Ethiopia’s PM marks 100 days in office

On 21 September 2012 Hailemariam Desalegn was sworn in as Ethiopia’s prime minister. He was regarded as a compromise candidate and many Ethiopians expected more political freedom. 100 days on, hope is fading.
A few days before Ethiopia's new prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, was sworn in, the Ethiopian government pardoned 2,000 political prisoners. Desalegn's inauguration coincided with the Orthodox New Year which falls in September. At the same time the Ethiopian government started negotiations in Kenya with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a separatist group based in the eastern part of the country.

The Ethiopian government classifies the armed wing of ONLF as "terrorists".  When the new prime minister hinted at the prospect of peace talks with arch rival Eritrea, many Ethiopians believed they were finally entering a new era of political sunshine.

The 47-year-old engineer and father of three daughters, is considered moderate and affable, compared to Meles Zenawi, Desalegn's charismatic predecessor. Zenawi ruled the country with an increasingly iron fist following the bloody 2005 elections.
A technocrat, Hailemariam Desalegn was a former provincial governor, foreign minister and deputy prime minister. He was also one of the closest confidants of Zenawi. Since he comes from one of Ethiopia's smallest ethnic groups, the Wolayta, many saw Desalagn as the best compromise candidate in the midst of political and economic infighting between the dominant Amhara, Oromos and Tigreer ethnic groups.

The Management Contract with France Telecom concluded

The France Telecom's management contract, which had prevailed for the past two and half years, was concluded based on the original contract agreement. Following the conclusion of the management contract, Ethiopian managers of ethio telecom have taken over the management positions. This takeover of the management position by Ethiopian managers has been executed as per the final succession plan stated in the management contract.

It is to be recalled that the management contract with France Telecom (FT) was carried out to have a knowledge transfer geared towards creating a world-class telecom service provider by utilizing the company¡¯s workforce and other resources.

The current existing relations of ethio telecom with France Telecom would be in the form of a partnership and support framework agreement by Ethio telecom and France Telecom Company.

The partnership and support framework agreement/contract, which was signed on December 13, 2012, would be in the form of the Master Framework Agreement and it is managed under the auspices of the ethio telecom Board of Directors. The framework agreement extends more than one year, while other engagements such as expertise in key areas and con

PVH Neurology personnel coming to Ethiopia

POINT PLEASANT — Three members of the Neurology Department of Pleasant Valley Hospital (PVH) will soon be traveling to Ethiopia to continue their efforts in expanding training opportunities for young medical professionals.

In conjunction with an organization called People to People, (P2P), PVH Neurology Coordinator Steve Brown, Dr. Robert Lewis II, MD, neurologist, and Dr. Senay, an Internal Medicine Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Mekelle and an Ethiopian native, will be leaving in March and joining many other medical professionals from around the world to continue their previous work of creating and expanding medical training opportunities in Mek’ele, a city located 480 miles north of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Brown and Lewis have previously traveled to Addis Ababa to help create and foster these medical training programs. Since this trip is Brown’s eighth trip to Ethiopia, he discussed the progress that’s been made in the last several years, saying when they first started Ethiopia had only five neurologists and now the growing training programs are resulting in more than 10 neurologists per year.

Addis Ababa and New Delhi Sign a Twinning Agreement

The Mayor of Addis Ababa, Kuma Demeksa and the Mayor of New Delhi, Meera Aggarwal, have signed a twinning agreement to establish sister-city relationships between Addis Ababa and New Delhi. The agreement was signed in New Delhi during a visit by Mayor Kuma Demeksa to the city.

The agreement will enable the two cities to exchange experiences in park management, in the development of small and micro enterprises, and in health and municipal services. Mayor Meera Aggarwal assured Mayor Kuma that the New Delhi city administration will do everything possible to implement the agreement and would work towards strengthening relations between the two cities.

Mayor Kuma took the opportunity to explain Addis Ababa's welcome environment for investment, trade and tourism. He also invited Mayor Aggarwal to pay a visit Addis Ababa.

allafrica.com

Ethiopia / Seyoum Kebede – We are returning to the glory days

Seyoum Kebede

Ethiopia National soccer team head coach Seyoum Kebede has high hopes his youthful team have a bright future and above all , they are destined to create a massive impact in the Orange Africa Cup of Nations slated in South Africa.

Ethiopia will be part of the 16 teams taking part in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations championships that go down in South Africa.

The last time they qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1982. Despite winning the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup four times, they have found it hard to penetrate into Africa’s biggest soccer bonanza, the Africa Cup of Nations.

However, after beating Sudan 2-0 at home, they booked a place in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations set to be played in South Africa.

Lesotho claims an Ethiopian is smuggling illegal immigrants into South Africa

Lesotho claims an Ethiopian is smuggling illegal immigrants into South Africa – but he denies it.

A confidential Lesotho government report has painted a lurid picture of a secret network – headed by a wanted Ethiopian – which is allegedly smuggling illegal Chinese, Ethiopians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis through Lesotho into South Africa.

The report, written by a former Lesotho government secretary, Tlohang Sekhamane, in March last year, also claims that “there is not a scintilla of doubt” that the network has paid off powerful and well-placed figures in the Lesotho and South African governments.

\However, the Ethiopian allegedly running the scam, 34-year-old Eyob Asemie, strongly denies the accusations, claiming that he is being punished for blowing the whistle on other human-trafficking scams.

Leaked to the Lesotho Times, the report flowed from a special commission set up to investigate Asemie, who has been declared a wanted man by the Lesotho police.

Ethiopian journalist's last chance for freedom

by Christiane Amanpour and Cynthia McFadden

2012 Courage in Journalism Award winner
Reeyot Alemu was arrested on June 21, 2011

January 2, 2013 -- A few months ago, we had the honor of hosting the 2012 Courage in Journalism Award for the International Women's Media Foundation. It was a moving, even glittering event. But there was one striking absence. Journalist Reeyot Alemu could not come to New York to receive her award because she is languishing in an Ethiopian prison. On January 4th, an Ethiopian court will decide Alemu’s final appeal. It is her last hope of freedom.

Alemu was arrested last year and thrown into jail for criticizing the Ethiopian government. She was well aware of the risk she was taking. “I was preparing articles that oppose injustice. When I did it, I knew that I would pay the price for my courage and I was ready to accept that price,” she told us.