Ethiopian News Update

Ethiopian pop star to leave jail shortly (AngolaPress)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:11:00 +0000

Ethiopia's famous pop star, Teddy Afro, is set to leave jail within five months following an Ethiopian Supreme Court judge decision to reduce his six-year long sentence to two years on appeal, reports said.

Ethiopian Supreme Court Judge Daniel Melaku ruled on Wednesday that the popular pop star, jailed in December 2008 for dangerous driving and killing a homeless man on the streets of Addis Ababa and fleeing from the scene of the accident, would be freed within five months, in effect dismissing the manslaughter charges against him and re-sentencing him for a driving offence.

The judge ruled that the only crime committed by the pop star, whose anti-government lyrics made him a symbol of the opposition, was that he fled from the alleged scene of the accident and failed to help the victim.

The victim of the accident, identified as Degu Yibelte, was drunk and lay on the road before the accident occurred and the other witnesses also failed to assist the victim, the judge ruled.

Afro, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun, remains one of the most famous Ethiopian pop stars.

The High Court Judge, who sentenced him to six years, said he avoided giving him the maximum sentence to allow him to reform while in prison.

Ethiopian troops again cross into Somalia (Xinhua)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:03:00 +0000

www.chinaview.cn 2009-02-19 00:12:35

BIADOA, Somalia, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Heavily armed Ethiopian troops have entered a district in south Somalia nearly a month after the troops left the war-torn country, witnesses said Wednesday.

Villagers in the southern Bakool region say the troops have crossed the border and set up bases in the village of Yeet, in Rabdhure district, 28 km south of the regional capital of Hudur.

Ethiopia withdrew its forces from Somalia after two years of presence in the country following the defeat of the Islamists that run much of southern and central Somalia in the later half of 2006.

It is not clear why the Ethiopian troops entered the region but there have lately been reports of troop movement by Somali government forces in Hudur in the Bakool regional backing officials who fled the southern town of Baidoa when it fell into the hands of the Al-Shabaab insurgent fighters last month.

Baidoa has been the seat of Somali parliament before its capture by the hardline Islamist group of Al-Shabaab which opposes the new Somali government leadership.

Residents in the villages around the border district of Rabdhuure say that the troops arrested a number of locals soon after entering the area.

In January, local officials charged that Ethiopian troops crossed over into the other Somali border region of Hiran in central Somalia, two weeks after their withdrawal from the country but the Ethiopian government denied the allegations.

At least nine die in Eritrea jail (Reuters)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:34:00 +0000

NAIROBI (Reuters) - At least nine political inmates have died in a secret Eritrean prison where they are routinely tortured using plastic whips, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Wednesday.

The media rights groups said an anonymous source detailed how detainees, including four journalists, were kept day and night under lights. Some were manacled and tortured, it said.

"The prison camp known as Eiraeiro is a disgrace for Eritrea and Africa," RSF said.

Asmara routinely denies criticism from foreign-based rights groups, accusing them of acting on behalf of some world powers.

Information Minister Ali Abdu says the government will not respond to "each stupid comment" by groups such as RSF.

The press freedom organisation called the prison on Eritrea's eastern coastline an "African gulag" and "daily hell."

It said the prisoners' heads were shaved every two months and they were allowed only 20 minutes per week to bathe.

Late last year, RSF called Eritrea the worst nation in the world for press freedom.

Lacking independent media and often accused of harassing journalists, Eritrea is consistently ranked among the world's top violators of press freedom by rights groups.

(Editing by Tim Pearce)

Source: Reuters

DMLEK claims inflicting damage on Eritrean army (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:18:00 +0000

Mekelle, January 29, 2008 (WIC) - Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK) said it has consolidated its attack on the Eritrean government.

According to a press release it sent to WIC, the movement has inflicted damages on the regime.

DMLEK said it destroyed the agriculture office of the government in Binbilina town of Gash Barka Zone along with goods stored in a warehouse last week.

In this same operation it burnt out a military water truck and a tanker in Barentu town, the statement added.

According to the statement, 800 Eritreans caught while fleeing to the Sudan were arrested and jailed in a military garrison in Nakfa. Of those 16 managed to escape and entered the Sudan over the weekend, it stated.

The movement which pointed out the fleeing of more than 26,800 Eritreans to the Sudan finally urged the public and the army of Eritrea to stand up against the dictatorial regime.

Walta Information Center

AU unveils Road Map for peace in Somalia (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:47:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, January 24, 2008 (WIC) - The African Union's top security official has presented Somalia's leaders a four-point plan for creating stability in the country, according to VOA.

During a four-hour visit to Mogadishu yesterday, AU Peace and Security Commissioner Said Djinnit said Somalia is becoming Africa's biggest security challenge and described his stopover as a symbolic show of support for Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein.

Djinnit said he outlined to Hussain a proposal to initiate a road map that would be developed by Somali leaders in partnership with the international community.

Its four components would include strengthening the nation's political process through reconciliation, greater international involvement in peacekeeping operations, creating a safe environment for humanitarian aid deliveries, and building the capacity of federal government institutions to face the immense challenges ahead.

The commissioner expressed frustration at what he called the lack of international support for efforts to bring a stable peace to Somalia. He told reporters his eventual goal, and biggest concern, is persuading the U.N Security Council to re-establish the peacekeeping mission it abandoned in the face of uncontrolled violence 13 years ago.

"It is the issue at the heart of our concerns," said Said Djinnit. " We believe Somalia has been abandoned for so long, and the Security Council remains the principal body in charge of the maintenance of international peace and security, and Somalia is becoming the biggest challenge for security in Africa. And therefore the Security Council cannot but assume its responsibility vis a vis Somalia."

Djinnit chided the Security Council for its recent statement saying it was "reiterating its commitment to considering the possibility of deploying" a Somalia peacekeeping operation.

"If you look to ideal situation where peace is prevailing before deploying a peacekeeping operation, you might not get that ideal situation," he said. "So we are therefore calling for flexibility on the part of the United Nations in considering the situation in Somalia and in deciding as early as possible on the deployment of the peacekeeping operation to come and take over from the African Union."

The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, has an authorized strength of 8,000. But nearly a year after it was formed, less than one-quarter of the troops are in place.

Ethiopian troops are backing Somali's military in its campaign against Islamic insurgents, VOA stated.

But Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has repeatedly said he wants those troops replaced by a strong international force. Yet with Somalia among the world's most violent and gun-infested countries, and the United Nations balking at sending a peacekeeping mission, Prime Minister Hussein told reporters it is premature to set a date when Ethiopian troops could withdraw.

" To set a time maybe today it's not so easy, but you can see the efforts of the African Union, you can see the efforts of AMISOM [African Mission in Somalia] from time to time increasing their troops, and this will definitely set a way for us to discuss when and how the Ethiopian troops will be reduced," said Hussein. "So what we will try to do is have a very well-elaborated exit strategy."

Somalia's parliament chose Prime Minister Hussein last November to replace his predecessor Ali Mohamed Gedi.

Source: Walta Information Center

White Nile to Ink Oil Exploration Deal with Ethiopia (Fortune)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:29:00 +0000

White Nile Ltd., a British company quoted by Alternative Investment Market (AIM), will be signing an oil exploration agreement with the Ethiopian government next Tuesday, January 15, 2008, officials at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MoME) disclosed to Fortune. White Nile’s founder and Chairman, Philippe H. Edmonds, is expected to arrive in Addis Abeba, in order to sign the exploration agreement with Alemayehu Tegenu, minister of Mines and Energy, at the Sheraton Addis.

The deal will grant White Nile exploration rights over a 29,000Km area in Southern Omo and Borena - Southern Rift Basin - in Oromia and Southern regional states. The Council of Ministers has approved the concession request a few weeks ago.

This company will be the sixth firm to enter into oil exploration activities in Ethiopia: The most prominent among them is the Malaysian Petronas that is undertaking exploration activities in Gambella and Ogaden areas after signing an agreement in 2003.

Two years later, a company licensed in The Netherlands, Pexco, was granted a permit to explore for oil in the Ogaden. In 2005, a Hong Kong registered company, South-West Energy, owned by Teodros Ashenafi, signed a similar deal to get involved in the Afar Regional State. Another company conducting exploration in the same region is the United States (US) registered Afar Exploration, granted a license in 2006. The Swedish Lundia Petroleum AB, a company that is active in Sudan and Somaliland, was granted a licence in 2007 to explore for oil in the Ogaden area.

“We look forward to see White Nile conduct as significant exploration activities as all these other companies,” Minister Alemayehu told Fortune.

White Nile is very familiar to the area where it wants to conduct exploration now. It has conducted geological and geophysical surveys on 70,000sqkm area of the Southern Rift Basin for two years, after it entered into a join study agreement with the Ministry in July 2005. Its findings of deep basins, potentially containing sedimentary sections similar to that of the Muglad and Melut basins of Southern Sudan, is reportedly behind its decision to enter into an exploration agreement with the Ethiopian government.

In the new agreement expected to be signed next Tuesday, White Nile will be granted exploration rights for four years. However, depending on the progress it makes, the company’s licence could be renewed for an additional four years, according to Abiy Hunegnaw, director of the Petroleum Department at the Ministry. Following the disclosure of its prospective deal with the Ethiopian government, White Nile’s shares were trading 14pc higher than its 45.5p (8.5 Br) on the London Stock Exchange.

Nevertheless, the Nairobi based company has been a poor performer at the stock exchange last year, according to The Financial Times. Its shares dropped by 70pc in 2007, according to the newspaper, and suffered a loss of 1.4 million pounds (26 million Br). The company has failed to secure an oilfield in South Sudan known as “Block Ba”, claimed by TOTAL of France.

Sudanese state company, Nile Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Controls 44.67pc of its shares.

By ISSAYAS MEKURIA

FORTUNE STAFF WRITER

Umbrella of Eritrean opposition parties attracts two more groups (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:10:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, January 22, 2008 (WIC) - The Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA), an umbrella of 11 Eritrean opposition organizations, has reportedly admitted two more opposition groups.

According to Awate.com, the two groups are the Eritrean People’s Movement, which is led by Adhanom Gebremariam and the Islamic Congress Party led by Hassen Salman (Abul Bera’a).

The EDA has re-stated its policy that membership is open to any Eritrean organization which has already held a congress and has a recognized leadership, the website added.

Meanwhile, the Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) said in a press release issued on its website that the party chairman, Mesfin Hagos, met with US Assistant Secretary of State Jandaye Frazier and Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Krilla on January 14, 2008, Awate.com said.

Source: Walta Information Center

Sudanese Nile Petroleum to Become Leader in Energy Market (Addis Fortune)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:24:00 +0000

The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MoME) is negotiating with the Sudanese giant, Nile Petroleum Co. Ltd (NPC), to grant it fuel blending rights in accordance with a decision made by the Council of Ministers to blend and supply ethanol and benzene. The negotiations are almost complete, sources at the Ministry told Fortune.

The talks, which began after MoME presented a Bio-fuel Development and Usage Strategic Document that envisaged using the country's rich ethanol potential, is expected to make Nile Petroleum the leading stakeholder in the Ethiopian oil energy market.

A steering committee has been established with representatives drawn from MoME, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise (EPE) and the six oil suppliers to evaluate the technical and financial feasibility studies, though the total cost of the project will be incurred by Nile Petroleum.

"We will cover the entire cost of the project once the agreement is finalised," Sharaf E. Babkir, general manager of the Ethiopian branch of Nile Petroleum, told Fortune. "The negotiations are in the closing stages, and we will submit our final proposal early this week."

The Ethiopian government chose this company based on a bilateral relations agreement signed with Sudan and Nile Petroleum's capacity.

The Ethiopian branch of Nile Petroleum, a subsidiary of NPC, has secured a 20,000sqm plot in Sululta, 24Km north of Addis Abeba, in the Oromia Regional State, for the construction of a fuel depot which will have a combined capacity of 300tns of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and 1,500 cubic metres of Petroleum.

NPC was established in 1954 as Nile Import and Trading Oil Company a subsidiary of TOTAL, with the Sudanese government holding a 75pc stake until 1993. The company, totally state-owned since 1993, has a 60pc share of the marketing and distribution of petroleum products in Sudan.

The local branch first obtained a license from the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA) to distribute LPG and in 2004 it upgraded its license to cover its planned expansion project.

Endorsing a strategic document, the Ethiopian government is now focused on exploring the country's bio-fuel resources. It stipulates incentive schemes for sugarcane producers, a major input for ethanol, in addition to encouraging state-owned enterprises to use blended oil. Providing incentives for Flex Fuel Vehicle importers as well as securing finances for the sector has also been recommended.

To satisfy the total petroleum demands in the country, Ethiopia annually spends 8.6 billion Br, 87pc of its total foreign trade earnings, and a serious drain on its limited foreign currency holdings.

Though the government hopes to switch to alternative energy sourceS to relieve this burden, some petroleum supplying companies are sceptical of the benefit they will get out of this venture.

"Though shifting from benzene to blended oil has its own advantages, there is doubt as to who is going to benefit," the marketing manager of one of these companies told Fortune. "There are associated costs like installing new fuelling machineries, and our benefit should be considered when we are made to shift to a new service."

Nile Petroleum currently has four tankers in Sululta; two for benzene and two for diesel. However, the two diesel tankers are set to be used for storing benzene.

"We will also install another two ethanol storage tankers, which will be increased after three years given a higher demand," Sharaf told Fortune.

A veteran expert who for the last 30 years worked in the petroleum industry, however, warns that the blending is sensitive as ethanol is prone to absorbing water.

"Though blending is customary in other countries too, if water accidentally enters in the early stages of the process, the project may fail as people will loose trust in it," he told Fortune. "The water makes the ethanol unable to mix with benzene."

The necessary supply of the ethanol input is also in question.

Of the three state-owned sugar factories, Fincha currently produces eight million litres of ethanol while the other two - Metehara and Wonji Shoa - do not produce.

However, as the latter two are under expansion, in addition to the newly constructed huge Tendaho sugar factory, it is expected that ethanol supply would significantly increase, a source at the Ethiopian Sugar Development Agency (ESDA) told Fortune.

The total ethanol production is expected to reach 35.1 million litres in 2010 when Metehara and Wonji switch to the production of ethanol rather than Molasses.

Nile Petroleum also has planned to open its fuelling stations in Addis Abeba, though its request for plots is yet to find a response from the municipality.

"We had requested eight different plots in Addis Abeba to no avail," Sharaf disclosed.

The Council of Ministers decided at its regular meeting in 2004 that the petroleum sector should be open to domestic and international investors to curb the distribution problems prevalent in the country.

The sector has since seen a couple of investments, mostly by Ethiopians, including NOC, YBP and the Kenyan Kobil.

Nile Petroleum, the latest to have joined the sector, undertakes petroleum exploration, refining, storage and marketing in Sudan.

Source: Addis Fortune

Somali car bomb kills Ethiopians (BBC)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:20:00 +0000

Two Ethiopian soldiers have been killed by a car bomb in the Somali town of Baidoa on Wednesday evening.

The bomber's target was an Ethiopian military post close to the hotel where the prime minister, Ali Mohamed Ghedi, was staying.

After the attack, Mogadishu-based Simba Radio aired an Islamist insurgent commander's claim of responsibility for the attempted assassination.

Somali forces have raided the radio and arrested its chief Abdullahi Ali Farak.

A reporter at the station said a journalist was also arrested in the raid, and the radio ordered to shut down.

A reporter at the scene says the area has been sealed off since the blast, but eyewitnesses say a suicide bomber driving a car also died.

"The explosion was so deafening and strong it rocked our entire hotel compound," an aide of the prime minister, Mohamed Abdi Haji, told AP news agency.

Mr Ghedi is in Baidoa for what correspondents expect to be a showdown between him and the president, Abdullahi Yusuf, on Friday.

Cabinet move

More than 20 cabinet ministers have asked parliament to intervene on the simmering conflict between the president and prime minister.

The BBC's Mohamed Ibrahim Mualimu in Baidoa says the ministers who are allied to the president want parliament to vote on whether the government should be dissolved or not.

The two leaders have disagreed on whether the term of current transitional government which was formed in 2004 should end this Friday or in October 2009.

President Yusuf argues that constitutionally the government's term ends this month since it was formed three years ago, but his prime minister insists that the charter legalising their mandate was signed in 2006.

Parliament is expected to convene on Friday but its not clear whether the motion will be tabled.

Source: BBC website

Eastern Africa Power Pool project to kick-start on April (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:10:00 +0000

Addis Ababa , October 27, 2007 (WIC) - Residents of Moyale are set to benefit from electricity supply from Ethiopia, following an interconnectivity agreement between the two countries, Business Daily reported.

The linkage is the first phase of the Eastern Africa Power Pool project, which aims at interconnecting more than seven countries in this region. The project will be implemented from April next year.

Executive Secretary of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), Callixte Kambanda, said the connection would go on even as several studies leading to the project's master plan continue to be carried out.

Ethiopia has finished its feasibility study and will ''soon'' be rolling out distribution into Kenya through Moyale. Extension from there, however, is subject to Kenya completing a feasibility study that has been delayed since May, it said.

The regional project aims at connecting Kenya to Ethiopia, Uganda to Rwanda, Ethiopia to Sudan, Sudan to Egypt, and Kenya to Tanzania. Other participating countries include Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Burundi and Somalia, it was pointed out.

One of the major challenges facing the regional power project is lack of funding to facilitate the ongoing studies and the infrastructure roll-out, according to the Executive Secretary.

''Because not all members can afford the financial resources required, we shall approach the private sector to come in as partners,'' said Kambanda.

The project aims at guaranteeing access to electricity among participating countries, especially when supply constraints like drought lead to power rationing in the face of growing demand.

Kenya will be connecting its one millionth customer later this year and plans to connect another one million people in the next five years.

Tanzania plans to connect an additional six million people by 2013.It hopes to get at least 75,000 new users on the national grid annually to increase electricity consumption to 1,100 megawatts over the next two years.

Source: Walta Information Center

Moyale to access power in regional plan

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:14:00 +0000

October 26, 2007: Residents of Moyale are set to benefit from electricity supply from Ethiopia, following an interconnectivity agreement between the two countries .

The linkage is the first phase of the Eastern Africa Power Pool project, which aims at interconnecting more than seven countries in this region.
The project will be implemented from April next year.

Callixte Kambanda, the executive secretary of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) said the connection would go on even as several studies leading to the project's master plan continue to be carried out.

Ethiopia has finished its feasibility study and will "soon" be rolling out distribution into Kenya through Moyale. Extension from there, however, is subject to Kenya completing a feasibility study that has been delayed since May.

The regional project aims to connect Kenya to Ethiopia, Uganda to Rwanda, Ethiopia to Sudan, Sudan to Egypt, and Kenya to Tanzania. Other participating countries include Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Burundi and Somalia.

One of the major challenges facing the regional power project is lack of funding to facilitate the ongoing studies and the infrastructure roll-out.

"Because not all members can afford the financial resources required, we shall approach the private sector to come in as partners," said Mr Kambandaa.

The project aims at guaranteeing access to electricity among participating countries, especially when supply constraints like drought lead to power rationing in the face of growing demand.

Kenya will be connecting its one millionth customer later this year and plans to connect another one million people in the next five years.

Ethiopia has similarly set a target to connect 21 per cent of its population by the year 2050. Tanzania plans to connect an additional six million people by 2013.

It hopes to get at least 75,000 new users on the national grid annually to increase electricity consumption to 1,100 megawatts over the next two years.

Another challenge facing the power pool is the search for alternative sources of electricity, to reduce high dependency on hydro-generated electricity which is affected by the changing weather conditions.

According to the project secretariat, geothermal power will be a key focus.
Source: Business Daily

UN council demands Darfur parties attend talks (Reuters)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:58:00 +0000

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council demanded on Wednesday that Sudan's government and Darfur rebels attend peace talks starting over the weekend and threatened action against anyone impeding the negotiations.

The council statement, which said an urgent cease-fire was the talks' first priority, came after a U.N. envoy appealed to the reluctant and disunited rebel groups to show up, saying they could still consult each other as negotiations proceed.

One of several obstacles to the talks between the Khartoum government and rebels from Darfur in western Sudan has been the rebels' inability to agree a common platform. The parties are set to meet on Saturday in the Libyan coastal town of Sirte.

Rebel leaders said on Tuesday a prominent Darfur faction chief and five smaller groups would not attend because African Union and U.N. mediators had not heeded requests for a delay to let them form a united position and agree upon a delegation.

The council called on "all parties to attend and to engage fully and constructively in the talks and, as a first step, to urgently agree and implement a cessation of hostilities to be overseen by the United Nations and African Union."

"The Council underlines its willingness to take action against any party that seeks to undermine the peace process, including by failing to respect such a cessation of hostilities or by impeding the talks, peacekeeping or humanitarian aid," the official policy statement added.

The action was not spelled out and diplomats said failure to attend the talks would not qualify for it. The statement "doesn't mean that simply non-appearance equates to impeding the peace process," said British Ambassador John Sawers.

Earlier, U.N. envoy Jan Eliasson, who will mediate in the talks along with AU envoy Salim Salim, said the "moment of truth" had arrived in the 4 1/2-year-old Darfur conflict and it was essential to get the talks going before momentum was lost.

Talking to journalists at the United Nations by video link from the Eritrean capital Asmara, he conceded that expectations might have to be lowered on the open-ended talks U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon originally billed as "final."

Eliasson said invitations had only been sent out a week ago and he did not know which among more than a dozen rebel groups would come. "It's a moving target right now. ... I don't have the final list yet," he said.

HEAT ON REBELS

International experts estimate 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes in the Darfur conflict, which began with a revolt against the Sudanese government, but Khartoum puts the death toll at 9,000.

Trying to win over undecided groups, Eliasson said: "I want to very clearly make the point that the consultations that they are carrying on now ... will of course also continue in Sirte.

"The real negotiations will start only after we have the full preparations of the parties," he said.

Sudan's government has pledged to attend the talks and its U.N. ambassador welcomed the Council statement as turning the heat on rebels after previous statements faulting Khartoum.

"It's good that they criticize now and that they point their fingers towards the rebels," Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem told journalists.

Eliasson said he now had "very little hope if any" that Sudan Liberation Movement founder Abdel Wahed Mohamed el-Nur, who has a wide following in Darfur refugee camps, would come. El-Nur has demanded a string of concessions from Khartoum.

Eliasson also noted that Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the main branch of the Justice and Equality Movement, had asked for a month's delay. But he said he had assurances that Ibrahim would send high-level representatives to Sirte.

The Security Council statement also called on U.N. member states to urgently provide aviation and ground transport units still needed for a 26,000-strong U.N.-AU peace-keeping force that will assume its duties next year in Darfur.

U.N. officials are worried that a lack of such specialized units, especially helicopters, could delay the deployment.

Source: Reuters

The Genesis Of Eritrea's Slavery Project

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:51:00 +0000

On October 23, 1995, exactly 12 years ago, the National Service programme took effect in Eritrea. Over the years, as the pre-war, war and post-war environment came to define Eritrea, clauses in the proclamation that were applicable for exceptional situations such as states of emergency became the norm, resulting in a nation where practically all citizens over the age of 18--anywhere between 400,000-800,000 people--are in a constant state of mobilization for the last 12 years. There are Eritreans who were 18 in 1995, who had every reason to expect to resume their lives in 1997, but who have been in the frontlines for the last 12 years. This, then, is the genesis of Eritrea's enslavement project, the so-called "Warsay-Yeka'alo Initiative."

Under the proclamation, all Eritreans between the age of 18 and 50 are required to participate in the National Service. This is because the National Service program is defined as "active national service and reserve military service." Those recruited for active national service (18-40 year olds) are supposed to avail themselves for 18 months: a six-month military training followed by 12 months of service in national security or national development programmes overseen by the military. The Reserve is for the 40+ Eritreans.

Only four classes of Eritreans are exempted from National Service: (1) Those who already gave national service prior to the promulgation of the law and (2) "fighters and armed peasants who "have proved to have spent all their time in the liberation struggle"; 3) those who, for health reasons, are unable to participate in the national service (but are still required to participate in 18 months of public service.) and (4) those participating in an approved educational programme. Non-exempt individuals may travel out of the country if they post a "60,000 Birr" bond.

The Creeping Enslavement

There are several factors that contributed to the establishment of a campaign-without-end in Eritrea.

1. Absence of Democracy: Like all laws in Eritrea, the National Service was presented as a proclamation. It was not debated by the people, nor the people's representatives, nor was it voted on. It was simply proclaimed as law. Thus, there simply is no mechanism for the people to register their approval or disapproval of the law or whether its harm outweighs its benefits. Not coincidentally, the loudest exponents of the National Service are those who have made sure that they, and their loved ones, are out of its harm way.

2. Bait and Switch: National Service was presented as a noble duty on all citizens and only requiring 18 months of sacrifice. But the proclamation has an escape clause: 18 months of service unless Eritrea is facing mobilization or a state of emergency. And the nation, mostly due to the rash decision of its self-declared leaders, has been in an undeclared state of emergency for more than half of its existence now. Consequently, most of the National Service members have been pressed into service now for 5, 8 and 10 years.

3. Vague Goals: Many Eritreans state that the youth would have been demobilized if the Eritrea-Ethiopia border were to be demarcated. But this assumes that the purpose of the National Service program is purely of a military nature. Depending on the priorities of the regime, this is subject to change. The National Service is a military program (national security), as well as an economic program (national development) and a social program (integration of the society.) A government without any constraints to its power can invoke any reason at all to press the youth into indefinite military service, if it is in its interest to do so.

4. Corruption: The Proclamation speaks of non-existing institutions like the "ministry of local government" and "board" that is supposed to have oversight over the proclamation. But ever since the arrest of Mahmoud Sheriffo, the ministry of local government has been dissolved and its functions divided up among the military command zones and their "desks." The board was supposed to review applications for exemptions from applicants claiming exemption from the service. This is now done by the generals who require huge fees and bribes to bestow the "unfit" certificate on the children of parents with means.

Conclusions

The Eritrean government, which is made up of the leaders of a guerrilla movement whose fighters had no breaks, nor vacations, and knew nothing but work, wants to apply its culture to a younger generationunder the guise of passing over a proud legacy of determination, resolve, and hard work. But there is no professional army in the world that requires of its active-duty members to serve without pay, rotation or breaks. The consequences of trying to apply guerrilla culture to a professional army have been devastating: Eritreans are flowing out of the country by the hundreds and those who remain are embittered by their experience of being the slaves of corrupt and abusive generals. At the root is: the National Service Proclamation.

Source: awate.com

Sub-Saharan Africa growing faster than the world economy, says top UN dev't official (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:35:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, October 18, 2007 (WIC) - Addis Ababa, October 18 (WIC) - The head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reported that for the first time in years countries in sub-Saharan Africa are actually growing faster than the global economy, according to UN News Center.

''When one looks at the numbers, one can actually feel somewhat encouraged in terms of overall economic progress," UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis said at a press briefing in New York, having just returned from a two-week trip to Eastern and Southern Africa.

He noted that average GDP growth in 2000-2003 was 3.7 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, and 5.6 per cent in 2004-2006, which is '' perhaps the most rapid growth overall in sub-Saharan Africa that we've seen in decades.''

Although the final numbers for this year are not yet ready, growth in the region will probably be around 6 percent more than 1 percent higher than the global average. ''For the first time in a very long time sub-Saharan Africa is actually growing faster than the world economy,'' he said. '' I think that is quite significant.''

He also noted that over the last six years, oil-exporting countries have grown at about one and a half percentage points faster than oil-importing countries. This means that some of the oil-importing countries are growing quite fast, despite the heavy burden placed on them by high oil prices.

Another significant trend is the fact that during the same time frame, the ratio of investment to GDP has grown from 15 to 20 percent. While that is ''very significant '' in a region that has ''huge'' investment needs, Dervis said it is not sufficient as Africa should probably invest some 25 to 28 per cent of its GDP. '' But still, moving from 15 to 20 is quite considerable,'' he added.

Responding to concerns that sub-Saharan Africa is currently off track for meeting any of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) the ambitious targets the world has set itself for slashing poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy by 2015 Dervis admitted that it will be difficult for most African countries to meet all the Goals by the target date.

However, he stressed that progress has accelerated towards the MDGs, including in relation to primary school enrolment and access to clean water. '' Some countries are making quite rapid progress and that progress is now accelerating,'' he noted.

Dervis praised the leadership in many African government ministries, which he said is characterized by a '' new 'can do,' results-oriented and pragmatic attitude.'' At the same time, he stressed the need to build local and national capacities.

One area in which capacity building is vital is foreign investment, which plays a critical role in Africa in such areas as infrastructure, mining and oil. He stressed that the capacity to negotiate contracts with foreign investors that are truly beneficial to the country and that share the benefits between the foreign investors and the local economy deserves greater attention.

'' In some countries, a good contract can make the difference between a project that will just be an enclave paying very little taxes, bringing very little benefits to the local economy [and] a project that is truly benefiting the local economy,'' he stated.

''Sometimes two or three well-negotiated contracts are financially equivalent to maybe the whole of the foreign aid that goes into an African country.''

Source: Walta Information Center

US company to invest USD 50mln in coffee farm, roasting facility (Ethiopian Reporter)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 09:02:00 +0000

B&D Food Corporation, an American-based company, is set to invest USD 50 million in coffee farm and erection of a roasting facility in Ethiopia under its recently established subsidiary, BDFC Ethiopia Industry PLC.

The company has already secured 5,000 hectares of coffee farm in Jimma, Oromia region, on which it will be producing "high quality" Ethiopian coffee, company representative Benjamin Petel told The Reporter in a statement on Sunday. BDFC Ethiopia will also erect a coffee roasting facility around the coffee farm site, which had last week been handed over to it by the Oromia Investment Commission. Presently, the company is finalizing preparation to embark upon the project.

"BDFC Ethiopia intends to begin planting in the coming months and, in parallel, is working on building a processing factory on the plantation grounds," Petel said. "B&D hopes to process the high quality Ethiopian beans in order to produce both roasted and instant coffee blends that are intended to be sold worldwide."

The company will invest over USD 50 million in both the acquisition and plantation of the farm and erection of the roasting facility, Oromia Investment Commission Commissioner Alemu Sime told The Reporter. The company also plans to build resorts in the farm area, according to the commissioner. "Although the company's representatives initially came to Ethiopia only to erect a roasting facility, they had, after visiting the site, also proposed to build recreation centers and launch a coffee plantation farm."

B&D is currently examining several offers of companies bidding to assemble the roasting factory, according to Petel. "B&D's current capabilities and expertise are both in the roasted and instant coffee fields. The company wishes to continue this line, by using the high quality Ethiopia coffee beans and therefore requires a state-of-the-art factory capable of producing the full range of coffees, like the one the company currently owns in Brazil," Petel said.

Three years from plantation on the farm, the company's projected export of roasted and instant coffee is 12,500 tonnes (on an annual basis), according to Petel. The vast majority of B&D Ethiopia's produce is intended to be processed and sold as instant and roasted coffee.

"B&D Ethiopia will hopefully create job opportunities for several hundred people. It is currently examining these figures and hopes to determine its employee capacity soon." Petel said.

B&D Ethiopia is destined to become a major exporter of roasted and instant coffee beans in Ethiopia, as there are barely companies engaged in that line of business, albeit the country being the birth place of coffee.

B&D Food Corp.'s management has 30 years of experience in the coffee business. Based in the US, the company operates in the food and beverage industry, specifically in coffee and related products. It has a coffee production facility in Brazil.

By Hayal Alemayehu

Source: Ethiopian Reporter

Ethiopia building strong athletics team for Beijing Olympics (China View)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:19:00 +0000

NAIROBI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia is building a strong athletics team for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, a senior sports official said on Friday.

Mulualem Bessie, secretary general of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee, said that Ethiopia had kicked off the preparation for the Beijing Olympics two months ago. They have wrapped up the budget planning and will start training within Ethiopia one month later.

As for the world renowned Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele, Mulualem have full confidence in his compatriot. "Surely, Bekele will win the 10,000 meters in the Beijing Olympic Games," he said.

The official added that Tariku Bekele, younger brother of Kenenisa, will participate in the Olympic Games as well.

Although Tariku Bekele has been defeated by Moses Kipsiro from Uganda and Kiprono Menjo from Kenya in the men's 5,000 meters in the ninth All-Africa Games this July, the performance of Ethiopians in the Osaka world championships has proved their competitiveness, stressed Mulualem.

In addition, the African athletic power had organized the first All Ethiopia Games this year, which attracted more than 4,000 athletes.

One aim of the Games was to prepare proper talents for the Beijing Olympics, noted Mulualem.

"We have got lots and lots of athletes, and we were in confusion about how to choose people," he said.

Like its neighbor Kenya, Ethiopia has also taken steps to diversify its gold events in the Olympic Games. "We have strived to diversify the possible gold events by trying to be qualified for the competitions ranging from 1,500m, 5,000m to marathon," said Mulualem.

Ethiopia mainly focused on 10,000 meters and marathon in the past Olympic Games.

Source: China View

Mafia accused over nuclear waste

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:56:00 +0000

A Mafia clan linked to six blood feud murders is being investigated for the alleging trafficking of nuclear waste and plutonium production, reports claim.

Two members of the 'Ndrangheta mafia, a Calabrian clan, are accused of shipping radioactive waste to Somalia, along with eight former employees of state energy research agency Enea, the Guardian reports.

Francesco Basentini, a magistrate from the southern town of Potenza, is investigating claims that the mob men were paid off by the Enea staff, taking shipments of waste from the agency's centre in Rotondella, Basilicata, in the 1980s and 1990s.

The allegations were made by a 'Ndrangheta turncoat, who claims an Enea manager paid the two clan members to dispose of some 600 drums of nuclear waste, with 500 shipped to Somalia and 100 buried in Basilicata (the 'Ndrangheta being unwilling to bury the waste in Calabria due to "love of their home region").

An anonymous Enea manager denied the turncoat's allegations, saying: "Enea has always worked within the rules and under strict national and international supervision."

The 'Ndrangheta clan are accused of exploiting links with Colombia to become Europe's biggest cocaine importer, while the August shooting of six Italians in Germany has been linked to a blood feud with a rival clan from San Luca, Calabria.

Nicola Gratteri, the magistrate investigating the murders, argued that nuclear waste disposal and even the production of plutonium would not be an unlikely activity for the 'Ndrangheta, the Guardian quoted him as saying.

"The 'Ndrangheta has no morals and, if there is money in an activity, it will have no problem getting involved, even nuclear waste," he said.

However, he complained the European police forces had a lax attitude to clans like the 'Ndrangheta or the Sicilian Cosa Nostra.

"The mafias were the first to take advantage of Europe's disappearing frontiers," he said, "but when I go to Germany I see they have not introduced the crime of mafia association and do not allow wire taps in public places.

"I'm tired of round tables and conventions; what we need is more courage," he added.

Source: inthenews.co.uk

Somali car bomb kills Ethiopians (BBC)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:20:00 +0000

Two Ethiopian soldiers have been killed by a car bomb in the Somali town of Baidoa on Wednesday evening.

The bomber's target was an Ethiopian military post close to the hotel where the prime minister, Ali Mohamed Ghedi, was staying.

After the attack, Mogadishu-based Simba Radio aired an Islamist insurgent commander's claim of responsibility for the attempted assassination.

Somali forces have raided the radio and arrested its chief Abdullahi Ali Farak.

A reporter at the station said a journalist was also arrested in the raid, and the radio ordered to shut down.

A reporter at the scene says the area has been sealed off since the blast, but eyewitnesses say a suicide bomber driving a car also died.

"The explosion was so deafening and strong it rocked our entire hotel compound," an aide of the prime minister, Mohamed Abdi Haji, told AP news agency.

Mr Ghedi is in Baidoa for what correspondents expect to be a showdown between him and the president, Abdullahi Yusuf, later this week.

Source: BBC

Exhibition on Ethiopian Millennium held in New York

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 08:55:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, October 9, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said an exhibition that promotes Ethiopia and its new Millennium was held in United Nations headquarter in New York.

The ministry told ENA on Monday that the exhibition was held last Wednesday at the Vienna Cafe.

The exhibition was organized according to the decision passed by the 61st UN General Assembly designating a one year period starting from September 12, 2007 as the year of Ethiopian Millennium, which the world body dubbed a world heritage.

The ministry said detailed information about the exhibition was published in the daily journal of the UN.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was covered by UN Television program. Fliers that promote the Ethiopian Millennium were also distributed, it said.

The exhibition has created a vital forum to promote the economic growth registered by the country and show Ethiopia as being on the right development track.

Various countries' delegations visited the exhibition opened by Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin.

Source : ENA

Dutch investor plans five-star hotel, real-estate development (Capital Ethiopia)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:50:00 +0000

Dutch investor plans five-star hotel, real-estate development (Capital Ethiopia)

By Andualem Sisay

Absorbed by the current investment climate and opportunities in Ethiopia, a Dutch national is to invest over 40 mln USD on a five star hotel and real-estate ventures in Addis Ababa.
Mr. Cvan Hal and his Ethiopian wife, Mrs. Genet Abebe, have decided to live in Ethiopia after concluding their 18 year business in the Netherlands. They have now secured 50,000 square meters in Bole area for real-estate purposes and are expecting 4-5,000 square meters of land in the same area for the five-star hotel they plan to build.
"We decided to move to Ethiopia encouraged by the business opportunities and the climate of the country," says Mr. Cvan Hal, an Energy Engineer by profession who owns, along with his wife; Cool Force- a company engaged in the transport and energy sectors.
"The market opportunities in the Netherlands are minimal when compared to that of Ethiopia, as the European market features more competition.
There are lots of opportunities in Ethiopia for an investor," he said.
When completed, the two investments are expected to create 330 permanent jobs.
Commenting on the areas that need improvement in the relevant offices he has visited so far, Mr. Hal suggested: "to make the money transfer short, easy and simple for a foreign investor, the National Bank of Ethiopia has to have one section that deals specifically with letters of credit. "This will help to reverse the current long process that consumes three to four days of a foreign investor by rotating from one office to another."
He also indicated that the investment authorities and other offices that deal with foreign investors need to prepare a web-site or brochures in various international languages so as to save the time an investor wastes not knowing where to go, which process to accomplish first, how to go about it and what documents are expected.

Source: Capital Ethiopia

President Girma reelected (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:47:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, October 09, 2007 (WIC) – President Girma Wodlegiorgis was reelected today as president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

While nominating Girma government whip Honorable Shiferaw Jarso told the House that the president has been efficiently discharging his responsibilities during the last term.

He also noted the contribution of Girma in promoting the country’s positive image locally and abroad as well as fostering its relations with various countries.

On top of his impartiality to the nations and nationalities of the country, he has also executed his responsibility as head of state by going to the various states and inspecting development works to provide the necessary support.

Shiferaw further pointed out that the current president was therefore nominated for reelection as he is believed to efficiently execute his responsibility based on the tasks he accomplished and his competence.

The other candidate for presidency, Professor Beyene Petros, was nominated by Honorable Bulcha Demeksa who represented three of the opposition parties in the House, Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), Union of Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM).

Professor Beyene was nominated for his long years of service as senior government official and 16 years as MP, according to Bulcha.

President Girma finally won the election with 430 votes, 88 objections and 11 abstentions.

After taking oath, the president pledged to do his best to extricate the country from poverty and bring the public and the government closer during his new term.

Source: Walta Information Center

President Girma reelected (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:47:00 +0000

Saudi businessman interested to invest in tourism sector (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Thu, 10 May 2007 07:21:00 +0000

A Saudi Arabian businessman Sheikh Hani Yamani said he is keen to invest in tourism in Ethiopia.

After conferring with President Girma Woldegirogis at the national palace on Monday, Yamani said he is prepared to establish tourism investment on a big scale and also in livestock and meat industries. Yamani said feasibility and other relevant studies get underway for him to set foot in Ethiopia with a range of projects.

Yamani is owner to numerous businesses around the world in tourism, catering and other industries. Now he looks to Ethiopia as an auspicious investment destination with an immense market potentials. [Read more..]

Somalia: Eritrea's hope to destabilize Ethiopia by using Somalia’s conflict failed--Ambassador (Sh.M.Network)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 09:49:00 +0000

Somalia: Eritrea's hope to destabilize Ethiopia by using Somalia’s conflict failed--Ambassador
Aweys Osman YusufMogadishu 28, Feb.07

( Sh.M.Network) Somalia's struggle to form a unified government after 15 years of clan warfare is achieving success, after the TFG and Ethiopian forces drove away the UIC and other destabilizing forces harbored there, said a U.S. diplomat. This joint victory of last December also withered away Eritrea's hopes of destabilizing Ethiopia.

Ambassador Vicky Huddleston who recently served for 15 months as U.S. acting ambassador to Ethiopia told Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on February 22 in Washington that Eritrea, hoped to use the conflict in Somalia to destabilize Ethiopia, which the government in Asmara sees as its arch enemy Ethiopia. "But this tactic failed."

Huddleston said Eritrea is a country not contributing to stability in Somalia.
She said Somalia's struggle to form a government after 15 years of clan warfare is achieving success thanks to partners in the Horn of Africa region like Ethiopia and with help from the United Nations, the African Union (AU) and the United States.

Huddleston told the CFR audience that the Ethiopian government was instrumental in "pressing for dialogue" between the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Islamic Courts Council (ICC), a radical Islamist movement that had wrested control of Somalia until driven from power by a coalition of TFG and Ethiopian forces in December 2006 after talks failed.

Before that victory, she said, "many warned that if Ethiopia intervened on behalf of the transitional government it would fuel a wider war. They were all wrong," Huddleston told the CFR panel.Now "Ethiopia's and the Somali government's surprisingly easy victories have given Somalia -- and the West -- a second chance to get things right," said Huddleston.

As it stands now, "we do have a success in Somalia," the diplomat said. After cooperating with the TFG to remove the ICC threat, she said, "About one-third of the Ethiopian troops have already withdrawn. There will be a second phase and third phase of withdrawal that hopefully will coincide with the arrival of AU peacekeepers."

Nations that volunteered troops for the AU force in a move recently approved by the U.N. Security Council include Uganda, Burundi and "possibly Nigeria and Tanzania," Huddleston told the panel.

The United Nations approved a force of 8,000 peacekeepers, of which about 4,000 have been pledged so far, she said.

The United States will support the deployment by providing 15 million US dollars for airlift and other logistics, she added.
"A window of opportunity" has opened in Somalia, Huddleston said, and added that "before the Islamists close it by disrupting efforts to stabilize Mogadishu … strong U.S. leadership will prevent Somalia from becoming a haven for al-Qaida terrorism in Africa."She said Somalis themselves are working to achieve national unity, especially on the military level and added that about 10,000 Somalis have been merged into a TFG security force representing all the clans.

This is important, she said, because "in the end, whether Somalia succeeds or not will depend on all Somalis" and their ability to govern themselves and provide their own security.(Nazret)
Shabelle Media Network SomaliaE-mail us: info@shabelle.net

Aluto-Langano Geothermal Power Pilot Project to get finalized in four months (Walta)

noreply@blogger.com (Blogsbiz) — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:22:00 +0000

Addis Ababa, February 22, 2007 (WIC) - The Aluto-Langano Geothermal Power Pilot Project that has been under rehabilitation and expansion with over 26.6 million birr to generate 30 MW would be finalized within four months, the project coordinator disclosed.

Geothermal Project Coordinator with EEPCo, Mulugeta Asaye,said the project which failed to operate due to technical reasons after being finalized in 1998 is being upgraded to generate 30 MW instead of the initially planned 8 MW.

A feasibility study that has been underway in Tendaho area of Afar State with close to 2.5 million birr, in accordance with the agreement reached between the governments of Ethiopia and USA, is also nearing completion, according to Mulugeta.

Aluto-Langano and Tendaho are the major geothermal projects expected to generate power in the foreseeable future, he said, adding that there are about 16 geothermal prospects identified in the country.

According to the coordinator, project proposals have been submitted to the African Rift Geothermal Development Facility (ARGeo) so as to obtain the necessary fund to construct power generation stations particularly in Tendaho and Aluto-Lanagano. ARGeo has promised that Ethiopia would be one of the countries whose proposals would be approved first, Mulugeta said.

Ethiopia has the second largest geothermal resources in Africa and the greatest geothermal potential of Africa is within the East African Rift Valley that runs across Ethiopia for nearly 1,000kms where a number of feasibility studies are currently underway, it was learnt.

Source: Walta Information Center