Ethiopia to Loosen ECX Restrictions, Says Green Trader Trabocca

 
Ethiopian coffee authorities may be opening up the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), allowing coffees to be traded outside the platform through which all coffees exported from Ethiopia have passed since 2008, according to a news release sent this morning by Amsterdam-based green coffee trading company Trabocca.
Longtime green coffee trader and Trabocca Founder Menno Simons said in the announcement that the company’s seven-member team in Addis Ababa has learned that the Ethiopian government will allow coffee to be sold outside the ECX, beginning April 30, on a trial basis.

The ECX was formed in 2008 in an attempt to reduce price volatility for coffee sellers and incentivize increased production through a more modern, centralized commodity-based trading system. The organization has recently launched multiple initiatives to attempt to create or improve traceability of coffees moving through the platform in order to drive up premium exports of Ethiopian coffees. Federal law has required all privately owned washing stations to sell their coffee through the ECX.

According to Trabocca, that will no longer be the case. “Exporters in possession of a valid export license will be allowed to sell directly to international buyers, under the condition that trucks of parchment coffee will be sold within three days of arriving at the processing warehouses in the capital,” the company said in today’s announcement. “If the coffee remains unsold after three days, it will be sold on the existing ECX platform, but with traceability intact. The new rules result in a system very similar to the one existing until 2008.”

Simons suggested the temporary rules change has the potential to be a major boon to Ethiopian coffee, particularly in terms of transparency related to individual coffee varieties and producer connections, but also in creating and maintaining long-term relationships between individual washing stations and green buyers.
“At Trabocca, we consider the new rules a great step forward for Ethiopia and the International value of Ethiopian coffees,” the company said. “Of all countries producing specialty coffee around the world, Ethiopia has by far the broadest range of flavor profiles. As the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia offers thousands of unique, beautiful varietals. It is time for the value of Ethiopian coffee to be recognized and fully appreciated again by roasters and consumers around the world.” Read more here

Italian Groups Leading $2.6M Investment in Ethiopian Coffee Industry

 
Italian agencies and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed a financing agreement that will invest approximately $2.6 million USD in the Ethiopian coffee sector in a project called “Improving the Sustainability and Inclusiveness of the Ethiopian Coffee Value Chain through Private and Public Partnership.”

Supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the project will be implemented by UNIDO in partnership with Italian coffee giant Illycaffè and the Ernesto Illy Foundation, the Illy-family-run nonprofit that has historically focused on scientific research in the coffee sector. The groups said they will work closely with Ethiopian coffee institutions, including the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Development and Marketing Authority, which was officially re-formed last May.

The overarching goal of the three-year project is to increase the quality, traceability and international recognition of Ethiopian coffee to increase export revenues and generate more income for the country’s thousands of smallholder farmers.

With implementation in Addis Ababa and the Oromia and SNNP regions, the program is being designed to provide direct support to smallholders and cooperatives through the dissemination of best practices for coffee agronomy, along with tool kits for post-harvest processing, washing station infrastructure development, cupping laboratory creation and modern marketing strategies.

The project will also provide the Coffee and Tea Development and Marketing Authority with financial support and an Addis-based coffee roasting training center designed to develop skills while promoting domestic development of roasted coffee.

A joint announcement from the Italian development agency and UNIDO said the role of Illycaffé and the Ernesto Illy Foundation will include financial support as well as work directly with project partners to scale up “local capacities and knowledge of the coffee value chain,” as well as “serving as trading facilitators and advisors.”

“The coffee value chain is very important for this country,” Italian Agency for
Development Cooperation Addis Ababa office head Ginevra Letizia said in a public announcement of the signing issued last week. “Coffee is a treasure of the culture of Ethiopia and it is a duty to improve the coffee production. The genetic variety is the most important in the world and the government strategy rightly stresses the importance of improving the traceability and the quality of the Ethiopian coffee” Read more here

Tibeb Girls’: The Feminist, Ethiopian Powerpuff Girls

These are the Tibeb girls, the stars of a new animated Ethiopian adventure series, geared towards teaching young girls about activism and leadership. Tackling issues that devastate girls and young women the most in the region, such as those of HIV and child marriage, it hopes to bridge the education gap on these issues.
The group behind the project is Whiz Kids Workshop, an Ethiopian organization that “believes that mass-media can be the most cost-effective and immediate way to make an impact on large educational gaps in the developing world.”

The group cites information from Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations foundation, which found that only 38 percent of girls and young women between the ages of 15 and 24 in Ethiopia are literate, that one in five girls is married before she hits 15, and that girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are seven times more likely to be HIV-positive than their male counterparts.
“By broadcasting a program that will examine harmful practices and explore girls’ agency in addressing those challenges, Tibeb Girls will foster a culture of conversation among girls, families, and throughout the broader community,” the creators wrote about their program. “Through our partnerships detailed below, the Tibeb Girls is an Ethiopian-led, innovative, scalable and sustainable approach to measurably improving coordination around girls’ issues in Ethiopia.”
While the show is seeking support for the initial pilot season of the series, it has already planned out a second season, which will yield 13 radio and 13 television episodes. Read more here

Our children have been abducted and the Ethiopian government keeps silence

 
April 9, 2017 (SSNA) — Cross- border abductions of Ethiopian children has been an ongoing issue. Nine Ethiopian villages were attacked by Murles from South Sudan, searching for young children ranging from the ages of o-12 years old have been stolen from their homes, classrooms, and from their Ethiopian wonderful Ethiopian lives. The level of disparity that these families are suffering from is unimaginable. Fighting for the return of our children should remain continuous and must not stop until we see all our children safe in their own homes.

On April 14, 2016, nine villages around the State of Gambella, Ethiopia were attacked by the South Sudanese tribe Murles. 208 people were killed and more than 200 children were abducted in less than an hour. Through the course, action has been taken by the Federal Democratic Republic Government of Ethiopia. Eyewitness have learned that 93 of those children abducted by Murles were returned in less than a month, unfortunately, 70 plus more children still remain missing.

In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to salute our Regional State governor His Excellency Ato Gatluak Tut Khot for his commitment and action to engage with the Federal Democratic of Republic Government of Ethiopia (FDRGE). His Excellency Ato Gatluak had been defined his commitment and devotion by communicating this case wisely to both the South Sudan government and the Federal Government of Ethiopia.

We were all in shock when we heard the news many innocent civilians were killed and abducted children.  We were asked the Federal Democratic Republic Government of Ethiopia to put in place an efficient and effective strategy to protect our children and keep them from the eyes of the enemy. Hereafter 93 of them were returned nothing has been said on the whereabouts of the remainder of the missing children.
Perhaps we are still collectively reaching out to the Federal Democratic Government of Ethiopia personally, and to the government of Ethiopia to spread the word about our children whose absences have caused a great deal of pain. Who have been separated and alienated from us? We are desperate for help on reuniting with our children, we’re also seeking their safe and prompt return home to Ethiopia.

The Federal Democratic of Republic Government of Ethiopia asked the South Sudanese government to sign, but the South Sudanese government did not comply with the pending abducted children cases. Early in the year of 2017, we have concluded that the two governments are working closely on something other than the cases of the missing children of Ethiopia. Without the help of the two governments, our children are silenced and still remain in the bushes.

Apparently, we are urging the Federal Democratic of Republic Government of Ethiopian not only to build a new relationship with South Sudan but to help bring our children back. Such a bilateral agreement between the Ethiopian government and the South Sudanese government will stop the focus on the missing children’s case. Hence, we have no doubt in mind that the abducted children cases will be left in the midpoint, compounding the suffering of victimized children and families. This case needs an expedited legal framework from the Ethiopian government itself. Preferably processing in specialized real action by the Ethiopian government and believes on how South Sudanese government lies to them.
Conversely, it is a calculation of malicious acts committed by the South Sudanese tribe Murles. They abduct our children as if they are their own and inflict each seeking parent with emotional and psychological pain. Robbing them of their family dignity systematically alienates the entire country particular parents. Worst of all, these children do not even realize that they are being victimized by South Sudanese Murles.
So what makes you think that this kind of behavior is ethical? (Ethiopian government)? What is ethical about taking children from the ages of 0-12 years old away from their mothers, families, homes, their languages, their country, their schools, and their culture? This behavior is very upsetting and must be stopped for the sake of our future, which is our children.
Compensation

Grieves reaction had been manifested long after the physical loss of a loved one. For example, parents may find that they re-experience feelings of loss in many years later if good action is not taking, such as when they think their children are not returned and are converted into a different culture. Families of the victims of the South Sudanese-led attack on Gambella, Ethiopia should be allowed to seek compensation for damages suffered during the attacked.

The victims of Anywaa and Nuer families of Ethiopia are to prepare a lawsuit seeking full compensation from the South Sudanese over the killings of innocent civilians and the abducted children. Since an attack rippled the zones surrounding Woredas, the Federal government of Ethiopia went out and visited the villages. The only thing visible were graves—-they then promised to the victims’ families that all children and all cows that were taken will be brought back to you, following by compensation afterward.

We still recall Ethiopian government to reopen the case of the unrecovered abducted children. We call on PM. Hailemarian Desalegn to take up matters with Kiir or Murles, in particular, to bring the abdicated children of Ethiopia back to their parents as soon as possible. It should not be easy for Ethiopia to sign new road projects with the enemy while the most important issue at hand is the returning of the abdicated children.

We cannot keep our missing children behind the shadow! Without the strong actions from the Ethiopian government, those children will never be home to Ethiopia. Bringing our children home should be the Ethiopian government’s responsibility. The federal government of Ethiopian must raise awareness and advocate for the return of all Ethiopian children who were abducted and brought to South Sudan.
In conclusion
The Federal Democratic Republic Government of Ethiopian (FDERGE) needs to inform the South Sudanese government on putting in place a robust or some long-term mechanism to prevent the abduction of children as well as enable a prompt way to return children abducted by the South Sudanese Murle tribe back to Ethiopia.
It would be our hope that the Federal Democratic Republic Government of Ethiopian does not forget that her children are still missing, and therefore acquires precise and prompt action to bring them back to Ethiopia.
For instance, in the middle of 2016 and early 2017, the killing of innocent civilians and the abduction of children still continues and the Federal Democratic Government of Ethiopian is seemly reluctant about ongoing killing of innocent civilians.
Almost a year since an attacked had happened on Ethiopia Woredas where many lives were lost. Our government rarely takes a strong stand on the issue of child abduction the way it does for other issues. We have lost more children and a thousand head of cattle were taken by South Sudanese Murles tribe. Those children have not come home yet. An agreement taken placed in early April of 2016, started to bring all children and cows back to whom they belong to.

The agreement turned into the biggest nightmare, the government not to bring our children lives. Since our families were killed, and children were abduction to South Sudan, since then, we have had no access or very limited access, to know whereabouts our own children whom we gave birth to and nurtured with tender love and care for years they were born.

This petition contains new and bold policy goals between the Ethiopian and the South Sudanese government. The two governments should partner with the Murles in order to end years of suffering of the Nuer and Anywaa people of Ethiopia and to deliver justice to victimized and abducted Ethiopian children and their seeking families.

We respectfully urge His Excellency Prime Minister Hailemarian Desalegn to address this serious issue and take the following actions! On a priority basis, negotiate a bilateral agreement to expedite resolution of Ethiopian abductions cases. Where are our kids? Where are our kids? Where are our children? We are looking forward to seeing our children and cows! Read more herer

Ethiopian band wins fans by melding rock with African sounds

 

The Jano band -- a rare rock band in Ethiopia -- has been playing locally and touring in Europe for the past five years

At a hotel in Addis Ababa well-known for hosting jazz greats, thousands of fans lined up on a Saturday night to headbang along with what is still a rarity in Ethiopia's diverse music scene -- a rock band.
Jano, named after a popular item of traditional clothing, has made a name for itself in Africa's second most populous country, as well as abroad, by blending local styles of music with Western rock and roll.
"We're trying to make something very, very different," said Hailu Amerga, one of four vocalists in the eight-piece, mixed ensemble, that also features a drummer, keyboard player, guitarist and bassist.
"Rock, it was really far away from our country, and it's not our tradition," he said.
Ethiopian music is generally known for its distinctly non-Western scales and instrumentation, and is a staple of the nightlife in the Ethiopian capital.

At open-air beer gardens, young people dance shoulder-shaking jigs to playlists that alternate between Ethiopian singers and hip-hop hits by west African artists like Sarkodie and Davido.
Perhaps no style of Ethiopian music is better known outside the country than its unique kind of jazz, pioneered by musicians such as Mulatu Astatke and Mahmoud Ahmed, and known worldwide as Ethio-jazz.
The longstanding jazz culture evolved from a brass band movement that was begun by an Armenian band brought to the country by Haile Selassie, Ethiopia's last emperor, after he saw it perform in Jerusalem during a visit in the 1920s.

- 'People are so confused' -
"When... you give them that traditional jazz, the satisfaction never (finishes)," said Melaku Belay, owner of Fendika, a club where crowds gather for Friday night showcases of traditional music by the dozens of ethnic groups in the country.

Ethiopia's music scene was not always so free.
During the 14-year communist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam, jazz was suppressed and many musicians fled the country.

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The Jano band -- a rare rock band in Ethiopia -- has been playing locally and touring in Europe for the past five years

Though the musical culture has experienced a rebirth in the years since Mengistu's 1991 ouster, rock music has not developed much of a following in Ethiopia, said Dibekulu Tafesse, another of Jano's vocalists.
"At first, we were afraid to introduce it," he said. "Some people are so confused. At the same time, it's not our culture."

Jano was assembled in 2011 by Addis Gessesse, a band manager and concert promoter, who has since cut ties with the group.
The band's sound drifted away from the reggae, jazz and pop that dominate Ethiopia's music scene as it took on new members.

"When we first came together, we didn't have the plan to create a rock band. Everybody has their own inspiration," said Dibekulu.
Bill Laswell, a New York-base
d bassist and producer who worked on Jano's first album, Ertale (2012), worried how the genre would go down in Ethiopia.

"I thought the rock thing would be kind of risky with the older audience, but I thought the younger audience would be... ready for what they were doing," Laswell told AFP in a telephone interview.
When Jano began performing after two years of rehearsals, audiences were sometimes taken aback by their unconventional style.

"Usually in our country, most bands perform standing still," said Dibekulu.
Not Jano, which prides itself on its energetic stage presence. "People usually think we are high..., but we're not," he added.
- 'Everything is from here' -
While the guitar riffs in Jano's songs would not be out of place on an Aerosmith or Guns N' Roses record, much of the songwriting is distinct to the Horn of Africa.
The vocalists sing in Amharic, Ethiopia's main language; the keyboardist sometimes emulates the sound of a masinko, a string instrument used in music across the region; and the ululating of the female vocalists is typical of Ethiopia's traditional music.

"The melodies are from here, the musical arrangements, everything is from here," singer Haleluya Tekletsadik said.

The rise of Jano comes amid a wave of musical diversification in Ethiopia, said Henock Temesgen, a bassist who has played with several Ethiopian jazz acts.

"A lot of bands are trying to experiment with mixing Ethio music with other elements, like jazz. Jano is just one element of that," Henock said, adding that before Jano, there was no real rock band in the country.
Jano plans to release a second album in the coming months, and regularly performs abroad, including in the Middle East, US and Europe.

While their shows are popular with the Ethiopian diaspora, Dibekulu said Jano has wider appeal.
"There were Africans, Latinos," he said, of their last show in New York. "Everybody enjoyed our music."
Read more here