Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Paris this morning to start his first European tour.

After landing, PM Abiy will head to the Élysée to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. He will then speak at a joint press conference alongside the French president.

The invitation to visit France was extended to Abiy on July 13, when President Macron made a telephone call to congratulate him on peace initiative with Eritrea and many other reforms he has undertaken in the home front since he became Prime Minister on April.

The visit will focus on cultural ties and investment and be an opportunity for France to promote its expertise in heritage conservation and restoration. As Ethiopia is in the process of undertaking serious economic reforms, it is a good time for French companies to see possibilities of investment in the country.

Prime Minister Abiy will then leave for Germany to attend the G20 Africa conference in Berlin, a summit that will be attended by nine other African head of States and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The G20 Africa conference aims at discussing progress made with the G20 partnership with Africa and the compact with Africa (CwA) to promote private investment in Africa, including in infrastructure.

Finally, Prime Minister Abiy will address a huge gathering of Ethiopians at Commerzbank-Arena stadium in Frankfurt. According to Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Meles Alem over 20,000 Ethiopians will participate in the meeting.

Ethiopia and Germany also enjoy strong cooperation in development, investment, and trade. Germany is the fifth largest destination for Ethiopian exports.

Source: Ethiopia Observer

Ambassador Sahlework Zewde, a prominent Ethiopian diplomat with years of experience with the UN, will be replacing the outgoing president, Dr Mulatu Teshome, who has been the president since October 2013.

She will become the first female head of state since the coming into power of the current government led by EPRDF.

In 2011, Former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed her as Director General of the UN office in Nairobi (UNON), which was then a newly created position.

She was appointed in June this year by Secretary-General António Guterres as his Special Representative to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) at the level of Under-Secretary-General.

Ambassador Sahlework’s three decades working with the United Nations spans from Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) to the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and accredited to Tunisia and Morocco.

Sahle-work also has a rich ambassadorial track record having served as Ethiopian ambassador to several countries. She was the second woman to hold an Ambassadorial position in the history of Ethiopia.

In her work as an Ethiopian diplomat, Ambassador Sahlework served as Director-General for African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia as well as Ethiopian Ambassador to France. From 1993 to 2002, she served as Ambassador to Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), and to Senegal, with accreditation to Mali, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and Guinea.

What the Ethiopian Constitution says about the president

Article 70: Nomination and Appointment of the President

1. The House of Peoples’ Representatives shall nominate the candidate for President.
2. The nominee shall be elected President if a joint session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of the Federation approves his candidacy by a two-thirds majority vote.
3. A member of either House shall vacate his seat if elected President.
4. The term of office of the President shall be six years. No person shall be elected President for more than two terms.
5. Upon his election in accordance with sub-Article 2 of this Article, the President, before commencing his responsibility, shall, at a time the joint session of the Houses determines, present himself before it and shall make a declaration of loyalty to the Constitution and the Peoples of Ethiopia in the following words:

“I ….., when on this date commence my responsibility as President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, pledge to carry out faithfully the high responsibility entrusted to me.”

Article 71: Powers and Functions of the President

1. He shall open the joint session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of the Federation at the commencement of their annual sessions.
2. He shall proclaim in the Negarit Gazeta laws and international agreements approved by the House of Peoples’ Representatives in accordance with the Constitution.
3. He shall, upon recommendation by the Prime Minister, appoint ambassadors and other envoys to represent the country abroad.
4. He shall receive the credentials of foreign ambassadors and special envoys.
5. He shall award medals, prizes and gifts in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law.
6. He shall, upon recommendation by the Prime Minister and in accordance with law, grant high military titles.
7. He shall, in accordance with conditions and procedures established by law, grant pardon.

Ethiopia and Norway signed yesterday a grant agreement amounting 180 million Norwegian kroner (about €19 million) to support Ethiopia’s Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy.

Admasu Nebebe, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance and Mr Jens Frølich Holte, the State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement.

According to the agreement, the grant will support the sustainable use of land and climate-smart agriculture to the benefit of Ethiopia’s economy and people.

The grant is also part of Norway’s commitment to support the implementation of Ethiopia’s climate resilient green economy strategy, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

The governments of Ethiopia and Norway are long-term partners in the fight against global climate change.

Norway, together with the United Kingdom, pledged support to Ethiopia’s ambitious CRGE, at its launch in 2011.

Since then, the government of Norway has made available support to Ethiopia’s forests, agriculture and energy sectors amounting to more than 150 million US dollars.

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu has a dream: that everyone should one day taste hand-roasted Ethiopian coffee.

Widely acknowledged as the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is one of the world’s largest coffee bean producers and Africa’s top grower of the plant. Coffee is also brewed and drank in the Horn of Africa nation in elaborate ceremonies, often using crafting techniques passed down from generations over centuries. As an entrepreneur, Alemu always wanted to replicate this dynamic experience—what she calls “the magical process”—to coffee lovers worldwide.

And so was born in 2016 the idea for Garden of Coffee, a brand that uses artisanal methods to source, process, roast, and package Ethiopia’s legendary beans. Twenty workers at the company’s atelier in Addis Ababa currently oversee this activity, roasting five types of coffee beans only for individual orders and shipping them to over 20 countries including Russia, Sweden, Germany, and the United States.

This personalised roasting, Alemu says, helps preserve the quality of the coffee for the final customer, reduces the ecological footprint associated with factory roasting, and creates a business model that values local manufacturing. This is especially vital as Ethiopia takes crucial steps in improving governance and accelerating poverty reduction and economic growth through job creation.

China-bound

Alemu is now venturing out of Ethiopia. In August, Garden of Coffee launched in China, a tea-loving market that is increasingly turning towards coffee. Starbucks, Coca-Cola, e-commerce giant Alibaba, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, and local Chinese start-up Luckin Coffee have in recent years all bet big on China’s nascent coffee scene. Java House, East Africa’s largest chain of coffee shops, also said in August it would capitalise on this increased demand for specialty coffee to supply the Chinese market.

Through a deal with Suzhou Reyto trading company, GOC says it will ship 12 tons of hand-roasted coffee to China in the first year. The company has also launched advertisement and marketing on the multi-purpose messaging and social media app WeChat, will soon place its product on the shopping site Taobao. But it’s big plan is  to open over 100 café roasteries across China by 2022. Through a subscription service, customers will also be able to receive their favorite coffee of choice in one, two, or four-week intervals.

By embracing traditional Ethiopian roasting methods and taking them globally, Alemu says she hopes to shape the “fourth wave” that is defining coffee’s evolution. The first wave involved the mass drinking of the brew, the second grew with the rise of a coffee culture through brands like Starbucks, while the third focused on artisanal coffee making. The fourth wave now focuses less on commercialization, more on long-term sustainability, besides promoting and preserving local ways of farming. Placing Ethiopian coffee at the heart of this movement is only pragmatic, argues Alemu. But it is also a judicious growth strategy: because of demand, Garden of Coffee is set to increase its hand-roasting artisans to 300 by 2021.

“We are doing this not only because hand-roasting coffee is an ancient art that we strongly feel is worth preserving and promoting, but because we believe this method of coffee roasting is the key to unlocking Ethiopian coffee’s true magical tastes,” says Alemu. “That’s the critical distinction.”

Source: Quartz

The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) Advisory Council is pleased to announce the launch of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund on October 22, 2018, through its official website https://www.ethiopiatrustfund.org/

The Council has been acutely aware of the eagerness of diaspora Ethiopians to respond to Prime Minister H.E. Abiy Ahmed’s call for USD$1 a day to help support critically needed social projects in Ethiopia.

In establishing the EDTF, the Council had to incorporate a non-profit charity organisation, create a bank account, negotiate with online payment systems and other funding platforms, comply with various regulations and establish governance, management and implementation procedures for maximum accountability and transparency. The Council has been able to achieve these tasks speedily.

The Council thanks the global diaspora Ethiopian communities for their patience and unwavering support for the EDTF.

The Council urges Diaspora Ethiopian diaspora, friends of Ethiopia and others interested in advancing freedom, democracy, human rights and good governance and the EDTF to make their USD$1 contributions in one lump sum payment of USD$365 to build-up contributions for immediate commitment to launch projects. As H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has explained, for the Fund to be successful, it requires the long-term commitment of Ethiopians of the diaspora.

Please visit our website to learn about the Fund and make a donation to support the EDTF at https://www.ethiopiatrustfund.org/

Special Notice: The Council is aware that there are efforts to raise money in the name of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund. The EDTF, which is established by the Council, is the one and only official Fund set up at the behest of H.E. Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed on August 9, 2018.
Contact: info@ethiopiatrustfund.org

The Italian apparel/fashion manufacturer company Calzedonia Group inaugurated ITACA Textile Plc., a 15-million USD investment, in Ashegoda, near Mekelle city, Tigray Regional State, on Friday 19 October.

This is Calzedonia’s first factory on the African continent.

In terms of job creation, the factory will offer employment opportunities to 1300 people and is currently exporting 22 million Ethiopian birr worth of products every month.

During the inauguration, ITACA CEO Federico Fraboni said the factory has already started exporting clothes to different European countries.

Calzedonia specializes in hosiery, leggings, socks, and swimwear for women, men, and kids.

The location of the factory has proximity to Eritrea’s Massawa port and is expected to contribute to regional economic growth.

Mekelle Industrial Park which was constructed at the cost of 100 million dollars and inaugurated in 2017 is housing the factory.

According to the Investment Director at Tigray Trade, Industry and Urban Development Bureau, Haftom Fantahunegn, two additional textile factories will start production soon.

On Sunday 21 October, the government of Ethiopia and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) signed a peace deal in the Eritrean capital Asmara, that officially ended one of the oldest arms struggles in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, whereas the ONLF side was led by the Front’s Chairman, Admiral Mohamed Umer Usman. The two held a productive discussion and reached a historic deal that allowed the ONLF to undertake peaceful political struggle in Ethiopia. Indeed, this is the beginning of a new chapter of peace and stability in Ethiopia, particularly in Somali regional state, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The ONLF had launched its bid for the secession of the Somali Region, also known as Ogaden, in eastern Ethiopia in 1984.

Earlier this year, the parliament removed the ONLF from a list of banned movements as part of a reform drive being led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has extended an olive branch to several armed groups. The ONLF declared a ceasefire in August.

The agreement stipulates that both sides would end hostilities and that the ONLF would “pursue its political obligations through peaceful means”.

The two sides will now form a joint committee to discuss the root causes of the conflict, the agreement said.

On the occasion of the Great Ethiopian Run (GRE), the annual 10-kilometre road running event which takes place in late November in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines is offering flight tickets starting from $799!

For more information, visit www.ethiopianholidays.com
Contact the nearest Ethiopian Airlines Office, your travel agent or call Ethiopian at +251-11-665-6666

A  roadmap was designed to help the implementation of the peace process in South Sudan.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hirut Zemene briefed partners on the implementation of South Sudan’s peace process yesterday.

On this occasion, the State Minister noted that a roadmap had been designed to help the implementation of South Sudan’s peace process.

Hirut stressed the significance of endorsing the peace agreement by all warring parties and commended the partners for their constructive engagement for helping achieve peace and stability in South Sudan.

IGAD member states also demonstrated their full commitment to the peace process in the country more than ever, she added.

The State Minister also revealed that the IGAD Chiefs of Staff will convene in Khartoum on October 22, 2018, and would come up with a proposal on the next step to be taken.

IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan, Ambassador Ismail Wais said IGAD member countries are now on the same page with regard to South Sudan’s peace process.

This has been evident in their commitment and support to the implementation of the peace agreement, he added.

He further commended partners for supporting the implementation of the peace process in South Sudan.

The Foreign Affairs Ministers of Eritrea and Ethiopia arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday, October 17, to appeal to all stakeholders in Somalia to work towards the peace and stability in the country.

Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Isse Awad received his counterparts, Osman Saleh, Eritrea; and Workneh Gebeyehu, Ethiopia, on their arrival at the airport.

This meeting is the latest sign of the strengthening of relations across the Horn of Africa and is a boost for regional cooperation, diplomacy and security.

The current visit forms a marked departure from past politics in the region where different actors have been supporting different factions within Somalia, creating further chaos and making Somalia ungovernable.

If the current trends continue, this will likely have a significant effect on Somalia’s slow return to a more unified and stable nation.

During the visit, the two foreign ministers held talks with Mohammed Abdulahi Mohammed Farmajo, President of Somalia, and with Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre.

In a joint press statement issued after the discussion, the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Eritrea reaffirmed their firm support for the government and people of Somalia.

They also called upon the international community to support the government of Somalia to pursue much-needed reforms and its progress towards recovery.

The last time the three ministers met in the region was in Asmara after their leaders signed a tripartite cooperation agreement. The trio was dispatched to Djibouti to mediate in soured relations between Eritrea and Djibouti.