising as Opposition MP, Professor Beyene Petros, told NEBE Chair, Professor Merga Bekana, that the submitted annual performance report hardly shows the facts on the ground. “We have been here in the last 15 years elections and this year’s election conducted under this board passed as the worst, pushing away those of us who wish to remain in the process, “Beyene disputed the report which says NEBE, in the April elections, had achieved a better execution than the May 2005 elections. Beyene’s party, United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), had pulled out of the local councils and the bi-elections, accusing the ruling party of intimidating supporters and claiming that NEBE failed to address its complaints forwarded repeatedly. Even if it is after participating the first election (April 13th) Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement too had boycotted the election. NEBE in its report explains that the two parties left only on their own reasons, ruling out the alleged intimidations and absence of the needed observers in each polling station.
MP Beyene said that NEBE either lacked ability or wasn’t wiling to create favorable conditions for the opposition parties to compete the ruling party. Legesse Biratu (MP) of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy that lost in the elections sided with Beyene stating that NEBE had created a one man show for the ruling party’s to enjoy.
Lidetu Ayalew (MP), whose party didn’t participate in the Addis Ababa City Council Election, questions the assessment of NEBE which explains better participation from political parties than pervious elections after affirming that his party still believes that the board can work fairly and freely in the years to come. Lidetu, whose party participated in the board members selection, were interrupted by noise from MPs when he stated that the board didn’t enjoy enough chances to demonstrate its ability and commitment.
Sixty second chances distributed to some MPs including to Dr. Negaso Gidada were more time to unite opposition and affirm their dismay and dissatisfaction over the board’s performance. Some of the MPs questioned the NEBE report’s consistency which says that it had faced shortages in logistics during the election period but also states that it had worked efficiently and fairly.
Before NEBE chair responds to the opposition MPs, Government Whip, MP Shiferaw Jarso, inquested what NEBE is doing to introduce the relevant laws to the MPs, fearing that some of the MPs questions were raised due to lack of awareness. Shiferaw was quickly interrupted by former President (Dr. Negaso), who said that it was inappropriate to state that honorable members of the House are not equipped with the needed awareness of laws and regulations and needed to be corrected. The proposal was not accepted by Deputy Speaker Shitaye Minale, who had to shoot down another question from Professor Beyene.
NEBE explained that the recent local and bi elections had passed as being better than recent elections on all counts; fair and free process, record high voters (26, 360, 953), better reception of voters in polling stations (avoiding long queue seen in 2005) and timely announcement of results.
A majority of the House members saw the board’s first year performance as promising and its report as credible, even clapping in approval, to counter the pervious applause for Dr. Negaso from the opposition camp.

Another Kuwaiti entrepreneur shows interest in agriculture

By Groum Abate

Mr. Mohammad Abu Ghazaleh, chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte Produce, a leading global producer and distributor of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables as well as prepared food in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, along with the 98% owned “National Poultry Company” in Jordan, visited Ethiopia this week to invest in the agricultural sector.
The businessman visited Upper Awash Agro-Industry state farm and its environs and showed interest in investing in the sector.
The entrepreneur held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Addisu Legesse, officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The investor announced that he has come to Ethiopia upon the invitation extended by the Ethiopian Embassy in Kuwait.
The Kuwaiti Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. recently reported strong and increased financial results for the quarter which ended March 28, 2008.
The first three months of 2008 witnessed an increase in net income of $12 million and an increase in net sales of $58.9 million compared to last year’s results. The report highlighted a net income of $63.6 million for the first three months of 2008, compared to a net income of $51.6 million for the first three months of 2007. Net sales for the first quarter of 2008 were $894.9 million, compared to $836.0 million in the same period last year.
According to Forbes Magazine, established in 1892, Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as prepared food in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. With a global workforce of more than 38,000, Fresh Del Monte Produce employs 1,360 in Jordan and owns 98% of the Jordanian National Poultry Company, one of the leading producers of poultry in the Middle East.
Last week it was reported that a Saudi billionaire is eyeing Ethiopia for investment. The billionaire is keen to acquire Sodere Resort and the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing.
The Saudi billionaire met with various officials during the week also wishes to work with the government in different kinds of project under joint ventures. The billionaire, according to sources is interested to invest in Addis Ababa in the hotel and hospital sectors.
Sheikh Saeed, who is in the Forbes top 100 billionaires list and a Saudi Arabia citizen toured the country during the weekend.
The billionaire also met with President Girma W/Giorgis, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Investment Commission Commissioner Abi W/Meskel, Privatization and Public Enterprises Authority Beyene W/Meskel on his investment plans.

Ethiopian refugees’ clean stoves scheme wins international green energy award

By Our staff reporter

The world’s leading green energy prize awarded £20,000 for a pioneering sustainable energy project to the Gaia Association, an organisation working with the UNHCR in the Kebribeyah refugee camp near Ethiopia’s border with Somalia. The Ashden Awards prize was presented to Milkyas Debebe, Managing Director of the Gaia Association, by Kenyan Nobel Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.
The Gaia Association in Ethiopia is transforming the lives of refugees by distributing stoves that use ethanol fuel, a by-product of the sugar industry. The area around the Kebribiyah camp, home to 17,000 Somalian refugees, has suffered severe deforestation and women were always in danger of attack when they went out to collect fuel wood. The new stoves are healthier and more efficient – and families can avoid using wood altogether. Now Ethiopian manufacturers are producing the stoves locally.
“I gave my stove to my daughter when she got married, so she wouldn’t have to face the dangers of going out to gather firewood.” Refugee Women’s Committee member.
Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder and chair of the Ashden Awards said “Our judges were enormously impressed with the enthusiasm for the stoves among refugee women. Not only did the stoves prevent wood-collection, with its associated dangers and environmental impacts, they were also much safer, quicker and more pleasant to use, in particular avoiding the risk of respiratory and eye diseases from smoke inhalation.”
Accepting the Ashden Award on behalf of Gaia Association, Milkyas Debebe said “The Ethiopian people, especially women and children and our growing refugee population, suffer increasingly from poor energy choices and energy poverty. Gaia is pioneering ethanol stoves and fuel, using Ethiopia ’s natural resources. With support from the UNHCR and the Ethiopian government we are helping both Ethiopians and refugees. This Award will help us to reach more people in need.”
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Patron of The Ashden Awards, personally congratulated this year’s Ashden Awards winners at a separate meeting. A Clarence House spokesperson said “The Prince of Wales was deeply encouraged to learn of the solutions demonstrated by the Ashden Awards that can reduce our dependency on a carbon economy. His Royal Highness was particularly impressed by the local sustainable energy initiatives recognised and promoted by the Awards, which not only meet the needs of communities, but tackle climate change and further sustainable development.”
The Ashden Awards were unveiled on Thursday at a ceremony of the winners of the world’s leading green energy prizes. India’s Technology Informatics Design Endeavor (TIDE) won the title “Energy Champion” and a prize of 40,000 pounds (some 80,000 U.S. dollars). The TIDE develops and adapts wood-saving stoves for small businesses in South India. To date, 110,000 workers enjoy better conditions thanks to the 10,000 products the company has supplied, saving around 43,000 tons of wood each year.
Six other international pioneering renewable energy schemes were awarded 20,000 pounds each by the Britain-based Asheden Awards for Sustainable Energy, to promote replication and expansion of sustainable energy projects.
The six winners apart from Ethiopia’s Gaia were Brazil’s Cooperativa Regional de Eletrificacao Rural do Alto Uruguai Ltda which uses mini hydro to increase electricity supply on local grid, China’s Renewable Energy Development Project which brings affordable and high-quality solar lighting to rural China, India’s Aryavart Gramin bank in Uttar Pradesh which helps customers to buy solar home systems, Tanzania’s Kisangani Smith Group which develops two types of efficient biomass stove, and Uganda’s Fruits of the Nile which helps small rural farmers harness the power of the sun to dry and export fruit that is surplus to local demand.
While Bangladesh’s rural development bank Grameen Shakti won the 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award and a prize of 15,000 pounds. Grameen Shakti is a not-for-profit company that promotes, develops and popularizes renewable energy technologies in remote, rural areas of Bangladesh. It has installed 150,000 solar home systems and is adding around 5,000 new systems each month and has an ambitious goal of installing one million solar home systems and10 million improved cooking stoves by 2015.
Meanwhile, eight British projects also won the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy.
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy was founded in 2001 by the Ashden Trust, a Britain-based charity that works to increase the use of local sustainable energy worldwide.
The competition is held annually to identify and reward outstanding and innovative projects in Britain and developing countries which tackle climate change and improve quality of life by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency at a local level.

Israeli company introduces irrigation technology

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Targeting new trends of irrigation for different field crops in the country, a two day workshop on water management and Ethiopian agriculture was held June 17-18, 2008. The workshop was organized by Israel’s, NETAFIM, the world’s leading company in drip irrigation technology.
NETAFIM [Hebrew for drop] is a pioneering company in supplying equipments for drip.
According to Tshay Faybish, NETAFIM branch manager of Ethiopia, the workshop is timely and relevant to Ethiopia’s present context, because it is experiencing thriving agriculture particularly in the floriculture, fruit and vegetable sectors.
Yaacov Amitai, Israel Ambassador to Ethiopia, indicated that the seminar’s program, covering new trends in irrigation of bio energy crops, sugarcane, cotton, tea and coffee along with various fruits and vegetables, reflects the efforts of its organizers to provide the know-how and technological solutions relevant to Ethiopia’s determination to develop its cash-rich crops; traditional crops as coffee and new ones as tea and bio- energy crops, as well as supporting small holders to sustain their yields.
On the workshop, Adugna Jabessa, State Minister of Water Resources, said that expansion of modern irrigated agriculture is one of the development activities in which such partnership is most profoundly important.
“We all have irreplaceable roles to play in improving the current low level irrigation practices in Ethiopia,” he added.
The state minister also explained that the Government’s Irrigation Development Program (lOP) calls for an additional 274,000 hectares to come under irrigation within a 15-year plan period from 2002-2016, an increase of 135 percent over current levels. “It is my strong conviction that this two day workshop would enable us to look deep into the existing challenges and paves the way forward,” stated Adugna.
Over the past three years, NETAFIM has been providing state of the art drip irrigation equipment to over 30 agriculture companies in Ethiopia and is actively engaged in providing technical support and training to farmers.
“Aiming to provide and share their expertise, NEAFTM is planning to bring leading agronomists from other countries. NEAFTM is also planning to expand its presence and split its service provid on centers in Ethiopia, based on the different regional locations,” said Tsehay.
NETAFIM is present in over 110 countries, among these are 36 Sub Saharan and Northern African countries. It has recently joined the CEO Water Mandate, a collaborative partnership between the United Nations Global Compact, the Government of Sweden and a group of committed companies and specialized organizations dealing with the problems of global water scarcity and sanitation.
“The story of NETAFIM, characterized by sheer closeness between applied science and farming, reflects the success story of Israel’s agriculture to challenges posed by nature such as scarcity of water, which drove farmers to apply original scientific solutions,” Ambassador Yaacov Amitai said.
Papers on fundamental points to consider about Ethiopia’s agricultural context such as bio energy, growing sugarcane under drip as compared to flood risks, drip principles and solutions, marketing channels of vegetables to Europe and growing rice under drip were presented by agricultural professionals on the workshop.
The Government of Israel implemented the workshop through MASHAV, Center for International Cooperation of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which has been concentrating on capacity building since its inception in the late fifties.
In recognition of the importance of enlarging the scope of irrigated land and of introducing modern irrigation techniques to Ethiopia, the issue of water management and irrigation constitutes one of the components of the current three year joint technical cooperation program run by MASHAV, the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development of Ethiopia and USAID. According to this program, two irrigation demonstration plots have been established in Holleta and Malkasa aiming to function as means for transferring know-how on irrigation to Ethiopian farmers.
Ambassador Yaacov Amitai stated that, sophisticated as well as simple but relevant irrigation equipment accompanied by tuned training should raise the quantity and the quality of yields in big commercial plantations as well as contributing to better income and to food security at the household level.

Association to discuss women’s challenges

By Addis Mulugeta

A panel discussion is scheduled for June 28, 2008 to discuss on women’s challenges in a modern society, organized by Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). The panel discussion will take place at UNECA.
Nahu S. Girma, membership community chair of YWCA announced that introducing the work and functions of YWCA to the community, to attract women for membership, are women in Ethiopia united as a group? And does the platform have common vision, goals and cohesiveness? are some of the topics that will be discussed upon.
“We expect more than 450 people to attend the discussion,” said Nahu.
The mission of YWCA; is nourished by its roots in the Christian faith and sustained by the richness of many beliefs and values strengthened by diversity, and it draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women’s growth leadership, power in order to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people.
YWCA Ethiopia was founded in 1962, and began actively pursuing its goals through branches in Addis Ababa, Asmara, and Wonji. It also has close contacts with the world YWCA. At the time membership included Ethiopians as well as volunteers to support the work of the association at every level. However, in 1976 during the Derg regime, a ban was imposed to close YWCA and other NGOs in the country. YWCA funds of around 165,000 birr,properties and assets were confiscated and have not been returned.

Psychiatry Dept. organizes trauma awareness

By Addis Mulugeta

Psychology Beyond Borders (PBB) gave a two day training to 83 primary health workers on reducing community trauma caused by natural disaster, war and terrorist attacks, from June 17, 2008. The training was organized by Addis Ababa University’s (AAU) Psychiatry Department.
Medical doctors, behavioral scientists, psychiatrists and public health doctors were among the trainees.
According to Pamela Ryan (PhD), chair of the board, PBB, the training was mainly for primary health care workers and nurses to develop more confidence, and the ability to help others that are passing through tragic events.
Dr. Pamela Ryan after observing victims of tragic incidents said that women that suffer from fistula are rejected by the community which leads them to a disastrous desperation. The major aim of the training therefore is to train health workers to be more helpful to victims of such incidents.
Dr. Teshome Shibre, assistance professor of Psychiatry said that the training emphasized psychological problems. In many instances, psychological problems are ignored but these affect human life directly. The training gave primary health care workers and nurses a certain awareness to help them identify people with psychological trauma and then help as primary level of psychosocial health providers.
“The major challenge is that professionals give more attention to physical problems rather than psychological problems. A primary health care worker may not be aware about the psychological issues, so that is why this kind of training and research on psychological problems is important,” added Dr. Teshome.
PBB works with the community and has the experience in mass disaster, war, terrorism attack in countries like Sir Lanka, the US during Hurricane Katrina, Uganda and Thailand.

An international workshop on PhD

By Addis Mulugeta

Addis Ababa University (AAU) organized a two day international workshop in order to establish a number of international consortia that will facilitate the launch of several PhD programs on June 19-21, 2008, at the Akaki Campus.
According to the release, the specific objectives of the workshop are providing international faculty through block teaching, distance teaching, advising/ co-advising PhD dissertations, offering access of partner institute facilities to PhD candidates and facility members (E-library, laboratory) and facilitating short term exposure visits. On the other hand, a goal of the workshop was on establishing consortia for each academic track: health sciences, natural/ physical science, social sciences and humanities, engineering and technology, developmental studies, business and economics, communications, arts and design studies. Reviving draft PhD curricula and plan development of new PhD curricula, discussing collectively among members of the consortia on the identifying of common research areas, identifying the comparative advantage of each institution engaged in the consortia, developing working and management modalities for the consortia, plsanning for the next five years the contribution of each partner institution, faculty availability for block teaching, advising PhD candidates, defining research tracks, identifying new members to strengthen the consortia and so on forth.
AAU, as the oldest university in the country, is therefore entrusted with a critical task of providing qualified professionals to fast growing national demand. To this end, the university has endorsed a five year strategy plan. One priority issue in the strategic plan is producing 5000 PhD graduates in the next ten years and establishing 14 centers of excellence in research and teaching.