The Monthly Publication of The Ethiopian Embassy in London 

ETHIOPIAN  NEWS

Volume 4 Number 8 August 2005 On-line version   

Election results announced

 ● EPRDF wins with 327 seats

● Opposition gains 174 seats

● Other parties secure 45 seats

● New Parliament to open on 10^th October

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has announced the results for 545 constituencies where elections were held on 15^th May and 21^st August 2005. The Board has declared that the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) won 327 seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives, and will therefore form the next government.

The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) came second with 109 seats, followed by the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) with 52 seats. The Somali Peoples’ Democratic Party won 22 parliamentary seats in the Somali region and 1 seat in Dire Dawa. The other results are as follows: Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) – 11, the Benishangul-Gumuz Peoples' Democratic Unity Front (BGPDUF) – 8, the Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP) – 8, the Gambella Peoples Democratic Movement (GPDM) – 1, the Harari National League (HNL) -1, the Arggobba Nationality Democratic Organization (ANDO) – 1, the Sheko-Mejzenger People's Democratic Unity Organization (SMPDUO) – 1, and one independent candidate also won a federal parliament seat.

The latest release of election results includes those from the polls held on 21^st August in the 23 Somali region seats. The region held its elections after the rest of the country because of the greater demands on resources required for polling the pastoralist population. Re-runs were held in 31 constituencies where electoral irregularities were investigated by the NEBE after the 15^th May polls had closed.

Results are still outstanding for two constituencies, the Arsi Negele constituency – where a by-election is to be held after the UEDF representative passed away – and the Segeg constituency in the Somali State, where complaints of irregularities are to be investigated.

Ahead of the Somali elections, more than 260,000 Birr was distributed to political parties that were fielding candidates in the region by Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS), who coordinated donor funding from the United Nations Development Programme. ERIS also printed 1,000 posters for every independent standing in the region’s election.

Voters turned out in massive numbers for the region’s elections to cast their ballots. Election officials estimated that two million people voted in more than 760 polling stations, which places voter turnout out at around 80%. The turnout was so large, that most polling stations were open from 6:30am.

However, the results of the election did not affect the make up of the new legislature, as the EPRDF had already secured enough of a majority to enable it to form the next government before the Somali region and re-run elections had taken place. The House of People’s Representatives will convene on 10^th October, and a new government will be formed by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

In a statement issued on 10^th August, the African Union (AU) congratulated the people of Ethiopia for “having freely expressed their will in the process” and commended them and “all political parties for demonstrating maturity and responsibility by participating in the multi-party democratic elections."

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PM Meles wins Yara Award

● dedicates to Ethiopian farmers

● donates prize to education

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been to Oslo, Norway to receive the Yara Prize, a new award which honours individuals or organisations who reduce poverty and hunger through environmentally sustainable agriculture in Africa. The Premier was the first recipient of the new award which was given to him at a special ceremony on 4^th September.

The Prime Minister, who was given the award for his contribution to improved food security and human nutrition through environmentally friendly methods, dedicated the prize to the hard work of Ethiopian farmers and is to donate the $200,000 he received from Yara to putting through secondary education 550 children who would be otherwise financially unable to continue with their studies.

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n his acceptance speech at the ceremony, which was attended by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, the top economic advisor to the UN Secretary General and director of the UN Millennium Project, and Thorleif Enger, Chairman of the Yara Foundation and other foundation executives, Meles said that he accepted the award on behalf of Ethiopia’s farmers in recognition of their work, which had seen agricultural productivity double over the past fifteen years - from 53 million quintals to 119 million quintals - through a ‘green revolution’.

Meles went on to say that the government is striving to construct schools in rural parts of the country to increase the number of children being educated and trained so as to enhance the green revolution in Ethiopia even further.

Professor Sachs, who also presented the prize to the Prime Minister, praised the leadership of Prime Minister Meles, saying he had overseen a significant achievement with the growth of the agricultural sector, while Mr Enger expressed his belief that the award would further enhance the country’s efforts to eliminate famine.

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PM Meles expresses deep concern at EU-EOM Preliminary Report

In an open letter to the Ethiopian Herald newspaper, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, responded with deep concern to the Preliminary Statement by the EU Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) concerning Ethiopia’s recent elections.

Prime Minister Meles said the statement, which was issued on 25th August, “has created outrage in Ethiopia”, adding that it contains much truth but is marred by contradictions, mistakes, bias and unfounded allegations.

In her statement, the head of the EU-EOM, Ana Gomes, is full of praise for the first phase of the election process which commentators declared an exemplary democratic process by any standards.

The PM writes: “In summary, the first part of the EU-EOM statement says that the complaints mechanism was a good mechanism given the tense environment, that the investigations were in general carried out according to the procedures, that the opposition parties did not present substantial evidence and their witnesses were inconsistent and that the EPRDF substantiated and argued its case well.”

Furthermore, the EU-EOM declares that “[EU observers] findings about the polling process were generally positive. Their overall assessment of the process has been rated as good in 64% of the cases and very good in 24%. The rules were implemented according to the electoral law and the reruns took place in a peaceful and orderly manner.” But as the Prime Minister comments, “the EU mission then contradicts these early statements.”

After making clear, point by point, that the EU-EOM’s specific claims have been proven to be unfounded, the Prime Minister concludes: “I am immensely proud of our elections... I have no doubt that all Ethiopians have every right to be proud of carrying out an undeniably free and fair election at a time when, for the first time in our history, the elections were highly contested every step of the way.”

He adds: “The EU-EOM, in Ethiopia, has become part of the problem rather than the solution, beginning with the highly speculative report they leaked [shortly after polls closed], a report that I believe significantly contributed to the June events [8th June riots]…The main question facing us Ethiopians, is where do we go from here?.. We have faced off many more serious challenges. We must face this one with the same unflinching commitment to principles and justice. We cannot and must not falter in the face of this or other, even more formidable challenges in the future.”

 

A full copy of the Prime Minister’s letter on the EU-EOM preliminary statement is available on the Embassy website, www.ethioembassy.org.uk, in the News and Election 2005 sections.

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New Mayor of Addis elected

Dr Berhanu Nega of the Coalition for Unity and Democraccy (CUD) has been elected as the new Mayor of Addis Ababa city. Dr Berhanu, who takes over from the incumbent Mayor Arkebe Oqubay in October following the elections on 15^th May, was elected in a secret ballot of the newly elected CUD representatives of the city on 20^th August. The new CUD-led city Council also elected Dr Admasu Gebeyehu as Deputy Mayor and Assefa Haile-Wold as Speaker.

Following his election, Dr Berhanu pledged to devote his expertise to the development of the city and said that the CUD would do everything possible to keep to the pledges it stipulated in its manifesto. The new mayor said that over the next few weeks, professionals would be recruited to serve the city administration, regardless of political persuasion.

Dr Berhanu also said that the new city government would ensure that the current development projects introduced by the current administration would be seen through to completion and promised that some projects would be further enhanced.

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Ethiopia, Japan and World Bank sign new agreements

Grant agreements worth US $9.96 million have been signed by representatives of the governments of Ethiopia and Japan and the World Bank. The agreements, which were signed on 15^th August at the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in Addis Ababa, consist of a grant for $1.86 million to be used by the Women Fuel-Wood-Carrier Association to improve the structure and operation of their trade, their working conditions and the diversification of their income earning opportunities. It will also help to improve their access to education, training and health services. The agreements, which were signed by Mekonnen Manyazewal, State Minister for Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Shinichi Nakatsugawa, Chargé d’Affaires of the Japanese Embassy to Ethiopia and World Bank Country Director Ishac Diwan, also consists of $4.5 million earmarked for the Amhara water supply project, with the balance to be used for food aid.

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Investment in Ethiopia increases

The Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) has announced that licenses were issued to 1,190 investors in the last Ethiopian financial year, with an accumulated total capital of more than 20 billion Birr. The number of licenses issued marks an increase of 34% on figures for the previous year, and a doubling of investment capital, with an estimated 70,000 jobs to be created by the various projects.

According to figures released on 2nd August, the Commission gave investment licenses to 626 foreign investors, which amounted to a total capital of 15 billion Birr, although these figures do not include those licenses issued by regional investment offices.

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Ethiopia to host Third World IT Forum

Ethiopia has been selected to host the Third World Information Technology Forum, which is scheduled to take place between 22^nd and 28^th August 2007. An agreement has been signed in South Africa between representatives of the Ethiopian government and officials from the forum, who chose the Eastern African country because of the Information and Communication Technology development programmes which have been introduced as part of its efforts to reduce poverty, ensure good governance and its commitment to improve public service provision.

The forum will be attended by policy makers, senior professionals and associated bodies and aims to share international experiences of policy implementation with a view to supporting developing countries in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The second forum was held earlier this year in the Botswanan capital of Gaborone and was attended by nearly 900 senior government officials from more than 70 countries, of which an Ethiopian delegation led by Minister of Revenue, Getachew Belay, who is also Board Chairman of the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), was part.

Ethiopia will expand Internet coverage to the entire country within three years. Within six months, the number of internet lines will increase from 30,000 to 500,000 and the government has begun laying 10,000 km of fibre optic cables to increase capacity even further.

The commitment of the Ethiopian government in giving a priority status to the development of information technology has been commended, especially when compared to not only other African countries that are at the same stages of development, but also some western countries.

According to Ireland On-Line, on the 6^th September the Irish Labour Party spokesman on communications, Tommy Broughan, drew attention to the fact that Ireland has fallen behind most European countries and a number of African nations in terms of broadband provision in the past few years. Mr Broughan went onto say that Ethiopia’s ambitious broadband programme would, by next November, result in the country having “a greatly superior roll-out to Ireland”.

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Outgoing US Ambassador talks of positive changes in Ethiopia

The US Ambassador to Ethiopia finished her three-year tour of duty with a speech to the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday 23^rd August. In her speech, Ambassador Aurelia E. Brazeal said that she would cherish the memories of her time in Ethiopia and its people for the rest of her life and talked of the great progress that has been made in Ethiopia in recent years. She went on to warn that people should not concentrate too much on the past.

“There are Ethiopians fixated on the political conditions that existed in 1974, or 1991, or even 2000,” she said. “There are those who want to say there has been no positive changes since then, or even no positive change, period.  There are those who want to bury the undeniable positive central features of Ethiopia’s present and deny the country’s promising future.”

She went on to list the positive features as a permanent multiparty system, a legal constitution and institutions to frame debates, economic reforms to help Ethiopia to join the global economy and a development agenda that promises grassroots results. 

“These are features that, if carried through forcefully and positively, prefigure a redemptive future and national renewal.”

She expressed her belief that a promising future for Ethiopia could be achieved through the reinvigoration of age-old concepts of shared values, by being inclusive and by rejecting the destructive potential of bigotry and prejudice and living together with respect for and tolerance of each other.

Ambassador Brazeal also spoke of her hope that all political parties would take their seats in Parliament and participate within the system, reflecting the wishes of the ordinary Ethiopian people that she has spoken to.

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Ethiopian Airlines building $26 million cargo terminal

Ethiopian Airlines is constructing a new cargo terminal at Addis Ababa airport, which will have the capacity to handle up to 120,000 tonnes of cargo every year, which plans to expand the capacity to 200,000 tonnes within a few years. The terminal, which is costing US $26 million, is being built by MIDROC Construction to international standards and is expected to begin service in November this year.

At the announcement of the terminal construction on 16th August, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Girma Wake, said the terminal will have a modern cooling room to keep perishables fresh.

An additional hanger, also under construction at a cost of $6.3 million, is nearing completion and will, once finished, double the maintenance service capacity of the airline, as well allow it to increase revenue by providing services for airlines from other countries.

The airline made a net profit of more than 308 million Birr in the 2004/2005 financial year, and rewarded employees with increased salaries.

In related news, the signing of the contract between Ethiopian Airlines (EA) and the Boeing Company for the purchase of ten Boeing 787 airplanes took place on 27^th August, in the presence of Ethiopian President Girma Wolde Giorgis and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin. At the signing Girma Wake expressed his belief that the purchase of the new planes, which was announced at the end of May, would make EA “a pioneer in Africa, Europe and the Middle East”, while Scott Carson, the Sales Executive Vice-President of Boeing said the airline would become a major competitor in the international aviation industry. President Girma said the acquisition of the new Boeing jets would “surely place EA at the forefront of the future of commercial aviation, not only in Africa but also across the globe”. 

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Vibrant aviation sector can support development

Addis Ababa hosted the conference, which was given the theme of Air transport in Africa: Translating Vision into Action, was also attended by Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Kassu Yilala.

Addressing the conference, Dr Kassu supported the President’s remarks and called for more support from African policy makers to build up confidence in the continent’s airlines against the backdrop of increasing globalisation of the industry. He went on to say that the Ethiopian government has recently built five new airports and expanded and modernised the existing three airports, with an additional two regional airports set to become fully operational by 2007. He went on to say that the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority had begun a programme of modernising its communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management facilities.

According to Captain Edward Boyo of Aviation and Allied Business Publications, the organisers of the aviation conference, Ethiopia was chosen as the host for the two day event, because of its “thriving air transport industry and the leadership role the country plays in the East African region.”

The conference attracted more than 200 participants from African and overseas, which included Geoffrey Lipman of the UN World Tourism Organisation, as well as other key decision makers and major players in the transport industry and allied sectors.

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Trade fairs in 2006

Eyesuswork Zafu, President of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce has announced details for two trade fairs that are scheduled to take place next year. The 10^th Addis Chamber International Trade Fair, will be held from 23^rd February to the 1^st March 2006 on the theme of Quality and Standards in Market Competitiveness. According to the Ato Eyesuswork, the fair aims to connect suppliers of new technologies and customers, to share experiences among stakeholders and encourage local and foreign businesspersons to forge closer trade cooperation. The previous Addis Chamber International Fair saw 138 local and 125 foreign companies take part.

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Telecommunications fibre-optic trials begin

The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) has announced that trial telecommunications services have begun after 735 kilometres of fibre optic cables were successfully installed to various towns in southern Ethiopia. Speaking on 15^th August, ETC Southern Regional Manager Sisay Kefelegn, said that the installation project had been completed at a cost of more than 74.4 million Birr and that is it expected to become fully operational in September.

Sisay went on to say that the Addis Ababa – Shashemene-Awasa and the Addis Ababa-Butajira line that links Hossaena, Sodo, Buei, Boditi, Alaba Kulito and Shashemene are among those lines that have begun providing services.

The installation of the communication network will enable farmers in 561 rural kebeles and residents in 27 towns to benefit from more efficient telephone services, as well as allow for the expansion of other services, such as video conferencing, across the State. As well as the improvements to the landline telephone network, there are also mobile telephone service trials taking place in Dilla, Wolaita and Arba Minch.

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Ethiopia and Petronas sign oil exploration agreement

Malaysian oil company, Petronas, has signed a four-year exploration deal with Ethiopia. The agreement was signed at the beginning of August, could be extended by another four years, with an option for a 25-year production deal if oil is found.

Petronas will be investing at least US $15 million in start-up funding and Ethiopia will receive royalties if oil is found in the 93,000 square kilometre area in the Somali region. Another deal was also signed, which gives Petronas exclusive rights to explore and develop a 15,000 sq km area in the Gambella region, where it is believed that drilling will begin next year. 

The deal follows similar agreements that were signed with White Nile Ltd, a UK oil and gas exploration company jointly owned by the new government of South Sudan, who will spend two years working with the Ministry of Mines to conduct studies aimed at evaluating the prospective nature of the area for oil.

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Harar Brewery expansion project underway to boost production

The Harar Brewery has begun an expansion project which aims to increase the volume of products it supplies to local and foreign markets. The project, which involves the construction of new buildings and the installation of more modern machinery, should enable the brewery to increase production by more than 50%. It is estimated that the work should be completed within six months, at a cost of more than 80 million Birr. Much of the existing machinery originates in the Czech Republic.

The brewery is located on the outskirts of the historic town in eastern Ethiopia and was established back in 1983. It employs more than 630 permanent and 150 casual workers and produces more than 15,000 barrels of beer annually. It is well known for its different varieties of beer, which include a Pilsner, a dark-beer - Hakim Stout - and a non-alcoholic beverage, Harar Sofi. The beer is sold almost everywhere throughout Ethiopia, and exports to the USA, Canada, Djibouti and the Netherlands.

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Alatish forest national park plan

The Amhara State Parks Development and Protection Authority is preparing to designate the Alatish forest in north Gondar as a national park. Authority General Manager, Mulugeta Wubshet, announced on 11^th August that detailed studies into the forest had been finalised, including those for boundary demarcation.

According to the study, which covered a quarter of the total area, the forest is home to more than 32 types of mammals, more than 180 varieties of birds, 12 types of reptiles and a plethora of plant life.

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Blood donor recruitment programmes launched

The Ethiopian National Blood Bank Service is to launch a new programme aimed at increasing the number of blood donors in the country. Called Club 20, the programme will be launched in 120 higher education academic institutions across the country and seeks to increase the stocks of good quality blood by encouraging more women and young adults to become regular blood donors. The country’s annual blood requirements stand at around 80,000 units, yet banks are currently unable to meet this demand, as they struggle to collect more than 30,000 donations each year.

The launch of the new programme comes as a five-day workshop was held in Addis Ababa in early September which discussed ways of improving the capacity of the country in the recruitment and retention of voluntary blood donors. The workshop included training participants in donor recruitment strategies and campaigns as well as donor counselling and care.

World Health Organisation representative Dr. Olusegun Babaniyi said that the provision of adequate and safe blood is vital in the efforts to reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and the combat of HIV/AIDS and other diseases - the three health targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Yohannes Tadesse, Head of the Training Department of the Ministry of Health, noted that the voluntary blood donation rate in Addis Ababa was about 43% and that all blood units were tested for possible diseases and infections – if they are found to be positive, they are destroyed. Yohannes also announced that the Ministry of Health has received a grant through the US President’s Emergency Plans for AIDS Relief project which will be used to construct, equip and staff new blood banks in 16 sites over the next year, each of which will have mobile blood collection teams.

● The National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO) has prepared an operational manual which is to be used for the provision of care and support programmes for orphans and people affected by HIV/AIDS. The manual, which is to be introduced over the next year, was prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. HAPCO also announced that plans were well underway for the widening of the antiretroviral treatment and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme across the country. More than 20,000 people have benefited from receiving antiretroviral drugs over the last six months, with plans to increase the number fourfold next year.

ALSO IN THE NEWS

● Development projects have been undertaken in sixteen woredas of the Amhara State with a view to ensuring self-sufficiency among farmers in the area. The projects, which cost more than 67.6 million Birr, focus on rural road construction, soil and water conservation, irrigation development and the provision of clean water. The projects have seen the construction of 500 kilometres of gravel roads, 5,000 km of terracing, the planting of 17 million tree seedlings and the development of 126 springs, to the benefit of more than one million farmers in the region.

● Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced that the tariff-free export of an additional 1,800 varieties of Ethiopian handicraft products are now permitted as part of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The country has been exporting 4,650 types of handicraft products that promote the Ethiopian landscape and culture for sale on the US market.

● The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Sufian Ahmed and European Union Development Fund Officer, Gary Quince, have signed a 20.9 million Birr grant agreement between the Ethiopian government and the EU, which is to be used for a new study into the country’s transport network. The first phase of the study will design a national road transport strategy, while the second phase will put together a 20-year action plan to strengthen the transport sector.

● The United States government has donated 50,000 English-language reading books to the Institute of Curriculum Development and Research (ICDR) for use in primary schools across Ethiopia. The donation is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) that will also provide more than 100,000 English textbooks and more than 300,000 copies of educational magazines for use in Ethiopia's schools. USAID-Ethiopia Director, William Hammink said the donation has the potential to enhance the teaching capacity of Ethiopia’s primary schools.

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Incredible month for Ethiopian Athletes

 ● historic double win for Tirunesh

● records broken by Kenesisa & Haile

Tirunesh Dibaba.

It has been an incredible month for Ethiopia’s athletes, with world records broken by Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, and an historic double win by Tirunesh Dibaba. Tirunesh led home an Ethiopian clean sweep in the women’s 10,000 metres at the 10^th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, on 6^th August. Tirunesh finished the race in 30 minutes 24.02 seconds, with Berhane Adere taking the silver in 30:25.41 and Tirunesh’s older sister Ejegayehu completing the lead trio in 30:26.00.

Tirunesh then went on to successfully defend her 5,000 metres title on 13th August, becoming the first woman to clinch the historic double, also setting a new championship record of 14:38.59. Her victory was complimented by team mates Meseret Defar and elder sister Ejegayehu Dibaba taking silver and bronze in 14:39.54 and 14:42.47 respectively, followed by Meselech Melkamu – sealing the second one-two-three-four victory in history!

Tirunesh continued her winning streak at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Sheffield on 21^st August when she finished first in the 5,000 metres  in 14:51.77, less than a week after achieving the historic double.

Kenenisa went on to set a new 10,000 metres world record at the Brussels Golden League meeting on 26^th August when he broke the previous best set by himself last year. The Ethiopian athlete smashed the record at the 29^th Van Damme Memorial meeting by finishing in 26:17.53. Meanwhile the Ethiopian women’s team again achieved a clean sweep of the top three positions in the 5,000 metres, led home by Meseret Defar who finished in 14:28.98, Berhane Adere in 14:31.09 and Ejegayehu Dibaba in 14:37.34.

Haile Gebrselassie ran the fastest ever ten miles on the road in the Tilburg Ten Miles, in the Netherlands on 4^th September in 44:24, a good 2:29 ahead of his nearest rival. Speaking after the race, Haile, who is now preparing for his second marathon which will take place on 16th October - the ING Amsterdam Marathon - said he was inspired by the Kenenisa’s 10,000 metres world record ten days earlier.  Before the ten mile race there was a ‘women only’ 10 km run, in which Bizunesh Bekele came second with a time of 32:19.

Meanwhile, Derartu Tulu won the Hydro Active Women’s Challenge in London’s Hyde Park with a time of 15 mins 30 secs and, over in Germany, Berhane Adere finished in first place in the Women’s 5000 metres at the ISTAF Berlin with a time of 14:47.56 seconds, more than ten seconds ahead of her nearest rival.■

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Ethiopian News – Volume 4 Number 8 August 2005

 Published by the Press Office, Ethiopian Embassy, 17 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PZ

Telephone: 020 7838 3883  Fax: 020 7838 3889

info@ethioembassy.org.uk  www.ethioembassy.org.uk