CRUNCH TIME · 3 hours ago · from Europe, Dubai and India and have been installed. The cranes...

Vol. 24 No. 1257 October 10, 2020 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA www.thereporterethiopia.com Price 10.00 Birr

|FULL STORY ON PAGE 3

#StaySafe

Two-billion steel . . . page 24

Consortium plans . . . page 3

By Kaleyesus Bekele

A local company established by four Ethiopian investors, Tadash Steel Manufacturing Industry Plc, has built a steel factory at a total cost of two billion birr in Dukem town, in the Special Zone of the Oromia Regional State.

Built on 50,000 sq.m of land, the factory uses scrap metals to produce reinforced bars and wire rods, which in turn are used to make nails. Founder and CEO

of Tadash Steel Manufacturing Industry, Kibiryessefa Tekle, told The Reporter that considering the challenges in the local steel market and construction industry he decided to team up with his three friends to build a modern steel factory plant in Dukem, a town located in the outskirts of Addis Ababa. Construction commenced in 2016 and currently 98 percent of the work is completed.

Kibiryessefa said the machineries were purchased

from Europe, Dubai and India and have been installed. The cranes were purchased from Austria, steel structure from Dubai and the foundries from a well-known Indian company. The steel plant that manufactures steel and wire rods has four foundries. The steel plant has the capacity to manufactures 600 tons of steel per day, one of the biggest in the current Ethiopian market. Kibiryessefa also said that during the construction phase, some 400 youth were employed by the project adding

that 800 jobs will be created once the factory is up and running.

Kibiryessefa said the machineries installation work is completed. However, the Indian company that supplied the machineries is unable to commission the steel plant as its experts could not travel out of India due to the COVID-19 travel ban. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the experts could not leave India. Once Ethiopian Airlines resumes flights to

In one of the most action-packed weeks in recent history, the Ethiopian bi-cameral Parliament has kick-started its unique sixth-year term, having its term extended after the decision to postpone the General Elections due to COVID-19 pandemic, not only to see the desertion of

to take the consequential decision to cut formal ties with the

redirection of budget subsidies away from regional council

and into lower tiers of government, and pass the momentous decision to approve request for

referendum towards the formation of the 11th state by a

By Brook Abdu

A consortium of Political Parties’ Joint Council, Destiny Ethiopia, and Yehasab Ma’ed (Plate of ideas) in concert with the Ministry of Peace plans a national dialogue initiative dubbed Multi-stakeholder Initiative for National Dialogue (MIND- Ethiopia).

The Initiative that was made public at a press conference at the Marriot Addis Hotel on October 8, 2020 came on the heels of a heightened political landscape in the country where the government is being criticized both by international and local groups for jailing politicians and intervening in the internal affairs of opposition political parties.

On the other hand, the political tension between the federal and Tigray regional government following the postponement of the general election originally due in late August has reached its highest point where the newly formed Tigray regional government denies legitimacy to the federal government while the federal government severed

CRUNCH TIMEPhoto By: The Reporter /Daniel Getachew

2| The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257

www.thereporterethiopia.com

EDITORIAL

Published weekly by Media & Communications Center

Address: Bole Sub City, Kebele 03/05, H. No. NewTel: 011 6 616180 Editorial011 6 616185 Reception 011 6 616187 Finance

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0910 885206 Marketing [email protected]


General Manager Amare Aregawi Editor-in-Chief Asrat Seyoum

Sub city: N.lafto, K. 10/18, H.No. 614Senior EditorsBrook Abdu

Dibaba AmensisaEditors

Kaleyesus Bekele Yonas Abiye

Bruck Getachew Assistant Editors

Samuel GetachewSenior Reporter

Dawit Tolesa

Columnist

Tsion Taye

Chief Graphic Designer

Yibekal Getahun

Senior Graphic Designers

Sofoniyas Tadesse

Dagmawi Gobena

Graphic Designers

Fasika Balcha

Semenh Sisay

Netsanet Yacob

Head of PhotographyNahom TesfayePhotographers

Tamrat GetachewMesfen Solomon

Daniel GetachewCartoonistElias Areda

Fasil W/giorgis Marketing Manager

Endalkachew Yimam

Peace is a valuable commodity vital to the continued viability of Ethiopia as a nation. Accordingly, each and every Ethiopian must contribute his/her share to the prevalence of stability throughout the territory of the nation. This responsibility primarily falls on the shoulders of political parties. In the absence of a matured culture of democracy, any conflict stemming from misunderstandings among political parties is liable to provoke a multitude of problems. A case in point is the escalating war of words between the leadership of the ruling Prosperity Party and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Officials peddling vitriolic narratives and inciting violence need to tame their tongue before the country is rent asunder. Unless party leaders that put their interest above the nation’s and those who egg them on from behind abandon the politics of mutually assured destruction the ensuing inferno is bound to engulf them as well.

In a country afflicted by abject poverty and backwardness, politicians claiming to know what is in the best interest of the people are sowing instability. Incapable of extricating fellow citizens from the quagmire they are wallowing in, they are mushrooming at an alarming rate. Despite being endowed with vast arable land, favorable climate conditions as well as a youthful workforce Ethiopia is beset with hunger; though it’s known as the “water tower of Africa”, it still suffers from acute shortage of potable water; it trails behind most nations in practically every global development indices in spite of its long and proud history; tens of millions still living below the poverty line cannot meet their food and housing needs; millions of children suffer from stunting; and the transport, water, electricity, waste disposal and other municipal services provided to urban dwellers are substandard. Power mongers devoid of ideas on how to modernize the subsistence farming practiced in Ethiopia for thousands of years and improve the livelihood of its people should not be allowed

to roil the country for political gain.

Many observers agree that ever since its advent some five decades Ethiopia’s modern politics has been antithetical to democracy. From the leftist groups of the 1970s that engaged in the murderous Red Terror/White Terror carnages to present-day forces pursuing ethnic politics the bulk of political parties operating in Ethiopia have never had a proper grasp of the fundamentals of democracy. In any democratic society organized political entities have the obligation to offer a menu of policy options to the public. As such they must produce members capable of leading the nation. They should also serve as platforms wherein the diverse views and desires of the people, including their members, find free expression. Moreover, they ought to be the epitome of transparency and accountability and play an active role in promoting a civilized discourse. If one were to ask whether Ethiopia’s political parties measure up to this task, the simple answer is no for the majority are good at nothing but zero-sum politics.

Terrible at developing policy

alternatives and pursuing a constructive brand of politics the country’s political parties, with the exception of a notable few, are either fast asleep as though nothing is happening or serving as dens for political hacks. Only a handful of them are making the necessary preparations to emerge competitive in the upcoming general elections slated to take some time in 2021. The fact that there are over 100 of them without so much as exerting a fraction of the influence that self-described activists wield beggars belief. So does their utter ignorance of the ABC’s of politics and willful compromising of the national interest. That is why they must be told in no uncertain terms to mend the errors of their ways.

Political parties that truly have the interest of Ethiopia and its people at heart owe the duty to ensure that the transition period underway culminates successfully with the holding of free, fair, democratic and credible elections. They need to work together to facilitate Ethiopia’s smooth transition to a democratic order, uphold the rule of law, enable citizens to have access to justice, eradicate conniving and vindictiveness from Ethiopian politics, and

see to it that Ethiopia’s future is bright. Furthermore, it’s incumbent on them to play an exemplary role in terms of, among others, rejecting discriminatory attitudes and practices, creating a mutually respectful relationship among parties, and forging a culture of constructive dialogue. If the political space in Ethiopia is to be inclusive and representative of diverse voices, it’s imperative to eschew violence as a means to assume power. Unless all political actors reach a consensus on the notion that grabbing power through the barrel of the gun is a path to mutually assured destruction, the future will not bode well for everyone.

The existence of far too many political parties in Ethiopia has always struck Ethiopians. Though the merger of some parties with a broadly similar platform was expected to cull their number, there are too many of them for citizens’ liking. While their proliferation is not a problem in itself and the right to organize is a constitutionally guaranteed freedom, the fact that the vast majority of them exist on paper only is in no one’s interest. They are proof that claiming to stand for democracy without living it and invoking the public’s name in vain is political suicide. It’s an open secret that most political parties are virtually the private properties of their founders. This wholly unacceptable state of affairs has to be changed so that the parties become genuine representatives of the segments of society they profess to represent and are able to function in a manner that is informed by Ethiopia’s contemporary realities. The journey to forge a path to democracy may succeed through an unswerving commitment to the tenets of democracy, not misdeeds that do not befit the times. Political forces blinded by their lust for power and couldn’t care less about the fate of their compatriots should think hard before destabilizing the country for selfish ends. They are better advised to shun the politics of mutually assured destruction for the sake of Ethiopia and its people.

HEADLINESThe Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257 |3


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The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257


LIVING AND THE ARTS

THE NEW NORMAL

COMES WITH A PINCH

OF SALT

14||LIVING AND TH

TCO

12|

The Reporter, October 10, 2


INTERVIEW

INVESTMENT IN

MAGIC BEANS

Sara Yirga is the founder & Manager of YA

Coffee Roasters and is emerging as one of

the most passionate promoters of Ethiopian

coffee. Here, she talks to The Reporter’s

Samuel Getachew

brand, on Ethiopia coffee, promoting it in the

world and on helping Ethiopian women coffee

entrepreneurs. She is also on the verge of

Bole area. Excerpts:

I

10|



IN-DEPTH

New decisions by the House of the Federation (HoF) and frequent interviews the Speaker of the HoF, Ahmed

Farah, gave to state media indicated that the federal government is running out of patience and steam to stand

delegitimization campaign hurled from Tigray.

By Brook Abdu

The dispute between the

federal government and the

Tigray Regional Government

seems to have reached a tipping

point. The small bubbles that

have been building up for

more than two years since the

last General Assembly of the

defunct four-party coalition

of the Ethiopian Peoples’

Revolutionary Democratic

Front (EPRDF) in Hawassa,

look to have gathered mass

and the resulting tornado

approaching the shores. The

war of words between the

ruling party up North and

the federal government in

Addis Ababa has evolved into

“troubling and disturbing”

actions.

New decisions by the House

of the Federation (HoF) and

frequent interviews the

Speaker of the HoF, Ahmed

Farah, gave to state media

indicated that the federal

government is running out of

patience and steam to stand

delegitimization campaign

hurled from Tigray. On the

other hand, Tigray People’s

Liberation (TPLF) officials in

Mekele do not show any hint of

backing down on their stance

to delegitimize the federal

government which have

gain new lease on its tenure

after extending the national

elections originally due in late

August 2020 due to CoVID-19

pandemic.

Although the genesis of all

of this has its roots in July

2018’s Hawassa General

Assembly of the EPRDF that

decided to reorient the party,

forge it into one and frame

a new ideological line by

ditching the long entrenched

revolutionary democracy

ideology. The turning point

for the feud between PM Abiy

Ahmed (PhD) and Debretsion

Gebremichael’s (PhD) in Addis

and Mekele, respectively and

their backers is undoubtedly

the postponement of the general

elections. The two federal

houses, the HoF and the House

of Peoples’ Representatives

(HoPR) decided to indefinitely

extend the elections because

of the coronavirus that was

discovered in the country

six months ago. Debretsion’s

administration in Tigray

denounced this action and

deemed it unconstitutional

followed by a preparation to

hold regional level elections

which the TPLF won all

but one seat in the regional

council.

This escalated the already tense

relationship between Tigray

and the federal government.

The newly instituted Tigray

government declared that the

federal houses as well as the

executive branch won’t have

a legal ground to continue to

rule the country while the

federal government nullified

the regional election and new

government in Tigray and said

it won’t have a legal effect.

October 5, 2020 was a deadline

placed by Tigray to start calling

PM Abiy the former PM, a time

when new government wound

have been established had

elections been held according

to the constitutional provision

under article 58. This was also

the date when the first session

of the fifth term HoPR’s

unaccustomed sixth year

service opened with a speech

by President Sahile-Work

Zewudie.

Hence, the federal government

that had beefs over the frequent

acts of delegitimization by

XXXFUTURE OF

ESCALATING FEDERAL–

TIGRAY TENSION

Phot

o By

: The

Rep

orte

r /Da

niel G

etac

hew


26|


SNAPSHOT

Photo By: The Reporter /Tamirat Getachew

INSI

DE

By Kaleyesus Bekele

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Service Enterprise (ESLSE) is under preparation to buy two bulk-cargo ships.

Mekonnen Abera, director general of the Maritime Affairs Authority and board chairman of the Ethiopian Marine Transport and Logistics Service Enterprise, and Roba Megerssa, CEO of the enterprise, on Monday launched the project office that would oversee the procurement of the two ships. The enterprise said the project office has six members who have long years of experience. The project office will be responsible for the design of the ships and the selection of the shipyard that would build the new vessels.

The fleet that is operated by ESLSE has 11 ships with a total loading capacity of 400,000 tons of cargo. Two the ships are fuel tankers. Robe told The Reporter that the enterprise is preparing to float an international tender and invite companies with repeatable ship building experience to bid for the project. “The ships will be built in East Asia, most probably in China, Korea or Indonesia,” Roba said.

The ships will be built in the 2020-2021 budget year. Each ship will have 60,000 tons of bulk-cargo loading capacity. Roba declined to disclose the cost of the two ships saying that it would affect the bidding process.

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Service Enterprise transported and handled 11 million tons of cargo in the 2019-2020 Budget Year, which ended on June. Out of the total, some 7 million tons was transported by ships. The enterprise that serves 330 ports leases ships with slot charter agreement from other carriers. The company transports 60 percent of the Ethiopia’s imports, every year. The enterprise generated about of 25.8 billion birr and

earned a profit of 2.5 billion birr. The enterprise’s capital stands at 20 billion birr and plans to raise it to 80 billion birr.

Roba said his company registered a remarkable performance despite the adverse impacts of COVI-19 that hit the global marine transport industry. China where Ethiopia’s majority import originates was closed when the COVID-19 broke out last December. One third of Ethiopia’s containerised cargo

comes from China.

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Service Enterprise is a merger of four enterprises which were working independently in the sea transport sector. These were Ethiopian Shipping Lines Share Company, Ethiopian Maritime and Transit Service Enterprise, Dry Port Enterprise; and the former Comet Transport Share Company which was consolidated in to the new company, August, 2016.

its ties with and cut subsidies to Tigray’s newly instituted government.

MIND-Ethiopia, which recognized the contribution of past dispersed efforts to conduct a national dialogue in demonstrating the possibility of narrowing down the polarized politics in the country through roundtable discussions, it also pointed out that there are limitations to these efforts like too narrow agenda, deficits in inclusivity,

lack of coordination and participants fatigue because of calls from different bodies regarding the same issue.

“By understanding that the country immediately requires a concerted effort for a coordinated and inclusive national dialogue,” MIND-Ethiopia reasons, entities that were exerting efforts independently have come to do the same in a coordinated manner and a memorandum of understanding has been

signed with the Ministry of Peace to help in this process.

In a tactical plan preparation process that the participating organizations went through, various issues were discussed various issues and prepared and signed on a code of conduct to go further than just planning what to do.

The objectives of the national consensus process will be bringing various contentious issues to the table and discuss

them one by one to create a common understanding step by step, reads the press release by MIND-Ethiopia. To do this, the Initiative will gather all inclusive and wide agendas from scholars as well as various members of the society. It will also be a continuous process which includes experience sharing from other countries and implement the same by matching it with indigenous knowledge, it was disclosed.

CONT`D FROM PAGE 1


Advertisment4| The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257

AdvertismentThe Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257 |5


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Engineering Corporation of OromiaExternal Vacancy Announcement

Engineering Corporation of Oromia

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NoTerms of Contract

1 Resident Engineer 12677 15 8 months

2 Architecture Building Construction, familiar with Software’s AUTO CAD, Archi CAD

9352 4 8 months

3 Site Engineer Building Construction, 10,952 15 8 months

4 Civil Engineer Building Construction, 10,952 10 8 months

5 Electrical Engineer 7597 4 8 months

6 Project Manager Negotiable 1 8 months

7 Project Coordinator 13,772 8 8 months

8 Sanitary Engineer BSc/MSc degree in civil/Hydraulics/Sanitary Engineer & 4/2 years 9,352 4 8 months

Engineering Corporation of

Oromia located in front of Drivers and Mechanics Training Center 3rd ) working days after the vacancy announcement posted on News paper.Note: - Knowledge of Afan Oromo Language is advantages Information can obtain from HR Service Tele 114392503

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Position Work Experience NO

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Main Teachers to KG Education is Advantageous 2

Assistant Teachers 2

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• Address: Ethio-China Road, Kasma Building,( 0114 40 59 02/03, 0114 40 13 50

HEADLINES6| The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257


... NEWS IN BRIEF

By Birhanu Fikade

A new research report released by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) – a research and analysis division of The Economist Group – has shown that the eradication of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) could save Ethiopia USD 3.2 billion in the coming two decades, The Reporter has learnt.

The report dubbed “Breaking the cycle of neglect: reducing the economic and societal burden of parasitic worms in sub-Saharan Africa,” is commissioned by The End Fund, a private philanthropic initiative dedicated to ending the five most common NTDs. The study has indicated that 40 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa carries the burden of such diseases worldwide. Globally, 1.7 billion people require treatment for NTDs.

Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Zimbabwe are included in the studies and eradicating the diseases is assumed to reduce costs and save much needed economic resources. For Ethiopia alone, estimates are around USD 3.2 billion.

“Overall, our calculations suggest that Ethiopia stands to gain USD 3.2 billion in GDP, in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms (USD one billion at market exchange rates), between 2021 and 2040, if the WHO’s 2030 elimination targets are hit,” EIU estimated. Putting this in perspective, experts with EIU suggested that the anticipated gain is equivalent to over a third or 37 percent of the country’s total spending on health in 2017.

Karen Palacio, Associate Vice President of End Fund, said that Ethiopia has the highest

burden of NTDs compared to Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

Ethiopia has the second-highest rate of Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), with 29 percent of the population affected. Within STH, hookworm disease is by far the most common parasite affecting 25 percent of people in Ethiopia. Ascariasis and trichuriasis both affect about 3 percent of the population. Ethiopia’s schistosomiasis/bilharzia prevalence rate climbed between 1990 to around 2010, but has plateaued since then.

Since 2018, 18.2 million people in Ethiopia have needed preventive chemotrophic treatments for STH and 13.4 million for schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is considered endemic in rural and urban Ethiopia, and it stands out as the largest host of the parasites compared to the rest of the three countries EIU has studied.

According to Palacio, deworming programs are the most common treatments in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa in addition to sanitary and hygienic measures. Open defecation and lack

of tap water services have contributed to the massive prevalence of intestinal worms and parasites affecting school children and adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set out a deadline to eradicate NTDs in 2030, and their resurgence is considered as one of the health priorities in Ethiopia. Achieving these targets, predominantly eradicating STH and bilharzia, is expected positively to impact three of the remaining countries economically. In addition to Ethiopia, gaining USD 3.2 billion, EIU suggests that Kenya will land USD 1.3 billion, while Rwanda gets USD 400 million and Zimbabwe USD 300 million, once the countries can exert efforts to eradicate and control the resurgences of NTDs between 2021 and 2040.

The EIU is a research and analysis division of The Economist Group, a sister company to The Economist newspaper. Formed in 1946, it has over 70 years of experience in research activities. It has been working on various business, economic, and government-related activities, undertaking research programs involving hepatitis across Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda, and a few other countries.

The End Fund, established in 2012, on its part, has been engaged in health issues, mostly in NTDs. It has provided some 920 million treatments worth over USD one billion and 17,000 surgeries for people suffering from the effects of advanced stages of elephantiasis and trachoma. It has also trained 2.7 million people to control and eliminate NTDs.

Eradicating parasites could save Ethiopia USD 3.2 bln

The Ministry of Agriculture said that it needs more additional aircraft sprayers to face the fast spreading desert locusts.

Agriculture State Minister, Mandefro Negusse revealed on Wednesday that the country is now left with only one aircraft sprayer, whereas it requires at least 10 to control the locust invasion.

Briefing journalists today, he stated that the locusts have invaded parts of Somali, Oromia, Amhara and Afar regional states as well as Dire Dawa City Administration.

“The locusts are currently entering Ethiopia from Somalia, Djibouti and Yemen. But the invasion will be even more challenging as the swarms will continue to enter the country until the end of December,” the state minister said.

According to him, the worst affected areas at present are the spread of the locusts in 28 Woredas in Afar and 4 zones of Amhara regional states.

A swarm of locusts can fly 50 to 100 km per day, and the only way to control them is by using aircraft sprayers, Mandefro stated.

(ENA)

Ethiopia on Wednesday revealed it has developed a digital monitoring system that controls firearm movements in the country.

The digital system is an implementation of the Firearms Administration and Controlling Proclamation that the government approved to control the illegal firearms trafficking and related activities.

Speaking at a ceremony prepared to celebrate “African Amnesty Month,” Peace Minister, Muferiat Kamil said the digital firearms monitoring and controlling system will help control illegal circulation of firearms in the country by registering the serial number of weapons in a digitized system.

“Through this digital registration and monitoring system, we will able to know the exact number of legalized weapons that are in use in the country so as to easily identify the illegal weapons,” she said.

According to her, digitalizing the firearms monitoring and controlling system is very necessary to modernize the overall peace and security protection in the country.

The minister said that the government will also work with stakeholders on peace and security to maintain rule of law.

(ENA/FBC)



By Yonas Abiye

The House of Federation on Tuesday approved unanimously the request of five zonal administrations and one special Woreda (district) under the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) to hold a referendum towards coming together to form a new regional state.

Kaffa, Sheka, Bench Sheko, Dawuro, and West Omo zones as well as Konta special woreda will be establishing local entities of the new regional state that has the proposed name of ‘South West Ethiopia Nations Regional State,” it was indicated.

The ‘go ahead’ for the referendum towards establishing the regional state has come amid several questions for regional statehood status from the current SNNPR.

The zonal administrations and special woreda have requested for a new regional state as they share similar language, culture, history, and geographical landscape. The decision was announced during Tuesday’s first regular session of the HoF held at its conference hall.

During the session, the house debated thoroughly on the stated agenda before members unanimously approved the proposal to hold a referendum. The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is expected to come up with a schedule to hold the referendum on the proposed regional statehood of the five local entities.

So far, about 13 zonal administrations in the SNNPR filed their request for the regional council to form their

own regional states, according to information obtained from the HoF.

In addition to Sidama that has already become a regional state following a 2019 referendum, another 12 zones in the SNNPR asked for a referendum on regional statehood.

Some of the zones that have been permitted to come together and form a regional state were among those that put in a request. The 12 zones that put in a request are: Kaffa, Gurage, Bench-Maji, Hadiya, Dawuro, Wolayta, Gamo, Kembatta Tembaro, Silte, South Omo, Gofa and Gedeo.

In the same session, the house also passed a rare decision directing the federal government to halt all forms of relations with the news administration of the Tigray Regional State that has been accused by the former of holding illegal regional elections against the constitutional order.

The decision has come following a resolution passed by the HoF on September 2020, declaring the regional election in Tigray null and void.

The Constitutional and Identity Affairs Standing Committee, which was mandated to follow the execution of the decision,

reported the negative response of the regional state.

The HoF then passed a three-point decision, which entails: suspension of any form of relations with the Tigray regional council and higher executive bodies formed after the illegal election carried out in the region; maintaining working relations with the legal structure including city/town and kebele administrations that focus on development and the provision of basic services to the Tigray people; and monitoring the decision shall be carried out by the Speaker of the HoF and the relevant standing committee.

Federal gov’t cuts ties with new Tigray admin

Oromia Regional State on Wednesday offered 390 tractors and combine harvesters to farmers as part of modernizing the agricultural sector.

The agricultural machineries handed over to the farmers have been assembled at Kegna Agricultural Equipment Manufacturing in Shashemene town.

Out of the total machinery, 310 are Tractors while the remaining 80 are combine harvesters.

The farmers have covered 30 percent of the price through savings, and are required to pay the remaining 70 percent gradually in five years.

President of the Oromia Regional State, Shimelis Abdisa, who presided over the handover ceremony, said the distribution of the locally assembled equipment to farmers has a paramount significance in raising product and productivity in the agricultural sector.

Kegna Agricultural Equipment Manufacturing has distributed 730 machineries including today’s tractors and combines to farmers since its commencement in 2018.

High ranking government officials including the Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia, Dr. Yinager Dessie attended the event.

(FBC)

Oromia Supreme Court Bureau on Wednesday announced it has planned to incorporate a traditional justice system into the formal justice procedure to provide the state community with effective legal service.

Bureau Communication Director, Gonfa Hatoma told The Ethiopian Herald that the Bureau, in collaboration with Oromia Justice Sector Professionals Training and Legal Research Institute, has finalized a research done on the implementation of the plan.

He said that the act of incorporating the tradition into justice institutions is helpful as it saves time, energy and money that customers are expected to spend, reduce load for the justice institution and enable the community to get fair and corrective justice.

He further noted that the plan is also helpful in reducing the number of cases brought to formal justice system as the number of cases brought to the system annually, is very high.

He said discussions were conducted regarding the significance of the plan and agreement was reached at state council level.

(The Ethiopian Herald)

HEADLINES8| The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257


.. HORN IN BRIEFHHOORRNN INN BBRIEF

Djibouti is capitalizing on its strategic location on one of the world’s

busiest trade routes to build Africa’s largest free trade zone area. The

Horn of Africa nation controls the Bab el-Mandeb (“Gate of Tears” in

Arabic) which is a crucial chokepoint at the entrance to the Red Sea

and the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.

The Bab el-Mandeb is the world’s fourth most frequented maritime

route used by some 30,000 ships every year. Also, after the Ethiopia–

Eritrea war, Djibouti has become a gateway for 90 percent of Ethiopia’s

imports, a trading volume that accounts for 90 percent of Djibouti’s

port traffic.

In 2018, lowly-populated Djibouti launched the first phase of the project

comprising a 240-hectare (593-acre) site. The year before, it had unveiled

three new ports and a railway linking it to landlocked Ethiopia, as part

of its bid to become a global trade and logistics hub.

(Face to Face Africa)

The al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab has released two Cuban

doctors who were kidnapped in Kenya and held for a year and a half in

neighboring Somalia, officials say. But a Cuban official has denied it.

A senior Somali intelligence official told The Associated Press that the doctors

were released over the weekend after months of negotiations with their

captors. He declined to give further details. The official spoke on condition of

anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Several sources told the AP that Somali intelligence, acting at the request of

the Cuban government, negotiated for the doctors’ release after it obtained a

video showing them a few months ago.

But an official with Cuba’s foreign ministry, Juan Antonio Fernández

Palacios, denied the reported release of Assel Herrera Correa and Landy

Rodríguez Hernández, adding in a statement that “huge efforts continue to be

made to ensure the liberation and safe return to the homeland.”

It was not immediately clear where the doctors were Wednesday.

(AP)

By Yonas Abiye

In its extended sixth-year tenure, the Ethiopian parliament was officially opened on Monday with President Sahlework Zewde addressing the joint session of the two houses on plan of the government for the upcoming budget year.

In the President’s address, she said the government will take strict measures against any armed groups or individuals severely affecting the lives of citizens across the nation. In addition, the President said the government will work with relevant stakeholders to build democracy on solid foundations and ensure rule of law.

Noting that democracy is not attained through longing alone, but rather through perseverance and commitment, Sahlework said activities on democratization and prevalence of lasting peace will be carried out by involving the entire population and political parties in the country.

According to her, the government believes that the destiny of the country and its people rests on effectively and carefully constructed democratic order.

The president, who blamed heinous acts and lawlessness that took the lives and destroyed properties of people in the last Ethiopian year, pointed out that the crime was “a clear demonstration of the way we misunderstand democracy.”

Sahlework stated that strict measures would be taken to prevent any armed groups or individuals from engaging in illegal activities in order to nurture lasting peace across the country.

Security measures will be put in place to ensure that the safety of citizens is not compromised under any circumstances; she said adding, the government is determined to make the upcoming election fair, democratic, and credible compared to elections held in the past decade.

Furthermore, she said the 2012 Ethiopian budget year was a year in which we achieved many historic diplomatic victories and that showed we are capable of safeguarding the interests of our country on our own.

According to the President, the ongoing negotiations with countries in the diplomatic sector, especially on the Great Renaissance Dam (GERD), will continue in the coming fiscal year in a manner that respects the interests of our country.

She said the sixth national election to be held in the current budget year, will be a year of fair competition, fair representation of political parties, safety of citizens and the rule of law.

Reminding that COVID-19 continues to be a danger and

its impact on the economy felt, she said the country will focus on strict financial and fiscal policies to control inflation.

The President said the overall changes that started should be achieved and increasing the participation of citizens, evolving approach to agricultural innovations and farming practices, revitalizing the tourism sector and taking the appropriate action on delayed projects and enable them provide the right services, are the government’s priorities.

By Birhanu Fikade

The Plan and Development Commission has said preparations for the 10-year perspective economic and development plan has been finalized and will enter an implementation stage next month.

Fitsum Assefa (PhD), Commissioner of Plan and Development, on Thursday told reporters that after six months of public consultations and preparations, the 10-year plan is about to be rolled out following the approval by the Council of Ministers (CoM).

The Commissioner’s briefing was focused on activities undertaken by the commission during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. She said that the plan is about to be divided to have a two five year term plans and annual targets.

The perspective plan was

revised several times during the course of 20 rounds of consultative workshops, Fitsum said. Some 3,000 questions and comments have been forwarded to the commission and it has identified absolute and comparative economic advantages across the country, and regional states have prioritized their areas of potential development opportunities. They have created regional economic accounts of their own, Fitsum said.

Pointing out the newly designed monitoring and evaluation system, the commissioner said a new software and application has been developed so that based on key indicators, each government agency and reporting entities will be evaluated on the extent of targets achieved. Score sheets have been put in the system.

The new perspective plan, according to Fitsum allows the

civil servant to concentrate fully on assigned tasks rather than political agendas. She underscored they will be evaluated on their merits than political inclinations. In addition, Infrastructural and development projects will no longer be implemented without the proper approval of the commission for feasibility, environmental and social study. This regulatory power has been given to the commission.

The new economic plan pursues universal electrification and clean tap water in a ten year period. It intends to become a USD 2,200 per capita income status by maintaining an average annual GDP growth rate of 10.2 percent. Mechanization, irrigation and agricultural financing are some of the major focuses emphasized to help substitute imported food commodities from local productions.



By Hiwot Abebe

Chewatacon, the first gaming festival celebrating gaming culture in Ethiopia, began on Thursday this week. Chewatacon is a virtual event hosted by Chewata Awaki, D5 and Goethe Institut.

Gaming competitions, panels and discussions on the gaming industry, how to find funding for young game designers, awards for best developer of the year, best game, best tv game show and Chewata Awaki of the year given to the person who has personified the tenants of playfulness and engagement will also take place. Video games, board games and even television game shows will be included in the convention.

“It’s not just games. It’s the science and art of engagement. We want this to be an exploration of playfulness and game culture in Ethiopia. We’re hoping this will be an annual event.” says Dagmawi Bedilu from Chewata Awaki.

First planned to take place in

April, the festival had to be postponed and reconfigured to happen online. It is expected that 1000 people from the gaming community in Ethiopia and some African countries will participate in this festival.

Chewatacon will also be the official formation of the first Ethiopian Games Association. “We want this to be a gathering platform for gamers and developers. There is a lot of introverted game developers, many young people in Addis and we want this to be a community building event.” says Dagmawi.

Weekly ideation session and game thinking will take place along with highly anticipated gamers playing Protege and Rainbow 6. Interactive sessions will be available on zoom for participants and people will be able to follow the event on Chewatacon’s facebook and youtube channels. Closing Ceremonies of this month-long festival will be on October 31 where the award program will take place.

Starvation is being intentionally used as a war tactic in South Sudan’s brutal conflict, a UN-backed human rights panel said on Tuesday, releasing its latest report on the country.

South Sudan gained independence in July 2011 but descended into conflict roughly two-and-a-half years later, following irreconcilable tensions between President Salva Kiir and his deputy, Riek Machar.

The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said the brutal fighting has caused incalculable suffering to civilians, and resulted in staggering levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition.

“With 7.5 million South Sudanese currently requiring humanitarian assistance, we have found that food insecurity in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Jonglei, and Central Equatoria States is linked directly to the conflict and therefore almost entirely human-induced,” said the Commission Chair, Yasmin Sooka.

“It is quite clear that both Government and opposition forces have deliberately used the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in these states, sometimes as an instrument to punish non-aligning communities, as in the case of Jonglei.”

(UN News)

Sudan’s Red Sea port reopened Wednesday after a three-day blockade by protesters, angry over a peace deal from which they say they were excluded.

Demonstrators from the Beja tribe last Sunday forced the closure of the docks and highway linking Port Sudan to the rest of the country.

The Beja say that representatives who signed the previous day’s deal with the government came from the rival Beni Amer tribe.

Port Sudan “reopened on Wednesday after discussions between representatives of the Supreme Council of the Beja and police,” the official Suna news agency reported.

The governor of Red Sea state, where the port is located, confirmed the reopening.

“We have reached a deal for the port to resume its activity,” said Abdallah Shankary, adding both parties had agreed “on procedures to implement the peace agreement in Eastern Sudan.”

The protesters had lifted the blockade of the port highway on Tuesday.

The peace deal signed on October 3 was hailed by the international community as a key milestone to ending decades of war in Sudan.

(AFP)

By Samuel Getachew

In a ceremony held on October 9 at the Oslo city hall, The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nation agency working on food and humanitarian assistance.

“WFP is truly honored to receive the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. It gives us an important chance to forefront the link between food and peace. Food is a way to support peace by improving access to contested natural resources. That’s one reason why WFP runs so many development projects here in Ethiopia too”, Edward Johnson, Communication Director of WFP Ethiopia told The Reporter.

Within Ethiopia, the group works in the areas of food security, nutrition and appeals to the world on behalf of vulnerable people in

order to provide immediate assistance in food and basic social safety nets. It also runs programs that feed refugees from neighboring nations and provides them with emergency aid.

The recognition comes to the United Nations agency at a time when it is facing budget constraints to deliver its services around the world. Earlier this year, WFP appealed to donors to help its Ethiopian operation meet a budget downfall valued at 150 million USD and said more than 700,000 refugees are at risk of facing food security problems.

“We are deeply humbled to receive the Nobel Peace Prize,” said the head of the agency, David Beasley who was once a Republican Politician in the United States. “This is an incredible recognition on the dedication of the WFP family, working to end hunger everyday in 80

plus countries.”

David recently tested positive for COVID-19 and returned to work after receiving treatment and going through a quarantine period. WFP is also known for helping facilitated some of the donated equipments and gears from the Jack Ma foundation to all African nations.

Last year’s recipient was Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) for his peace effort with Eritrea. This year, Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – the head of WHO - was considered a leading contender for his efforts in the midst of COVID-19 and to curb the pandemic.

“Huge admiration and respect for the life-saving work you do for people in need everywhere,” Tedros tweeted shortly after the announcement was made public.



IN-DEPTH

New decisions by the House of the Federation (HoF) and frequent interviews the Speaker of the HoF, Ahmed Farah, gave to state media indicated that the federal government is running out of patience and steam to stand delegitimization campaign hurled from Tigray.

By Brook Abdu

The dispute between the federal government and the Tigray Regional Government seems to have reached a tipping point. The small bubbles that have been building up for more than two years since the last General Assembly of the defunct four-party coalition of the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) in Hawassa, look to have gathered mass and the resulting tornado approaching the shores. The war of words between the ruling party up North and the federal government in Addis Ababa has evolved into “troubling and disturbing” actions.

New decisions by the House of the Federation (HoF) and frequent interviews the Speaker of the HoF, Ahmed Farah, gave to state media indicated that the federal government is running out of patience and steam to stand delegitimization campaign hurled from Tigray. On the other hand, Tigray People’s Liberation (TPLF) officials in

Mekele do not show any hint of backing down on their stance to delegitimize the federal government which have gain new lease on its tenure after extending the national elections originally due in late August 2020 due to CoVID-19 pandemic.

Although the genesis of all of this has its roots in July 2018’s Hawassa General Assembly of the EPRDF that decided to reorient the party, forge it into one and frame a new ideological line by ditching the long entrenched revolutionary democracy ideology. The turning point for the feud between PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and Debretsion Gebremichael’s (PhD) in Addis and Mekele, respectively and their backers is undoubtedly the postponement of the general elections. The two federal houses, the HoF and the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR) decided to indefinitely extend the elections because of the coronavirus that was discovered in the country six months ago. Debretsion’s administration in Tigray denounced this action and deemed it unconstitutional

followed by a preparation to hold regional level elections which the TPLF won all but one seat in the regional council.

This escalated the already tense relationship between Tigray and the federal government. The newly instituted Tigray government declared that the federal houses as well as the executive branch won’t have a legal ground to continue to rule the country while the federal government nullified the regional election and new government in Tigray and said it won’t have a legal effect.

October 5, 2020 was a deadline placed by Tigray to start calling PM Abiy the former PM, a time when new government wound have been established had elections been held according to the constitutional provision under article 58. This was also the date when the first session of the fifth term HoPR’s unaccustomed sixth year service opened with a speech by President Sahile-Work Zewudie.

Hence, the federal government that had beefs over the frequent acts of delegitimization by

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The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257 |11


IN-DEPTH

Whatever details that could come out of the Council of Ministers, aka the Cabinet, would look like, this decision has triggered discussions as well as fear among many that it would escalate and deteriorate the already tense political landscape in the country.

the regional government in the North, through the HoF, decided to cut ties and federal subsidies amounting to 10 billion birr this fiscal year. The severed relationships, however, are said to have effect only on the regional level cabinet and the newly elected regional council. Hence, it bars federal ministries from recognizing as legal and engaging with the regional government. It then ordered the Council of Ministers to devise ways of maintaining relationship with the lower strata of the regional government – the districts, kebeles and city administrations.

Explaining to The Reporter that this is meant to recognize the lower echelons of the regional government as they are still in office for an election held years back, the Communications Head of the HoF Kassahun Bekele says these entities are legal unlike the newly instituted regional government.

“The districts and the city administrations did not hold new elections so they are legal. The decision wants to

maintain relationship with these bodies of the region,” he said.

But he did not go further to say whether a new procedure would follow this decision or whether the subsidy distributed to the regions will be completely cut or distributed to the said units of the regional government.

Whatever details that could come out of the Council of Ministers, aka the Cabinet, would look like, this decision has triggered discussions as well as fear among many that it would escalate and deteriorate the already tense political landscape in the country.

Tigray region’s ruling party executive committee member Getachew Reda told The Reporter that this is an act of war and they would take the proper measures to tackle attacks towards the interests of the region.

“This is an attack to the legitimate shares of the region and whatever comes against this interest is an act of declaring war on us. We take this decision as a declaration of war by a bandit in Addis

Ababa,” Getachew Reda said.

Any kind of decision that an illegal house made is an illegal decision, according to him and the regional government will look into ways of duly responding to it.

For Merera Gudina (PhD. Prof.), a prominent Political Science Scholar, and opposition figure serving as a chair of Oromo Federalist Congress in Ethiopia, the decision made by the HoF has further complicated the situation and it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict what would come next.

“There can’t be two governments in a country. The regional government in Tigray saying it won’t recognize the federal government presents more crisis. And this makes it hard to prescribe any sort of easy resolution,” he told The Reporter.

The fact that this is unusual happening in the country’s politics, it would fuel the political crises being witnessed, he adds, and “we

Future of escalating . . . page 23

There can’t be two governments in a country. The regional government in Tigray saying it won’t recognize the federal government presents more crisis. And this makes it hard to prescribe any sort of easy resolution.



INTERVIEW

INVESTMENT IN

Sara Yirga is the founder & Manager of YA Coffee Roasters and is emerging as one of

the most passionate promoters of Ethiopian coffee. Here, she talks to The Reporter’s

Samuel Getachewbrand, on Ethiopia coffee, promoting it in the

world and on helping Ethiopian women coffee entrepreneurs. She is also on the verge of

Bole area. Excerpts:



INTERVIEW

The Reporter: Tell me about Ya Coffee?

Sara Yirga: YA Coffee is a passion project and a company started by me and my husband, Dagmawi, in 2012. I am a Business Manager, Specialty Coffee Authorized Trainer, with passion for Coffee and Fashion; whereas Dagmawi is a Bio Chemist, a Coffee Master and a Leadership Consultant. We both came from Social development backgrounds, so, it is difficult for us to think about a business without thinking sustainability and inclusive development. That being said, Ethiopian coffee is something we are proud of and the main reason why we are so passionate about it.

How was it established and is it a long-term vision?

YA Coffee Roasters is established with the commitment for a sustainable business model that addresses economic, social and environmental concerns. It prioritizes smallholder farmers, the business (i.e. employees and partners), and consumers to deliver on its commitment for sustainable development.

The vision for YA Coffee is long-term and desires to establish a higher education institute for human resource development by 2035. However, a profitable, scalable, and sustainable business is critical. Accordingly, YA Coffee is a pioneer in setting up a specialty coffee roasting company with a direct supply chain agreement with

smallholder coffee farmers or their cooperatives. The supply chain agreements directly improve the income and profitability of smallholder farmers and guarantee a higher return for their coffee.

However, this is not sufficient to transform the lives of smallholder farmers. Accordingly, YA Coffee is planning to establish Coffee Processing Centers (CPCs) to engage smallholder farmers through extension services, coffee quality training, and market linkage. Market linkage is important to ensure new markets for our smallholder farmer partners. In addition, income diversification and biodiversity conservation are two areas of focus. It will use the CPCs to train and promote on intercropping including beekeeping. The CPCs will also create employment opportunities for both professionals and young people from rural communities to improve livelihood and help minimize domestic migration.

Another investment area for YA Coffee is retail outlets in selected destinations for tourists. This will develop coffee tourism and directly address job creation for women and youth migrants. It will also engage a number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to provide milk and artifacts. There is also a plan to develop virtual content for delivery, through virtual reality (VR) and ensure global presence and engagement.

These planned investments help address the four selection criteria’s stated: potential for impact; innovation; replicable; and scalability.

Ethiopian coffee has a growing fan base and it is yet to reach its full potential. What is a great coffee for you?

A Great coffee for me is a source of decent livelihood for the producers. Once it reaches the hands of the processors, supplier, traders and roasters like me, Great Coffee is defined by the quality you find in a cup. That is a result of investment in proper harvesting, processing, storage, then very careful roasting and brewing it. Each step in the value chain determines whether or not the coffee you get is great or not.

You are a member of an association that is determined to make Ethiopian women coffee growers gain experience and opportunities. Tell me about that?

Yes, I am one of the founders and active members of The Ethiopian Women in Coffee Sectoral Association. Our aim is to enable our members become competitive in the global market. In addition, by way of investing in skills development throughout the Coffee Value Chain, we aim to contribute to improving the quality of Coffee and productivity of the Coffee Sector. According to Africa Development Bank’s study, women are responsible for

about 70 percent of the work in coffee production. Thus, we represent a strategic group with bigger opportunities vying for the development of the Ethiopian Coffee Sector.

What is the long-term vision of Ya Coffee?

Our Vision is becoming a global brand for Roasting and Exporting Ethiopian Specialty Coffees at origin. We also envision a sector that is driven by professionalism and ethics so that we harness the many benefits coffee brings to the social and economic development of the nation.

Why do you think Ethiopian coffee, while loved by consumers around the world, still has not been exported as much?

Because of the unique flavor attributes it brings to a cup that is naturally developed due to the altitude, soil type and the amount of rainfall it receives combined with our traditional coffee processing method, known as “Natural’ by the industry, is one of the reasons our coffee is loved and consumed passionately. As I mentioned earlier, we need to work on the productivity of our coffee producers. Moreover, there needs to be a national coffee marketing strategy, targeting emerging markets instead of focusing only on highly competitive and saturated existing markets. I believe, with the new AfCFTA in place, there is a huge opportunity to develop and maintain a strong market share in our continent.



LIVING AND THE ARTS



People are in a state of confusion mostly,

they are unsure of what to do and where

to start again. I am hoping this would

be a good place since we don’t expect more than 80 people or so.

LIVING AND THE ARTS

By Hiwot Abebe

Alexander Araya a.k.a DJ Astronaut-E is planning to host an event this Friday. With the event marking his debut in event organization, Alexander is nervous about how the event will unfold. There are also concerns about dangers posed by COVID-19. He’d waited to see if it was safe to hold an event at this time.

“I am very well aware of the threats posed by the pandemic. But after the state of emergency was lifted, I waited to see if life went back to normal or adopted a new normal. And it has adopted a new normal.” he says. He isn’t the only one cautiously considering hosting an event.

Chimp Events is hosting an open mic night at a restaurant this weekend. Mikias Zena who manages Chimp Events and Promotions says: ‘it’s difficult planning an event in the middle of a pandemic. Everyone has to run their business. We are doing it in a way that can prevent the spread. It’s difficult because there are a lot of restrictions.’

Restrictions are the only means of limiting risk of exposure. Mikias says they are following Ministry of Health guidelines by making sure the event is outdoors, limiting seating to 3 people per table and keeping tables 2 meters apart. All staff members will wear masks and carry sanitizers.

Alexander’s event has taken it a step further by giving free masks when guests enter the venue. ‘We have taken measures to comply with the guidelines put forth by the authorities. That entails the usual: sanitizers, masks and social distancing within the confines of the place. The ticket has a mask giveaway attached to it and it’s compulsory to wear them during the event. All staff and guests will be wearing masks and vigilance will be our main concern.’

As food and drinks will be available at the venues, it is doubtful guests will wear masks.

“People are in a state of confusion mostly, they are unsure of what to do and where to start again. I am hoping this would be a good place since we don’t expect more than 80 people or so.” says Alexander.

The resumption of activities that were thus far restricted may give some people the impression that the threat of the Coronavirus is no more. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. With over a thousand two hundred people dead and over 80,000 people infected, the spread of the virus has not slightly abated. It has been a while now since the number of people that test positive out of the total number of tests has roughly gone up to 10 percent and more. According to the latest report by the Ministry of health, 902 people tested positive out of 6,668 tests on the October 8, 2020 report. That is a 13.5 percent infection rate out of the total tests and it depicts the alarming rate of the pandemic’s spread.

As predicted, September and October may be peak months for the pandemic. However, there are many people walking down the street, eating comfortably in restaurants and working in crowded offices who feel safe enough to ignore social distancing and take off their masks. The lulling public campaign on safety guidelines on the media and from the Ministry of Health may leave the country open to worsening conditions. Health officials have warned that the state of emergency and restriction measures were intended to blunt the initial impact of the Coronavirus and slow the spread. Strains on the livelihoods of people and the overall economic problems associated with the pandemic have led to the resumption of normal activities.

As the virus peaks, many are experiencing COVID-19 precaution fatigue. Although reports by the Ministry of Health indicate an average of 800 people are infected daily, there are still many people completely unaffected by the virus. Psychologists state that this creates a feeling in people that the virus is happening

to others and is, therefore, not their problem. We have seen widespread news reports of

people protesting partial and total lockdowns claiming the pandemic is a hoax in some

countries. Those in the U.S infamously closed the driveways into hospitals and rushed in large numbers with no face masks to a beach opened in Florida. This behavior can often lead to carelessness and causes risks to the person and those living in their vicinity.

Constant vigilance has undoubtedly exhausted many and put some livelihoods at risk. ‘I am not too naïve as to put my guests in danger. There were many small events preceding mine and I had a chance to witness some of

them. I’m just following safe event trends and finding a new niche to prosper, as all

of us do. There will be no taking COVID for granted,’ says Alexander.

Health professionals agree that this resumption of activities will result in increased infections

that will be difficult to trace. However, the economic benefit of lifting restrictions and opening up the country has hastened these steps. ‘Event organization is one sector that is affected by the pandemic. We are struggling so hard as well. The government needs to give us attention. The industry can make billions. I mean it’s a source of cash.’ says Mikias underscoring: ‘people need entertainment in this time of stress.’

That is certainly true. Businesses like movie cinemas, cultural centers, museums and galleries have either begun operation or are preparing for this month. Doors are opening to soothe and entertain our tired spirits while the Coronavirus looms. Precaution fatigue can lead to reckless behavior and those attending must ensure their own and others’ safety. The economic necessity of lifting the state of emergency should not mean the virus no longer has impact. The new normal must be acknowledged with a grain of salt.




General Requirements:

1.

2.

S. No. Vacant Position Required Number

1 Gender Equity and Social Inclusions Manager

1

2Education Manager

1

MA/MBA/BA in Civics, Pedagogical Studies, Political Science and International Relations,

3Manager

1

4 Risk Analysis and 1

5 Translator 1

6 Translator 1

7Translator) 1

8 Translator 1

How to apply

[email protected]

Application Deadline: October 23, 2020

For more information and detailed Job description, please visit our job portal at www.abhpartners.com/vacancy-announcement-list or www.ethiojobs.net

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.



[PQ NOTICE]

Bidding Notice No.:

1.

of the ‘Construction of Hetosa Woreda Primary Health Hospital for the Project “Promoting Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Services” in Arsi Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Korea.

2. Brief of Bid

Bid TitleConstruction of Hetosa Woreda Primary Health Hospital for the Project “Promoting Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Services

Summary of Bid

1) Total site area: 48,000 m2

2) Total building area: 2,488m2

2

truss+ Roof Sheet

Location Hetosa Woreda, Arsi Zone of Oromia

Contract Period 21 MonthsBasic Amount USD 3,116,205.00 (Excluding VAT) Place of submission of PQ application form/Inquiry:

[email protected]

Time table for Bidding

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION DATE REMARKS

Submission ofPQ

Documents PQ form through Email or

2020.10.19.

17:00

KOICA

PQ Evaluation

PQ Evaluation

additional document by request only one time.)

2020.10.23. KOICA

Notice of Invitation

Meeting

Only for the bidders who 2020.10.26.

MeetingAttendance is

mandatory.

2020.10.30.

14:00

KOICA

Oromia Health Bureau and KOICA

Date to be announced

Submission of

InterestEoI submission is

mandatory.

2020.11.23.

16:00

KOICA

Submission ofBid

Documents

Only for the bidders who submitted EoI

2020.11.27.

17:00

KOICA

Bid Price 2020.11.30.

10:00

KOICA

the Successful Bidder

2020.12.04. KOICA

3. Bid Type:

in this Bidding.

4. Estimated Price: The Bidders’ Proposals should not exceed the Estimated Price, which will be decided by calculation from Basic Amount, USD 3,116,205 according KOICA regulation. Any bid exceeding the value

5. Selection of the Successful Bidder: The duly eligible bidder who

evaluation will be selected as a Successful Bidder of the contract.

:

A bidder should meet all of the requirement listed in below. Please refer to RFP for detail information.

A.

B. license )

C. and Industry

D.

E. architecture, electricity, mechanical, communication and sanitary

announcement), and the total amount of the contract is USD5.0 Mil or more, and one of them is a contract of achievement of more

central bank at the time)

client

F.

electricity, mechanical, communication and sanitary facilities) with a

client

G. announced by the central bank at the time)

USD 50,000)

annual sales)

H. Statement of litigation or arbitration involving bidders for the last 5

7. Others:

on or

before 17:00 PM on 27th Nov, 2020.

30 deadline. In case the successful bidder fails to sign the contract

by KOICA.

/End/



By Mohamed A. El-Erian

Having long been buttressed by ample liquidity, financial markets are entering the final quarter of 2020 amid an increasingly tentative global economic recovery, unusual political uncertainties, and lagging fiscal and structural policy responses. And these headwinds come on top of the COVID-19 crisis, which has left most countries struggling to strike a balance between protecting public health, achieving a return to a semi-normal level of economic activity, and limiting infringements on individual liberties.

In this context, the hope is that today’s generous liquidity conditions, enabled and supported by central banks, will continue to provide a bridge to a better 2021, not only reversing the economic and social damage, but also delivering further gains to investors. But will this bridging operation, already deployed for several years to compensate for other headwinds, be sufficient to overcome what is an increasingly complex pandemic cocktail?

Recent economic data indicate that, outside of China and few other countries, the economic recovery remains uneven and

uncertain, and is falling short of what is both needed and possible, in my opinion. Travel, hospitality, and other service-sector activities continue to face considerable challenges, complicating the overall employment picture. Moreover, a growing number of companies in other sectors are pursuing “re-sizing” initiatives that will likely lead to less hiring or even a wave of layoffs.

Adding to these economic challenges are deepening political uncertainties, especially in the United States. An already highly uncertain election process has been further complicated by President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 infection. And now that a number of lawmakers have also contracted the virus, congressional deliberations on many vital matters have been delayed. The US Senate has been left with little time to consider anything other than the nomination of a new Supreme Court justice, which the Republican majority insists on pushing through before the end of Trump’s term. As a result, there is only limited hope for a new fiscal relief package, pro-growth structural reforms, or any other meaningful US policy initiatives in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, US participation in multilateral policy deliberations

– not to mention America’s global leadership role more generally – remains curtailed. Making matters even more complicated, economic and financial responses elsewhere are also hitting a ceiling, particularly in the developing world, where governments are running out of policy space, owing to high deficits, rising debt, and more shaky currency dynamics. This policymaking uncertainty is being magnified by the larger struggle to meet the three main objectives of the pandemic era: maintaining public health and protecting citizens; avoiding further damage to the social fabric, economic welfare, and financial viability; and minimizing restrictions, also in the interest of avoiding “pandemic fatigue.”

Despite this uncertain, unsettling, and inherently volatile cocktail of background conditions, stocks and other risk assets have shown remarkable resilience. Most notably, a considerable share of investors has been willing to continue “buying the dip,” either because they believe “there is no alternative” to stocks, or because reliable market bounces over the last few years have stoked their “fear of missing out.” This BTD-TINA-FOMO conditioning, to use the market parlance, is underpinned by two factors.

First, and most important, investors are enormously confident in the willingness of systemically important central banks – namely, the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank – to inject liquidity at the first sign of serious market stress, regardless of how much further they have to venture into the domain of experimental unconventional policy. Yet by building an ever-wider wedge between market valuations and economic fundamentals, central banks may be jeopardizing their own credibility, amplifying wealth inequalities, and increasing the risk to future financial stability.

Second, investors tend to regard most, if not all, of the current challenges to the marketplace as not just temporary but reversible. The assumption is that US election uncertainties will be resolved quickly; fiscal and structural reform efforts will be restarted, making up for lost time; and progress toward new COVID-19 treatments, vaccines, or herd immunity will continue to accelerate. In the meantime, markets have come to “expect the unexpected.”

I am in no position to predict the outcome of the election or the prospects for improvements in public-health conditions. But I do have some confidence

VIEWPOINT

By Joseph S. Nye, Jr.

There is no single future until it happens, and any effort to envision geopolitics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic must include a range of possible futures. I suggest five plausible futures in 2030, but obviously others can be imagined.

The end of the globalized liberal order. The world order established by the United States after World War II created a framework of institutions that led to a remarkable liberalization of international trade and finance. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, this order was being challenged by the rise of China and the growth of populism in Western democracies. China benefited from the order, but as its strategic weight grows, it increasingly insists on setting standards and rules. The US resists, institutions atrophy, and appeals to sovereignty increase. The US remains outside the World Health Organization and the Paris climate agreement. COVID-19 contributes to the probability of this scenario by weakening the US “system manager.”

A 1930s-like authoritarian challenge. Mass unemployment, increased inequality, and community disruption from pandemic-related economic changes create hospitable conditions for authoritarian politics. There is no shortage of

political entrepreneurs willing to use nationalist populism to gain power. Nativism and protectionism increase. Tariffs and quotas on goods and people increase, and immigrants and refugees become scapegoats. Authoritarian states seek to consolidate regional spheres of interest, and various types of interventions increase the risk of violent conflict. Some of these trends were visible before 2020, but weak prospects for economic recovery, owing to the failure to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, increase the probability of this scenario.

A China-dominated world order. As China masters the pandemic, the economic distance between it and other major powers changes dramatically. China’s economy surpasses that of a declining US by the mid-2020s, and China widens its lead over onetime potential contenders like India and Brazil. In its diplomatic marriage of convenience with Russia, China increasingly becomes the senior partner. Not surprisingly, China demands respect and obeisance in accordance with its increasing power. The Belt and Road Initiative is used to influence not just neighbors but partners as distant as Europe and Latin America. Votes against China in international institutions become too expensive, as they jeopardize Chinese aid or investment, as well as access to the world’s largest market. With Western economies having been weakened relative

to China by the pandemic, China’s government and major companies are able to reshape institutions and set standards to their liking.

A green international agenda. Not all futures are negative. Public opinion in many democracies is beginning to place a higher priority on climate change and environmental conservation. Some governments and companies are re-organizing to deal with such issues. Even before COVID-19, one could foresee an international agenda in 2030 defined by countries’ focus on green issues. By highlighting the links between human and planetary health, the pandemic accelerates adoption of this agenda.

For example, the US public notices that spending USD 700 billion on defense did not prevent COVID-19 from killing more Americans than died in all its wars after 1945. In a changed domestic political environment, a US president introduces a “COVID Marshall Plan” to provide prompt access to vaccines for poor countries and to strengthen the capacity of their health care systems. The Marshall Plan of 1948 was in America’s self-interest and simultaneously in the interest of others, and had a profound effect on shaping the geopolitics of the ensuing decade. Such leadership enhanced US soft power. By 2030, a green agenda has become good domestic politics, with a similarly

significant geopolitical effect.

More of the same. In 2030, COVID-19 looks just as unpleasant as the Great Influenza of 1918-20 looked from 1930, and with similar limited long-term geopolitical effects. Prior conditions persist. But, along with growing Chinese power, domestic populism and polarization in the West, and more authoritarian regimes, there is some degree of economic globalization and a growing awareness of the importance of environmental globalization, underpinned by a grudging recognition that no country can solve such problems acting alone. The US and China manage to cooperate on pandemics and climate change, even as they compete on other issues such as navigation restrictions in the South or East China Sea. Friendship is limited, but rivalry is managed. Some institutions wither, others are repaired, and still others are invented. The United States remains the largest power, but without the degree of influence it had in the past.

Each of the first four scenarios has about a one chance in ten of approximating the future in 2030. In other words, the chances are less than half that the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic will profoundly reshape geopolitics by 2030. Several factors could alter these probabilities. For example, the

The Pandemic’s . . . page 24

Post-Pandemic . . . page 24

COMMENTARY



By Tagel Getahun

We are a nation that deserves to enjoy the virtues of democracy. Like its predecessors the current government has this weakness of adopting no clear policy on the concept. People on power do not clearly stipulate a policy on democracy and move away from arbitrary exercise of power and the endless quest for it.

I will analyze the four approaches on democracy that exist in the world in this article. It is my take that the existing government has to adopt the most appropriate philosophy for Ethiopian politics among the following thoughts and make it known to the public. I advise Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) to adopt a clear policy on the subject.

The nexus between democracy and development in Ethiopia has been one of the most contested issues in recent years. As a result there is an intellectual debate over the linkage between development and democracy even though politicians are involved in this debate manner that is self-serving in light of their respective political interests.

There are at least four opinions regarding the issue.

The first one is that which denies the existence of any link between the two concepts. Few years ago, the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said in the world economic forum meeting that he believed that there is no any cause and effect relationship between democracy and development. For me, it was a pronouncement of a political motive rather than an intellectual assertion. But, there are political scientists who strongly argue in line with this view. They point to China’s and other Asian economies that developed without democracy. These countries have managed to lift hundreds of millions of their people out of poverty. But, no one ever considers that these nations might have enjoyed a better development with democracy. Westerners argue that this thought will not work when these economies grow to economies where service is the predominant sector. They claim that the two concepts are independent of each other, and can easily be achieved without necessarily depending or leading to the other.

The second view is that democracy should precede development as the former is an indispensable condition for the latter. They say that the nations will sustain heavy damage due to absence of democratic governance. They are responsive to the growing demand for freedom in the society. They claim that political problems are highly connected to the authoritarian nature of the past and present governments. According to them, development cannot precede democracy as the nation is not rich in resources that would help in fast forwarding the development of the nation. The existence of weak institutions is highly connected to the undemocratic nature of governance. They support their argument citing a global study which showed that in the researched hundred twenty one democratic nations across the world development has surely flourished. As they say the recurring political instability can only be solved by turning the nation to democracy. They also base their argument by citing prominent western philosophers. They give emphasis on the process without being concerned for the result of democratic processes. They say development cannot be achieved without democracy. As they say, poverty of a nation is caused by absence of democratic governance; and freedom fosters creativity there by accomplishing prosperity. They strongly believe that democracy increases future GDP by encouraging investment, increasing schooling, and promoting economic reforms, improving public good provision, and reducing social unrest. Accordingly, they assert that Democracy is associated with higher human capital accumulation, lower inflation, lower political instability, and higher economic freedom. Democracy is closely tied with economic sources of growth, like education levels and lifespan through improvement of educative institutions as well as health services.

The third thought is the one that believes development should precede democracy. They admit that the two concepts have a cause and effect relationship and argue that development assists democracy. In their view, undeveloped but democratic nation is impossible. They hold that the nation is not ready for

democracy unless the society and institutions are transformed with the help of education and development. They tend to focus on development and give too much emphasis on the results of democratic processes. They allege that if a democratic process is to take place narrow nationalists would come to power. According to them, democracy would end in empowering politicians with irrational political interests. They are pragmatic and argue for the need to a transitional period through which a single and strong party has to remain on power. They deeply believe that democracy will rather detract the development of the nation as it is their belief that competition and rotation of different political groups on power is detrimental as it is not possible to plan for the long run. They also assert that the job of uniting the divided nation should precede democracy. They say the political system is backward and undemocratic. Thus, we need to build a democratic political system in advance. They rather incline to solve the serious inequality in the society before indulging in democracy. Economists, such as Meltzer and Richard, have added that as industrial activity in a democracy increases, so too do the people’s demands for subsidies and support from the government. In this way, they argue, democracies are inefficient. Such a system could result in a wealth disparity or racial discrimination. They also say that the existence of a largely middle class society is imperative to be democratic. Otherwise, they say, democracy results in a political instability due to the fact that the diversity in the society yields to conflicting political interests. According to them imposing democracy at this given moment is a risk as the result would be a cause for chaos and controversy. They add that absence of strong democratic institutions, national consensus, commonly shared Ethiopian identity and an informed society make the nation where democracy is hard to practice. They believe that working on development will solve the hurdles of democracy.

The fourth view holds that the two concepts are mutually supportive. They are inseparable. Democracy assists development and the vice versa is true.

According to this view nations have to strive on both democracy and development. Democracy flourishes and consolidates as prosperity is achieved. But, democracy has to be practiced even though the nation does not have an established democracy. Democracy improves the quality of decision making. Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts. Democracy allows people to correct their own mistakes. In a democracy, people rule themselves as leaders are elected by them. Those in support of the linkage argue that the two – democracy and development – are intertwined and depend on or lead to the other. Ultimately, this article postulates that Ethiopia should be innovative in its efforts to promote democracy and development, as there is no single prescribed way of achieving democracy or development. In their view, democracy building is both an intrinsic goal, and serves instrumentally to advance development. Almost all developed nations are democratic. Development is a way to consolidating democracy. While democracy’s contribution to development, or development’s contribution to democracy, is complex, context specific and at times contentious, the government in Ethiopia should continue to explore, support and promote the essential and mutually beneficial aspects of both processes as they say.

Which one of the above views should be practiced in Ethiopia? Which view is suitable to the political reality of the nation?

Amazingly, the former regime did not hold on to any of these views as their aim was to remain on power by hook or crook. On the other hand, PM Abiy has planned to remain on power for the next thirty years. It is not clear whether his plan is associated with democratic governance or not. He has to promptly adopt a policy and convince the public before it is too late. Gone are the days when the people used to shoulder an authoritarian government.

Ed.’s Note: Tagel Getahun is legal expert and regular contributor to The Reporter. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reporter. The writer can be reached at [email protected].

OPINION +

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR Long terms arrangement for periodic and breakdown service, repair and maintenance of pumps, generators and

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ADDRESS: For Local Vendors, UNICEF Ethiopia, UNECA Compound, Zambezi

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#REPORTERBOOK#SpookiestHalloween

R Baker Comes Up With The Spookiest Halloween Pies

R Apple will announce the next iPhone on October 13

0 Vol. 24 No. 1257

The spookiest time of the year is flying toward us like a bat out of hell, and if there’s one thing that we can’t do without in October, it’s pies. Pumpkin. Apple. It doesn’t matter what’s inside (we’ll eat anything sweet!), as long as it just screams Halloween!

Jessica Clark-Bojin is a master of baking and she’s shared some of her best Halloween-themed pies with Bored Panda. “Baking together can be a fun substitute for some of the less safe social activities, and my Halloween pies provide a lot of ‘ins-pie-ration,’” said the founder of ‘Pies Are Awesome,’ as she pointed out that a lot of people are staying close to home this year.

Jessica told Bored Panda that baking pie art is all about experimentation, creativity, and fun. "And no matter what it looks like in the end, you always come out a winner because you get to eat it!"

(Bored panda)

Apple just sent out invites for its upcoming hardware event, all but confirming the arrival of the next iPhone. The event is scheduled nearly a month to the day after its last big event, which gave us the Apple Watch Series 6 and two new iPads.

A new iPhone was conspicuously absent from the proceedings — not an entirely unexpected turn of events, of course. CEO Tim Cook confirmed earlier this year that there would be a delay in the arrival of the company’s new flagship, owing to COVID-19 hardware supply chain issues.

The iPhone 12 is set to finally deliver 5G connectivity to Apple’s product line, coupled with a new design, chip and a push to OLED for all entries in the line. There are expected to be three new models in all, ranging from 5.4 to 6.4 inches. The company will, no doubt, also be using the occasion to release additional hardware. Audio seems like a pretty obvious addition — perhaps we’ll finally be seeing the company’s long-awaited over-ear headphones, the AirPods Studio.

The event kicks off virtually at 10 AM PT. As ever, we’ll be bringing you the news live.

(TechCrunch)



Google is making Assistant’s voice features much easier to use for people with disabilitiesR

#REPORTERBOOK

Truecaller tops 250 million usersR#ThisWeekInHistory

||ERBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKK

#youngethiopians

Young Ethiopians studying posters advertising a cinema in Addis Ababa in 1935.

After more than 70 years under British rule, Uganda gained its independence

Google has partnered with leading accessibility firm Tobii Dynavox, best known for creating speech synthesis and eye-tracking devices, to integrate Google Assistant into the company’s Snap Core First line of dedicated tablets and mobile apps. That way, people who have trouble speaking can now use Assistant to control home appliances and other smart home products.

Tobii is perhaps more broadly known in the tech industry for its eye-tracking software for consumer electronics devices like laptops and VR headsets through a separate subsidiary known as Tobii Tech. However, many of those same innovations power Tobii Dynavox’s line of speech synthesis tablets and its companion software suite, both of which are widely used in the accessibility and assistive technology spaces.

Those touchscreen devices let owners customize a screen of icons that can produce words and vocal snippets, allowing people with developmental disabilities or motor function impairments to communicate either through touching the icons or by using only their eyes.

Because Google Assistant requires you to use your voice to access many of the platform’s features, it’s not easily accessible to people who are unable to issue vocal commands in the way the software has been designed to receive them. The new Tobii integration, however, will make it easy to control Google devices using one of Tobii’s speech synthesis machines, with custom button options to, for instance, control music playback on an Assistant speaker. The speech synthesis devices will issue the commands directly to the Google device, ensuring the smart speaker or display can carry out the request for turning on lights in a room or queueing up a playlist on Spotify.

(The Verge)

Popular caller-identification service Truecaller has amassed 250 million monthly active users and 200 million daily active users, demonstrating an accelerated pace of growth in recent quarters, even as a global pandemic has hurt most businesses, it said on Wednesday.

The service, run by the eponymous Stockholm-headquartered firm, allows users to avoid spam calls by identifying the callers, and also filters similar texts. The service is popular in many parts of the world, but India, where everyone receives dozens of such calls each month, is Truecaller’s biggest market.

Even as Apple and Google have improved the caller ID feature in their mobile operating systems in recent years, and taken several other steps to curb spam calls, Truecaller’s offerings remain unmatched.

Truecaller had 200 million monthly active users in February this year, and it reached the 100 million daily active users milestone in April 2018. More than 185 million of its monthly active user base are in India. In fact, Truecaller is the only app not made by Google or Facebook on the list of top 10 most used apps in the country, according to mobile insights firm App Annie (data of which an industry exec shared with TechCrunch.



COMMENTARY +

manifestations, by whomever, against whomever and wherever they are committed whatever their motivations, including those cases in which States are directly or indirectly involved.

Cuba will continue to urge the United States and countries genuinely committed to global efforts against terrorism to raise their voices against acts, such as the one perpetrated against the Cuban Embassy in Washington DC.

Not condemning it is equivalent to complicit silence and tolerance, which, in an interconnected world like the one we live in, puts all of us in danger of incalculable consequences.

Ed.’s Note: Vilma Thomas Ramírez is Cuban Ambassador to Ethiopia, based in the capital Addis Ababa. The article is provided to The Reporter by Project Syndicate: the world’s pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate provided inclusive perspectives in our changing world by those who are shaping politics, economics, science and culture. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reporter.

By Vilma Thomas Ramírez

The fight against terrorism has become one of the most important concerns of the United Nations, which has adopted several resolutions on the matter. The members of the community of nations have joined in the outright condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and agree that in order to be successful in its eradication, double standards, manipulation, selectivity and political opportunism must be eliminated.

Hence, it is imperative to respond to the phenomenon of terrorism in a coordinated and coherent manner at the national, regional and international levels.

The terrorist attack perpetrated against the Embassy of Cuba in Washington DC, on April 30th, 2020, once again showed the world the danger that this scourge represents all over the world and the need to give an energetic response to those who perpetrate or encourage actions of this type. More than 30 shots fired against the Cuban diplomatic headquarters with the intention of killing, made by an attacker armed with an

AK-47 assault rifle, leave no doubt about the seriousness of the event and its possible consequences.

There is no good terrorism and bad terrorism, terrorism is all the same; there is also no explainable terrorism and inexplicable terrorism, hence the condemnation of terrorism must be unanimous and categorical. Terrorist acts, wherever they come from, and whatever their cause, are criminal acts against humanity.

Cuba, which has been the victim of dozens of terrorist acts, over the course of more than 60 years, has once again requested that there be an strong and unequivocal condemnation of this incident from the Government of the United States, the country where the incident took place, as well as of any other action of this type against Cuba.

Unfortunately, up to date, and in contradiction to its own antiterrorist rhetoric, the US government has not made a statement regarding this serious incident, nor has publicly acknowledged or denounced the terrorist nature of that attack against the Cuban Embassy in

its territory. The US government neither has shared with the Cuban authorities any of the information collected about it.

The danger that represents the absence of a solid pronouncement in face of these events has become evident when, after the terrorist attack against the Cuban Diplomatic Mission in Washington DC, threats have been made against the integrity of Cuban diplomats and embassies in the United States itself as well as in Mexico, Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Cyprus, Austria and Angola, all of which have been reported to the respective governments.

Regardless of the well-known disagreements between Cuba and the United States, the Government of Cuba has reiterated its willingness to advance in bilateral collaboration with that country, in the fight against terrorism, and in joint efforts to apply and enforce the law.

This willingness of cooperation is based on the consistent position of Cuba of firm rejection and condemnation of all acts, methods and terrorist practices, in all their forms and

OPINION

By Richard Haass

Assassinations are by definition significant because they involve the murder of a prominent individual for political purposes. But not all assassinations constitute turning points. World War I, for example, would likely have happened even without the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The stage was already set for what was to become The Great War, and something else would have provided the spark.

Nor is it obvious that the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, as significant as it was, was a historical turning point. Some say that, had he lived, he would have limited US involvement in Vietnam, a war that in the hands of his successors ultimately claimed some 58,000 American lives. Obviously, there is no way of knowing. What can be said with some confidence, though, is that the US political system was sufficiently robust that the broad direction of domestic and foreign policy alike were not dependent on a single person.

By contrast, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin 25 years ago by a right-wing Jewish extremist almost certainly was a turning point in the Middle East. The reason is clear: Rabin may well have been the only Israeli leader of his generation both willing and able to make peace with the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. He saw the need to compromise and was strong enough to take calculated risks and persuade a majority of Israelis that it was wise to do so.

By contrast, Rabin’s rival and

successor, Shimon Peres, had the desire to make peace, but his very enthusiasm undermined his ability to rally skeptical Israelis behind him. Rabin’s reluctance proved invaluable. And several subsequent Israeli prime ministers, including the incumbent, Binyamin Netanyahu, possessed the hardline credentials to make a deal with the Palestinians, in the sense that the anti-communist Richard Nixon could broker the US breakthrough with China a half-century ago. But, unlike Nixon, they lacked the desire to do so on terms that had any chance of being accepted.

This is not to say that Rabin would have succeeded had he lived. It takes two to make peace. It was Nelson Mandela’s – and South Africa’s – good fortune that President F.W. de Klerk was a willing partner in ending apartheid. Peace requires leaders who are both willing and able to compromise and sustain their commitments. And here it is not obvious that Rabin had a viable partner in Yasir Arafat, although it is instructive that Rabin ultimately judged that it was worth pursuing, because only Arafat possessed the authority to make a deal.

What also made Rabin remarkable was his openness to change. As Israel’s defense minister from 1984 to 1990, he imposed harsh measures on Palestinians living in Israeli-occupied territories and cracked down on violent protest. I was working on the Middle East at the White House at the time. When I challenged Rabin on the wisdom of saying Israel would break the bones of the protesters, he responded, “What would you

have us do? Kill them?”

For Rabin, it was a legal and political necessity to maintain order, but it was also a moral imperative to minimize the loss of life. Using non-lethal force was to him the right approach.

Over time, however, Rabin concluded that force alone would not succeed. He came to see political and economic incentives as essential as well. And in his second term as prime minister, he accepted the Palestine Liberation Organization as a negotiating partner despite its history of terrorism, and approved the 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords that established a path designed to bring about ever greater political autonomy for Palestinians.

As we know, the Oslo Accords were never implemented in full. Rabin was assassinated, subsequent attempts at negotiating peace failed, Arafat died, and no Palestinian state materialized.

All this is relevant now given the recent diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Arab governments, motivated by the threat from Iran and a desire for access to Israeli technology and US arms, have determined not to allow the unresolved Palestinian issue to stand between them and normal relations with Israel. Other Arab states eventually will do much the same.

The Palestinian reaction has been equal parts predictable and disappointing. Most Palestinians still seem unprepared to accept that the path to a state of their own does not run through the Arab League or the United Nations or even Washington, DC,

but rather through direct talks with Israel.

As Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank continue to expand, time is running out. Israel’s government has agreed to postpone annexation of significant portions of the West Bank for just three years. The question is whether the next generation of Palestinian leaders will, like Rabin, be willing and able to compromise for peace.

But Israelis would be wise to learn from Rabin as well. He believed that Israel must remain both Jewish and democratic, and understood that this requires separate states. The only alternatives are to make Palestinians citizens of Israel (thereby ending Israel’s Jewish character), or deny Palestinians voting rights (thereby ending Israel’s democratic character).

For good reason, Rabin rejected both alternatives. There would be no better way to honor his legacy than by reviving a diplomatic process leading to the creation of two separate states living side by side in peace.

Ed.’s Note: Richard Haass is President of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The World: A Brief Introduction (Penguin Press, 2020). The article is provided to The Reporter by Project Syndicate: the world’s pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate provided inclusive perspectives in our changing world by those who are shaping politics, economics, science and culture. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reporter.



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the below tender:REQUEST FOR QUOTATION:

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UNHCR RepresentationAddis Ababa, Ethiopia

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are not sure what card the two intend to play at the last.”

Getachew Assefa (PhD), a prominent constitutional lawyer and professor of law at Addis Ababa University, on his part, indicates that the core event in this seemingly deadlock situation is the decision by the Tigray region to proceed with holding regional election despite the adoption into law of its postponement by the HoPR. The region proceeded with the election although the federal government said it should not happen.

After the federal government nullified the election results as well as the newly instituted regional government, TPLF pulled out its members holding executive positions at the federal level. Getachew also asks what legal ground is to be considered when the region and the party do something like this.

But, he indicates such tensions and strong differences between the federal and regional level governments is expected especially given the two levels are ruled by contending parties.

“It is obvious that there will be strong differences in some issues between the regional and the federal governments. But, the point is how they could resolve conflicts as long as they hold offices,” he explains. “This is more common when

contending parties lead at the federal and regional levels.”

One of the constitutional provisions to resolve such a conflict is through the grievances procedure where regional governments that feel uncomfortable with a decision by the federal government file formal complaint to the House of the Federation, he indicates.

“This institution umpires between the federal and the regional governments and it assures whether the constitutionally provided power division between the regions and the federal government are properly implemented. Any approach out of this is not in the nature of a federal system. Any sub national entity that defies this system of conflict resolution does not conform with the federal system,” he stresses.

For him, even if a decision made by the federal government is unfavorable, one has to accept it and follow the formal means of fighting against it.

“The decision by the House of the Federation seems to have been made in lack of other alternatives. If a regional state defies a decision by the federal government, there are measures to be taken according to the constitution,” he adds.

But, the practicality and aptness of the recent decision by the HoF is a debatable

issue, he says. Although the Council of Ministers is mandated to prepare the details regarding the severance of federal relations with the regional government in Tigray, Getachew Assefa sees two main challenges for the implementation of the decision.

Unless they come up with a miraculous means of establishing relations with the lower tiers of the regional government, this would face a huge challenge of implementation as the party structure and membership is extended to these levels of the administration. So, it will be difficult to assume that they would positively engage with the federal government in disobedience of the party bylaws that ensure centrality in the party functions.

Second, how the federal government would distribute finance to these sub-regional units is also a big question, Getachew points out. It is not clear whether the federal government would establish new institutions in the region to implement the decision by the HoF.

Within all this entanglement, this poses a challenge to the proper functioning of the federal system which is worsening from time to time. A smooth functioning of a federal system is when both levels of the federation go hand in hand and whenever

there is an entity that defies this functionality disrupts its smooth flows, Getachew says.

“A critical point here will be when practical preparations for the general elections begin. The reaction from the incumbent party in Tigray region is complicating the problems. Whether the TPLF runs in the general elections would lead to an actual confrontation,” he observes.

What both Merera and Getachew Assefa (PhD) agree on is the potential of military conformation between the federal and the Tigray regional government. Merera believes that although the two levels of administration say they won’t enter into military confrontation, it is impossible to say so at this point.

“We cannot say they won’t fight because there could be two governments in one country. The fact that Tigray did not recognize the federal government makes it a federal challenger. Unless they try to tolerate each other and play the game fairly, they could fight on a thousand and one reasons,” Merera reflects.

Merera says that the two will not be able to coexist in this situation until one of them submits to the demands of the other. The consequence of such confrontation is hard to predict but it is devastating, he indicates. For him, as he has been saying it since long,

what could simmer down the current wave of political instability in the country as well as the confrontation between Tigray and the federal government is an inclusive national dialogue.

Similarly, although the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the HoF are saying that there is no interest to fight Tigray regional government, Getachew Asseffa says it is not something to rule out. According to him, there are visible transgressions of the constitution like defying federal decisions and aggressive measures like pulling out of TPLF member federal officials and this could lead to the federal intervention.

“The tolerance from the federal government would change at some point. But, some measures should identify between the party and the government as indicated in the constitution, electoral and political parties’ proclamation, Hence, there could also be criminal accountability according to provisions in the Criminal Code,” he points out.

So, resorting to measures like criminal charges against transgressors of the constitution could be used to maintain the constitutional order, he says. But “illegal actions by the TPLF” could worsen the situation and this should be carefully considered, he concldes.

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24||

YOUR MIND

By Tsion Taye

Ed.’s Note: Tsion Taye is a researcher in the field of Agricultural Economics. She is a graduate of

Wageningen university from which she obtained her Masters and PhD degrees. Her passions include

reading books and reflecting on life experiences with whomever shares this passion. She can be reached for

comments at [email protected].

Shyness and timidity are confused with politeness and well-manner in the Ethiopian culture. ‘Look at her, she is so quiet, polite and won’t dare look into people’s eyes when spoken to!’ people would say to encourage the shy girl who rarely speaks, or speaks only when spoken to. She is the kind of girl parents would like to see their child become. Many of us have grown up with this mentality. The Ethiopian

saying goes, ‘Zimita werk new’ or ‘Silence is gold . So, shyness, not speaking up and timidity are well rewarded in the Ethiopian culture. The shy, quiet and timid child is indeed a relief for the parent. After becoming a parent myself, and now a parent of a toddler, it is no wonder why our parents preferred to shut us down. Dealing with a turbulent, loud and hyperactive child is not easy, I can tell you that for sure. But the thing is, while shyness and timidity are rewarding for the parent of a toddler, the same behavior are too costly for the grown up toddler in his teens, twenties and above. The reverse is true. A turbulent and hyperactive behavior of a child, while costly for the parent of the toddler, are rewarding for the grown-up toddler. I can tell from experience that those who succeed in this world are those who are active, speak up and are confident. Even people with few skills and knowledge make it in this world thanks to their high confidence, ability to speak up and ability to sell whatever qualities they have. On the other hand, the smart and intelligent timid person fails to reach his or her potential and remain invisible because of the simple fact that they are shy, unable to sell their qualities, unable to socialize, meet new people and network with others.

The thing with being shy, timid and quiet is that people will take advantage of you. How many people would speak up when deprived of their rights? In general, I have observed that those who speak up and defend their rights are considered outcasts and feared, and people prefer not to socialize with them. An acquaintance of mine who works in an international organization once told me about the visible difference between white foreigners and Ethiopians. During meetings that concern issues related to the rights and obligations of staff members at work, Ethiopians do not raise their hands and speak up to defend their rights and make sure that work assignments are delivered in a way that does not deprive them of their rights. They remain mostly quiet during meetings and speak only when spoken to or given the opportunity to speak. And sadly, they do not even use that opportunity to clearly demand their rights at work. The opposite is true for white people who are loud, active, never fear to speak up and demand what they think they deserve at work. Of course, the meetings are concluded with mainly the perspectives of those who spoke up incorporated in meeting decisions. Funnily, right after the meetings are over and people are dispersed, Ethiopians gather among themselves to complain about the things said and the decisions taken at the end of the meetings. So, who lost by being silent? The silent, of course!

In our culture, fitting in is more important than being different and having our rights respected. Assimilating and keeping peace with your neighbors is more important than fighting those neighbors who deprive us from our basic right of living in a livable neighborhood. We prefer to complain in hiding and gossip about the bad neighbor than confronting him or her to demand for the rights this neighbor had deprived us from. I say politeness should not be confused with silence. I say, silence is not gold!

identifying possible economic scenarios and their consequences, and on this question, timing is important. Whether a comprehensive policy response is enacted now or in a few months bears directly on its potential impact.

After all, for every day that lawmakers delay, there will be even less hiring, more layoffs, and greater risk of corporate bankruptcies, especially among the growing number of companies whose financial resilience is eroding as they face tighter lending conditions and their cash burns continue. Accordingly, the longer the delay, the greater the problems that any future package will have

rapid development of effective, reliable, and cheap vaccines that are widely distributed internationally would enhance the probability of continuity and reduce the probability the authoritarian or Chinese scenarios.

But if Donald Trump’s re-election weakens America’s alliances and international institutions, or damages democracy at home, the probability of the continuity scenario or the green scenario would decrease. On the other hand, if the European Union, which was initially weakened by the pandemic, succeeds in sharing the

to address, and the harder it will be to design and implement.

Over the past few years, investors have tended to be richly rewarded for setting aside traditional determinants of market value and focusing on just one thing: plentiful and predictable liquidity injections into the marketplace. But the next few months will likely be a bigger test for this wager. Wall Street has decoupled from Main Street in a way that few expected. It would be a mistake to keep extrapolating into the future without stopping to ask about the mounting collateral damage and unintended consequences.

Ed.’s Note: Mohamed A. El-Erian,

costs of member states’ response, it could become an important international actor capable of increasing the likelihood of the green scenario.

Other influences are possible, and COVID-19 may produce important domestic changes related to inequalities in health care and education, as well as spurring the creation of better institutional arrangements to prepare for the next pandemic. Estimating the long-term effect of the current pandemic is not an exact prediction of the future, but an exercise in weighing probabilities and

Chief Economic Adviser at Allianz and President of Queens’ College, University of Cambridge, was Chairman of US President Barack Obama’s Global Development Council. He is the author, most recently, of The Only Game in Town: Central Banks, Instability, and Avoiding the Next Collapse. The article is provided to The Reporter by Project Syndicate: the world’s pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate provided inclusive perspectives in our changing world by those who are shaping politics, economics, science and culture. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reporter.

adjusting current policies.

Ed’s Note: Joseph S. Nye, Jr. is a professor at Harvard University and author, most recently, of Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump (Oxford University Press, 2020). The article is provided to The Reporter by Project Syndicate: the world’s pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate provided inclusive perspectives in our changing world by those who are shaping politics, economics, science and culture. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reporter.

India the experts would come and commission the plant,” he said. “We hope that the factory will start operation within three months.”

Kibiryessefa lauded the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and Oromiya International Bank (OIB). CBE provided loans for the project while OIB provided foreign currency for the purchase of machineries.

The factory has also built a three-storey building on 1000 sq. m of land that serves as office and guest house. The steel factory needs 20 MW of energy. Tadash Steel Manufacturing Plc has spent 40 million birr to build 11 km power transmission lines that brings power from a substation near Bishoftu town.

Kibiryessefa, who spent more than 20 years in scrap metals trade, said

that he decided to venture into the steel manufacturing plant after he witnessed all the challenges in the local steel and construction industries. “There is always shortage of steel in the local market. Steel is an expensive strategic commodity that is critical in the local construction industry. The country spends millions of dollars on steel import,” Kibiryessefa said.

According to him, he and his friends faced a number of challenges in building the steel manufacturing plant. “Securing bank loan is the biggest challenge. When you import steel the banks would provide you with loans. But, when you decide to build a steel factory the banks are reluctant to finance such an important industry. If I wanted to make money I would have imported and sell steel. But, I wanted to make

this establishment that adds value and contribute to the development of the country and that gives me mental satisfaction,” he said.

Kibiryessafa claims that foreign companies get preferential treatment adding that the system does not encourage local investors to venture into the manufacturing sector. Tadash Steel Manufacturing Plc is planning to build nail factory and an oxygen plant in the second phase. The company has already secured plot of land for the expansion project. Kibiryessefa said he and his colleagues are grateful for the support the Duken Town Administration extended to their company.

In 2019-2020 the country has imported 1.08 tons of steel valued at 55.2 billion birr.



JOB OPPORTUNITYAMERICAN EMBASSY

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIAall available positions and to apply online, please visit https://et.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/

Please see the below Vacancy announcement on the Embassy Website and apply online.

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: Addis-2020-033 (RA)

POSITION: Public Health Administrative Specialist /Senior Statistician

OPENING DATE: September 21, 2020

CLOSING DATE: October 5, 2020

WORK HOURS: Full-time (40 hours/week)

SALARY: Ordinarily Resident (OR): Position Grade: FSN-11, – 22,927.00 USD per year.

Not Ordinarily Resident: FP-04

*Final grade/step for NORs will be determined by Washington.

Duration of Appointment: probationary period.

NOTE: For ordinarily resident employees, salary will be paid in local currency using the established exchange rate.

Basic Function of Position:

Strategic Information Branch. Incumbent works in collaboration with the Branch

other teams.

Info, SPSS, SAS, EPP, SPECTRUM, ARCGIS, etc. Perform other duties as assigned by the Branch Head for Strategic Information and the Associate Director for Strategic Information.

1. Required Education:

2. Required Experience:

3. Language Requirementrequired.

(You are required to pass the English Placement Test (EPT) that is conducted by

Note:

How to Apply for more information on ERA and to view current job opportunities, please go to https://et.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/

Inter Aide French NGOINVITATION FOR BID

any lot.1.

Lot 1: HDPE pipes 25mm(19,900 m), 32mm(24,200 m), 50mm ( 12,500 m), 75mm(7,300 m), 90mm(300m)

Lot 2: HDPE connectors (F/F), HDPE reducers (F/F), HDPE adaptors ( F/F threated), Tee ( F/F/F)

Lot 3: 5.8m UPVC pipes 75 mm (219 pcs), 50mm(117 pcs), 32 mm( 93 pcs), 25mm (134 pcs)

UPVC connectors : couplings, elbows, Tee F/F, reducers

Road Kirkos sub city, woreda 03, house/House number 1299 Addis interaid.internationaltendering@

gmail.com2.

reach it before closing date and time: 30th of October 2020 – 5.00 pm to following address: Ethio-China Road Kirkos sub city, woreda 03, house/House number 1299 Addis Ababa,

oror by email: [email protected]. Bids

3. while submitting the bid document.

4. 5. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information from

email at: [email protected], or by 0115159914.

6. all the bids.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR Institutional contract to conduct Woreda-

based School AssessmentLRPS-2020-9162141

(Applicable for local bidder)

Details of the requirements for this bid and eligibility criteria etc. can be found in the bidding document.

Interested and eligible bidders can get the bidding document

2merkato.com - https://www.2merkato.com/images/downloads/UNICEF/LRPS-2020-9162141.pdf

requirements and due dates.

Assessment.

ADDRESS:

For Local Vendors, UNICEF Ethiopia, UNECA Compound, Zambezi


26| The Reporter, October 10, 2020 Vol. 24 No. 1257SNAPSHOT

Photo By: The Reporter /Tamirat Getachew



SNAPSHOT

the revival of the lake that holds so many memories in their lives; children are excited by the miracle unfolding before their eyes. Although people have embraced the positive development, experts fear that the sudden resurrection might not last for long. The silt and trash that contributed to the drying up of the lake are, however, still there with no one bothering to learn from previous mistakes. Concerns set aside, people have started boat trips over the lake while mothers have already set up small coffee shops. Ethiopian Electric Power obviously thought that this day would never come, as it has built electric power distribution lines right through the lake. Compiled by Tamrat Getachew



VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTAndinet Education and Training PLC

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Application closing: 10 days from the days of announcementHow to Apply:

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C r o s s w o r d

(astrology-online.com)

Kun

cho

Kom

men

tsACROSS

1. Extent

5. Sleighs

10. As just mentioned

14. Carry

15. Models

16. Roman emperor

17. Fealty

19. Stigma

20. Calypso offshoot

21. Not over

22. Coarse edible red seaweed

23. Bothers

25. African virus

27. Cap

28. Leaping

31. Free from mist

34. Antiquated

35. Japanese apricot

36. Keen

37. Valleys

38. Make well

39. Stir

40. Exposed

41. Indian millet

42. Table linen

44. Man's best friend

45. Express gratitude to

46. Harsh or corrosive

50. French farewell

52. Kind of alcohol

54. Ribonucleic acid

55. Bird of peace

56. Stunt flying

58. Z Z Z Z (American)

59. Cubic meter

60. Adjoin

61. Being

62. Requested

63. Used to be

DOWN

1. Hiding place

2. A type of dance

3. Collection of maps

4. Born as

5. Small piano

6. A lot

7. Feudal worker

8. Diminished

9. South southeast

10. A deliberately offensive act

11. Anagram of "Reclaimed"

12. Historical periods

13. Not less

18. Internment camp

22. Handout

24. Not barefoot

26. Kiss

28. Hotel employee

29. Close

30. Arizona river

31. Humid

32. Wicked

33. Varnishes

34. Budgies

37. "Darn!"

38. Embraces

40. Boyfriend

41. Birthing coach

43. Cheddar or edam

44. An armless couch

46. Task

47. Clan

48. Bring upon oneself

49. Hindu social division

50. Axlike tool

51. Accomplishes

53. Journey

56. An Old Testament king

57. A Hebrew letter

Aries

You can look around for the right place and enlist some of your friends to help you move. Put your thoughts on paper. Property investments should payoff. Take precautions while traveling; you don't have to get anywhere that fast.

Taurus

Love can be heightened if you sit down and discuss your future plans. Keep your mind on your work and stay away from situations that could ruin your reputation. Try to channel your energy into physical work.

Gemini

Use your better judgment before you sign up for a costly venture. Control your temper by getting immersed in your work. Don't let your anger consume you and don't allow important matters go unattended to.

Cancer

Only offer to do the things you have time for. Luxury items will cost you more than you

for you to live with, but try to do things by the book.

Leo

Enlist coworkers in order to get the job done on time. Try to deal with the problems of those less fortunate; however, don't allow them to make unreasonable demands. You will be uncertain of your feelings.

Virgo

Your mate could get on your nerves if he or she backs you into an emotional comer or puts restrictions on your time. Don't let

to deal with government agencies or large institutions.

Libra

Involve yourself in group endeavors. Your boss may be pushy. Business trips will be

tape facing you. Try not to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Scorpio

You can make money if you concentrate on producing services that will make domestic chores easier. Use your charm to get your own way. You need to take a good look at all sides of an issue before making a decision.

Sagittarius

It's a good time to make changes to your living quarters that will give you more space. Give everyone in the house a physical chore that will help burn off some of the excess energy. Residential moves will be hectic and may be unsatisfactory.

Capricorn

You will meet new friends and enjoy a multitude of new activities. Abrupt changes concerning your professional position are evident. You are exceptional at presenting your ideas.

Aquarius

Extend an invitation to clients you enjoy spending time with. Self-improvement could bring amazing results. Your involvement in groups will be favorable for meeting new and exciting individuals.

Pisces

You need to get out and be an observer. You will be able to get to the bottom of things this week. You'll look guilty if you don't lay your cards on the table. If you can't get ahead in the company you're with, perhaps it's time to move on.

1

2 Bronx

3 Holidate

4 Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb

5 Blood of Zeus

6

7

8

9 Barbarians

10

Kuncho have you decided

what want be when you grow

up?

Yes, there is no question in my

mind now?

Kebele? Why?

Oh Dad, haven’t you heard? That is where the money

is now.

SPO

T TH

E D

IFFE

REN

CES

Can you spot the 12 differences between the two pictures? SOLUTION

So, what is that?

I defiantly want to be a kebele administrator

up North.

LEISURE

NEW TO



SPORT

MultiChoice Group (MCG) has announced that its subsidiary SuperSport has acquired exclusive rights to broadcast the Ethiopian Premier League matches. This is an exciting opportunity to support Ethiopian football and its fans, and to affirm Multichoice Group’s commitment to investing in Ethiopia and across the African continent.

SuperSport has added Ethiopia to its portfolio of soccer properties, which includes the Zambian Premier League and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa, reaffirming MCG’s commitment to investment in sport across Africa.

The Ethiopian Premier League is the top association football division in Ethiopia, and comprises 16 clubs. Broadcasts of the Ethiopian Premier League will be carried across the entire territory of sub-Saharan Africa and the adjacent islands, where the appetite for soccer is substantial.

MultiChoice Group CEO, Calvo Mawela, emphasized the significance of the sport for

the Group and what the deal means for Ethiopian football: “Through SuperSport, we are the leading broadcaster of sport in Africa, with our programming being viewed by millions of fans continent-wide. Sport is an integral part of our content offering and supporting the development of sport content makes sense for our business. This partnership will give the Ethiopian Premier League greater visibility, attracting fans from across the continent.”

Commenting on the agreement the Ethiopian Premier League chairman, Lt. Fekade Mamo said “We recognize the importance of having the right partners on board to contribute in growing our league and to cultivate local talent. This is a significant step forward for the league, and will create a brighter future for players, the industry, and bring Ethiopian football closer to the world.”

This agreement is particularly exciting for MultiChoice and DStv Ethiopia, Director of Multichoice Ethiopia, Omar Bagersh added, “This is an important milestone for Ethiopian football and

will substantially impact the football landscape in the country and create multiple economic spin -offs around football in one of the largest countries on the African continent.”

MultiChoice Ethiopia CEO, Gelila G.Michael said, “This is an exciting addition on DStv, particularly for our customers in Ethiopia. We are eager to mobilize for this exciting task ahead and are underway to making every effort so that sports fans have easy access to our products and a seamless experience across the country.”

SuperSport will produce the broadcasts, alongside the empowerment of local production staff. Its holistic approach to developing local leagues has seen those leagues grow from strength to strength and the Ethiopian Premier League will no doubt benefit from having a partner of the stature and expertise of SuperSport as it looks to the future.

This announcement is the latest in a series of exciting developments which mark

MCG’s investment in Ethiopia. Through DStv Ethiopia and the investment in local content such as the Ethiopian Premier League, Amharic language channels such as Zee Alem, Nick Jnr Amharic and local free-to-air channels, MultiChoice is developing a strong value proposition to deliver world -class, locally relevant content to audiences across Ethiopia.

“This is an important agreement for MCG, one which affirms our commitment to investing in Ethiopia and across Africa. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to Ethiopia through the development of local skills and industries, and through exciting plans for content that speak to Ethiopians in their own voice. By continuing to invest in local markets across Africa we intend to create lasting value for local industries; and opportunities for local content creators; distribution of content in local languages and promotion of local talent,” added Mawela.

(SuperSport)

The Spanish city of Valencia had never seen an outdoor world record on the track before Wednesday night but within the space of 50 minutes it witnessed not one but two, as Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei went into new territory.

Gidey was the first to go into athletics history with a stunning 5000m run of 14:06.62 to take more than four seconds off the mark of 14:11.15 held by her compatriot and idol Tirunesh Dibaba, which had stood since 2008.

Just a few minutes after she had crossed the line, the gun sounded for the start of the 10,000m and Cheptegei reeled off 25 laps in an average of less than 63 seconds apiece to stop the clock in 26:11.00.

Just 54 days after he had taken Kenenisa Bekele’s 5000m world record at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco, he removed the last remaining evidence of the phenomenal Ethiopian at the top of distance running’s all-time lists by taking 6.53 seconds from his 2005 mark of 26:17.53.

Cheptegei reached 8000m in 20:59.48 and 9000m in 23.36.75, more than five and eight seconds faster than Bekele at these respective points in their races, and roared on by the few spectators and officials the Turia Stadium owing to Covid-19 restrictions, he fulfilled his place in history over the last couple of laps before jogging over the line over the final few metres.

“I wanted to live up to expectations so I’m happy to achieve my dream,” said Cheptegei, who now becomes the 10th man in history to hold the 5000m and 10,000m world records concurrently. “I was trying to remake history so that people will have something to enjoy. Sport lovers of the world can have something to remember.

“In this difficult situation, I hope things like this can still give us joy and some hope for tomorrow,” he added, with a nod to the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the athletics calendar this year

Gidey became the third successive Ethiopian to hold the 5000m world record

following Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba as a prelude to Cheptegei’s feat.

Led out by Spain’s in-form 1500m champion Esther Guerrero, with 3000m steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech also helping out with the pace and Gidey initially bringing up the rear of the trio, 1000m was passed in 2:51.10 before the Spaniard was unable to go much further after a busy season.

With five long hard laps still to go, Gidey had almost seven seconds in hand over Dibaba and she didn’t squander the advantage.

The clock, stopped at 4000m at 11:19.17, is nine seconds quicker than Dibaba’s 11:28.4, and although Gidey looked to be tiring over the final two circuits, she still managed to turn out two successive 67-second laps to complete her run into the record books, stopping the clock at 14:06.62.

It is little more than five years since Gidey made her first international breakthrough, winning the U20 race at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang.

She successfully defended that title two years later, becoming just the fourth woman in history to win back-to-back world U20 cross-country titles.

Later that year, she clocked 14:33.32 for 5000m, moving to second on the world U20 all-time list, and went on to finish 11th at the World Championships in London. Her progress has continued in recent years and she clocked a 5000m PB of 14:23.14 in Rabat in 2018 and an outdoor African 3000m record of 8:20.27 in 2019.

“I have been dreaming about this (setting a world record) for six years,” she said on a night which proved for both her and Joshua Cheptegei, that dreams can come true.

Her medal collection has expanded too. Gidey earned bronze at last year’s World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus and went one better at the World Championships in Doha, taking silver in the 10,000m behind Sifan Hassan.

(World Athletics)



DESIGN & PUBLISHER MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE (MCC) PRINTED BY BERHANENA SELAM PRINTING ENTERPRISE

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