Friends of Ethiopia::

Ethiopia: Meskel Square is getting a face lift

2011-09-23T21:32:00.003-04:00

By Mulugeta Demissie

Meskel Square is set to have a radically new look according to plans made under the Beautification, Park and Cemetery Development and Administration Agency. The agency has recently made official its plan to radically change the appearance and usage of the square – backing a design that has vehicles traveling under the surface of the square leaving the ground level free for pedestrian usage. The new design was created by three Ethiopian architects who were one of the seven entrees in a competition instituted by the agency to create the best new design for Meskel square. The three winners were awarded first rank and 80,000 birr. The new design is expected to cost 500 million birr, not including fine details.
The new design was conceived under the concept that the square could be made into a place that was more valuable and functional to non-vehicle users. Currently the square is simply a crossroads for cars coming from six different directions with only some small part of the square being used for recreational and sporting activities. Even the part that is used in this way can hardly be considered a pleasant space because of the noise and smoke of passing vehicles. Under the new design people will benefit from the square with the space being available for all sorts of recreational activities. However, there will also be a space at the top of the square, available for vehicles for use on holidays and for public ceremonies. Fire accident vehicles and vehicles of VIP personnel can use the upper part of the square on these special occasions. Another concept of the design was that the space should be made useful for everyday activities and not just for special occasions.
The brief given by deputy manager and the core process owner Tegegne Tofu was that the new design should include a library, cafe and restaurants, statutes which are registered by UNESCO, designs which can express the cultures and traditions of the nations and nationalities of Ethiopia, and sport activity areas. Yonas, one of the designers, told Capital that the walls will be decorated by statutes which will promote the nations and nationalities of Ethiopia and “Ginbot 20”May 29. In addition, there will be a water feature that will follow the wall going from Bole up to Saint Joseph school. An exercise area, public bathrooms and shaded seats for those who sit in the space provided will be included.
The design integrates the new train root that is planned to pass through Meskel Square under the Growth and Transformation Plan. The train root will connect “Tore Hailoch” and “CMC” areas, and will pass through Meskel square, but will travel underground through the square in the same way as the cars.
The new Meskel square area will have two major gates which will be similar in design to the gate of the exhibition centre that is currently there. Even though the details of the design are not finalized it is known that the new design will have many seats and green areas and that the walls behind the seats will be similar with those now in place but will have decorative features such as statues incorporated into them.
According to the deputy manager and core process owner the final design details will be given to the Addis Ababa University of Ethiopian Institute of Architecture Building Construction and City Development. If the university is unable to do the job, the agency will give the job for international auction.
The designers and the agency believe that the building will be completed in three years time so long as the materials are supplied on demand.
Meskel square, that is the largest square in Ethiopia and has a long history. At the time of Emperor Haileselassie the square largely used to mark the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian holiday, Demera, celebrated on September 26. But following the fall of the Emperor on September 12, 1974 the square was renamed as Revolutionary square, commonly known as Abiot Square. The square took its current shape in 1976, its purpose has been extended since then and in 1991 it was again renamed Meskel Square.

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Ethiopia Building 10 New Sugar Plants to Become Leading Exporter

2011-09-13T19:30:00.003-04:00

by William Davison

Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Sugar Corp.,

Ethiopia’s state-owned producer, said it started building 10 new factories and is inviting private investment as part of a plan to become one of the world’s 10 biggest exporters of the crop.

The project, which has raised concern among environmental activists, involves constructing plants and establishing farms at a cost of about 80 billion birr ($4.6 billion) in four regions in the Horn of Africa country, Abay Tsehaye, director general of the Addis Ababa-based company, said in an interview on Sept. 7. The government is undertaking the work because Ethiopian private firms are “not financially and technically ready to do such huge enterprises.”

“The government has given focus to sugar development. In the coming 15 years, we hope to be one of the top 10 exporters,” Abay said. “The reason we have this target is Ethiopia has big potential in terms of climate and in terms of soil and water resources, which is very favorable for sugar production.”

Ethiopia, Africa’s biggest coffee grower, unveiled a five- year plan in December that targets annual economic growth of as much as 14.9 percent by expanding agriculture and boosting savings to fund investment. The plan aims to transfer 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) of land to investors by mid-2015.

Foreign investment is being sought to develop other projects on 5 million hectares of land that has been identified for sugar production, Abay said.

“Many are coming and asking because they know the potential of Ethiopia, they know the favorability of climate, soil and availability of cheap land,” said Abay, a former national security adviser.

Sugar Imports

Ethiopia imported 150,000 metric tons of sugar last year. The government aims to become self-sufficient in the crop by the end of 2013 and increase production almost eightfold to 2.3 million tons by mid-2015, leaving a surplus for export of 1.25 million tons, according to Abay. The world’s tenth-largest producer in 2009, the U.S., grew 27.5 million tons, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

Sugar Corp. was established under Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s office in November to oversee construction and run the state-owned projects, Abay said. The company is accountable to Meles so that he can give “direct, immediate decisions,” he said. The projects are in Beles in the central Amhara region; Wolkait in the northern Tigray area; Kesem in the northeastern Afar regional state; and in the South Omo Zone of the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ region, Sugar Corp. spokesman Yilma Tibebu said in e-mailed and texted responses to questions on Sept. 8.

‘Disaster’

Six factories in South Omo, along with plantations that the company says will cover 150,000 hectares, are a “development disaster in the making” for 17 ethnic groups living in the area, Peter Bosshard of International Rivers, the U.S.-based advocacy group, said in an e-mailed response to questions on Sept. 6. “Grabbing land and water for sugar plantations will spell ecological collapse and hunger for the 500,000 indigenous people” of the zone, he said.

The Kuraz Project will be irrigated by water from the Omo River discharged from the under-construction Gibe III hydropower plant, according to Abay. Local communities support the scheme and the displaced population will be “very minimal” as the farms are in “barren areas,” he said.

As many as 100 members of the Mursi, known for wearing lip plates and who number about 7,000, and Bodi ethnic groups have been jailed for opposing the plan and others are being repressed by security forces, the London-based advocacy group for tribal peoples Survival International said on Sept. 6. Large-scale farms will cover as many as 300,000 hectares in South Omo and “tens of thousands” of workers will move to the area, the group said in an e-mailed response to questions.

‘Social Transformation’

Without using coercion, the plan is to transform South Omo residents “socially, economically and culturally,” Abay said. Those affected will be compensated for lost earnings and given land at least equal to previous holdings, he said.

Groups campaigning against the plans have selfish motives, according to Abay. “They want these people to remain as primitive as they used to be, as poor as they used to be, as naked as they used to be, so that they will be specimens for research and an agenda for raising funds,” he said. Previously impoverished communities will be “far better off” as they will benefit from irrigated land, improved social services, support from agricultural experts and job opportunities, according to Abay.

--Editors: Paul Richardson, Ben Holland.

To contact the reporter on this story: William Davison in Addis Ababa via Nairobi at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Richardson in Nairobi at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

Once upon a time in Ethiopia

2011-09-03T10:18:00.002-04:00

Sep 2, 2011 6:21:26 AM

History and legend are so entwined in Ethiopia that it can be hard to know where one ends and another begins. No matter where you go in this land where deserts are made of gold and baboons have hearts that bleed, a plethora of Saints, Kings, spirits, monsters and wandering ascetics seem to accompany you. But there are some places in Ethiopia where the mists of myth are so deep that it can be hard not too feel as if you’re a knight in armour galloping on a white steed toward the palace of the cloven-footed Queen of Sheba.

For most of us our knowledge of Ethiopia is fairly limited, yet almost every one of us has heard of Ethiopia’s most famous daughter. She is said to have been the most beautiful and alluring woman ever to live but yet she had hairy legs and the cloven foot of the devil. Her fame has lasted three thousand years yet nobody remembers her name. She is of course the Queen of Sheba and in modern day Ethiopia she is revered as one of the founding figures of the nation as well as a symbol of the mystery of Africa’s most exotic corner.

Thousands of people are believed to be fleeing to Ethiopia to escape fighting in Sudan's Blue Nile state

2011-09-03T09:56:00.003-04:00

The Associated Press

Published: Saturday, Sep. 3, 2011 - 6:16 am

GENEVA -- The U.N. refugee agency says thousands of people are believed to be fleeing to Ethiopia to escape fighting in Sudan's Blue Nile state.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres appealed Saturday for an immediate end to the clashes.

His agency says it has received reports of some 16,000 people fleeing across the border since fighting erupted Thursday.

A UNHCR team was sent to western Ethiopia to assess the situation.

Sudan's president declared a state of emergency in the region on Friday and fired Blue Nile's governor after clashes broke out between armed forces and a rebel group.

10 Reasons to Love Ethiopia

2011-07-27T09:44:00.002-04:00

Huffington Post Ben ColcloughAdventure travel entrepreneur and occassional travel writer

It isn't exactly as accessible as Hilton Head Island, or even the Masai Mara for that matter, but Ethiopia deserves travelers' attention.

One caveat: If you rarely venture beyond the Marriot, then this may not be too appealing to you. That being said, those who privilege comfort over experience will be missing out..

The thing is, Ethiopia is unlike anywhere else on earth. Get past the headlines about Brad and Angelina adopting Ethiopian orphans and you have a country of endless mountains, an insane number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and a fascinating offshoot of the Christian church. Layer on that some of the world's best coffee and a people who love nothing more than talking religion and politics and you have a brew for an incredible journey:

#1 Lalibela: Let's start with the big hitters. Within the small town of Lalibela lies 13 churches cut by hand from the mountain, said to be an attempt to replicate Jerusalem by 13th Century King Lalibella. To avoid overdosing on adjectives, I'll leave it to the voice of Portuguese priest Francisco Alvares in the 1520s "I weary of writing more about these buildings, because it seems to me that I shall not be believed if I write more ... I swear by God, in Whose power I am, that all I have written is the truth". click here for more

Ethiopia to Motown! Motown and Def Jam are seeking new leadership

2011-07-24T23:51:00.003-04:00

Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:51pm EDT

After years adrift, Motown and Def Jam are seeking new leadership to restore their mojo.

As early as next week Universal Music Group, Motown’s parent, will tap Ethiopia Habtemariam to head the label, people close to the matter confirm to The Wrap.

A top executive from Universal’s music-publishing arm, in early 2010 was responsible for wooing Justin Bieber into a global publishing deal.

Similarly, the appointment of an uber-artistic leader is looming at Def Jam, also owned by Universal Music Group, though no final candidate has yet been chosen.

The world’s largest music company is said to be narrowing a list of veteran hip-hop talent scouts, managers and label execs that include Chris Hicks, currently Def Jam’s executive VP, as well as outsiders Kevin Liles, Irv Gotti, “Hip Hop” Bryant and Chris Lighty.

Also read: Sylvia Rhone Seen Headed for the Exit at Universal Motown

At both Motown and Def Jam, the changes come amid wrenching deliberations.

“The ultimate goal is to get the labels working again,” a top Universal insider told TheWrap.

How to do so was a matter of strategic debate among the incoming Universal’s top corporate and divisional executives, according to knowledgeable insiders and outsiders.

Should Motown be youth-driven and home to artists of all races? Or should it find rebirth by appealing to an older audience with more mature African-American artists attuned to the label’s legacy?

That argument between Habtemariam and her new boss Barry Weiss was settled for the moment by deciding to pursue both audiences.

For Def Jam the questions were different:

Should the new leadership be focused solely on developing artists and hits, or should it be a multitasker in line with the emerging 360-label model that encompasses all facets of an artist’s career -- including merchandising, Madison Avenue and movies?

To be sure, both labels need new leases on life after historic success has turned to hears of doldrums.

Under pioneering impresario Berry Gordy Jr., the “Motown Sound” became a dominant and glossy soundtrack of the tumultuous '60s. Born in 1959, the label introduced legendary acts ranging from the Temptations and Stevie Wonder to the Jackson Five and the Supremes.

Most important, it bridged music’s historic racial divide, with whites joining black fans in openly and enthusiastically embracing its mass-appeal style of rhythm and blues.

Similarly, a quarter-century later, college friends Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin began establishing Def Jam as a force in American culture, introducing “loud, abrasive, anti-R&B, anti-commercial hip-hop,” as Simmons recalled to TheWrap. Def Jam remained vital into the early years of this century.

But both labels began to falter after their initial leadership teams sold and departed or -- in Gordy’s case -- shifted their attention.

Motown, for example, has never again amassed a bevy of superstar artists or regularly cracked the top end of the charts. And the office of the top Motown executive has had a revolving door.

Now Habtemariam is poised to succeed Sylvia Rhone. The pioneering female music executive, as TheWrap first reported this spring, exited the label under a broader management shakeup by new corporate and divisional leadership of the parent company.

But according to people involved in the process, significant differences in strategy had to be bridged between Habtemariam, who will retain her duties at Universal Music Publishing, and the executive to whom she will report, Barry Weiss (left).

Said one knowledgeable individual: “She and Barry had a real fight.”

Recently hired away from Sony Music Group as top exec of Universal Music's division of East Coast-based labels, Weiss made his name at Jive Records, first with hip hop (Whodini, DJ Jazzy, A Tribe Called Quest) and R&B (R. Kelly and Aaliyah). Later, Jive signed pop acts --Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and Britney Spears.

With her background in music publishing and a sharp focus on discovering hit talent, Habtemariam envisioned Motown as a magnet for the young trendy stars who appeal to the industry’s core youth audience.

She “strongly believed Motown should be youth-driven,” an individual close to the executive told TheWrap. “It’s all about youth. They’re the ones who open the doors."

Similarly, Habtemariam wanted to move forward with acts regardless of race.

Weiss, on the other hand, wanted to recapture the flavor of Motown’s past -- and appeal to an older audience, says an influential music executive consulted on the issue.

“He was talking about trying to sign Babyface,” the middle-aged singer, songwriter and producer whose heyday was years ago. “Barry wanted to sign old middle-age acts. Ethiopia said, ‘Nobody is looking for them. I want to sign hit records.’"

Ultimately, the compromise was to have both ends of the generational spectrum -- “a happy marriage, a mixture of the old and the new,” the source confirmed.

In filling the leadership role at Def Jam, Weiss had to consider the views of influential outsiders, including Simmons -- an iconic figure not only in rap music, but the broader hip-hop culture.

“Barry is interested in finding an African-American executive who is part of the (hip-hop) culture and would be a great asset to Def Jam,” Simmons told TheWrap. “What you need is a smart artist manager who knows the Def Jam culture and has built brands. You need that type of person because the future of the record business is the 360-deal.”

“Hopefully, the job goes to someone profoundly interested in rediscovering the original architecture under the original architects, Russell and Rick,” said Lyor Cohen, a top executive of Warner Music Group who got his start in music at Simmons’ Rush Management decades ago.

According to people close to Weiss, he’s cool to the idea of a talent manager, though the list of rumored candidates includes two prominent ones -- Lightly, who manages superstar 50 Cent, and Kyambo Joshua, who co-founded the management firm Hip Hop in 1978, and whose clients include Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Drake.

Weiss, instead, wants a strong creative manager who’d been exclusively focused on artists, an individual with knowledge of the situation told The Wrap.

But mindful of the significance of brand building, he is establishing a separate division for that purpose in the umbrella Island Def Jam label amalgam that houses Def Jam.

Perhaps on that note, everyone will end up in the same groove at two labels overdue for some upbeat news.

Source The Wrap

Ethiopian peacekeepers arrive in contested Abyei region of North and South Sudan

2011-07-16T20:47:00.002-04:00

By ARGAW ASHINE in Addis Ababa Posted Friday, July 15 2011 at 18:29

Ethiopian peacekeepers mandated by UN Security Council have started deploying in Sudan's contested Abyei region.

Both North and South Sudan are claiming ownership of the oil rich region.

Some 4,200 blue helmet troops departed from western Ethiopia Thursday, with some arriving in Abeyi Friday, ready to execute their mandate.

According to Ethiopian Defense office, the troops have full logistics support in place.

Ethiopian army chief General Samora Yenus told to the peacekeepers during the farewell ceremony held in Bir-Sheleko army base, that theirs would be one of the most challenging UN missions, and urged the soldiers to try their best to live up to their promise.

Demilitarization of the oil rich region is listed as a priority task of the Ethiopian peacekeepers.

It is a rare arrangement for the UN peacekeepers in any region to come from an immediate neighbor.

South Sudan declared its independence on July 9 before the settlement of the Abyei controversy.

The African Union mediators are set to restart their efforts to resolve the Abyei dispute next week

Source

Shumi Gerbada of Ethiopia wins Stockholm Marathon

2011-05-28T09:43:00.001-04:00

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Shumi Gerbada of Ethiopia won the Stockholm Marathon on Saturday in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 7 seconds, and Sweden's Isabellah Andersson took the women's title for the fourth straight year.

Gerbaba broke away from Dominic Pius Ondoro of Kenya in the last few miles of the 26.2-mile race. Pius Ondoro was second in 2:14.23 and fellow Kenyan Kenneth Korir was third.

Andersson became the first woman to have won the race four times, finishing in 2:37.28. Eri Okubo of Japan was second in 2:38:58.

A total of 16,131 runners entered the city's 33rd marathon

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing the Joint Session of Ethiopian Parliament, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 26, 2011.

2011-05-26T11:09:00.001-04:00

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh addressed the Joint Session of the two Houses of the Parliament of Ethiopia at Addis Ababa today. Following is the text of Prime Minster’s speech on the occasion:

“I am deeply honoured to be given this opportunity to address the Joint Session of both Houses of the Parliament of Ethiopia.

I feel privileged to be the first Prime Minister of India to visit this great country.

For me, this is a voyage of friendship and solidarity. I bring to you warm and friendly greetings from a fellow democracy – a democracy that, like yours, faces the challenges of development and a democracy that, like yours, treasures diversity and federalism.

I am conscious that when one visits Ethiopia one visits the cradle of humankind. It is strategically located in the Horn of Africa and is the gateway to East Africa. It is a land of great natural beauty which was home to the most ancient kingdom in Africa.

India and Ethiopia are no strangers to each other.

Many millennia ago, Africa and India were joined as one landmass. Today we are separated by the waters of the Indian Ocean but our connections are deep and they have brought in their wake rich and varied exchanges in the ebb and flow of history.

Indian traders flocked to the ancient port of Adulis, trading silk and spices for gold and ivory. A sizeable Indian community consisting of merchants and artisans came and settled in this ancient land in the latter part of the 19th century.

There was movement in the other direction too. Thousands of people of Ethiopian origin have settled as an integral part of Indian society along the West Coast of India. The fort of Murud Janjira in the State of Maharashtra stands as a symbol of African influence in India.

These exchanges have produced remarkable and often overlooked similarities in our traditions and cultures.

The Siddis of African descent living in India have created a fusion of Indian and African styles of music that thrives today. The tradition in southern India of using fermented flour for making Dosa is similar to the Injara in Ethiopia. The sight of women with heads covered and men wearing turbans is strikingly common in Ethiopian and Indian villages. Hospitality in humble village homes begins with simple offerings, and guests are treated as incarnations of the gods.

Unlike large parts of Asia and Africa, Ethiopia never suffered the humiliation and trauma of colonization. Yet, when Abyssinia was invaded in 1935, it deeply affected Jawaharlal Nehru, and he led India in offering sympathy to the people of Ethiopia. In his appeal to the people of India to observe Abyssinia Day in 1936 he said:

“We in India can do nothing to help our brethren in distress in Ethiopia for we also are victims of imperialism. But we can at least send them sympathy in the hour of their trial. We stand with them today in their sorrow as we hope to stand together when better days come.”

I believe the better days that Jawaharlal Nehru spoke of have come.

Ethiopia has overcome many adversities to become one of Africa’s fastest growing economies. Ethiopia is a magnet for foreign investment.

Its economic performance and political stability are the fruit of the hard working people of Ethiopia and a tribute to the progressive leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The voice of Ethiopia is heard with respect. Addis Ababa, the new flower, has become the diplomatic capital of Africa. It is the Headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

I heartily congratulate the people of Ethiopia on their splendid achievements.

Relations between India and Ethiopia have expanded impressively in the last few decades. We attach high importance to our relations with Ethiopia.

Our development and economic partnership is progressing well.

Education and capacity building are high priorities for both our countries.

The Pan-African e-Network project in Ethiopia implemented by India has connected Addis Ababa University with the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

We have agreed to the early establishment of a Vocational Training Centre in Ethiopia.

In the infrastructure sector, India has assisted in a rural electrification programme in Southern Ethiopia which has brought benefit to hundreds of thousands of people in rural Ethiopia.

India has provided a line of credit of 640 million US dollars for the development of Ethiopia’s sugar industry.

We will support the new Ethio-Djibouti Railway project to promote regional integration. We have decided to extend a line of credit of 300 million US dollars for this important project.

India is one of the largest foreign investors in Ethiopia. More than 450 Indian companies have committed upwards of 4 billion US dollars in investment in Ethiopia.

Our bilateral trade is on course to reach the target of 1 billion US dollars by 2015.

Our political ties are close. Indian troops were part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea to secure peace and security. Military training is a valued area of our cooperation.

The decisions Prime Minister Zenawi and I took in the course of our discussions yesterday will strengthen our partnership even further.

Going forward, our bilateral cooperation should help to make a difference to the real problems affecting the common man.

India and Ethiopia must work to address the challenges of food security, energy security, health security, sustainable development and climate change. We have to learn to solve our own problems by collaborating with each other.

Our farming communities and scientists should collaborate to usher in a second Green Revolution. This is the lasting solution to the scourge of hunger that afflicts millions in both our countries.

Providing affordable health care to our people, particularly in rural areas, is another major challenge. Indian pharmaceutical companies are known for providing cheap and good quality generic drugs. I am happy they have begun to invest in Ethiopia.

We have to be conscious of our environment and ensure the judicious management of our natural resources. We should protect our rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge.

It is essential for rich countries to share the financial burden of combating climate change, participate in research and development and promote the transfer of technology to ensure green growth. Prime Minister Zenawi has made an invaluable contribution to these issues as co-chair of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing.

India owes a debt of deep gratitude to Africa for it was here that Mahatma Gandhi experienced his political and spiritual awakening. It was in Africa that he first experimented with the philosophy of non-violence and passive resistance or satyagraha that shook the colonial powers of that time.

The struggles for freedom in India and Africa and the collaboration of our leaders were glorious chapters in our history. After we attained freedom, we worked shoulder to shoulder to fight apartheid and strengthen the Non-aligned Movement and the United Nations. India supported liberation movements such as the African National Congress and South West Africa People’s Organisation. We fought to build a just, equitable and democratic international order.

This is the legacy of friendship that we have inherited from our forefathers. Our empathy with our African brothers and sisters is of long standing and comes from our hearts and minds.

The world has changed. Globalisation is a reality today. Our people have rising expectations. Africa is responding to these challenges and discovering its rich potential. The world is reaching out to Africa and seeing it as a new growth pole in the world economy.

India sees Africa as a natural partner in our growing engagement with the world.

India and Africa have to work together to make global interdependence work for the benefit of all people and particularly for the millions who live in the developing world. This is our next project.

We must work towards market access for some of the poorest commodity producers in Africa. Vulnerable sections of our peasantry need to be protected from the vagaries of the international marketplace. It is imperative that the development dimension of the Doha Round of multilteral trade negotiations is not diluted.

Prices of many agricultural commodities remain volatile. The problem is made worse by speculation. The G-20 countries have taken the initiative of supporting work on regulation and supervision of commodity derivative markets. This is an area where India and Ethiopia have vital interests and should cooperate with each other.

The Second India-Africa Forum Summit which concluded yesterday here in Addis Ababa under the theme “Enhanced Partnership: Shared Vision” has opened a new era in India-Africa relations.

Our development cooperation with Africa is based on the principles of mutual equality and mutual benefit. We want the participation of as many of our African brothers and sisters as possible in our aid and economic cooperation programmes. Local employment generation and capacity development are the pillars of our development cooperation.

African students find a welcome home in India. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme has enabled the training of thousands of African youth in industrial training institutes, medical colleges, engineering colleges and in fields such as business administration, agriculture and legal services.

We have decided to increase scholarships and training slots for Africa. Their total number will stand at over 22,000 during the next three years.

The development of infrastructure in Africa is a priority and an area where Indian technology is very appropriate.

We will offer 5 billion US dollars for the next three years under lines of credit to help achieve the development goals of Africa. We will offer an additional 700 million US dollars to establish new institutions and training programmes in consultation with the African Union and its institutions.

India and Ethiopia are pluralistic and diverse societies. We share the belief that democracy and respect for the free will of the people are the only durable basis to find solutions to our problems.

We believe that similar principles should be applied in the conduct of international governance.

The Horn of Africa is today faced with threats from piracy and terrorism. International piracy in the Red Sea and off the coast of Somalia has become a well organized industry. It is important that the United Nations takes the lead in developing a comprehensive and effective response to this threat. Simultaneously, the international community should continue with efforts to restore stability in Somalia.

As a littoral State of the Indian Ocean, India is ready to work with Ethiopia and other African countries in this regard. We would all like the Indian Ocean to remain a secure link between Asia and Africa through which international maritime trade can take place unhindered.

The winds of change are blowing in West Asia and North Africa. We believe it is the right of all peoples to determine their own destiny and choose their own path of development. International actions must be based on the rule of law and be strictly within the framework of United Nations Resolutions. We support the efforts of the African Union in bringing peace and stability to the region.

The birth of a new nation in a few weeks time in South Sudan will be a historic event. We hope it will contribute to peace and reconciliation among the people of Sudan.

The changing world order calls for corresponding changes in the structure of institutions of global governance, whether these are international financial institutions or the international monetary system or the United Nations Security Council. These are issues which have to be tackled and resolved. We are grateful to Ethiopia for its strong support to India’s permanent membership in an expanded Security Council and look forward to our continuing cooperation with Ethiopia on these issues.

Ethiopia is one of most stable and progressive states in Africa. The engine of African growth is being driven by economic dynamism in countries like Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has the credentials to shape a new vision for Africa’s prosperity and development. I call upon you, the parliamentarians and people of Ethiopia, to take a lead in this process. The people of India will stand with you every step of the way.

Our economies have been doing well in recent years. Let us cooperate with each other so that we can reinforce and build upon our successes and achievements.

In conclusion, let me say once again how fortunate I feel to have visited your beautiful country. I feel a sense of deep personal fulfillment to see the coming together of our two brotherly nations.

You have honoured me and the people of India today for which I am indebted to you.

I wish Ethiopia greater peace, prosperity and happiness in the years ahead. May your dreams come true.”

The Lion Kings? Ethiopia, Mozambique & Tanzania

2011-01-06T15:55:00.002-05:00

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L.A.'s Ethiopians hold a fundraiser to aid the ill Seifu Makonnen

2011-01-05T07:49:00.002-05:00

Ethiopia lives in L.A. hearts
L.A.'s Ethiopians hold a fundraiser to aid the ill Seifu Makonnen, a former Olympic boxer. Such events are common in a community that believes 'when our brother needs us, we are here to help.'
January 03, 2011|By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times

Fassil Abebe drives in rush-hour traffic to a bustling stretch of Fairfax Avenue, where the smells of cumin and roasting coffee carry down the street. With handshakes and cries of "Salaam!" he greets a dozen men and women who have gathered in the back room of a friend's restaurant to organize a fundraiser for Seifu Makonnen, a fellow Ethiopian immigrant who is ill.

Nearly every month in Los Angeles, Ethiopians host a benefit like this one. Last year, at events for two compatriots with cancer, Abebe's group raised more than $55,000.
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It's not as if they have time or money to spare. Many Ethiopians here work as taxicab drivers or parking attendants, and most send large remittances to relatives back home. But they give because they know that if ever they need help, they will get it. They give because this is a community that takes care of its own.

You can see it at the home of a family that has just lost a loved one, where friends arrive for days of mourning, each with food, drinks or an envelope of money. You can see it at the hospital, where it's not uncommon for an Ethiopian patient to receive 300 visitors a day.

It's a way of life they learned at home, and it helps keeps them connected here.

"In Ethiopia when someone is sick, the whole town brings food," Abebe said. "When someone is having a wedding for his daughter, he doesn't do it alone. We believe we are our brother's keeper, so when our brother needs us, we are here to help."

Seeking asylum

Makonnen was once one of the most feared boxers in East Africa. A heavyweight with a fierce punch, he was called Tibo, Amharic for "knockout."

He has a clutch of gold medals from various victories across the world and a tattoo on his right shoulder of five interlocked rings — a reminder of when he represented Ethiopia at the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich.

But he hit his peak just as a hard-line military junta swept into power in his country, after the 1974 ousting of Emperor Haile Selassie I.

The communist regime put him in jail for several months. Later he was sent to train in Cuba. On a layover in Montreal on the way back to Ethiopia, he slipped a letter to airport police seeking political asylum.

He moved to Los Angeles with refugee status in 1978 and gave up boxing for another fight.

When Makonnen arrived in L.A., there were no Ethiopian restaurants or churches.

"Back then, everybody was on his own," he said. Read More

Ethiopia’s biggest hydropower plant resumes services

2010-12-27T14:31:00.002-05:00

Source:APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
Ethiopia’s biggest hydro-power plant, Gilgel Gibe II hydroelectric power station, resumed generating its 420 MW after collapsing 11 months ago, APA learnt here on Monday.

The Ethiopian Electric and Power Corporation (EEPCO) said that the plant, which is located at 250km south-east of Addis Ababa the capital, started generating power as of late Sunday following the completion of maintenance works.

The plant was constructed with an over 300 million Euro investments by the Ethiopian government, and launched early in 2010.

A section in the head race tunnel collapsed at 9km from the outlet, 11 months ago.

The plant has around 26km-long tunnel, which is the first of its kind in the country, and in Africa.

Gilgel Gibe II hydroelectric power station is expected to alleviate shortage of power supply in the country.

Currently, Ethiopia, home to around 80 million people, is generating around 2,000 MW of power.

The country’s power supply has reached around 40 per cent,which is expected reach to over 70 per cent in five year time.

DT/ad/APA
2010-12-27

Booming Ethiopia Is the New Face of Africa

2010-12-23T06:07:00.003-05:00

Source: Rick’s Picks

Thursday, December 23, 2010

“Phenomenally accurate forecasts”
(Here’s a man-bites dog story from Cam Fitzgerald, a frequent contributor to Rick’s Picks who lived for a while in Ethiopia. Cam paints a picture of an African nation that will be unfamiliar to many readers; for in fact, even though Ethiopia has only begun to emerge from poverty, its economic prospects are as bright as you will find anywhere on the African continent. To understand why, read Cam’s first-hand report . RA)

This is a growth story. A few years ago, I spent some time living in Ethiopia. I was in the suburbs of Addis Ababa, getting to know one terrific family in particular: the mother, who was the real head of the household; the father, Abba, a shoemaker; and his four single daughters, all in their thirties. What could possibly go wrong? OK, I am already getting off track. This is supposed to be an article about Ethiopia’s boom and the inflation that has come in its wake. I call the daughters “my gals” when I talk about them with friends, and we keep in touch almost daily via e-mail. One is a student, and the other three work: as a translator, a seamstress and a secretary. They all have good educations, speak English and are in every way typical of women you might meet anywhere in the world: the same hopes and dreams, the same troubles with men and the same daily worries about meeting the bills, making ends meet and trying to save.

Well almost the same. You see, these women earn a grand total of 2900 Ethiopian birr in monthly income between them. That’s roughly $175 dollars for six people to share — a fairly typical income in Ethiopia. However, I never thought of the family as poor during the time I knew them. They own a home, are well educated, eat well, and the girls were always “dressed to kill,” so on the surface it all looked pretty normal to me. Expenses are regional and relative, and so daily costs there are generally incredibly low. But come on! A buck a day per person is just not enough money! Nevertheless.

16.5% Devaluation Overnight

So the cost of living is low. At least it was. Until the Central Bank, in a surprise announcement last month, devalued the currency by 16.5% in a single day, making it the fourth devaluation in less than two years. Monetary policy was being used as a means for the country to retain a competitive export advantage, and to manage its currency’s float against the U.S. dollar. A falling dollar in effect precipitated the action by the Ethiopian Central Bank. So, this was no stealth devaluation — it was all in-your-face.

Compounding worries for my girls is the recent commodity boom and an attendant, sharp price increase in cotton, coffee, cocoa, wheat, canola, and of course cooking fuel (kerosene). The problem they are facing is that commodities, while locally sourced, are not locally priced, as they are subject to global competition and speculative forces. Prices are set in the futures markets. So despite being an agricultural country and net food exporter, Ethiopia and its people face the same market dynamics and price hikes that we are about to experience in the West. (This story is indirectly about us, as you will see). And because Ethiopia is primarily an agricultural exporter, the new prices hit the streets almost as fast as they changed on the boards in New York and London. It is no joke that Ethiopians are now unable to afford buying some of the produce of their own country. Following this last price spike, coffee is almost out of the question.

Coffee a Luxury

Since the summer, the cost of a kilo of coffee has climbed from about$ 2.20 U.S. to more than $4 –a price spike of almost 100%. Buying coffee on a daily budget of a dollar is not just prohibitive, it is a sacrifice and a luxury. This irony is not lost on the people living right in the midst of the country where coffee was originally discovered, and where it is still a primary exports.

The gals have been pretty worried lately. They are stoic, though, and rarely complain, even though the price of flour is also up over 70%, cooking oil by 50%, and onions (of all things) by an incredible 250%. And you thought we had inflation worries in the U.S.! Ethiopia’s Central Statistical Agency (CSA), meanwhile, reports for 2010 that tobacco has risen 34%, clothing 25% and rent, fuel and power have collectively risen by over 16%. Yikes! All of this is an outgrowth of a shifting, global investment dynamic that has made paper investments risky; where bonds pay nothing; and where holding cash is a surefire way to go broke over the long run. There has been a shift, particularly amongst hedge funds, from certain equities and debt instruments and into hard assets, gold and resources.

Exacerbating this trend is the widespread belief that quantitative easing is leading to dollar devaluation. This makes resource investments very appealing as a long-term hedge against inflation. Stimulus leakage itself, as well as the outcomes of investment changes that flow from quantitative easing, are now driving the African growth story even as they exert tremendous inflationary pressures. These are the sources behind some of the stresses the people there are now facing.

Inflation’s Hardships

An unfortunate outcome of the new dynamic is big price increases that negatively impact not only Ethiopians, but people who live in the poorest countries in the world. Keep in mind that in many countries across Africa and parts of Asia, food and transportation are the largest components of household budgets. Double-digit inflation therefore inflicts hardship in a way that very few North Americans can fully comprehend. Today, Ethiopia is one of the largest coffee exporters in the world, and not so surprisingly, government revenues have surged on the back of commodity price increases and export growth. Increased incomes from both private and corporate sources including the VAT tax have reportedly shot up a staggering 150% in just the last three months, and the government is on track to fully exceed its wildest estimates.

To look at it one way, the price increases for food are coming out of the pockets of the average person on the street and then miraculously reappearing on government ledgers. While it is not quite simple, the differences between export revenues and increased consumption costs could hardly balance equitably. But this is not a bad-news story, and while Ethiopians are paying the price at the till, the country is experiencing powerful growth on the other. Why? Because the country possesses abundant natural resources. Ethiopia is a veritable cornucopia, and China (amongst others) wants in on the action. So they have shown up with what the country badly needs: hard cash, engineering expertise and generous assistance with infrastructure improvements. They even send in their own people and equipment to get the jobs done. No hurry of course. Pay the bill later.

A Happy Surprise

The happy surprise is that the commodities boom is beneficial to Ethiopia in many ways. The country’s natural resources are only now being explored, even as known quantities of gold, potash and natural gas are being exploited beneficially. Diamond exploration is under way in Welega Province by an Australia miner, Nyota (ASX:NYO). From what I know, they are almost certain to find some there. As a result, employment numbers are up across the country and there has been a significant infusion of foreign investment over the last few years. Capital is flowing from India, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Australia and many other sources. Not so surprisingly, there has also been inflation to match the rapid growth, and this has made life difficult for the working man or woman.

The most recent inflation data show that the annual rate is above 11% even without considering commodities. This is on top of last year’s 9%, and an astounding rate of 45% in 2008. If you can believe this, people there hold U.S. dollars as an inflation hedge! This actually makes perfect sense, since inflation is relative. And when both Gold and Silver lie beyond the financial means of virtually everyone, then a store of greenbacks seems as good as gold itself. Especially when the value of your own currency is shrinking by the day. According to the CIA fact-book, Ethiopian GDP growth was running at 8.7% for 2009 while industrial growth exceeded 10%, making Ethiopia the world’s fifth fastest-growing economy. Exports were worth a paltry $1.6 billion U.S. versus $7 billion in imports. Obviously, there is much progress needing to be made. However, as U.S. contributions to programs and aid have added to remittances from the Ethiopian diaspora, IMF forgiveness of some indebtedness and Chinese direct investment have made up the difference, bringing the country’s budget nearly into balance.

Chinese Investors

As noted above, the Chinese, among others, are taking a very serious interest in the region, which is enjoying a construction boom. According to The Economist, Ethiopia and Eritrea will be among the three fastest-growing economies in the world in 2011. Wow! Growth there is anticipated to exceed 10% annually. Surprise! And you thought it would be China, didn’t you? Nazret.com, the Ethiopian news portal, just reported Chinese investments exceeding $800 million in a wide variety of projects and activities, including cement factories that are creating thousands of new jobs. This might sound like chump change, but it is in fact very significant relative to Ethiopian export incomes.

Imagine for a moment that a single country invested in the U.S. a sum equal to half of America’s exports trade, and you can see what is happening to Ethiopia. In the background, up to 16 new universities are being constructed or are near completion, courtesy of the German government and related agencies. According to Wiki, nearly half of Ethiopia’s population is below the age of 14, and 60% of it is below 30. Quite a contrast to the burgeoning retiree population of Western nations. Furthermore, health initiatives from a multitude of sources including the U.S. Government, the Gates Foundation, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and a host of others are making the country stronger and healthier than ever. At 2%, AIDS rates are among the lowest in Africa and dropping due to education and health initiatives. Relatively low wages have also enticed some of Asia’s overheated economies into outsourcing to Ethiopia. This might seem surprising, since many people think of Asia itself as one monstrous factory. Rarely do we consider that production costs, particularly in China, have spiked due to the ongoing real estate bubble, and that the Chinese themselves are eager to hold down production costs by outsourcing. Much of Africa beyond Ethiopia has been benefiting from this development.

A Friendly Place

As a result, Ethiopia has been ramping up its textile business at a feverish pace, and factories have been springing up across the country. The government of Meles Zenawi has openly welcomed new investments, and resource rights are being sold to interested parties as exploration for minerals ramps up. The government is stable and has been for many years, and the country is more or less at peace. It would be hard to find a friendlier, warmer place to visit.

But there is so much more to this story. China’s growing demand for construction materials has seen them investing in no fewer than three cement facilities recently to supply voracious demand in Asia’s big cities, but also to build dams in Ethiopia. Dams? Yes. Few of you reading this will know that the Nile River’s main source of water – as much as 85% of it, according to one recent estimate — lies in the Ethiopian highlands. This has raised concerns that Egypt may someday receive less than what it currently believes is equitable. Ethiopia is by no means the parched wasteland that many imagine it to be. To the contrary, although almost devoid of trees, much of the country is wet and green, particularly in the highlands, and this is why hydroelectric is such an obvious solution to the country’s growing power needs.

The rains unfortunately are not always predictable, and this has been at the root of some past disasters and famines, as irrigation has not been sufficiently developed to ensure steady agricultural productivity. But growth has been phenomenal, due in large part to the needs of a burgeoning Asia. The Chinese in particular have moved into the country in a big way and are busy building roads, dams, irrigation systems and bridges across the country. Things are changing for the better, and quickly. Thus, in a surprise twist, what is arguably the poorest country on Earth is actually one of the world’s biggest investment and growth stories of the year. Don’t believe me? Go and see it for yourself. Ethiopian Airlines is well known as the best carrier on the continent, sporting the newest fleet of Boeing 737’s and 777-200’s, as well as one of the safest flight records anywhere.

This year alone, Ethiopian Airlines have acquired or placed on order 38 new aircraft including ten state-of-the-art 787’s. An expansion of the Bole International Airport, which is considered Africa’s primary air hub and which hosts almost four million passengers annually, is ongoing to accommodate growing air traffic and congestion. The on-board food, incidentally, is terrific.

Capitalists Welcome

Back in Addis, meanwhile, my gals are feeling very stressed. Their wages are on the rise but are not keeping pace with the loss of buying power caused by the recent birr devaluations, nor with the fast pace of rising costs for nearly all of the things they need. I can send cash to help out, of course (and I do), but the girls represent only one small family in a country of more than 80 million people. What about everyone else? I worry, too, for my friends over there, and I can only hope that the recent developments eventually lead to a higher standard of living, and that Ethiopia can escape the grip of poverty that has been its hallmark for most of the past century. Industrialization and resources are clearly the keys to Ethiopia’s future, the fuel behind its recent growth story. It is still early in the game for capitalists to get involved. The country is open to investment, and even a relatively small sum can yield potentially explosive results.

If that sounds like advertising, consider that fewer than 1.5 people in 100 have cell phones, according to a recent report. That is the lowest concentration in all of Africa, and among the lowest in the world. There is huge pent-up demand for technology of all kinds, a youthful population and a growing (although still tiny) middle class. Like much of Africa, Ethiopia has energy to burn and a desire to break from the bonds of the past. Demographics tell us there is tremendous potential there and a lot of future customers. Asian direct investment tells us that development is being fast-tracked. This is a country you will want to follow if you are an investor who is interested in emerging markets. And last, Ethiopians themselves are telling us they want to be an integral part of the global community. This is truly a growth story.

If you remain doubtful that Ethiopia has potential, check out this short video of a concert in Addis Ababa. It is a little rough and almost certainly made with a cell phone, but if this does not convince you the country has energy, then nothing will. Beyonce is center stage, and she kicks off a show featuring Teddy Afro, one of Ethiopia’s most famous musicians.

This five-minute clip should tell you everything I cannot say in words alone. Hopefully, it will open your eyes to one of the very biggest development stories in the world today. It is about the New Africa, the world’s last big frontier, and a Wild West of investment opportunities. The potential is tremendous. All of those people look hungry, all right — but in a way you probably never expected. So forget the sad, sad imagery of the past. These people are hungry to join the party!

***

Information and commentary contained herein comes from sources believed to be reliable, but this cannot be guaranteed. Past performance should not be construed as an indicator of future results, so let the buyer beware. There is a substantial risk of loss in futures and option trading, and even experts can, and sometimes do, lose their proverbial shirts. Rick's Picks does not provide investment advice to individuals, nor act as an investment advisor, nor individually advocate the purchase or sale of any security or investment. From time to time, its editor may hold positions in issues referred to in this service, and he may alter or augment them at any time. Investments recommended herein should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor, and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. Rick's Picks reserves the right to use e-mail endorsements and/or profit claims from its subscribers for marketing purposes. All names will be kept anonymous and only subscribers’ initials will be used unless express written permission has been granted to the contrary. All Contents © 2011, Rick Ackerman. All Rights Reserved. www.rickackerman.com

ETHIOPIA COMES FROM GOAL DOWN TO HOLD MALAWI

2010-12-04T15:04:00.003-05:00

By Colllins Okinyo in Dar Es Salaam,

Ethiopia came from a goal down to hold Malawi 1-1 in an entertaining early kick off match played at the National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam. In the 27th minute Malawi ‘s Henry Kabichi struck a superb free kick that left Jemal Tasewe in Ethiopia goal flatfooted for the first goal after an infringement by an Ethiopian defender inches off the penalty box.

However Ethiopia did not give up the fight. In the 43rd minute Omod Okwory Omod equalized for Ethiopia with a thrilling goal after volleying in from 30 yards. The malawian goalkeeper could not handle shemeless shot. He punched the ball back into the field of play and Okwony did what was expected of him when the ball came his direction.

Earlier in the first half exciting and instrumental Ethiopian demunitive midfield supremo Shemeles Godo’s goal as early as the 5th minute was ruled off for an offside by referee Ramadhan Ibada from Zanzibar.

In the 21st minute Malawi danger man Victor Nyirenda who has 2 goals to his name combined well with Henry Kibichi but Nyirenda’s subsequent shot hit the side netting. Malawi continued their forage upfront and in the 40th minute Pirira Makupe well struck free kick inside the Ethiopia box hit the post.

In the second half Victor Nyirenda was guilty of wasting a clear chance after dashing past a defender and with only keeper Jemal to beat in Ethiopia’s goal he fluffed the golden chance by shooting meekly directly to the keeper who had an easy time picking the ball.

Ethiopia Sets its Sights on Biodiesel :Could Ethiopia become the world's largest biodiesel producer?

2010-12-03T08:59:00.003-05:00

Source: Renewable Energy World
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia -- Policy-makers in Ethiopia, challenged by fluctuating oil prices and poverty, are seeking solutions that will improve the living conditions of its people and boost its fragile economy. One such solution, Ethiopian leaders hope, is renewable energy.

Statistics from the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MoME) indicate that the country spends about Ethiopian Birr 10 billion (US$800 million) annually to import petroleum products for domestic consumption. The figure, according to the MoME represents more than 90 percent of Ethiopia’s earnings from foreign trade each year. Were the country to tap some of its renewable energy potential, the energy independence it would achieve as a result, would be a boon to the economy.

Because of its location, Ethiopia is perhaps one of the most-suitable nations in Africa for tapping renewable sources of energy not only for its own economy, but also for export into regional economies such as Kenya, which is always looking at enhancing its energy capacity.

Biodiesel Production

While Ethiopia boasts of numerous green energy possibilities such as geothermal, solar and wind power generation, it is the biodiesel sub-sector that has taken off over the last few years and continues to witness increased attention both from the government and development partners from abroad.

Ethiopia is one of the largest countries in Africa but it is also one of the driest, a factor that renders most of its land unsuitable for agricultural production. This has led the Ethiopian government to shift its focus to biodiesel crops that flourish under the harsh climatic conditions of Ethiopia.

The shift from expensive fossil fuels to cost-effective biofuels has received a stamp of approval from the Ethiopian government. It recently approved a 16-page renewable energy strategic document that was prepared under a collaborative partnership between the MoME, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD).

According to an expert from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), as the country has grown over the last few years, it has had to devote more and more of its already limited resources towards the purchase of petroleum products and now sees a clear need for cheaper energy that it hopes to get through renewables.

The most popular biodiesel plants in Ethiopia include castor seeds and jatropha curcas. Numerous companies from India, Europe, Israel and the United States have formed joint partnerships with local companies to help grow the plants for biodiesel extraction.

One of these companies that has already started operations is Global Energy Ethiopia (GEE), which has pumped in more than Ethiopian Birr 200 million (US$ 20 million) in a castor and jatropha seed farming and processing program that will allow GEE to process more than 40,000 tonnes of crude oil when fully operational. GEE started production in 2007 after it leased more than 30,000 hectares of land in Wolaita Soddo in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPR).

The World’s Largest Biodiesel Producer?

In addition to GEE, Eco Energy is an Ethiopian company that has entered into a partnership with the Indian-based Jatropha World. The partnership allows for the exchange of technical expertise that will allow Eco Energy to develop a 25,000 hectare jatropha farm for biodiesel production.

According to Robel Debebe, the Chief Executive Officer of Eco Energy, the firm is set to pump in more than Ethiopian Birr 250 million (US$25 million) towards the biodiesel venture that will see the company produce jatropha crude oil for the local market and for export, especially to European nations.

According to MoME, biodiesel offers Ethiopia one of the best alternatives to expensive fossil fuels and accords the progressively expanding Ethiopian economy cheap energy sources. The growing interest in the sector is evident, as the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA) has over the last two years registered more than 60 companies interested in venturing into the biodiesel production sub-sector.

According to EIA, there are more than 25 million hectares of land available in Ethiopia suitable for biodiesel crop farming. If fully developed, this would make Ethiopia the largest biodiesel producer in the world, with an annual output of more than 20 million litres of crude oil processed from biodiesel crops.

Ethiopia’s Bumper Harvest Removes Almost 3 Million From Food Aid

2010-11-26T21:07:00.002-05:00

Source: Bloomberg
The number of Ethiopians requiring emergency food aid has fallen by almost 3 million to 2.3 million following a bumper harvest, a United Nations official said.

The food security situation has improved “in general in 2010” due to good rains between February and May and between June and September, UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokeswoman Kristen Knutson said by phone from the capital, Addis Ababa, today.

There were “major concerns” in 2008 and 2009 “but now with better weather conditions the numbers have dropped,” Judith Schuler, spokeswoman for the UN World Food Program in Ethiopia said by phone.

Schuler said 7.4 million Ethiopians are still supported by the Productive Safety Net Program, which provides either food or money to households suffering from shortages. The Agriculture Ministry was not immediately available for comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: William Davison in Addis Ababa via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.

Ethiopia Says It Has Evidence That Egypt Supported Rebel Movements

2010-11-25T18:16:00.001-05:00

Ethiopia has evidence that Egypt recently aided rebel movements in the country, said the State Minister for Communications, Shimeles Kemal.

The allegation of Egyptian support for outlawed Ethiopian groups was first made by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in an interview with Reuters on Nov. 23. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has denied the claims.

“We have solid evidence that Egypt is giving covert assistance to rebel groups,” Shimeles said in a phone interview today. “We will disclose the timing and identify the groups at the right time.”

Ethiopia faces insurgencies in the eastern Ogaden region from the Ogaden National Liberation Front, and from the Oromo Liberation Front in Oromia, the largest of its nine federal states. Last month, the government signed a peace deal with a faction of the ONLF, though another faction has since claimed attacks. The OLF said yesterday it had killed 90 soldiers in the past five weeks. Shimeles said the claim was an “outright lie.”

Ethiopia and Egypt are locked in a dispute over water usage from the Nile river. Agreements from the colonial era give Egypt the right to use two-thirds of the water from the river.

To contact the reporter on this story: William Davison in Addis Ababa via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net

I Go To Disneyland ... In Ethiopia

2010-11-23T06:17:00.003-05:00

Source
According to Joe Malone, the CDC Medical Officer working on the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, I have just arrived at Disneyland. This after traveling more than 150 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and then 45 minutes over gravel and mud roads to Wolisso. On the drive down the unpaved road we saw one bus, no cars, no motorbikes and no bicycles—only people walking. When we arrive, the shacks are made of sticks covered with mud mixed with straw. The floors are all hardened mud. The only sign that this is a “nicer” area is the roofs: They are corrugated metal, not thatched.

By appearance, the health center is not impressive. Outside its front gate you could swear you are in the Wild West—horses and donkeys are tied up to the fence. The paint on the outside of the buildings is peeling; the “waiting room” is a bunch of wooden benches and broken chairs on the balcony, too few to accommodate all the people who are waiting. The grounds are dusty with untended weeds.

But this place really is a bit like Disneyland in one sense: It’s all-inclusive. The health center has put together all the pieces to fight malaria and other health problems. The surrounding village has been systematically covered, so every sleeping space has bed nets. The huts have been sprayed with insecticide. When someone shows up with a fever, the first thing they get is a rapid malaria test.

And not just any test. Unlike almost any other country in Africa, Ethiopia has two types of malaria. One type, prevalent throughout Africa, is P. falciparum, which can be deadly; the other type is P. vivax, which is more prevalent in Asia and is milder, causing relapsing fevers. Until recently, the health center had only “single species” rapid tests that detected P. falciparum only. When somebody came to the clinic, the center would treat that person with expensive anti-malaria drugs, because negatives were assumed to be P. vivax. Only if the patients did not get better after five days were they switched to antibiotics, on the assumption they had something besides malaria.

The introduction of a new, “multi-species” test showed that more than half of the fever cases were not malaria. In addition, it allowed the health workers to distinguish which type of malaria the patients had. Those with vivax could be treated with a drug that cost a third of the expensive drugs. (It also reduced the chances of breeding drug resistance.)

Just as in Senegal, the strong push with bed nets, insecticide spraying, rapid tests and treatment has had tremendous success in just over one year. The comparison of the last two years shows that the decline in malaria cases is even more dramatic than in Senegal.

Disneyland works. When we go another 45 minutes down the mud road, we visit a very small rural village. The health workers here have visited every single house in the village, they have put nets over every bed and sprayed inside every house, and they have put a decal on the door to show the family was compliant with every health post recommendations. The results are amazing.

So that’s two countries in which malaria interventions seem to have worked. And that leaves two real challenges: 1) to scale this package of interventions to the whole country; and 2) to sustain them over time when the malaria threat recedes but has not been eliminated. Here is the problem: If malaria goes down rapidly, how will health workers keep people sleeping under nets? If less than 5 percent of patients who present with fever have malaria, is it cost effective to test everyone for malaria? That is, how do we make the gains stick?

= = =

Some people think it’s impossible to travel backward in time. Well, they should try visiting Ethiopia, where the year is 2003.

The Ethiopians follow the Julian calendar, which consists of twelve months of 30 days each and a thirteenth month of just five days—or six days on leap years, which occur the same year as our leap years. The Julian calendar dates from 45 B.C. In 1582, Pope Gregory changed it to our present, twelve-month calendar—the Gregorian calendar. In the sixteenth century, only a few Catholic countries adopted the change. In fact, the British did not change to the Gregorian calendar until 1752. (Interesting fact: George Washington was born on February 11 in the Julian calendar, but we celebrate his birthday on February 22 in the Gregorian calendar.) The Russians held out until October 1917, when the revolution came.

As if the different year wasn’t disorienting enough, Ethiopians also have different months and dates. The Ethiopian New Year falls on September 11. We are in the second month of the year 2003—the month of Tikemte. And this is the eighteenth day of the month. So today, 10-28-2010 in the United States is 02-18-2003 in Ethiopia. It makes reading the case log awfully confusing.

Oh, and the Ethiopians also tell time differently. Earlier, I was in a meeting without a watch, so I glanced at the watch on the person next to me. It said 5:00 a.m. He was a volunteer community health worker, and I assumed maybe his watch stopped working, until I noticed two minutes later that it had moved to 5:02. It turns out the Ethiopians start the day at sunrise, not midnight. Our 6 a.m. is their 12:00 am. So their 5:00 a.m. is our 11:00 a.m., and our 5 p.m. is their noon.

Even Einstein would find this confusing.

Ezekiel J. Emanuel is special advisor for health policy to the Office of Management and Budget and the head of the bioethics department of the National Institutes of Health.

Ethiopia attracting increasing interest from investors

2010-11-21T11:02:00.003-05:00

Source:
Africa’s second most populace nation, Ethiopia, is slowly but surely continuing on its path of economic liberalisation, and is appearing more and more on the radar of investors.

Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is planning large investments in Ethiopia.

It was reported last week that Ethiopia’s government is aiming to license 50 mineral exploration projects every year and more than double exports from the industry to US$1bn in five years.

Investment in the mining industry has grown from less than $100m in 2003 to an accumulated $1.3bn, according to Gebre Egziabher Mekonen, head of the mineral operations department at the ministry.

“The sector has seen a dramatic change,” he said. “Seven years ago, the West didn’t know about our mineral resources.”

The country, which has deposits of gold, silver, copper, platinum, potash and tantalum, exported $281m of gold in the fiscal year to 7 July, according to Gebre.

Ethiopian-born Saudi billionaire Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi’s Midroc Gold Mine and Perth, Australia-based Nyota Minerals Ltd. both plan large-scale operations in the country, he said.

There are currently 80 international and local firms operating 160 projects, Gebre said. The industry is “totally open” to foreign investors, Gebre added.

Meanwhile, Karuturi Global Ltd., and Indian food processor, plans to exploit East Africa’s market potential by selling crops grown on land leased from Ethiopia’s government within the region, chief executive officer Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi said.

The company, based in Bangalore, will produce commodities including palm oil, sugar and rice on 312,000 hectares of rented land.

The intention is to sell crops within the 19-member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The company also sees large potential in the Ethiopian palm oil, rice and sugar market.

Average annual sugar consumption in the country is 6kg per capita, compared with 30kg internationally. “There are still a lot of Ethiopians who don’t know what sugar tastes like,” Karuturi said.

Per capita edible oil consumption is also relatively low in Ethiopia, according to Karuturi. The intention is to sell the 80,000t of palm oil produced on an Ethiopian market that he expects to expand to 300,000t per year.

The Agriculture Ministry said last month that Ethiopia plans to rent out 3m hectares of land, an area the size of Belgium, over the next five years to private investors to grow cash crops and generate foreign exchange.

A huge potential middle-class, as well as underutilised land and resource assets and the opportunities to supply the growing EAC region with product from Ethiopia thus continue to be the main attraction for investors to that country, though admittedly as confirmed by the IMF on a recent visit, much remains to be done to improve the investment climate further, including more focus on “trade and exchange liberalisation, and development of the financial sector, anchored by sound fiscal and monetary policies, continued flexibility of the exchange rate and strengthening of financial sector supervision and regulation”.

Article produced by the Imara Africa Securities team. Imara is an investment banking and asset management group renowned for its knowledge of African markets.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines one day ticket Sale! $777 November 19,2010 only! Call your nearest ticket agent for details.

2010-11-16T04:59:00.006-05:00

Ethiopia: Something to Sing About: Karaoke Song Rooms in Addis Ababa

2010-11-16T04:30:00.002-05:00

Mireille de Villiers Addis Fortune

15 November 2010

Terry Sharp scored 100pc on his rendition of "Hotel California" at Rainbow Korean Restaurant's karaoke.

Undercover singers in the shower wishing to debut their live performance careers to friends can do so at Rainbow Korean Restaurant, located around Bole Rwanda near the Japanese Embassy Residence, where karaoke is available round the clock.

Karaoke, a Japanese word for the action of singing to music with the singing voices cut out but the lyrics displayed on a screen is usually referred to as visiting song rooms in South Korea.

The restaurant was opened eight years ago, in May 2003, by Tara Park with her husband, Cho Kyu Sun, two native Koreans.

"It is our culture, after eating, to move on to singing and have fun," Park told Fortune at the restaurant, last week.

Ideally, one should book the room containing the machine in advance and be at least seven people as it is a spacious room and one might deprive other people of the pleasure of singing if a small number of people hog the machine.

The machine, imported from South Korea, comes with a menu containing the names of all the songs programmed onto it. Users programme the song's code, found next to its title in the book, into the machine. The music starts and the words are displayed on the screen, being coloured in as the music goes along so that singers can sing it in time.

Following the artist's name in the menu is the first couple of words of the song, useful in cases where songs have similar names or one cannot remember who sang it originally.

Of its two karaoke machines, the same kinds used in the extremely popular song rooms in Korea, the one Park has had for five years broke two weeks ago. The "new" one, which she only acquired last year, offers songs in more languages than only Korean.

"I would say about 70pc of the songs are Korean, 20pc pop songs (English), and the remaining 10pc in other languages, which include a little Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian," Park told Fortune.

The customers singing karaoke are mostly Korean and Japanese people; United States (US) embassy people who, due to their country's large military presence in South Korea, have experience with the culture; and other Westerners celebrating special occasions.

Park moved to Ethiopia to learn to speak English. Koreans generally have an image of Africa as being a jungle, she said.

"My mother still warns me to careful of the lions," she told Fortune, adding that she loves the climate. "The weather is so wonderful."

Park had 10 years of experience in the business in Korea, in both Korean and Japanese restaurants. She still cooks every day and has trained the chefs, of whom she employs eight in Bole and six in the other branch, Arirang Korean Restaurant in Old Airport which she opened about six months ago. All the staff members are Ethiopian.

"Now they are even better than me at preparing some dishes, with the exception of the soup, which is not part of Ethiopia's cooking culture," she told Fortune.

"Many people confuse Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food with each other," she said.

While Japanese soup is included with the kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage and Korean signature dish) and seaweed soup dishes (20 Br each), and the mandu (60 Br for eight pieces) are reminiscent of Chinese dumplings, the other dishes on the expansive menu are very Korean.

Korean food comprises mainly kimchi, rice, and soup, with a variety of side dishes. All food orders are served with side dishes like kimchi, mushrooms, peanuts, and other vegetables arranged in small white bowls for everyone at the table to share.

Rice dishes in as many varieties as it can conceivably be dished up, are ample: Steamed white sticky rice (20 Br); fried rice with vegetables (40 Br), kimchi (50 Br), and beef or chicken (50 Br); as well as bibimbap (60 Br), rice mixed with vegatbles, meat, and egg, and dolsot bibimbap (70 Br), the same dish in a hot clay pot, which tastes as if one was eating it in its country of origin.

Park makes the kimchi herself but most of the sauces, soy, fish, and chilli, are important to keep the dishes authentic.

Noodle dishes range between 40 Br and 80 Br and there are eight beef dishes, six chicken dishes, eight pork dishes, and five fish dishes. The bulgogi (70 Br), beef ribs, and samgeupsal (90 Br), fatty pork meat, both barbequed and eaten with sauces and garlic, wrapped in salad leaves, are likewise the real deal.

In Korea, these dishes are usually cooked by the customer's patrons themselves at the table. While Park tried that in the very beginning, it did not work as most Westerners do not enjoy it.

Special dishes range between 100 Br and 400 Br, all exclusive of 15pc value-added tax (VAT) which is added later. As most other restaurants, the drinks prices are where the profits lie, but it enables the restaurant to offer the karaoke service free of charge, as long as one eats and drinks.

A variety of hard liquor as well as red wine, produced both locally (100 Br) and abroad (350 Br), and available by the glass (40 Br) are on offer, in addition to soju (100 Br), traditional Korean firewater and a near essential to every celebration.

Being as strong as it is, soju goes a long way in transforming stage-frightened singers into would-be superstars.

Surprisingly, the English music one can perform to covers a wide range of genres: golden oldies rock (Rolling Stones), alternative (Radiohead), rock (Nirvana), and pop (Britney Spears) as well as less mainstream singers like Nora Jones and Stevie Wonder.

Situated in a variety of small buildings on the compound, there is the song room by the entrance, a grass roofed cottage opposite to it, clean and tidy toilets at the far end, and canopies at the back, slightly separated from the others by a small garden.

The landlady, who also lives on the premises of Rainbow, wanted to keep the place furnished in an Ethiopian style, according to Park. Apart from some pictures advertising the origins of the owners, the wooden furniture all attest to their adopted and the restaurant's host city, Addis Abeba.
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On the other side of town, Arirang is decorated after a more Korean fashion. Patrons are even required to take their shoes off, as they normally would in a restaurant in South Korea.

Arirang is quiet in the evenings and during vacation times, and, as a result, it hosts no karaoke, unlike its counterpart in Bole where people are more likely to want to party, according to Park.

"Fridays to Sundays are our busiest times but lunchtime is always quiet," she told Fortune.

Rainbow is open between 11:30am and 2:30pm for lunch and again from 5:30pm until 10:00pm for dinner, unless customers want to stay, perhaps singing, until later. While she may be far from home, karaoke has remained too big a part of her culture for the restaurant to likely kick singers out some closing time.

Ethiopia: Royal Family to use Wabi Shebelle to Regain Hotel

2010-11-16T03:41:00.003-05:00

Source

The Privatisation and Public Enterprises Supervising Agency (PPESA) sent an undisclosed bank a letter of support on behalf of the royal family, to whom Wabi Shebelle Hotel was returned, to use the hotel as collateral to secure financing to pay the 25 million Br required for the transfer of the hotel.

The PPESA decided to return the hotel, which was established in 1968 and nationalised during the Derg regime, back to the children of Haileselassie in 2008. It asked the royal family to pay back the 25 million Br which the government had invested while it was under its supervision, before handing it over.

The royal family was not able to obtain the money to secure the 108-room hotel and approached banks for a loan, using the hotel as collateral, a source close to the royal family told Fortune.

However, since the hotel is still under the supervision of the PPESA, the family needed a letter from the agency, which it dated October 2010, allowing them to obtain credit using the hotel as collateral.

With close to 180 employees, the 11-storey hotel is one of six under the Wabi Shebelle Hotels Enterprise. It uses 90 out of the 108 rooms as bedrooms while the remaining ones are offices.

Three weeks ago, shares of Sodere Resort Hotel, located 117km south of the capital and one of the hotels under the enterprise, were transferred to DEK Oromia Business Investment Plc through a joint venture (JV).

DEK, a JV between Denku Doyassa, owner of Rift Valley University College; Kemer Yousuf, a popular Oromifa singer; and Elias Ebissaa, bought 55.7pc of the shares for 80.4 million Br.

To transfer the title deed to the royal family, the Ministry of Trade (MoT) required a clearance paper from both the agency and the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA).

“The family is finalising the loan process and will be able to pay the agency soon,” the source close to the family told Fortune.

Ethiopia: Debre Berhan Wind Project Getting Off Ground

2010-11-16T03:32:00.004-05:00

Source:Addis Fortune

Hailu Teklehaimanot and Mahlet Mesfin

15 November 2010

Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Terra Energy Developers for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of an estimated 400MW wind park project in Debre Berhan on Friday, November 12, 2010.

Terra Energy, based in Nevada in the United States (US), will set up a wind turbine assembly plant in Ethiopia and arrange the required financing, according to the agreement. A joint venture (JV) between Princeton Energy Group, Global Enterprise Engineering (GE2) Solutions, and Pacific Renewable Energy Consulting, Terra Energy is also to handle the technology transfer and manage the plant, it was agreed.

The agreement, which is valid for one year, was signed by Mehiret Debebe, chief executive officer (CEO) of EEPCo, and five representatives of Terra.

Among the Terra Energy representatives were two Ethiopians. Behailu Assefa (Eng), chief officer of Operations, and Dereje Abebe, director of Africa Operations, cofounded GE2 Solutions five years ago.

Debre Berhan Wind Park, one of the seven wind projects EEPCo plans to implement in the next five years, is located in Debre Berhan, 130km north of the capital. It was initially estimated to be able to generate 100MW in the power corporation's plan. However, the projection was amended after another assessment showed it was possible to produce up to 400MW in the area, according to Mekuria Lemma, acting director of Corporation Planning for EEPCo.

"Terra Energy is expected to do a feasibility study, environmental impact assessment (EIP), and financial proposal during the contract year," Mekuria told Fortune.

Close to 1,000MW of the 8,000MW to which the country's power generating capacity is planned to increase over the next five years is estimated by EEPCo to come from wind energy.

Most of the materials for construction of the turbines, especially for wind projects, are to be sourced locally, as set forth in the power corporation's five-year plan.

Terra aims to have components of towers, fabrication, forging, and castings supplied by local companies, according to its short-term sourcing plan included in the agreement.

"Our aim is to establish an assembly plant in the short-term and a manufacturing plant in the long-term," Dereje told Fortune. "This will bring about technology transfer, import substitution, and, eventually, export."
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Construction of Ashegoda Wind, located 20km southwest of Mekelle, Tigray Regional State, and 763km north of Addis Abeba, has already started. The first phase, to erect 30MW of the planned total of 120MW by 2011, is being done by Vergnet Groupe, a French company. It is financed by a loan of 287 million dollars; a mix of concessional and two types of commercial loans from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and BNP Paribas, respectively.

The construction of another project, Adama Wind, located in Adama, 100km south of the capital, has been awarded to HydroChina Co, which is set to commence work in December 2010, according to Mekuria.

The feasibility study for Ayisha Wind, with an estimated generation capacity of 300MW, is being conducted by Elsewedy for Wind Energy Generation (SWEG), owned by Egyptian Elsewedy group; while that of Assela Wind, located in Assela, 175km west of the capital, with an estimated capacity of 100MW, is being done by an Indian company.

The new Ethiopian railroad network to connect about 49 urban centers

2010-11-14T09:20:00.004-05:00

Source : Daniel Berhane's Blog
The new Ethiopian railroad network will connect about 49 urban centers, according to a leaked document. To date, the government is unwilling to disclose the details of the pan, except for highly generalized statements. Various media outlets, local and international, have reported the government’s unwillingness to disclose.

The document, which has been issued sometime in September or October and circulated among high ranking government officials, stresses the strategic importance of the railroad network plan for the success of the 5-years Growth and Transformation Plan(GTP). It urges, in the strongest terms, ‘all concerned’ to give unconditional cooperation to the success of the plan. Presumably, this is intended to preclude bureaucratic red tapes, which often result in higher program costs and the discouragement of contractors.

The new railroad network is planned to have at least 8 main routes that extends to all compass points. The rail line will link no less than 49 urban centers, where railway stations are to be established. The proposed rail line crosses the borders of all regions, except Gambella. The network connects, among others, the Chartered Cities Addis Ababa & Dire Dawa, 7 of the 9 State capitals, and towns bordering Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti.

To this end, the government plans to construct 4,780 Km railroad network.(See the map) The newly established Ethiopian Railway Corporation is responsible for the supervision of the construction.The new railway system is said to enhance the freight transport capacity of the nation by ‘at least five million tones, probably more’. The construction of the railroads is estimated to cost 40-50 Billion Birr spread on 7 years, while creating ‘job opportunity for several hundred thousands of people.’
‘Though the construction of the new railroad system is to be conducted in two phases’, the leaked document notes, ‘it is basically one program which is pivotal to the renaissance of the nation.’ Thus, it urges all concerned to embark on the preparatory works needed for all phases of the construction ‘without any delay.’ The document urges ‘all concerned’ to ensure the success of the plan in a manner that engages and benefits youth and women, and complements the transformation of Cooperatives.’

The reasons why the details are kept quasi-secret are not known. One of the reasons is to avoid undue expectations among the towns indicated in the current railroad design, according to my sources. Since some modifications to the rail routes may be made based on the recommendations of the consultants responsible for drawing the final design. However, this is unlikely to be the sole reason, since the current design is based on a fairly long study and major alterations of the route are highly unlikely, according to professionals in the rail industry.

So far, the nation has a railroad that links Addis Ababa, via Dire Dawa, to the port of Djibouti. The 781 Km long rail tracks were built by French in the early 1900s. About one third of the track is being re-laid with heavier weight rails; that is, changing the original 20kg per meter rails with 40kg per meter rails. A Belgian(?) company is responsible for the maintenance project, which the European Union funds.

Below are the towns that the proposed rail line connects.

TO WESTERN
Endpoint – Kurmuk, Sudan border
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Ambo – Ijaji – Nekemet – Nejo – Asosa – Kurmuk, Sudan border

TO SOUTH-WESTERN
Endpoint – Bedele
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Ambo – Ijaji – Seqa – Bedele
Endpoint – Dima
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Ambo – Ijaji – Seqa – Jimma – Tepi – Dima

TO SOUTHERN
Endpoint – Hawassa
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo - Zeway – Shashemene – Hawassa
Endpoint – Weyto
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo - Zeway – Shashemene – Sodo – Arbaminch – Konso – Weyto
Endpoint – Moyale, Kenya border
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo - Zeway – Shashemene – Sodo – Arbaminch – Konso – Yabelo – Mega - Moyale, Kenya border
Endpoint – Asela
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Iteya – Asela
Endpoint – Ginir
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Iteya – Indeto – Gasera- Ginir

TO NORTHERN
Endpoint – Finoteselam
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Awash – Combolcha – Dessie – Weldya – Wereta – Bahirdar - Finoteselam
Endpoint – Shire
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Awash – Combolcha – Dessie – Woldya – Mekele – Aksum – Shire

TO NORTH-WESTERN
Endpoint – Metema, Sudan border
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Awash – Combolcha – Dessie – Weldya – Wereta – Azezo – Gendaweha – Metema, Sudan border

TO NORTH-EASTERN
Endpoint – Galafi, Djibouti border
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Awash – Combolcha – Dessie – Woldeya – Semera – Ditchto – Galafi, Djibouti border

TO EASTERN
Endpoint – Dewele, Djibouti border
Addis Ababa – Sebeta – Mojo – Adama – Awash – Dire Dawa – Mieso – Dewele, Djibouti border

Stay tuned for more updates on this matter in the coming weeks.

Sudan and Somalia are the top ten Importers of Ethiopian Goods

2010-11-02T09:14:00.005-04:00

Source
Ethiopia — Sudan is the second highest African importer of Ethiopian products says the country's export performance report for 2009/2010 has indicated.

Despite long-running conflict and political unrest, Somalia -another neighbour of Ethiopia - is the leading importer of Ethiopian goods on the continent.

Over the 2009/2010 financial year, Somalia imported goods worth $172 million, while Sudan follows, buying $115 million of mainly agricultural products from Ethiopia.

The new report released by Access Capital, a local firm engaged in research and various investment activities in the country revealed that the destination of Ethiopia's exports has seen a 'rapid shift', with some long-standing markets being replaced by unexpected new destinations.

Accordingly, Switzerland has now tops the list replacing China, which was the leading importer of Ethiopian goods past few years.

"In terms of overall ranking, Switzerland is now at the top of the list having bought 224 million US dollars of goods from Ethiopia compared to the 215 million US dollars bought by China and the 196 million US dollars bought by Germany," the report released this week noted.

"Each of these top three destinations for Ethiopia's exports take up roughly 10 percent of the country's total exports." It said adding "The unexpected ranking of Switzerland reflects the purchase of gold by Swiss banks and is in line with a common worldwide pattern of trade in gold between commercial and/or central banks."

The report stated that Ethiopian products, are increasingly being sold to African rather than Europe:

It is also striking that countries with very low per capita incomes and highly unsettled dysfunctional domestic political environments like Sudan and Somalia are now larger markets for Ethiopia's exports than some of the world's richest and most stable countries.

Thus, without neglecting long-standing historical trade links, Ethiopia's exporters would be well-served by paying equal attention to increasingly important neighboring and regional markets in the developing world.

The 4th, 7th, and 10th largest export markets for Ethiopia are now other African countries: Somalia, Sudan, and South Africa, with each buying 172 million UD dollars, 115 million US dollars, and 74 million US dollars in Ethiopian products respectively.

Ethiopia's annual exports reached a record $2 billion, a growth of 38 percent from the year before.

The country recently devalued its currency, the Birr, 4.8 percent against the dollar to encourage exports. The move was hailed by local exporters who said it will help them be competitive in global markets.

In terms of exports by country of destination, the big surprise--and one with a clear policy message--is the significant role that "South-South" trade linkages can play for Ethiopia's export prospects.

The Netherlands, UAE, and the United States are respectively listed in 5th, 8th and 9th in the top 10 destinations of Ethiopian exports the report said.
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The growing role of "South-South" trade is also evident in the fact that the 6th and 8th largest markets for Ethiopian exports are now Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates respectively. Indeed, somewhat to our surprise, we find that Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, UAE are each individually now bigger export markets for Ethiopia than is the United States or Italy or Great Britain or Japan.

Beyond coffee, country's main export, sales of pulses, cut flowers, the narcotic leaf khat, and other products has seen a rise this year according to state ministry of trade.

Ethiopian exports Sudan include different agricultural products in return for oil imports. In June Ethiopia said that it has imported 1.8 million metric tons of oil from Sudan and via Djibouti at a cost of 16.4 billion Birr (around $1 billion).

Last year, Ethiopia earned 235 million birr (just over $14 million) from agricultural products it exported to Sudan.