The 2019/20 Ethiopian Super League’s new season kick-off date is the 15th of December. Thirty six teams are in three groups with the top finishers of each group vouching for automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season.
Three former Premier League teams: Ethio-Electric, Dedebit and Weldya in serious contention of promotion, group (A) season opening match brings heavy weights Electric and Dedebit to a head on clash in Mekele. Through two seasons in the woods Electric is rumored to be in sheer determination to promotion, with foreign players in the squad Dedebit appears to have better chance of returning to the upper tier. 
Former Premier League side Weldya Town entertains Federal Police in the country’s number one venue Sheik Mohammed Al-Amoudi Stadium while Mekele Cup’s strong side Soloda Adwa travels to North of the Capital to visit Gelan Town. Long in quest of promotion Wello Kombolcha is once again in action hosting newly promoted side Akaki Kality.
Last season’s strong promotion contender Legetafo-Legedadi takes visitors Dessie Town in the season opening matches. Having a good record in the Mekele City Cup and is expected to mount a strong promotion contention Axum Town faces visitors Semen-Shoa Debreberhan.
Dedebit entertains Electric in Super League
Saint Gorge Vs Sebeta, Coffee Vs AbaJifar
Addis Ababa City Cup champion Saint George entertains visitors Sebeta Town on Tuesday while Ethiopia Coffee hosts former champions Jimma AbaJifar on Wednesday.
After a unconvincing away goalless draw in the season opening match against new comers Wolkite Town last Sunday, Saint George home supporters are anxiously awaiting the showdown against visitors Sebeta Town not yet recovered from the shocking 3-1 home defeat to Welwalo Adigrat.
Spearheaded by two foreign strikers: Atusay Endo and Zabo Teguy, Saint George appeared to miss the service of back to good form Salhadin Said. WIth few goals and hardly an impressive performance, Serbian Coach Srden Zivojnov is under an obligation of winning the game on Wednesday in order to get off the hot seat.
Though denied to have the service of his three foreign players due to a silly technicality, Webetu needs to at least share a point to give club supporters some confidence. A season opening 3-1 home defeat is by all means hard to swallow for the club supporters therefore Sebeta players are under pressure to come with something to show off. What a showdown on Wednesday.
Thursday brings you Kassaye Arage’s Ethiopia Coffee to a head on clash against visitors Jimma Abajifar in Addis Ababa Stadium. Just one win and two goals in the past six matches including the City Cup, Ethiopia Coffee’s season opening 1-0 away defeat to Sehul-Shere led supporters to a huge disappointment therefore Kassaye is under a must win situation.
Former Ethiopia Coffee defender later Coach Paulos Getachew (Mango) in the hot seat, AbaJifar is in search of its first three points in the new season. His three expatriates to be available fresh and in hunger of a win, AbaJifar have everything at least in theory to return home with a win.
DIPLOMATIC BAZAAR 2019
DECEMBER 7TH, SHERATON UPPER PARKING LOT
History
The Diplomatic Bazaar started over 30 years ago in the corridor of the Hilton Hotel.
At that time it was a small event, where only a few embassies and organizations sold country specific goods. Even 30 years ago it was a fund raising event, and all proceeds went to small scale projects benefitting the most vulnerable in Addis. At that time projects were in and around Addis Ababa because it was not safe to travel throughout the country. Over the years the bazaar and its number of participants has grown significantly, and the location has changed several times, from the Hilton to embassy residences to the Millennium Hall to UNECA. This year it is held at Sheraton for the first time. Last year we had roughly 9000 visitors in 1 day.
Aim
The bazaar is a fund raising event where embassies and diplomatic organizations can sell goods. You will find mostly country specific goods and food, from Ghanaian fabrics to French wine, from Norwegian salmon to South African biltong. All participants sign a contract that they hand over 100% of their profit to DSGE. Also companies that sell things like water, ice cream or even the circus at the kid’s corner do so as a donation or give the proceeds to DSGE. All proceeds go to support the most vulnerable in Ethiopia.
This year’s bazaar
This year the bazaar will be held at the Sheraton on December 7th. Doors open at 8:30 for people with a VIP ticket and at 10:00 for people with a general ticket. Tickets cost 500 birr for VIP and 200 birr for general entry. There will be live entertainment and a kid’s corner. Children under 12 enter free of charge. Doors close at 15:00. This year visitors receive a canvas bag at the entrance for shopping. We go green this year and plastic bags are prohibited.
Project Matrix
The money raised is governed by Project Matix, a sub-group of the DSGE. Any Ethiopian registered NGO can hand in a proposal for funding by emailing projectmatrix.chair@gmail.com. Then Project Matrix investigates if the proposal is from a sound organization, if the NGO is licensed, if the project is sustainable and if it will benefit the most vulnerable in Ethiopia such as destitute single parents, children, handicapped and elderly. Last year over 60 organizations participated in the bazaar and raised 4,5 million etb. That money has been spent in 2019 on 22 projects from all over Ethiopia. All NGO’s sponsored are given a table at this year’s Diplomatic Bazaar to tell the public about their cause and they are the only ones at the bazaar that can sell things and keep the profit, though they have to sign a contract that the money earned will go towards their NGO.
