Mozambique deports illegal immigrants over fake visas

Seven Ethiopian Nationals who are facing charges of being unlawfully present in the Country after they were arrested at Nacol Area in Jomvu, Mombasa without valid documents in this photo taken on 4th January 2017. | PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | Read from the source here

6th World Hydropower Congress kicks off in Ethiopia

The 6th World Hydropower Congress (WHC) kicked-off in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today with Acting Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Executive Secretary, Abdalla Hamdok, calling on the continent to come up with strong and coherent policies to promote faster and more inclusive growth through the optimal use of hydropower and other sources of renewable energy.

Mr. Hamdok said with more than 600 million people in Africa living without access to electricity and households continuing to rely on traditional biomass for cooking, it was pertinent for Africa to tap into its vast renewable energy sources.

“With clear vision coupled with strong and coherent policy action to promote faster and more inclusive growth, the continent has the potential to take the lead in innovation, technologies and business models that utilise hydropower optimally and efficiently,” he said.

However, said Mr. Hamdok, it is equally important for the continent to guard against negative impacts of hydropower development and to pay close attention to climate resilience and social inclusion.

“This is mostly linked to growing concerns regarding hydropower sustainability, including the over-reliance on hydropower which could possibly compromise energy security in many countries, especially in the context of drought,” he said.

“I am glad to note that the agenda of this congress includes items of environmental and social impact in the context of hydropower development,” added Mr. Hamdok.

He also said it is important to develop an integrated approach to the management of water for irrigation and energy production, adding the ECA and the AUC are working closely with key stakeholders on a number of initiatives to promote low carbon energy development as well as innovative financing regimes for clean energy infrastructure projects to support the implementation of both the global Sustainable Development Goals Agenda and the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, officially opened the congress telling delegates development was unthinkable in the absence of adequate and affordable energy.

He shared with delegates what Ethiopia is doing to advance the use of hydropower and renewable energy sources, adding Africa will not achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development without universal access to electricity.

“I would like to reiterate the need for collective efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change,” he said as he emphasized the need for the world to pull together on this front.

Access to modern and sustainable energy services is crucial to achieving sustainable, transformative and inclusive development

Hydropower, the Prime Minister said, is crucial to providing reliable and sustainable energy development for transformation of Africa’s economies.

For his part, African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson, Quartey Thomas Kwesi, focused his speech on hydropower’s role in addressing Africa’s energy challenges and Africa’s regional plans in the energy sector, in particular hydropower plants, under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).

“Access to modern and sustainable energy services is crucial to achieving sustainable, transformative and inclusive development,” said Mr. Kwesi.

“The development and expansion of renewable energy provides one of the most effective strategies to simultaneously promote development, sustainable energy access and energy security as well as climate change mitigation at the global, continental and regional levels.”

Liu Zhenya, chairman of the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), presented to the participants the concept of ‘global energy interconnection’ (GEI) as “the inevitable way out for clean and low-carbon energy transition”.

“It is imperative for us to accelerate the green and low-carbon transition. The key to realising that is to bring forward a new energy supply system prioritised by clean energy development and power supply with large-scale optimal allocation of the GEI platform,” he said.

“Let’s work hand in hand for African energy interconnections with more communication and common consent, and make our due contribution to sustainable development.”

Ken Adams, president of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) said hydropower cannot be done in isolation.

“My message today is that achieving Sustainable Development Goals will not be possible without breaking barriers and widening the scope of collaboration between all of our institutions. We must embrace the fact that one single technology will not resolve the challenges of our generation,” he said.

“We need more hydropower on the grid, as it plays a role as a flexible, sustainable generation source. We also need it to play the often unrecognised role of energy storage.”

Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) and special representative of the UN secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All said: “Better Hydro is an important way to meet the goal of sustainable energy agreed by all countries and the ambition of the Paris climate agreement. It offers affordable, cleaner, reliable energy as well as storage which can crowd in more solar and wind development.

“The challenge of securing sustainable energy for all by 2030 means we have to move forward with speed and scale. We hope that the World Hydropower Congress will spur rapid progress.”

The congress seeks to build on a previous meeting held in 2015 in Beijing by bringing together leaders and experts to examine how initiatives of governments, businesses, finance, civil society and academia can advance sustainable development. Read more here

Ethiopian rebels arrested in South Sudan over arms purchases

Intelligence officials in South Sudan have reportedly arrested six Ethiopian rebels in the capital, Juba. The detained rebels are said to belong to the Ethiopian Unity Patriot Front (EUPF).

The reason for the arrest is on allegations that they were involved in gun buying from hungry militia groups without the knowledge of the South Sudan government.

The EUPF rebels have been fighting the government in Addis Ababa for over a decade. The group’s leader recently sealed a deal with Addis after mediation involving Juba.

The reason behind the arrest of his group in Juba was because they were buying guns from the hungry Mathiang Anyor militias without the knowledge of South Sudan government.

The leader of the group, General Thowath Pal Chay, however, accused his spokesperson of being behind the detentions. Allegations that Colonel Pal Ojulu denied in an interview with the South Sudan Tribune.

‘‘I was not aware of the arrest of his groups which he formed in Juba without the knowledge of South Sudan government and reports of arrests by South Sudan National Security Service,’‘ he is quoted to have said.

He went on to accuse the general of abandoning his troops and entering a deal with the Ethiopian regime without conferring with his top heirarchy. He also admitted that the Juba government supported EUPF members who lived in the country.

“The reason behind the arrest of his group in Juba was because they were buying guns from the hungry Mathiang Anyor militias without the knowledge of South Sudan government,” he told the Sudan Tribune.

Ethiopia was at the heart of the failed peace process that plunged South Sudan into political crisis. Together with Kenya and Sudan, they mediated peace talks between President Salva Kiir and his former first deputy, Riek Machar.

Ethiopia despite their own internal security issues are seen as a key player for the stability of the Horn of Africa region. Their forces are engaged in the fight against Al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia.

Read more here

Singer Teddy Afro's New Album Holds Fast to His Vision of a Diverse, Yet United Ethiopia

Ethiopian singer Teddy Afro, who delivered opening remarks at a U.S. Embassy-sponsored workshop for students on the occasion of World Environment Day 2015. Photo by U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa; CC BY-ND 2.0.

Ethiopian singer Tewodros Kassahun’s most anticipated and highly promoted studio album was released to great fanfare at the beginning of May, 2017.

More popularly known as Teddy Afro, his latest album — his fifth — comprises 15 songs of tribute and love that touch on issues of solidarity, reconciliation and the hope of living collectively in a diverse country. The album also includes a song with lyrics in a coded language, which is being interpreted by some as a rebuke to his detractors.

Ever since he caught the public's attention with his debut album in early 2001, Teddy Afro has been a household name in Ethiopia. He is a melodic singer and prolific songwriter. “Ethiopia”, a single that appeared on his new album, racked up millions of views on YouTube as soon as it was released. His album attracted sales of up to 15 million Ethiopian Birr — a feat that no other Ethiopian singer has ever managed to accomplish — which is telling commentary on his popularity.

Within a period of just 1 week, the single audio music of #TedyAfro, #Ethiopia has reached 1.9 million views on YouTube. Ground Breaking! pic.twitter.com/wblFYOp9iY

— ሚክያስ (@MickyEthiopia) April 25, 2017

The recurring theme in Afro's albums, is the need to nurture countrywide harmony, unity, and love which transcend ethnic and religious boundaries in his beloved Ethiopia.

Expanding upon this foundation, this latest album solidifies this message, both in thematic content and lyrics. While the album is mainly an Amharic language pop music offering, some segments of lyrics are inserted into his Amharic songs from other Ethiopian languages, such as Afan Oromo, Tigeregna, and Sidama, which all reflect the singer’s philosophy and interests.

He blends his version of reggae with Ethiopian beats, styles, and instruments. His deployment of the sound of mesenqo, a single-stringed Ethiopian bowed lute, which he mixes delicately with acoustic guitar, bass guitar and drums — while he sings in Amharic and Afan Oromo on one of the tracks — is a great example.

Teddy Afro Mixed Afaan Oromo with Reggae => Anna Nyaatu Le Ene Yaregew. COOL!

— Bisrat Teshome (@_Bisre) May 2, 2017

The response to Afro's album has been mixed. Teddy’s fans and detractors either apotheosize or admonish him based on his fame, his lyrical perspective — even his album's cover art.

His enthusiasts adore him for his genius, while his detractors accuse him of simplifying the complex history of Ethiopia.

Music meets politics

The near-fanatical appreciation for — and opposition to — Afro’s latest album is an indication that, in Ethiopia, music criticism usually melds together with political ideology.

Since the release of the album’s single, “Ethiopia”, three weeks ago, much of the debate on social media has been about the politics of Afro's songs. He received an unprecedented amount of criticism for being simplistic — penning lyrics that misrepresent the history of Ethiopia, the poetic quality of which, some believe, mixes cliché and nonsense.

As political concerns take priority over the quality of the music, the artistic aspects of Afro’s work are receiving less attention. However, there are some critics who falsely accuse him of recycling melody lines from his earlier albums, or even plagiarizing other people’s songs.

Powerful, yet vulnerable

As much as Afro is a prominent and influential artist, he is also a vulnerable one — producing socio-politically conscious songs while operating in a politically hostile environment. Ethiopian authorities have been known to censor political expressions, whether journalistic or cultural.

Afro was once denied playing a gig in the country's capital, after authorities refused to issue a permit for the concert. He was also prevented from leaving the country for a concert abroad. In 2014, some individuals campaigned against him to strong-arm a beer company to cancel its sponsorship of Teddy’s national music tour over an alleged “politically insensitive” comment in an unpublished weekly magazine.

In 2005, when he released his second album, Afro was aligned with opposition politics because five of his songs were overtly political. One signature song in particular, “Jah Yastserial” can be read as a call for reconciliation among Ethiopian political opponents, a praise for Emperor Haile Selassie or, most plausibly, a critique of the Ethiopian government for failing to live up to its promise. Many consider this song as a popular anthem of anti-government protesters, as it resonates well with the mood of the post-election political turmoil of the 2005 parliamentary elections.

In 2008, Afro was arrested, charged with a hit and run, taken to jail and held there for almost two years. He denied he committed the alleged crime, and most of his fans claim the allegations are false and politically motivated.

While Afro does not fit the rebellious image of an overtly political singer, he forcefully asserts a collective version of Ethiopian history, culture, and identity, without bowing to pressure to adopt a political posture.

A vision of Ethiopia

In Ethiopian history, the dominant ideology was a national identity based on a shared, yet hybrid cultural and ethnic solidarity, with a modernizing project based on claims of Ethiopia’s 3000 years of “collective memory”. However, this project came to an abrupt stop in 1991, when two decades of civil war ended. The current regime defined “communities” based on their ethnic identity, and reorganized the Ethiopian state structure exclusively based on this — a deliberately administered, radical break with Ethiopia’s past.

Many blame the current regime for the gradual erosion of the shared Ethiopian identity. In what appears to be a response to the government’s over-emphasis on ethnic identity, Afro's songs pay tribute to early Ethiopian civilization, history, and culture. He praises national figures of the past and considers them as enlighteners. In his latest album, he honored Tewodros II, a 19th century Ethiopian emperor who fought the British. In his fourth album, he did the same for Emperor Menelik II, who defeated the Italians in 1896 at the Battle of Adwa.

His assertion of a shared Ethiopian identity and national pride in an era of ethnic federalism, in which the regime has denied the existence of collective Ethiopian identity, is a potential threat.

For government supporters and ethnonationalists alike, Afro is a familiar villain. His tributes to past Ethiopian leaders and his devotion to “love and unity” represent an old Ethiopia, a defeated ideology.

Nevertheless, he continues to be a magnetic figure for younger generations and exerts a vast influence among his compatriots. Despite claims that Afro’s songs represent a defeated ideology, his albums generate sales on a record scale — and his fan base is passionate enough to overwhelm the Ethiopian internet and send the message that they are taking a relaxing break from repression.

Read more here

Ethiopian runner wins Prague Marathon

PRAGUE, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Prague Marathon 2017 was held in Prague, Czech Republic with Abraha Gebretsadik from Ethiopia and Aiyabei Valary Jemeli from Kenya winning the men's and women's events respectively on Sunday.

Abraha won the men's event with 2:08:47, and Aiyabei won the women's contest with a track record 2:21:57 which is 37 seconds faster than the previous track record achieved by her compatriot, Lydia Cheromei, in 2011.

In the men's category, Bazu Worku finished second, followed by Mekuant Ayenew, both of them are from Ethiopia. In the women's category, Ethiopians Amane Beris and Tadeleh Bekele finished second and third. Read more here