Ethiopia, Egypt seek to look beyond Nile

Ethiopia, Egypt seek to look beyond Nile

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Addis Ababa, 4 September 2014 (WIC) – Having agreed to establish a committee to conduct additional studies regarding the impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Ethiopia and Egypt are seeking to broaden their ties by establishing a joint ministerial commission.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is in Addis Ababa on a one day bilateral visit where he met Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

“What we have agreed today in our discussion is to use as many bonds as possible to bring the two countries even closer,” said Dr. Tedros during a joint press briefing with his Egyptian counterpart.

“We have several agreements in the pipeline in agriculture, health, air transport, urban development, tourism and others areas which we expect to sign,” Tedros said. Conducting business forums and cultural exchanges were also discussed aimed at bridging the people to people interaction, according to the foreign minister.  
The two countries are also making preparations to establish a joint ministerial commission.

“We are looking forward that [the joint commission] will set the stage for new areas of cooperation between the two countries to consolidate what is an already deep [and] historic relation that bind us,” foreign minister of Egypt said.

‘New spirit’

Relations between the two countries, which soured when Ethiopia launched the 6,000MW hydroelectric plant on the Nile three years ago, improved following a meeting between Prime Minister Hailemariam and Egypt’s recently elected President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 23rd African Union Summit in Equatorial Guinea capital Malabo, was hailed as a success by both sides for opening a ‘new spirit’ of cooperation.

Following that meeting, the two sides agreed to resume the tripartite talk after seven months of impasse.

Late August, water ministers of Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan agreed to establish a committee to conduct additional studies on GERD. The studies were recommended by an International Panel of Experts in May 2013 after assessing the impacts and benefits of the dam.

Shoukry, who is on a first visit to Ethiopia in his capacity as a foreign minister, also delivered a message from President Al-Sisi to Prime Minister Hailemariam.

Source: waltainfo

MESTAWET TUFA TO RACE IN THE TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON

MESTAWET TUFA TO RACE IN THE TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON

Extraordinary things are expected of Ethiopia’s Mestawet Tufa as she prepares for the 2014 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on 19 October.

However, that’s nothing new for this talented athlete. 

As a relative novice, she won the 2007 All Africa Championships 10,000m title, an achievement that counts for a lot in her native country and which certainly caught the attention of the world’s media.

A year later she earned the silver medal at the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh and almost beat the 15km world record on the roads.

Now, just over a week away from her 31st birthday, she is seeking to fulfil her enormous marathon potential.

“I am so motivated (by my family),” she reveals. “I have seven brothers and two sisters and six of them are athletes in different events. I was inspired by seeing (Olympic champions) Derartu Tulu and Haile Gebrselassie running.

“I met them before because Derartu is my neighbour. I didn't see them on television but I heard about them on the radio. I wanted to be like them.”     

Among her running siblings is 27-year-old Tigist Tufa, winner of the 2014 Ottawa Marathon in a course record time of 2:24:31.

“There is no rivalry between us,” she said of her younger sister. “I have a good relationship with her, but she lives in her own house in Addis Ababa.”

Although Mestawet has a personal best of ‘only’ 2:26:20 from last year’s Nagoya Marathon, where she made her debut, it seems that it’s just a matter of time before she knocks a chunk off that, hopefully, she says, in Toronto.

“I hope I can run my personal best and get a good result there,” she declared. “Yes all I can do is try my best. I don't have any information about Toronto."

Tufa is coached by famed Ethiopian coach Getaneh Tessema, the husband of Gete Wami.

On any given morning, just after sunrise, the group of nearly 100 athletes will meet in the village of Sendafa. It’s a 20-minute drive from the capital of Addis. The region lies at close to 9000 feet and is ideal for marathon training.

After a short warm up of three kilometres jogging led by the veteran coach, the group gathers to receive instructions for the workout. They then hammer out hard efforts of 10 minutes repeatedly with a short recovery, kicking up dust along the rural roads.

Idol pleasure

Children stop to admire them as they pass by, no doubt dreaming of one day following in their footsteps like Tufa did as a young girl.

The women and men are separated during the training sessions although the women have a male pacemaker to ensure they complete Tessema’s objectives.

Mestawet runs with a group that includes 2012 Olympic champion Tiki Gelana and Dinknesh Mekash, who came to Toronto a year ago but failed to finish the race.

Like many of her contemporaries, Tufa comes from the Arsi region of Ethiopia where her parents have a small shop. At least once a year she goes back to visit them.

Earlier this year, despite dreadfully hot and humid conditions, Tufa won the Yellow River Marathon in China setting a course record of 2:28:27. To travel all that way from Ethiopia and come up against an unsavoury climate was very disappointing, she admitted.

“I didn't expect these conditions but I can run in hot conditions,” she added, summarising her efforts after her third and most recent marathon.

As far back as 2009, she was racing competitively at the half marathon distance and finished fifth at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships that year so it is logical ask why she waited so long to move up to the classic distance.

She provides a good explanation.

“It’s because of my baby boy,” explained Tufa. “My baby boy was born on 17 January 2011. His name is Olyad Worku, so now he is three years and seven months old.”

Being a mother and a full-time athlete means she is grateful for the relaxation time she finds herself daily. That is filled with pastimes very quickly.

“I enjoy time with my family,” she says. “I like watching Ethiopian movies, especially drama movies, and I like swimming at Bole Rock in Addis Ababa. They have a swimming pool, gym and sauna there.”

Tufa knows she will face a strong women’s field in Toronto including Aliaksandra Duliba of Belarus, who has a personal best of 2:21:29. The latter has apparently targeted the Toronto course record of 2:22:43, which translates into a great opportunity for Tufa to lower her best time.

Paul Gains (organisers) for the IAAF

Source: iaaf.org

Ethiopia: Allanasons Finalizing U.S $ 9 Million Deal

Written by Alemayehu Bacha

Published on 04 September 2014

Category: Latest Business Alerts

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The Indian based meat processing company, Allanasons Group, is finalizing a deal for the purchase of Akshakar Export Abattoir for a total of U.S $ Nine Million.

The parties have already concluded the agreement, yet they have not secured authentication for the contract at the Documents Authentication and Registration Office (DARO).

According to Fortune, the process is being delayed for the parties could not reach on consensus over the issue of getting the contract authenticated after audits of Akshakar’s performance. Nonetheless, after officials of the Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) mediated the two parties, they agreed to get the registration and authentication of documents on the ground Akshakar’s financial auditing is done first.

It was only a year ago the Indian company secured a 75 hectare of land in Ziway town, Oromia State, for the purpose of erecting a meat processing plant. Allanasons plans to construct a facility with a capacity of producing 70 tons a day. The company estimates to spend U.S $ 20 Million for the facility.

In addition to this, according to ILDI, the facility will have an abattoir with the capacity of handling 400 cattles and 5,000 sheep and goats a day.

In 2014 the meat processing plant’s design work was commissioned to an Ethiopian firm, ETG Designers and Consultants Plc. The design is now completed and the construction work is soon to be given to contractors.

According to Ministry of Industry (MoI), the company is set to start to production in the current fiscal year.

Allanasons has also made payments to the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) for the supply of 250KVA electric power it needs for the export abattoir it will operate.

In addition to this, the Indian company is under process to secure additional land in the Somali and Oromia States.

According to the Fortune, Akshakar has the annual capacity to process 6,000tn of cattle meat and a similar amount of meat from sheep and goats. It can also process 3,710 tons of byproducts of the slaughter house.

Source: Fortune

Ethiopia: Road linking Afar-Djibouti to be finished by Nov

Ethiopia: Road linking Afar-Djibouti to be finished by Nov

Ethiopian News Agency-(Addis Ababa)-Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) disclosed the Hawsewa-Abeala-Arbeti asphalt road, which it is constructing at the cost of a Billion Birr, is 93 percent over. The road is expected to be fully completed by the coming November.

According to Samson Wondimu, Communication Director at the Authority, the project is fully covered by the Federal Government and the construction is carried out by the Chinese company CZJZEC.

An Indian company, on the other hand, is carrying out the consultancy and supervision works.

Samson noted the road links the Afar State with Djibouti and the construction is carried out in four phases. The first two parts, Serdo – Afdera and Afdera – Arbeti, are already operational.

As the road cuts short the link from the northern part of Ethiopia to Djibouti port, it will facilitate import and export trade.

According to Samson, the project was initially planned to be finished in three years. Yet it lagged behind schedule for two years.

Photo>(Rastateacher.com)

Source: Zegabi.com

Ethiopian Airlines launches new flights to Madrid

Ethiopian Airlines launches new flights to Madrid

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Addis Ababa, 2 September 2014 (WIC) - The Ethiopian Airlines on Monday commenced its new flights to Madrid, Spain, which has become the 10th European destination of the airliner.

Ethiopian flight to Madrid is operated through Rome and has brought the number of the airline's international destinations to 83 across five continents.
The flights, three times a week, will provide the best connectivity options between Spain and East and Southern Africa, said the Ethiopian.

Speaking during a ceremony held on the premises of the Ethiopian Airlines Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of the Ethiopian Airlines, said the new route to Madrid would create opportunities for further strengthening the investment, trade and tourism ties between Spain and 49 destinations in Africa.

"The continued expansion of our network in Europe will enable our customers to enjoy wider choice of connectivity options when travelling between Europe and Africa," said the CEO.

"Spain is a major tourist originating and destination country. Our new route to Madrid will create opportunities for further strengthening the investment, trade and tourism ties between Spain and 49 destinations in Africa with convenient and seamless connection through our hub in Addis Ababa," he added.

Passengers to and from Madrid will enjoy convenient connections to destinations in Ethiopia wide route network such as Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salam, Nairobi, Entebbe, Lusaka, Luanda and Johannesburg, according to the Ethiopian.

Ambassador of Spain to Ethiopia, Miguel Fernandez, noted during the ceremony today that the launch of the Ethiopian flight to Spain would play role in strengthening the people to people and bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Spain.

Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading airline group in Africa with seven strategic business units: Ethiopian International Passenger Service; Ethiopian Regional Service; Ethiopian Cargo; Ethiopian MRO; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering and Ethiopian Ground Service.

In 2014, IATA (the International Air Transport Association) ranked Ethiopian as the largest airline in Africa in revenue and profit. (Xinhua)