The Adama Industrial Park, located about 100 kilometres to the south-east of the capital Addis Ababa, was officially inaugurated on Sunday 7 October. The site is situated close to the Ethio-Djibouti railway line.

The Adama Park joins others like the flagship Hawassa Industrial Park and the Bole Lemi I Industrial Park. Its scope will be the textile, apparel, vehicle assembly and food processing cluster. 

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Lemma Megersa, chief administrator of Oromia regional state, attended the inauguration of the first phase of the park.

The construction of the park started two years ago and took over  4.1 billion Birr ($140 million US). It is expected to create jobs for 25,000 individuals and generate more than 38 million USD from the export of goods.

The first phase of the park that lies on 102 hectares land has developed the Industrial Parks Development Corporation.

Antenx Textile PLC and Charter Ventures Apparel Ethiopia PLC are among the two big companies already occupying some of the sheds.

In addition to these companies, the famous Japanese accessory manufacturers WKK is under preparation to commence production.

Jiangsu Sunshine Wool Textile PLC and Kingdom Linen Ethiopia PLC are also developing their own factory sheds over a lands size of 8 and 32 ha to produce integrated wood Fabric and garment close.

As part of the first phase, a Chinese industrial park known as Adama-Hunan which specialises on machinery and equipment production is also being developed by Hunan province.

Enterprises that will rent the sheds in the park will be supplying their textile and apparel products to globally renowned companies such as PVH, H&M, ZARA, DECATHLON, CALZEDONIA, WALMART and COSTCO.

The project is part of the effort to make Ethiopia the leading manufacturing hub in the continent of Africa.

Apart from their contributions to job creation for the youth, industrial parks are essential for technology transfer, PM said in his speech at the inaugural ceremony.

 

 

 

 

Ethiopia has appointed Kifle Horo as the new general manager of the country’s hydro-dam on the Nile – the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), worth $4.8 billion.

The engineer was given the assignment after the tragic death of the former GERD Project Manager Simegnew Bekele. Bekele was the prominent face of the GERD project, which upon completion is set to be the biggest hydro-electric facility in Africa.

It is to be recalled that Eng. Efrem Weldekidan had been leading the construction of the Dam following the death of Eng. Simegnew Bekele who served as project manager.

Eng. Efrem Weldekidan and Fikadu Kebede will serve as deputy project managers.

 

The 11th Congress of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) kicked off today in the city of Hawassa, under the theme “National Unity for All Rounded Prosperity.”

In his opening remark, Chairperson of EPRDF and Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed, said the Congress would focus on tackling unemployment and problems of good governance as well as addressing other socio-economic problems.

It will also deliberate on ensuring the rule of law, he added.

The Premier further said that the 11th Congress is historical as it comes at a time when “we are into a course of change.”

The EPRDF will continue to lead the country by being an engine of change and addressing challenges ahead just as it did in the past, he added.

The Prime Minister further said that EPRDF would endeavour to sustain the reform by integrating young leaders with the experienced ones.

He underscored the need to “build a country that has a room for yesterday and today.”

“Succession of leadership should be planned and build on the gains of the past with a sense of gratitude,” he said.

“A political culture that discourages the past achievements of our predecessors and negates the efforts of the previous generation need to stop.”

“If we want to pass a prosperous nation to the next generation, we should join hands regardless of race, ethnicity, and religion as well as avoid robbery and inter-weaving,” the Premier said.

Stating that “we are at a juncture where we could make a new history,” he pledged to scale up the process launched to widen the political space in the country.

The Premier also highlighted the importance of guaranteeing freedom of movement and the rights of people to work anywhere in the country.

After welcoming participants of the Congress, Chairperson of the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM), Muferiat Kamil, said: “it is my belief that the Congress will set directions that are important to cement unity of the country.”

A total of 2000 people, including 1,000 voting members drawn from the four member parties of EPRDF, are taking part in the Congress.

Other participants include, among others, representatives of affiliate organisations, competing political parties and guests from abroad.

Foreign Ministers of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Eritrea united during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly to plead for the lifting of sanctions laid on Eritrea.

Ethiopia and Eritrea, ending two decades of conflict, have opened a new chapter in their relationship, Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu said, adding that “we are normalising relations and charting a future in which our relationship will truly reflect the longstanding ties between our two peoples.”

He further noted that Somalia and Eritrea have reconciled their differences and re-established diplomatic relations.

Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia had Trilateral Summit in September in Asmara which marked the beginning of a new relationship.

Following the Trilateral Summit, Foreign Ministers of the three countries visited Djibouti, which opened a new phase in relations between Djibouti and Eritrea.

It is to be recalled that the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki described the rapprochement as “demonstration of the value and effectiveness of the search of African solutions to African problems.”

Noting that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the President of Eritrea Isayas Afwerki have signed a further comprehensive cooperation agreement in Jeddah, Foreign Minister Workneh stressed that “in light of these important and positive developments, it is only appropriate and timely that the Security Council now seriously considers lifting the sanctions imposed on Eritrea.”

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will travel to Germany for an official visit at the end of October.

He will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other government officials in Berlin on October 30.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel invited him to visit Germany when she phoned him in August to express her support for the ongoing change in the country.

The prime minister has planned his visit in a way to meet with Ethiopians in Europe. There will be events in Paris, France, and in Frankfurt, Germany.

On October 31, Ethiopians will have the occasion to meet with PM Abiy in Frankfurt, according to the Ethiopian Embassy in Germany.  Representatives from more than 80 associations have discussed to coordinate a reception for the prime minister, and a committee is already assigned for it.

According to Mihreteab Muluteta, Consular General in Frankfurt, up to 25,000 Ethiopians who support the ongoing reform in the country are expected to attend the meeting with Abiy Ahmed at Commerzbank-Arena stadium in Frankfurt.

Hotel development projects in Ethiopia are almost 50 per cent higher from last year, according to a new report, leading East Africa on this front.

Government incentives, international conferences and NGOs, embassies and aid agencies have all fueled the hotel growth in Addis Ababa.

HYATT Hotels Corp plans to open its first hotel in Ethiopia by the end of the year as it seeks to double its African portfolio to tap growing visits by both African and Chinese travellers.

Hyatt in October said it would invest an estimated US$200 million in new hotels on the continent.

The property in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, will be followed by Hyatt’s first hotels in Algeria and Senegal in early 2019 and Kenya the year after, according to Kurt Straub, the company’s vice president for the Middle East and Africa.

Hyatt is also looking into opening outlets in the Ethiopian cities of Awasa and Mekelle.

It also sees major opportunities from a growing Chinese market and intra-African travel, according to Tejas Shah, the company’s regional vice president for sub-Saharan Africa.

China’s middle class is “travelling tremendously” with the number of passport-holders growing, while India, too, “will start to travel”, he said in the same interview.

The World Bank has made two significant moves in the Horn of Africa in the space of one month, first in Ethiopia and now in neighbouring Somalia.

In Ethiopia, the global finance lender after 13 years agreed to finally provide direct budgetary support to one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies.

Thanks to reforms championed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Addis Ababa had secured $1 billion in direct budget support. The bank suspended the support in 2005. The funds were very much needed for a country that is suffering from forex shortages.

In the case of Somalia, The Washington-based lender on Tuesday approved its first loan for Mogadishu, the amount of $80 million was the first disbursement in 30-years.

Watchers say the funds are a needed boost for Somalia’s economic recovery efforts. The loans are primarily to fund public finance reforms.

Its board had approved financing of $60 million for the Recurrent Cost and Reform Financing Project and $20 million for the Domestic Revenue and Public Financial Management Capacity Strengthening Project, it said in a statement late on Tuesday.

“They (loans) represent a milestone in Somalia’s development and reconstruction,” the bank said.

The World Bank’s relationship with Somalia has been on and off. They suspended ties with the country when war broke out in 1991, resumed support for Somalia in 2003, at the time saying it would focus on HIV/AIDS and livestock programmes with other organisations.

Somalia’s economy was forecast to grow by an average of between 3.5 and 4.5 per cent annually in 2019-2022, when the partnership on social services will run, the bank said.

Source: Africanews

Ethiopia is undertaking deep and penetrating reforms to ensure the widening of political dialogue and addressing shortcomings in the justice sectors, human rights protection and the rule of law.

These activities have gain support and momentum from all corners and strata of societies, including the Diaspora and international communities.

To this end, Ethiopia is building a justice system and institutions to protect and uphold the democratic, political, economic, socio-cultural and human rights of its citizens.

In this regard, United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres praised the new political dispensation undergoing in Ethiopia with a particular focus on the justice system.

Speaking at the August session of the General Assembly, Guterres commended the Government of Ethiopia for widening the political space and pardoning prisoners who were behind the bar for a host of reasons. The United Nations is prepared and committed to supporting the justice reform programs underway in the recent past by the Attorney General Office of Ethiopia, Guterres said.

Birhanu Tsegaye, Attorney General of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, who is a member of the Ethiopian delegation to the 73rd Session of United Nations General Assembly, welcomed and thanked the positive gesture and recognition bestowed by the Secretary-General.

The water ministers of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt started discussing the findings of the National Independent Research Group on filling and filling operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) yesterday.

In his opening remark, Ethiopia’s Water, Irrigation and Electricity Minister Engineer Selishi Bekele said: “the National Independent Research Group have produced useful results after holding for rounds of meetings to look at the filling and filling operation of the dam.”

He added that the ministers would deliberate on pending issues to narrow gaps.

The meeting is held as per the decision of the heads of the three countries who met in Beijing at the margins during the FOCAC Summit.

“This meeting gives us the opportunity to look at the study results and resolve issues and move forward with other cooperative areas that the countries should develop further,” Selishi emphasised.

Furthermore, he stressed, “we are at this important juncture to look at the GERD will be filled without causing any significant harm to the downstream countries based on the Declaration of Principles and recommendations we have been underlying in the past.”

Egyptian Water Resource and Irrigation Minister, Mohamed Abdel Aaty said the meeting is part of the commitment of the three countries to send their queries and comments to the NTC.

“I look for the possible best scenario for filling that could have no significant harm on the downstream countries and fulfil all the requirements for operating the GERD,” he added.

Mentioning that there could be differences, the Minister noted: “continuation of discussion is a reflection on our insistence that we have to reach both agreements that fulfil for the ambitions of the three nations and bring about better optimisation of the operation of the whole system.”

Sudanese Water, Irrigation and Electricity Minister Kedir Kesem Al Seid said: “we came with an open mind to see if there are any differences in the National Independent Research Group that we can close.”

He pointed out that the meeting is deliberated based on the Declaration of Principles to close gaps and move forward.

The three countries have been engaging in tripartite discussion to narrow differences in the construction and filling of the GERD, which Ethiopia is being built along the Nile.

Today September 25/2018, His Excellency Ambassador Grum Abay presented his credentials to His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium. On this occasion, they also discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Belgium and Ethiopia, notably in the tourism, trade and investment sectors.

A ceremony at the embassy followed this happy occasion. Pictures of the celebrations are available here.