Capital

My change please!

Minister urges up scaling to world standards

By Tedla Yeneakal

CBE sues customs over wrong bill of lading

By Tedla Yeneakal

70% women in Sub Saharan Africa farm

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Court adjourns Shola-Jackros case

By Groum Abate

Forum discusses further realization of CRC

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Pedaling for millennium promises

By Addis Mulugeta

Chinese buses filling Addis streets

By Groum Abate

Community radio Vs state radio
Harar FM finally gets owner

By Abiy Demilew – Harar

Addis ranks 6th dirtiest city in the world

By our staff reporter

Millennium village still pending

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Teacher escapes jail sentence

By Groum Abate

ECA hosts ‘Science with Africa’ conference

By Kirubel Tadesse

ETC’s Jimma headquarters awaits land evacuation

By Tewodros Kebkab

Harar revitalization forum gains momentum in heritage town

By Abiy Demilew

ESL to assemble int’l reps in Djibouti

By Tedla Yeneakal

Former CUDP tries to break deadlock

By Kirubel Tadesse

ETC losing mobile experts

By Tedla Yeneakal

Only 83 engineers for one million Africans

By Kirubel Tadesse

United States certifies Sidama coffee brand

By Addis Mulugeta

A global campaign on Survive to 5

By Addis Mulugeta

Al-amoudi slips to 97th
Fortune rises by a billion dollars

By Groum Abate

My change please!

In the last few weeks, the country has been hit by a serious shortage of loose change, which ignited speculations and rumors as to the sudden scarcity of coins. People engaged in the service of breaking cash notes for coins have increased their rates for a 1 birr note to 75 cents compared to 90 cents previously. These are coin dispensers normally found around mini-bus taxis ranks where change is needed most. An official from the Federal Police discarded the rumors that the shortage is created by fraudulent business people, who are allegedly behind bars for trying to import fake coins into the country.

Minister urges up scaling to world standards

By Tedla Yeneakal

Minister of Capacity Building, Tefera Walewa, has emphasized the need for an increase in financial capabilities of local companies to become certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 Quality Management Standard.
Tefera told Capital that local companies employed international consultancy firms to attain effective national quality infrastructure in compliance with international standards, out of their own budgets. Which is a very important step, says the minister, for local companies to be competent in an increasingly globalized economy.
The first certifications of conformity in the construction center were awarded to eight enterprises from the fields of building construction, architectural and engineering services, at a ceremony held on Thursday, March 6 at the Hilton Hotel. The enterprises were assessed by three auditors from the German Certification Body ZDH Zert, GmbH in cooperation with the Ethiopian Quality and Standard Controlling Authority.
“More companies would be ISO certified in the future, as they build up their capacities, strengthening their financial abilities equipping their business with modern system,” Tefera said. “This would enable local companies to deliver quality products and services, taking the right steps of getting international recognition to seek international markets.”
The eight companies that received the Certificates of Conformity, part of the first lot of assessments are ABBA Architects, Equator Engineering PLC, ETG Designers and Consultants PLC, Life Consult, MH Engineering, Orbit Engineering, Tekeleberhan Ambaye Construction PLC and Tewodros Abera Building Contractor PLC.
Martin Hansen, Program Director at the University Capacity Building Program (UCBP) on his part told Capital that experts from his organization started monitoring 29 Ethiopian partner companies regarding their ISO 9001:2000, and after intense training eight of them have received their certificates.
“The auditors were really impressed by the remarkable operational performances of these companies,” the director said. “More companies will also join their trends in the near future.”
ISO is a non-governmental organization that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. On the one hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world’s largest developer and publisher of International Standards. It is a network of the national standards institute of 157 countries, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.

CBE sues customs over wrong bill of lading

By Tedla Yeneakal

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has filed a law suit against the Ethiopian Customs Authority, this week at the Federal High Court, over wrong bills of lading, that entailed the state owned bank to lose millions of birr.
According to charges read in court on Monday 3, March 2008, money was lost due to the negligence of customs officials relating to a process, whereby the bank releases documents on receipt from the negotiating bank but the importer does not pay the bank until the maturity of the draft is under the relative credit.
The bill of lading was received by the Customs Authority, wrongly acknowledging that the goods have been received on board, although the amount of money that the goods would cost was less than the expectation of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
The Court adjourned the hearing, giving time for CBE to gather more documents to substantiate its case.
According to the commercial code of the country, customs clearance of commercial goods is done by a clearing agent, trained and certified by the Customs Authority and licensed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The clearing agent produces a declaration for the imported items; Bona-fide/Genuine Invoice Insurance certificate; Way bill-i.e. airway bill, bill of lading and the like; Certificate of Origin; Bank Permit to Import the goods; Trade, Industry or Investment license/certificate in relation to the goods imported; Letter of permit from the concerned authority for restricted goods; Clean Report of Findings (CRF) or Non-Negotiable Report of Findings (NNRF) from the Pre-shipment inspection company.

70% women in Sub Saharan Africa farm

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Almost 7 out of 10 women (67.9 per cent) in the Sub Saharan Africa work in the agriculture sector, mainly in subsistence-level agriculture under harsh conditions and with little or no economic security, the report from the International Labor Office (ILO) disclosed.
The Office’s report, released yesterday March 8, says agriculture continues to provide the vast majority of jobs for the region’s women.
“A comparison of the rates by gender is 9.1 per, cent for women and 7.5 percent for men in 2007 and that the challenge is greater for women than for men,” indicates the report.
The female employment share in industry was almost unchanged during the last ten years at the world’s lowest level of 5.8 per cent. In comparison, the men’s share in industry is more than twice as high.
In the services sector, shares of women and men are very close at 26.4 and 25.2 per cent, respectively in Sub Sahara.
In 2007, more than 8 out of 10 (81.7 per cent) were doing so under vulnerable conditions as either an (unpaid) contributing family worker or own-account worker. That means less than 2 of 10 women had relatively higher economic security as either wage and salaried workers or employers.
The burden of vulnerable employment in the region continues to fall heavily on women who remain mainly in the agricultural sector and improvements in employment status and sectoral distribution seem to benefit mostly men.
In 2007, the share of women with a wage and salaried job stood at only 15.5 per cent, which represents half of the same share of men. Women face a higher risk of finding themselves unemployed in the region.
The few wage and salaried jobs that are created in the formal sector tend to go to men before women, which mean women in the region are generally left with the options of taking up vulnerable employment positions or remaining unemployed.
“The high economic activity of sub-Saharan women can be a positive force for increasing economic growth rates for the region, but only if productivity and working conditions are improved,” said the report.
A large proportion of women are working in the region should not be interpreted as a positive development (as it might be in other regions with higher levels of development) since the comparably high shares of employment are strongly related to the elevated incidence of poverty in the region.
“In this poorest region of the world, the male employment to population ratio continues to be higher than that of females,” said the report.
The difference between female and male employment to population ratios was 22.7 percentage points in 2007 as well as in 1997.
The report, released under the title Global Employment Trends for Women shows that in 2007, 1.2 billion women around the world worked, almost 200 million or 18.4 per cent more than ten years ago. But, the number of unemployed women also grew from 70.2 to 81.6 million over the same period and in 2007, women at the global level still had a higher likelihood of being unemployed than men.
The female unemployment rate stood at 6.4 per cent compared to the male rate of 5.7 per cent. As for women who do find work, they are often confined to work in the less productive sectors of economies and in status groups that carry higher economic risk and a lesser likelihood of meeting the characteristics that define decent work, including access to social protection, basic rights and a voice at work. Also, as a result of the type of work where women can find employment (in terms of both sector and status), they often earn less than men.
The report added that there are some positive trends as well: education levels for women around the world continue to increase and gender gaps for certain labour market indicators are decreasing in many regions including Sub Saharan Africa.

Court adjourns Shola-Jackros case

By Groum Abate

The Court of Cassation has adjourned to May 13, 2008 to give a verdict on the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to see the case concerning Shola Real Estate S.C and the 19 individuals that pressed charges against Shola.
The Federal High Court, which has been looking over the charges brought by 19 individuals against Shola Real Estate S.C., had passed a verdict favoring the plaintiffs last year. However, the defendants appealed to the Supreme Court.
The plaintiffs sued Shola, claiming that they should be entitled to a plot the share company leased from the city government, saying that they are also victims of Jackros Ethiopia.
The Ninth Civil Bench of the Federal High Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs saying that they should be entitled to get plots Shola received from the city administration in the name of the disgruntled home seekers.
The problem arose when the lease office notified Jackros in March, 1999 of its withdrawal of the land offer because Jackros failed to settle the lease price after repeated requests to do so. Subsequently, the plot was offered to another developer. When Jackros failed to pay back the advance payments it collected from its clients, they demanded payment from the insurer, United Insurance.
Federal Police had confirmed on investigation (in 1999) that over 230 people lost the money that they paid in advance to the real estate company. Only about 22 clients had been insured for advance payment bond.
The plaintiffs were among the over 230 that signed agreements with Jacross Ethiopia, which turned out to be a scam. The company collected 27 million birr from these individuals to build them homes, but never handed over a single structure.
In 1999, the unhappy home-seekers established a steering committee of 10 people that lobbied on behalf of what was later known as Victims of Jacros Ethiopia. The committee, along with the victims, established the Shola Real Estate S.C. a year later, as a prerequisite to get the plot that was given to Jacross by the city administration.
Shola had presented a land request to the Addis Ababa City Administration in 2000, claiming that they were not able to receive the homes they were promised, nor the money they had paid to Jacross. It was only right, they argued, that they be given plots to build other homes.
Bole Woreda Administration awarded the new company a 62,707sqm plot in the area now known as Yerer. Shola built homes for its 110 members, and 12 additional shareholders who joined the real estate later on, although, crucially, these were not jilted Jacross members.
The controversy that ended up in court began after Shola was given a 24,868sqm plot by the Addis Ababa City Administration in 2004, following a request it made claiming that there were additional 70 members that were not originally included. Shola went on issuing public announcements inviting interested home buyers to enter deals with it to own any of the 44 houses that it was interested to develop at a cost of 41 million birr.
The real estate company was, however, suspended from its attempt to build houses on the newly acquired plot due to a plea that was brought before the Federal High Court by the plaintiffs.
On February 2006, 19 individuals, that were part of the original Shola 230, sued the company, claiming that the company, which was granted the plots on their behalf, had no intention of handing the plot over to the rightful owners. They claimed that Shola had lost site of its obligation to Jackros victims and become a non-discerning real estate developer in its own right.
It awarded the most recently acquired plot to the plaintiffs, convinced that Shola only existed because of the victims initial attempt to recover from their Jackros losses.

Forum discusses further realization of CRC

By Muluken Yewondwossen

Following the decisions of the Cassation Bench of the Federal Supreme Court passed a year ago, the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) has facilitated a panel discussion on how to realize the international children’s rights convention in the country’s court system.
The Cassation Bench Court made the decision on November 6, 2007 based on the international convention which stresses the best interests of the child. The case in point was for legal guardianship of a child in the Southern Regions (SNNPRS) after his mother died, leaving him a substantial inheritance.
The child’s father filed a claim to the regional wereda court to be appointed as legal guardian of the child, which he was granted. But later as it prevailed, the father’s interest was solely to get at the mother’s money and he started withdrawing funds for his own benefit. Understanding the ongoing situation, the child’s aunt went to the regional court to object to the father’s guardianship. She revealed that the father is not acting in the child’s best interest but all the regional courts would not entertain her case.
After exhausting all available legal options in the region, she appealed to the Cassation Bench of the Federal Supreme Court, which assigned her to be the legal guardian of the child.
The investigation of the issue took into account whom could satisfy the best interests of the child, given that the best interest of the child is a primary consideration clearly stipulated in article 36/2 of FDRE constitution and article 3/1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Children’s Legal Protection Centere of ACPF provided the latter legal guardianship with the appropriate legal aid.
According to Getachew Asefa, law instructor at the Addis Ababa University, the Ethiopian Constitution stipulates that all international instruments ratified by the country are an integral part of the law of the land. One of such instruments ratified by Ethiopia is the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).”
On the panel discussion held on March 4, 2008 that was attended by executive legislatures, academicians, judiciaries and journalists, experts stressed that the international human right treaties should precede their implementation as the law of the country; and they have given an appreciation for the decision of the Cassation Bench. They stated that this decision is a milestone for the lower courts to implement international law as local law.
When the African Child Protection Forum (ACPF) was established in 2003 it had a capital of 170 thousand dollars. Which was later boosted to over one and half million dollars as of 2006, after support from plan international.
Currently the Forum has reached some 25 African countries through its research, international policy conferences and regional meetings. By 2011, it plans to have directly or indirectly expanded its out-reach to 35 African nations. With a focus on sub-Saharan Africa, it will explore the possibilities for a physical presence in West Africa, East and South Central Africa and Southern Africa.

Pedaling for millennium promises

By Addis Mulugeta

With the intention of promoting Africa’s diversity and to raise 300,000 USD for charity, six cyclists; Ollie Fegan, Denes Dwyer Niall.
Didi Francis, Grant McDermott and Gareth Brauteseth who are cycling through Africa have arrived here in Addis on March 5, 2008. The first three are Irish citizens while the others are from South Africa
The group made the commitment on January 8, 2008 after meeting in London to complete the Millennium Promise that an NGO established in alignment with the Millennium Development Goals and that works in
conjunction with the United Nations
So far the group has raised 140,000 USD.
The NGO that made the promise was founded by US Economist and academician Jeffrey Sachs, and mainly works to help African villages become self-sufficient. The organization currently operates in 80 African villages, helping to permanently improve the lives of 400,000 people and countless more via knock-on effects.
The group revealed it had traveled more than 2000kms.
During the tour the group got a chance to visit Gondar, where they visited one of the millennium promised village Koraro, in northern Ethiopia. The millennium villages takes a comprehensive approach to addressing extreme poverty by combining the best scientific and local knowledge.
According to the cyclists, the millennium villages address all the major problems simultaneously-hunger, disease, inadequate education, lack of safe drinking water, and absence of essential infrastructure- to assist communities on their way to self-sustainable development
The cyclists journey covers distances from Cairo to Cape Town.
On the announcement the group made on March 6, 2008, at the Irish Embassy in Ethiopia, the team plans to cycle to Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and will continue to Central Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Zambia into Botswana and then to its final destination, South Africa.

Chinese buses filling Addis streets

By Groum Abate

A second batch of 100 medium-sized passenger buses that were imported from China, purchased by the government with a loan secured from HSBC, has arrived in Djibouti. The buses are the second batch of a total order of 500 buses that are on order. 200 more buses are expected to arrive at the port by next week. The buses are imported with a view to alleviating the acute shortage of transportation in the city, and will be assigned to specific places and would give taxi services to the public in Addis Ababa and other major towns, in addition to existing buses.
The first 100 of the 500 medium-sized passenger buses arrived in Addis in January. the buses, which have a capacity of seating 27 passengers, were procured at a cost of 332,000 birr. The Ministry has already secured buyers for the 100 buses that arrived, of which 30% of the prices should be paid in advance and the rest, paid in five years time. Chinese bus maker Higer sold their bus at a price of 26,300 dollars at point of production. Walya Inter City Buses is represented for the after sales services. Higer is the biggest bus manufacturer in China.

Community radio Vs state radio
Harar FM finally gets owner

By Abiy Demilew – Harar

Initiated by AMARC and OXFAM – Canada, and established about five years ago, Harar FM finally has an owner, the Harari Regional State.
Harar FM was planned to be one of the community radios to launch in Ethiopia, as a test sample for expansion of community radios in the country. But for many years, it failed to be operational over the confusion of the ownership of the station.
Alemishet Teshome, Mass Media manager of the station, told Capital that the station was forced to be unoperational because of ownership issues. “Community radios are designed to be owned and run by the community itself. But here, it was impossible to have people understand the idea so the station was forced to be idle for many years.”
currently broadcasting four hours of daily, Harar FM is still faced with different challenges to run at full capacity, Alemishet says. “We’ve only got two people running the station now. We had serious problems in who budgets it and controls it.”
In recent negations with the Harari Regional Government, the ownership issue of the station seems resolved by the state fully taking on the station, according to Alemishet.
The station targets to serve the diverse local community in three languages Amharic, Harari and Oromifa. “But we don’t have adequate staff to handle these responsibilities. “ We are still forced to air music for run most of the four hour transmission.”
According to Alemishet, the license obtained from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Agency allows the station six hours of transmission. And to even start broadcast for six hours they still have to wait for the basic challenges like a budget and the ownership to be addressed in practical manners.
According to a visit made to the station facilies by Capital, it was has observed that the quality of the broadcast studios, equipment and other standards could enable the station to broadcast digitally produced programs 24/7.
“Now we are trying to broadcast some live programs focusing on the basic issues of the community within the four hour transmissions” says Alemishet. “Just with these short programs, we have seen the importance of having such radios to address community issues,” he concluded.

Addis ranks 6th dirtiest city in the world

By our staff reporter

The magazine of the American media and publishing company, Forbes, ranked Ethiopia's capital city as the sixth dirtiest city in the world.
Addis Ababa's sanitation problems were cited as the main reason for this dishonorable rank of Ethiopia's capital city. Forbes said the city, "faces one of the worst sanitation problems on both the continent of Africa as well as in the world."
Other low ranking places in Forbes' list include cities in Mexico, Haiti, Madagascar, Bangladesh and India. Most notably, the Forbes magazine ranked Baghdad as the eighth dirtiest city in the world.
Though there have been recent attempts to clean up the image of Addis Ababa, most say the effort is only focused in the areas around Bole sub-city. The magazine added that "the lack of adequate sanitation programs results in infant mortality, low life expectancy and the transmission of water borne diseases" in Addis Ababa.
According to a recent global report, the world has to face the fact that dirt costs, and dirty cities cost big time. Today over half the world lives in urban as opposed to rural environments.
"Urban environments create their own ambiance. The dirty cities are where air pollution, water pollution, ground pollution and open landfill problems are out of control. To these less-than-glorious conditions there may be added in some cities mercury or lead poisoning, radiation poisoning or other severe risks," reads the report.
The Blacksmith Institute's 2006 report states that, "living in a town with serious pollution is like living under a death sentence. If the damage does not come from the immediate poisoning, then cancers, lung infections, mental retardation are likely the outcomes."
Of the 10 most polluted cities according to the Blacksmith Institute report, three are in the Russian Federation. The Ukraine's Chernobyl remains at the top of the list 20 years after the horrendous nuclear accident there.

Millennium village still pending

By Muluken Yewondwossen

The meeting called by the project organizer of the Ethiopian Millennium Village on March 6, 2008, was concluded without a result, post pending its scheduled inauguration day.
Murad Mohammed manager and project director of the Village told Capital that they were expecting the regions’ to decide on how to fund the project to its realization.” “But the regional representatives said that they can not decide at their level,” he added.
Participants of the meeting have decided to call another session to realize this village and stressed that representatives from the Federation Council, the National Millennium Secretariat head, Culture and Tourism Minister, head of the Addis Ababa City Administration, Federal Affairs Minister, presidents of regional states and other decision makers should participate on the next meeting.
According to them, the reason to call these higher officials is so that they can decide the regional fund contribution, the future existence of the village and other related issues.
The regional representatives have raised different questions about the project including the profit distribution, the mandate and ownership of the village.
Project manager, Murad said that every regional state would manage the symbol of their regional compounds. “According to the project there are many income generating events that would be available at every region’s location and these regions will earn incomes from their compounds,” he told Capital.
He stated that the entrance fee earned from visitors and the income that is generated from Addis Ababa compound will be distributed among the organizers (Adventure Play Guard and Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat). However, some of the participants of the meeting told Capital that their region would not accept this.
The Ethiopian Millennium Village is planned to be built, by Adventure Play Guard and Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat in the shape of the Ethiopian map, at a cost of more than 50 mln ETB, with the contribution of regions. It was expected to be inaugurated on May 28, 2008, the anniversary of the downfall of the Derg.
Some participants who came from different regional states said that the project is fine but that the village would be destroyed after a few months and that the funds contributed are wasted with out benefit.
Aliye Oumer, head of the Oromia Culture and Tourism Bureau, said on the meeting, that the project was late.
He stated, “Currently, our region has already has proposed to construct the Oromia Cultural Village, inside the region so we may not participate on this project.”
For the construction work of this Millennium Village, the organizers have obtained 160 thousand sq meter land at Adwa Park in Bole Sub city on a one-year loan from the Environmental Protection Authority.
According to the project proposal, the village will include all regional tourist attraction areas, heritages, souvenir shops, traditional concerts and restaurants.

Teacher escapes jail sentence

By Groum Abate

Jill and Gary Campbell, charged with defamation in 2001 and ordered to apologize to Terre des Hommes-Lausanne (TdH) or face jail, avoided a prison term on Friday, despite Jill refusing to comply with the court’s order to apologize to the Swiss charity for accusing it of covering up sex abuse at a children’s home.
The charity admitted abuse had been committed but rejected the couple’s accusations of a cover-up.
Jill Campbell had faced a possible six months in prison for refusing to apologize.
She refused over claims the charity had covered up the actions of pedophiles at its home in the village of Jari in Dessie.
She was convicted of defamation by a court but because she refused to apologize, was due to go to prison until the charity backed down on Friday on its charges, after her husband apologized.
The couple had compiled evidence that helped convict David Christie, the British director of an orphanage run by Terre des Hommes-Lausanne, of abusing several young boys. He was sentenced in 2003 to nine years of hard labor. Another man, Mark Lachance, who frequently visited the home, admitted abusing children and committed suicide.
“This case is not about me,” she said after the case was closed. “It’s about the victims who have been left behind.”
The Campbells have lived in Addis Ababa for 14 years. Mrs Campbell works at Sandford English Community School.
Gary Campbell publicly apologized and was no longer facing jail, but his wife refused and was to be sent to prison for six months.
She became aware of allegations of abuse through a colleague at the school whose boyfriend worked at Terre Des Hommes (TdH) in Jari.

ECA hosts ‘Science with Africa’ conference

By Kirubel Tadesse

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) hosted the ‘Science with Africa’ conference From March 3-7, 2008.
Targeting to promote South-South and North-South cooperation in Science Technology, and Innovation (STI) through synergies between African-based scientific organizations and those out side the continent, the conference gathered more than seven hundred policy and decision makers, scientists, entrepreneurs, journalists, and students from African countries, international organizations and others.
The conference discussed intellectual property rights, STI policy and international programmes to support STI. Patents and technology transfer, energy, water transport and infrastructure, information communication technologies and developing guideline for health research in Africa are also among the agenda in this conference held in the African capital, Addis Ababa.
After three days of discussions the conference highlighted the need for African countries to prioritize innovation as part of their Science and Technology strategy for job creation, market competitiveness and wealth creation. “African countries should develop national innovation systems that have clear development indicators and clear interface between education, research, STI policy and business enterprises,” stated the conference outcome and recommended actions statement.
During the conference, 5,000 inspirations were collected in the Creative Workshop and at the Ideation Shop, these were compressed to 450 proposals of which 144 have been examined by a panel of experts. Twenty ideas were visualized and presented to the conference. The aim of the Idea Factory is to generate ideas, select and implement innovative ones. A workshop devoted to the implementation of the outcomes of the Idea Factory will be organized in Africa by the ECA and BrainStore a few months after the conference.
Discussing the intellectual property rights, patents and technology transfer, the conference explained that the continent has two institutional patents registration organizations, one for Francophone Africa and another for Anglophone Africa and the AU has recently decided to establish a continent wide organization, the pan-Africa Intellectual Property Organization (PAIPO). It was suggested that all the three organizations and national bodies should embark on intensive capacity building and awareness raising campaigns in intellectual property rights and patent issues and should enhance their role as custodians of the governance of African’s indigenous knowledge.
During the conference, it was also reported that 75% of the sub- Saharan African population has no access to electricity despite the fact that the continent has abundant primary energy resources; water for hydropower, oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear. It was also explained that this condition negatively impacts the attainment of the MDGs.

ETC’s Jimma headquarters awaits land evacuation

By Tewodros Kebkab

The state owned Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is still awaiting a response from Jimma’s Land and Development Office, to launch construction of its regional headquarters.
ETC claimed the land for the proposed construction two years ago.
Leggesse Feyessa regional manager of ETC told Capital however that the Corporation is waiting for a reply from the Office in order to start building work.
“We have paid compensation to house owners that vacated the spot we have claimed, amounting in 2006, to over 581,000 birr.
“We believe offices that provide infrastructural services should be given such privileges, since they only aim to serve the public residing in the,” added Leggesse.
Even if ETC has paid for a 10,000 square meters plot, the Land and Development office of the regional allocated only 7 ,200 square meters.
Jimma is found 346 kms west of Addis Abeba in the main coffee growing region.

Harar revitalization forum gains momentum in heritage town

By Abiy Demilew

The Harar Revitilisation Forum, organised and supported by the World Bank and the Harari Regional Government, focusing on various challenges of Harar town, ended with proposed solutions from different stakeholders in the the world heritage town, this ended week.
The Harar Revitalization Forum held vibrant discussions on Cultural Heritage Preservation, Tourism Development, Infrastructure, Housing and Settlement, Governance and Economic model, suported by international presentations and the experiences of Egypt , Morrocco and Zanzibar .
The forum disucussed most of the highlighted challenges Harar and its people face at the moment, like sanitation and over population.
The preservation of Harar town and its tourist development activities featured on most of the discussions attended by a large number of local and international participants.
Murad Abdulahi, President of the Harari Regional State , outlined his government’s vision for Harar and the forum’s role in developing the initiative towards the revitalization and development of Harar town.
Valerie Schuster, Key isue manager, private sector development, GTZ – ecbp, told Capital that the forum helped display the international community of the initiation of the regional leaders and at the same time the federal government’s readiness.
“The first thing that really needs to be addressed is the awarness building issue on what the idea of being a world heritage town and the proposed solutions towards the challenges the people of Harar are facing,” Valerie, who also was moderator of the meeting, told Capital.
According to Valerie, the meeting has shown light on preserving and protecting the old town, in creating more opportunities for the people of Harar to benefit from the world tourism industry.
Sibhat Nega, senior member of the Central Committee of EPRDF, addressed the meeting saying that any single move towards development starts from small resources incorporating and involving different factors.
“Involvements should always need to be based on the foundations of accepting, respecting the uniqueness of the Harari culture and traditions,” Sibhat told the meeting.
“Urban or architectural heritage does not exist by itself. It is the result of a process of (re)creation and promotion of heritage value. Those actions are undertaken by different groups of actors, motivated by specific stakes and in order to reach specific goals.” said Dr. Omnia Aboukorah, French Research Institute CEDEJ, Cairo , in her presentation.
The forum outlined the rationale for having a public-private forum to develop a vision for the revitalization of Harar for a co-ordinated strategy and framework (of multiple stakeholder groups such as civil society, government, private sector, Diasporas and development partners) is to be developed for implementation.
The Harar Revitalization Forum will serve as a Public-Private development forum where potential stakeholders and contributors will brainstorm and address the major thematic priorities of the effort, including the issues both on urban development (such as water supply, physical development, housing upgrade and resettlement, and the fiscal sustainability of the destination) and city culture and tourism (such as thematic and cultural development of the city, expanding the handicraft sector, services, marketing and positioning). Key international experts will attend the conference as guest speakers to contribute to the process, Capital learnt.

ESL to assemble int’l reps in Djibouti

By Tedla Yeneakal

he national carrier Ethiopian Shipping Lines S.C. has invited company representatives from more than 60 agents around the world in Djibouti, this week on Thursday, to evaluate its annual general performance.
An official from ESL told Capital that the meeting will enable international representatives from around the world, to promote Ethiopia, specifically targeted on the theme of the Ethiopian millennium.
“Amongst other things, we will use the forum to evaluate our performances by sharing experiences from our agents so that our performance would improve,” the official said.
ESL provides liner service in its North Continent and Mediterranean route, Far East route, Arabian Gulf and Indian Sub Continent route, giving a cross trade service mostly from Europe to the Red sea and Gulf ports.
The managing director of ESL, Ambachew Abreha is expected to chair the meeting and will solicit ideas on improving services to increase revenue.
Meanwhile, the management of ESL is finalizing a study it has been carrying out for the past two years to increase the salaries of employees.
Sources told Capital that the increment would reach as high as 130 % for ships’ captains and it is indicated that the company’s board of directors has approved the new salary adjustment.
The Ethiopian Shipping lines (ESL) has over 550.
ESL last year earned a 286 million birr profit. It was established more than 40 years ago as a share company with a capital of birr 50,000 and subsequently raised to 3,750,000birr. A US based company Taurus Investment Inc. to subscribe to 51% of the capital requirements designating two directors of the company. The Ethiopian government under wrote the remaining 49% of the capital required designating two directors of the company. Eventually, the Americans sold their share to the Government of Ethiopia and the company has been fully state owned by the government of Ethiopia since 1970.
The company is now restructured into a share company with a capital of birr 289 million.

Former CUDP tries to break deadlock

By Kirubel Tadesse

Trying to break the deadlock after losing the ‘Coalition’ brand to Ayele Chamiso, and witnessing disputes between two groups within the party, the former Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), led by its first vice president, Birtukan Mideksa, took the first step to form a new party, following its supreme council’s approval of the move by majority vote.
On its last week meeting, thirty out of the thirty-three members of the supreme council approved the decision of claiming a new party. The meeting also awarded the executive committee to complete the legal process and name for the party within a month period.
Following the decision of the supreme council, twelve members including Dr. Yakob Hailmariam, Dr. Shimeles Tekletsadik, Temesgen Zewdie, Birtukan Mideksa, and Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw, submitted a three page letter to the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, explaining their desire to form a new national political party, on Thursday March 6, 2008.
Asking for a response for their request of support letters for forty eight individuals who will gather 1500 signatures needed to form the new party, Muluneh Eyuel, Secretary of the former CUDP, went to the Electoral Board on Friday March 7, 2008, only to learn of the denial of the request from the Board, which sought a party name from the twelve applicants in order to issue the supporting documents.
Following the denial of the support letter, Birtukan told Capital that a meeting has been called for Monday, March 10, 2008, to comply with the Board’s request and to come up with the party’s name. According to Birtukan the name of the party which will be unveiled tomorrow will be entirely different from ‘CUDP’, following the supreme council’s decision not to have a similar name to avoid any possible confusion.
During the meeting that pushed a new party’s formation, the parliamentarians group that united itself with the majority of CUDP former leaders and had its twelve members elected to the supreme council, gained two more key positions as Temesgen Zewdie and Mohammed Ali were elected to the executive committee. Dr. Hailu Araya, Kefele Tigeneh and Asrat Tase also joined the committee. The five new members of the executive will replace Dr. Mulualem Tarekegn, who left the country giving up politics and another four that are now in another party.
It is to be recalled that on 15 October 2005, the merger announced by the four member parties of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) was not recognized by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), which only recognized them as a Coalition which ran for the 2005 elections.
The United Ethiopian Democratic Party-MEDHIN, the All Ethiopian Unity Party, Rainbow Ethiopia Movement for Democracy and Social Justice and the Ethiopian Democratic League had applied on 19 October 2004 to form a Coalition for the May 15 federal and regional parliamentary elections and later they pushed for a merger to form one party that failed when the United Ethiopian Democratic Party- MEDHIN withdrew and its then Secretary Lidetu Ayalew (MP), decided not to put the official stamp on the merger document.

ETC losing mobile experts

By Tedla Yeneakal

More than ten technicians working in the mobile division of the state owned Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) have left their jobs in the past two months to take up better posts with Swedish-based company’s branch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), company sources disclosed.
According to information obtained, this is the highest number of technicians that have left the company at one time since ETC started the services.
“Any employee would leave for a better pay in any given circumstances, it has nothing to do with the corporation’s current operation,” an official with ETC said. “It would be difficult to replace these technicians within a short period, as some of them have received intensive training locally and in China.”
ETC and Ericsson have a vigorous relationship, with Ericsson jointly taking up a mobile network expansion project with Nokia, in January 2005, a venture that had the capacity of serving 650,000 subscribers, at a cost of more than 427 million birr.
Moreover, Ericsson is one of the companies that has engaged itself in presenting project proposal that includes financing programs from governments and international banks.
ETC requires 2.4 billion dollars in financing for projects planned for the next four years. To secure the financing and quickly implement its ambitions, ETC is using a new strategy of allowing bidding companies a packaged deal whereby they find the financing for the projects concerned, in conjunction with the work bid.
The corporation recently announced that it has secured a 728.4 million birr net profit in the first half of the 2000 Ethiopian fiscal year. During this period, it has managed to serve 661,800 new customers. It has obtained a total of 1.95 billion birr, which was slightly short of its’ target of 2.25 billion birr.

Only 83 engineers for one million Africans

By Kirubel Tadesse

As a result of very low investments in Africa on research and development, less than 1% of its GDP, the continent faces a very high shortage of skilled manpower in almost all fields of science.
Worsening the situation for Africa, the inadequate quality and quantity of scientific personnel being trained in the continent is being compounded by the brain drain, said Abodulie Janneh, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA, speaking at the opening session of ‘Africa with Science Conference’ on March 3, 2008.
Janneh explained it is estimated that while Africa has 83 engineers for every one million people, the developed world has 1000 engineers per one million people.
According to his presentation, up to 300 South African specialists nurse are thought to leave their country every month, while Zambia has seen its pool of doctors diminish four-fold in the past few years. The condition of most African countries is similar; in the case of Egypt, 45,000 Egyptians scientists in a variety of fields- including 600 in rare specializations, have emigrated over the last 50 years.
“Nations who are able to thrive in a highly competitive global economy are those that can compete in high technology and intellect,” explained Janneh,” there is a strong correlation between the size of investments that a nation makes in research and development and its level of development.” He stressed the urgent need for Africa to put research and development as a priority since economic development is quite dependent on scientists and engineers who discover, innovate and invent.
Despite sturdy obstacles, UN Under-Secretary-General sees positive indications, South Africa, Uganda and Ghana, who are amongst others emphasized their intention to increase investment in research and development in their 2006- 2007 budgets.
World Bank data shows that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries spend more on research and development annually than the total value of economic output of sixty one of the world’s poorest countries.

United States certifies Sidama coffee brand

By Addis Mulugeta

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has certified Sidama as a brand of international coffee products. The records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office show that an application for registration of the Mark shown in the certificate was filed in the Office; that the application was examined and determined to be in compliance with the requirements of the law and with the regulations prescribed by the director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; and that the application is entitled to registration of the Mark under the Trademark Act of 1946, as amended.
Director General of Ethiopian Intellectual Property Right office, Getachew Mengeste, stated that after long years of negotiations, Sidama brand is certified to be used as a Trademark. Among the difficulties that Ethiopia had faced to use Sidama as a brand name so far were; an application letter by another country to use Sidama as a brand, the National American Coffee Association written 442 pages notified not to use Sidama as a brand and different countries using Sidama as a brand, such as Japanese and German companies. These things made it difficult to obtain and use Sidama as a trademark.
At the moment, Ethiopia has signed an agreement with more than seven countries, and 70 companies who to export Ethiopian coffee. Ethiopia is also chosen to participate on an exhibition to be held May 2-5 2008 in America . This opportunity will help to introduce the Sidama brand to the international market, Getachew said.
In Ethiopia, 47 coffee exporters and 3 farmers unions made an agreement to work together to increase the capacity and volume of coffee production.
The negotiations will also continue to get Harar brand , he concluded.

A global campaign on Survive to 5

By Addis Mulugeta

Save children, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health has was launched Survive to five, a global advocacy campaign aimed at strengthen international commitment at the national and international level to increasing resources and providing policy support for child health programming.
In connection of the launching of Survive to 5, Save the Children USA, President and CEO, Charlie MacCormack, Save the Children spokesperson and Actress Jessica Lange , the head child of health and nutrition unit Dr Tedbab Degefie, and Ministry of Heath family health department head Dr. Nigist Tesfaye, explained the strategy of survive to 5 here in Ethiopia to the media at a press conference held on March 7, 2008, at the Sheraton Hotel.
According to Dr. Nigist Tesfay, the recent demographic health survey showed, 376,000 children under the age of 5 die every year in Ethiopia, out of these 120, 000 are newborns.
“The health extension program, which is a key component of this strategy, aims to deliver basic preventive and essential health service to the community that otherwise have no access to health service-approximately 85 percent of the population.
In this regard, the Ministry is working hard on increasing the availability of health facilities and the needed human resources through its accelerated expansion of health services program,” she added.
Another part of the national stratagem is dedicated to an ambitious program to reduce child mortality rates by tackling malaria.
Dr. Tedbabe Degefie, Senior health and nutrition specialist /manager, Save the Children USA, on her part said that 376, 900 children died each year before their birth day mainly to pneumonia, Diarrhea and malaria. However, the under five mortality rate has decreased from years 2002-2005 with the efforts made by different voluntary organization and individuals. The high level of under 5 mortality in the country is attributable to various factors including high general mortality rates, short birth intervals, low coverage of maternal and child care services.
Dr. McCormack, stated on his part this year, out of 70, 000 children, 28, 000 died by vulnerable causes , however 40, 000 children are alive because of the cooperation of individuals and voluntary organizations, including Save the Children.

Al-amoudi slips to 97th
Fortune rises by a billion dollars

By Groum Abate

Ethiopian born Saudi business tycoon Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-amoudi, slipped to 97th place from 86th rank in 2007, but his fortune grew by a billion dollars to 9 billion dollars.
According to the annual Forbes billionaires list, the tycoon moved down 11 places, even though his wealth rose considerably.
In 2002, Al-amoudi had a net worth of 1.5 billion dollars and ranked 293, but remarkably grew to 77th in 2006 after oil prices shot up, with a net asset of 6.9 billion dollars. He then slipped to 86th place with 8 billion dollars in 2007.
Born in Ethiopia and now a Saudi citizen, Al Amoudi made his fortune in construction and real estate before betting on energy. He owns Swedish refinery Preem as well as Svenska Petroleum, which made big plays in Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Angola this year.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman, Warren Buffett, has the top spot on Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires worldwide, ending a 13- year reign for Microsoft Corp.’s co-founder.
Buffett’s wealth increased by 10 billion dollars to about 62 billion in the 12 months through Feb. 11, mostly from a gain in his company’s shares.
The fortune of Gates, 52, rose $2 billion to $58 billion. The Microsoft chairman fell to third on the list behind Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim, 68, who has an estimated net worth of $60 billion.
Forbes’s list shows wealth expanding in emerging markets around the globe, with Russia overtaking Germany as the second- richest country, and 70 percent of newcomers from Russia, India, China and the U.S. In 2006, half of the top 20 billionaires came from the U.S. This year there were only four Americans.
Indian steel entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal was fourth, and one of four Indians in the top 10. Estranged brothers Mukesh and Anil Ambani, whose father founded the Reliance Group of companies, were fifth and sixth, and Kushal Pal Singh, who heads property developer DLF Ltd., moved up 54 spots to eighth with $30 billion.
Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad was seventh with $31 billion, making him the list’s top European, while Russia’s richest man, Oleg Deripaska, was ninth with $28 billion. Retired German supermarket mogul Karl Albrecht was 10th with $27 billion.
There are 1,125 billionaires on the list from 54 countries and one principality, or 179 more members than a year ago, with a total net worth of $4.4 trillion. The average worth of a list member is $3.9 billion, or about $250 million more than last year.
The average age dropped to 61, helped by Russia, where the average of billionaires is 46, and China, where the average is 48, the magazine said. China’s richest person is 26-year-old Yang Huiyan. She is the owner of property company Country Garden Holdings Co., listed at 125 with $7.4 billion.
The youngest member on the list was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 23, at 785 with $1.5 billion, the youngest self-made billionaire ever to make a Forbes list.
The world’s richest woman, France’s Liliane Bettencourt, the daughter of the founder of the L’Oreal SA cosmetics company, was 17th, with $22 billion. The average net worth of women on the list was $3.7 billion.
Al-amoudi’s investment arms include
CORRAL Group - is a holding company for oil and gas related business interests based mostly in Sweden, Morroco and Lebanon:
Corral Petroleum Holdings AB (Sweden)
Preem Petroleum AB (Sweden)
Svenska Petroleum Exploration AB (Sweden)
Corral Finans AB (Sweden)
Corral Morocco Gas and Oil (Morocco)
Société Anonyme Marocaine de l’Industrie du Raffinage (Morocco)
Coral Oil Company (Lebanon)
Speed Oil Company (Lebanon)
ABV Rock Group - a holding company for construction related businesses (Saudi Arabia, Sweden). The sister companies of ABV Rock are:
Saudi ABV General Contractors Company
Innovators Consulting Engineers
Yanbu Steel Company
Trans Desert Transport Company
Metal Service Company
MIDROC Europe - Formed in 1996 through the acquisition of a number of contractors, Midroc Europe operates in the Scandinavian and international contracting markets, focused on the civil construction, industrial and environmental contracting sectors. The Midroc group in Scandinavia is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Amoudi and the Wikström family (allegedly a front for Al Amoudi holdings). The Midroc group in Europe consists of the following companies:
Midroc Construction
Midroc Engineering
Midroc Electro
Midroc Environment
Midroc Project Development (MPD)
Midroc Real Estate
BAC Corrosion Control
Metalock
Alucrom
GP Ställningar
Rodoverken
MIDROC Ethiopia Investment Group - is a holding company for over 30 enterprises and business interests in diversified sectors. Managed under parent MIDROC Group is MIDROC Ethiopia Technology Group which has 11 businesses under its management:
MIDROC Gold Mine PLC
ELFORA Agro-Industries PLC
Huda Real Estate PLC
Kombolcha Steel Products Industries PLC (KOSPI)
Modern Building Industries PLC (MBI)
Trust Protection and Personnel Services PLC
Addis Home Depot PLC
Trans Nation Airways PLC
Addis Gas & Plastics Industry PLC
Wanza Furnishings Industry PLC
Daylight Applied Technologies PLC
Other businesses under MIDROC Ethiopia include:
Sheraton Addis
Midroc Construction Ethiopia
Moha Soft Drinks S.C.
National Mining Corp. (Kenticha Tantalum Mine, Lega Dembi Gold Mine)
National Motor Companies
Ethio Leather Industries (ELICO) P.L.C.
Bauer-Midroc
Sara Lamps
Ethio Coffee & Tea Plantation & Marketing P.L.C.
MIDROC stands for Mohammed International Development Research and Organization Companies

My change please!

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My change please!

Minister urges up scaling to world standards

CBE sues customs over wrong bill of lading

70% women in Sub Saharan Africa farm

Court adjourns Shola-Jackros case

Forum discusses further realization of CRC

Pedaling for millennium promises

Chinese buses filling Addis streets

Community radio Vs state radio Harar FM finally gets owner

Addis ranks 6th dirtiest city in the world

Millennium village still pending

Teacher escapes jail sentence

ECA hosts ‘Science with Africa’ conference

ETC’s Jimma headquarters awaits land evacuation

Harar revitalization forum gains momentum in heritage town

ESL to assemble int’l reps in Djibouti

Former CUDP tries to break deadlock

ETC losing mobile experts

Only 83 engineers for one million Africans

United States certifies Sidama coffee brand

A global campaign on Survive to 5

Al-amoudi slips to 97th Fortune rises by a billion dollars

Community radio Vs state radio
Harar FM finally gets owner

Al-amoudi slips to 97th
Fortune rises by a billion dollars

Community radio Vs state radio
Harar FM finally gets owner

Al-amoudi slips to 97th
Fortune rises by a billion dollars