Ethiopia has restated its position on its Grand Renaissance Dam through a letter to the United Nations Security Council.

The announcement came after Egypt called the UNSC for the second time to intervene in the trilateral negotiations on GERD.

In its letter to the UNSC, Ethiopia reiterated that the Grand Rennaissance Dam is not a threat to peace and security.

And, Ethiopia expressed concern over Egypt’s second request to the UNSC after breaking down the trilateral talks on the dam.

The Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew, through his letter to the security council, reaffirmed that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will not cause any harm to downstream countries and pose peace and security threats.

Egypt’s steps are aimed to pose political and diplomatic pressures on Ethiopia, Gedu reiterated through the letter.

It is not fair to consider colonial-era agreements on Nile River which excluded Ethiopia as a point of negotiations, Gedu said.

Gedu noted, through a letter, that the current negotiations are based on the filling of reservoirs of the dam not water sharing issues.

Ethiopia reaffirmed its commitment to continue dialogue based on fair and reasonable use of the Nile Waters and complete the dam without causing any harm to the downstream countries.

It is up to Egypt which has been intimidating Ethiopia to claim responsibility on potential peace and security threats regarding the construction of the dam, Ethiopia briefed the United Nations Security Council.

Source: FBC

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute said nationwide tests for antibodies to the coronavirus will be conducted from June 22 to July 14, 2020.

According to a statement issued by the institute, antibody testing is aimed at monitoring infection rates and preventing the spread of the virus.

The testing will be carried out in all the regional states as well as in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa city administrations, it added.

The institute called on the community, health professionals, and other stakeholders to contribute their share for the success of the testing campaign.

Ethiopia has conducted a total of 216, 328 laboratory tests for coronavirus since February 2020 and so far reported 4,532 confirmed cases, 1,213 recoveries, and 74 deaths.

Source: FBC

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) along with Africa CDC and other partners will launch the Africa Communication Information Platform (ACIP) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release issued by the ECA, the mobile-based public communications platform will provide the latest public health advice for more than 600 million users across the continent.

The Platform will also furnish national and regional COVID-19 task forces with user generated survey data, actionable health, and economic insights, it added.

It is also believed to enable authorities to better analyze pandemic related problems and implement appropriate responses by improving national data and statistics.

Moreover, COVID-taskforces can use the platform to deploy health and economic resources to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

The Africa Communication Information Platform (ACIP) will be launched at an online event on June 23 at 14:00 East Africa Time.

Source: ENA

Deputy Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, returned home this afternoon after a three-day visit to Ethiopia.

His visit came in response to an official invitation from Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed.

Upon arrival at Khartoum International Airport, he was received by members of the Sovereign Council and a number of other Sudanese officials.

In a press statement issued at the airport, Lt. Gen. Daglo described the visit as successful, pointing out that he discussed the issues of border, GERD and the peace process in Sudan and the South Sudan, as well as the situation in Abyei area.

He said the visit was a good opportunity to learn about the great experiences of Ethiopia in the areas of infrastructure, especially roads and railways, as well as industrial, agricultural and technical cities.

During the visit, he had also a discussion with Prime Minister Dr Abiy about a railway project linking Ethiopia with Djibouti, Port Sudan and Khartoum.

The Deputy Chairman finally urged young Sudanese businessmen to benefit from Ethiopia’s experience in the fields of trade and economy.

Source: Fana Broadcasting Corporate

Ministry of Health has announced today that the nation has relaxed some regulations put in place by the government to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The Health Minister, Dr. Lia Tadesse has announced improvements on guidelines of the state of emergency decree declared in response to COVID-19 in several aspects.

According to the improvements, funeral ceremonies over COVID-19 deaths could be arranged by the community as per precautions set to prevent the spread of the virus.

And families of the victims can arrange funerals before post mortem results are issued from clinical laboratories. But, the number of people allowed attending funeral remains fifteen, Dr. Liya said.

The improvement privileges people who test positive for the virus to have caregivers around them in treatment centers based on their preferences.

Passengers from abroad who hold COVID 19 negative certificate are mandated to isolate themselves only to three days after they give samples and stay for 14 days at home before joining the community.

The mandatory quarantine days upon arrival from abroad are reduced from 14 days to 7 days, according to improvements of regulations.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed stated that critical milestones have been realized since the launch of the Doing Business Reform Agenda in implementing regulatory reforms that aim to improve the overall investment climate in Ethiopia.

The premier stressed the need to build on and sustain important reforms introduced in line with amendments of various commercial and investment legal and administrative tools.

Commercial Registration and Business Licensing Amendment Proclamation No 1150-2011, and Regulation 461 -2012, Movable Property Security Right Proclamation 1147/2011 and Directive, Value Added Tax (VAT) Amendment Proclamation 11572011, Investment Proclamation 1180-2012, Electronic Transaction Proclamation are among the reforms introduced following the launch of Doing Business Reform, Dr. Abiy outlined.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy also listed the New York Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards 1184-2012, Commercial Code (Draft enacted by Council of Ministers) and Investment Regulation (Draft tabled for Council of Minister’s considerations) as reforms introduced since the launch of Doing Business Reform Agenda in the country.

Source: FBC

Ethiopia and the World Bank signed a financing agreement amounting $ 250 million in support of supplemental financing to the second Ethiopia growth and competitiveness programmatic development policy financing.

The agreement was signed by Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance and Carolyn Turk, World Bank Country Director for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and South Sudan.

The tripartite negotiation between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over GERD continued for the seventh day on Wednesday, 17 June 2020.

The meeting on the guidelines and rules for the first filling and annual operation of the dam was held via video-conferencing and in the presence of observers.

Ahead of the ministerial meeting, the technical and legal teams of the countries held a consultation in parallel sessions and reported the outcome of their work to the trilateral ministerial meeting.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy of Ethiopia, the most prominent technical issues were resolved through the negotiation.

However, the full completion of the negotiation will require the resolution of legal issues, it added.

The delegation of Sudan sought to report the progress and seek guidance from the Prime Minister of Sudan, it said.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue the negotiation after Sudan has its consultation, the statement indicated.

Beyond ensuring the optimal operation of the GERD, the negotiation requires prudence to safeguard the permanent right of Ethiopia over the Blue Nile, the ministry said.

Similarly, the negotiation demands Egypt and Sudan to take a visionary road leading to sustainable cooperation that respects the sovereignty and mutual benefit of the countries.

The statement stated that Ethiopia reiterated its right to fill and operate the dam based on the principles enshrined under the Declaration of Principles signed in 2015.

However, Ethiopia is of the conviction that the three countries can conclude the negotiation on the guidelines and rules with an outcome that maximizes the benefit of the countries, it added.

Source: FBC

Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the relevant stakeholders have discussed a tourism recovery strategy that enables the industry to bounce back.

The main objective of the new strategy is to make the tourism industry of Ethiopia bounce back to a fresh paradigm shift re-imagined with a different way of thinking and working to face new challenges and opportunities.

It incorporates proactive communication and media engagement, stimulation of the struggling industry, cooperative image building and marketing, service excellence and product diversification, implementation arrangements, monitoring, and evaluation of performances.

Addressing a half-day consultative meeting on the strategy with stakeholders, Tourism and Culture Minister Hirut Kassaw said major activities have been undertaken to contain COVID-19 and to tackle its impacts in collaboration with other actors, including the preparation of quarantine centers.

With the recent development of “Forbes” listing Ethiopia as one of the seven major tourism destinations in the world during post-COVID-19 period, “we have prepared the strategy to enhance and provide quality services for visitors since global tourists eye Ethiopia as their main destination in the period,” the minister noted.

She urged all tourism actors to match the activities being undertaking with the ever-increasing expectations to be one of the next major tourist destinations at a global level.

Chairperson of Addis Ababa Hotel Owners Association (AHA), Binyam Bisrat said COVID-19 has been critically disrupting the hotel sector with the result of 88 percent of hotels in Addis Ababa partially or fully closed.

The newly prepared strategy is expected to enhance and invigorate the tourism industry in  Ethiopia.

Source: ENA

The ambassadors appointed recently by President Sahle-Work Zewde took an oath before the President today pledging to safeguard their country’s interests and carry out their duties at the utmost of their abilities.

Delivering a speech in the swearing-in ceremony, the president urged the ambassadors to be vigilant in identifying opportunities abroad that can be tailored to the needs of their country.

She also reiterated the profound importance of engaging the Ethiopian Diaspora community in fruitful activities that can advance the prosperity of people at home.

The president further urged the ambassadors to groom junior staff members to make them ready to carry out further responsibilities in future endeavors.

Congratulating the ambassadors during the ceremony, the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Gedu Andargachew expressed his strong belief that the ambassadors would advance Ethiopia’s interests in the bilateral and multilateral fora.

State ministers and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the swearing-in ceremony, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Paying allegiances to the Green Legacy Initiative of Ethiopia, the ambassadors planted trees in the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

Source: FBC