Ethiopia – ESAT Amharic News June 26 2020

The post Ethiopia – ESAT Amharic News June 26 2020 appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

The recovery from coronavirus of an Ethiopian man who is believed to be at least 100 years old was “incredible”, one of the doctors who treated him told the BBC.

Aba Tilahun Woldemichael’s family says he is 114, which would make him the world’s oldest man, but there is no birth certificate to confirm his age.

People over the age of 80 are considered to be among the most vulnerable if they catch the virus.

The centenarian, who is an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian monk, is now being looked after at home by his grandson.

“When I was in the hospital I was praying to God asking for my health. I was crying and praying for the whole country to be healthy again,” he told the BBC.

• Africa Live: The latest from the continent

Aba Tilahun tested positive for the virus when a random screening process took place in his neighbourhood in the capital, Addis Ababa, and was admitted to hospital before the symptoms showed, Dr Hiluf Abate told the BBC’s Newsday programme.

This allowed the medical team to be pro-active with its treatment and closely monitor the old man, he added.

Hiluf Abate

It’s really incredible that he survived being so old and we are happy that he has been discharged”

Within four days of his admission to the severe coronavirus ward in Yeka Kotebe hospital, Aba Tilahun’s condition deteriorated as the virus took hold and he was put on oxygen, Dr Hiluf said.

In all he spent 14 days at the hospital, and was treated with oxygen for more than a week.

He also was given anti-biotics and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone, which has been hailed as a ground-breaking treatment for hospital patients seriously ill with Covid-19.

Ethiopia, which has strict coronavirus restrictions, has recorded more than 5,000 confirmed cases and 81 deaths.

Tumultuous times

Although the hospital cannot confirm that its patient is 114 years old, the medical team says that he is definitely older than 100 and estimates that he is 109.

In his youth, he moved to Addis Ababa from southern Ethiopia when he was young and has lived through tumultuous times in his country.

He witnessed the Italian occupation between 1935 and 1941, the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the collapse of the Marxist Derg regime in 1991 and now he has survived Covid-19.

For years he has lived a simple life as a monk; “Aba” is a title meaning “Father”.

But when he was younger he worked as an electrician, house painter and general handyman, his 24-year-old grandson Binyam Lulseged Tilahun told the BBC.

Image copyrightBINYAM LULSEGED TILAHUN

His grandfather was doing well and looked healthy despite his age, however the after-effects of the virus had weakened his voice, Mr Binyam added.

In order to curb the spread of coronavirus, Ethiopia introduced a state of emergency in April that closed schools and playgrounds, banned large gatherings and sporting events, and reduced passenger numbers on public transport. But businesses have remained open.

BBC

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During the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline, was the go-to airline for essential travel, repatriation flights, and airlift of medical and personal protective equipment (PPE).

With the easing of travel restrictions across the globe, Ethiopian is welcoming back business and leisure travellers with programs aimed at safeguarding their health and safety.

The program reinforces Ethiopian Airlines’ pledge to protect the health and safety of its customers and staff.

It includes the steps the airline is taking to maintain customer and staff wellbeing through-out the service chain beginning from the first interaction with customers during ticketing/reservation and up to arrival at destination.

Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian, noted that “Ethiopian is proud to be there when the world needed it most–repatriating citizens, reuniting families, facilitating essential travel and transporting much needed medical and personal protective equipment (PPE) for health professionals and the general public under very difficult and challenging circumstances.

“We are proud to be an integral part of the fight against COVID-19. Now we want to play a leading role in the new normal. To a very large extent, it’s about getting back the confidence of business and leisure travelers.

“With the protective measures we are taking in line with CDC, IATA, ICAO, and WHO guidelines, customers and staff can rest assured that their safety and health are well looked after when flying with us.”

Customers are, however, advised to check travel restrictions of destination countries prior to arriving at the airport for a flight. Facemasks will be mandatory for travel. Except for children under the age of 2, all customers must keep their masks on throughout their journey.

All ET customer-facing staff will wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). This includes ticket offices, airport and lounge staff, as well as cabin crew. On-board service is redesigned to minimize contact while maintaining our African flavoured Ethiopian hospitality. Items, such as magazines, menus, and other reading materials that were traditionally shared will no longer be available.

Before Departure

According to the airline, customers holding tickets purchased before August 31, 2020, and valid for travel until September 30, 2020, can rest assured that their tickets will be valid until 31 December 2021.

Customers who have exchanged their tickets for vouchers can utilize the vouchers within one year.

It is essential that customers satisfy destination entry requirements such as health certificates and fill health declaration forms if required.

Customers feeling unwell are strongly encouraged not to travel and travel only when feeling well. The airline has indicated that unwell customers will not be allowed to enter the airport and will be denied boarding a flight. All Ethiopian aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to departing from the hub, and at turnaround stations.

At the airport, enhanced health screenings, including temperature checks, are expected to be conducted. To ensure adequate social distancing, markings are placed through-out the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport terminal building and hand sanitisers will be available for use.

Passengers must check in their cabin baggage. They’re allowed to bring onboard only essential items such as laptops, handbags, briefcases, and baby items. All checked-in bags will be sanitised before being loaded onto the aircraft.

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By Prof. Alemayehu G. Mariam

Today, June 29, 2020, the U.N. Security Council has scheduled an open session on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

As I shall demonstrate below, the open session is a strategic move coordinated and pre-planned by the U.S. and Egypt to break the back of Ethiopia and force her to abandon her natural rights to use Nile River waters.

But why did Egypt prefer to the Security Council before even giving the African Union a chance to address the GERD issues?

Is Egypt part of Africa of not?

Obviously, Egypt is in the African continent.

But do Egyptians, and specifically the Egyptian Government, believe they are Africans?

Do Egyptians truly believe their fate and destiny is eternally tied to the rest of Africa or with others?

Is the Nile River the umbilical cord that ties Egypt to Africa or simply a misfortune of nature?

Do Egyptians believe African problems should be solved by Africans?

I do not know the answers to these questions. But from the behavior and pronouncements of the Egyptian Government, it does not appear Egypt is any way organically part of Africa.

That is a curious state of affairs.

Egypt, along with Ethiopia, is a founding member of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the current African Union (AU), in 1963. The two key objectives of the OAU were “promotion of unity and solidarity of the African States” and facilitation of “cooperation and efforts to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa.”

Egypt is also a member of the African Union and last year completed the rotational one-year presidency of that organization. Among the 17 objectives of the AU are “acceleration of the political and socio-economic integration of the continent” and “promotion of peace, security, and stability on the continent.”

Ethiopia and Egypt are founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement established to ensure “the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries” in their “struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism,  interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics.”

So, why has Egypt ignored and actively avoided home grown continental institutions, and specifically the African Union, to find solutions to the disputes in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)?

On June 26, 2020, Egypt for the first time agreed to be part of GERD discussions under the auspices of the African Union.

I am pleased Egypt finally decided the African Union matters in resolving conflict and maintaining peace among African countries.

But I will bet my bottom dollar Egypt will not stay the African Union course. She will bolt out of any African Union sponsored negotiations in a New York minute because Egypt will never engage Ethiopia on a level playing field.

Egypt dragged Ethiopia to the “Washington talks” in November 2019 because she had stacked the deck in her favor. Egypt had connived with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and World Bank Group President David Malpass and pre-written an agreement before Ethiopia even showed up in Washington.

Abdel Fattah al Sisi did a number on Trump. Sisi duped Trump into believing he would certainly get the Nobel Peace Prize if he can get Ethiopia to sign a deal with Egypt on Nile River waters.

Trump the Chump fell for Al Sisi’s trick hook, line and sinker.

On January 10, 2020, Trump trumpeted:

I’m going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize, I’ll tell you about that. I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said: ‘What, did I have something to do with it?’ Yeah, but you know, that’s the way it is. As long as we know, that’s all that matters… I saved a big war, I’ve saved a couple of them.

The fix was in.

Ethiopia was supposed to show up in Washington, watch the U.S., World Bank and Egypt do a dog and pony show, sign the agreement and go home. Trump would then trumpet to the World he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 because he brought peace to Egypt and Ethiopia.

On February 28, Ethiopia told the U.S. and Egypt to use their agreement as toilet paper and moved on.

In the poetic words of Robert Burns, “The best laid schemes of mice and men/ Often go wrong,/ And leave us nothing but grief and pain/ For promised joy!”

The best laid plans of Trump, Mnuchin, Malpass and Shoukry went awry and now they have joined forces again to inflict grief and pain on Ethiopia in the Security Council.

Today, Egypt believes the U.S. will rig the Security Council in her favor and she can finally pull the wool over Ethiopia’s eyes.

That is vintage Egypt. Get a big power to do her dirty work. In the past, it was Britain; today it is the U.S. and the U.N. Security Council. Ho hum!

The fact of the matter is that for nearly a decade, Egypt has sailed the seven seas trying to find a solution to GERD disputes.

Just in the past year, Egypt has knocked on diplomatic gates all over Europe, rousted the Arab League to condemn Ethiopia and connived with the U.S. to set up a  diplomatic trap for Ethiopia called the “Washington talks”.

Today, Egypt pounds the doors at the U.N. Security Council in an attempt to ensure her perpetual hegemony over Nile river waters.

But why has Egypt avoided using the African Union to deal with GERD issues but chosen to scour the U.S., Europe and the Arab League for solutions?

Could it be that Egyptian leaders have contempt for the African Union and African leaders?

Could it be that Egypt feels black Africans will stick together and not give her a fair shake?

Could it be vestigial colonial mentality among Egyptian leaders that only their former white colonial masters can solve problems for them?

Could it be that Egyptian leaders consider themselves white and look down on black Africans?

Could it be that Egyptian leaders believe black African leaders are pushovers or so weak they could be bought by a few pieces of Western silver to sell their souls and throw in their grandmothers to boot?

The warmonger accusing the peacemaker of breach of international peace in the Security Council

Is it not ironic the criminal should report the victim to the police as the perpetrator?

Ethiopia has NEVER declared or threatened to declare war on Egypt or for that matter anyone else. Yet, she is now dragged into the Security Council by Egypt as a “threat to international peace and security”.

Egypt has jacked up Ethiopia in the Security Council as a warmongering unilateralist, a bogus charge I have thoroughly refuted.

In his letter to Nicolas de Rivière, President of the Security Council Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry wrote:

… I must emphasize that the U.N. Charter entitles U.N. Member States to protect their vital national interests and ensure their survival. Filling and operating such a mega project as the GERD without an agreement and in the absence of any mutually agreed safeguards that protect downstream riparians against the potentially significant harm that may be inflicted upon them constitutes a clear and present danger to Egypt, which could have serious repercussions that threaten international peace and security.” (Italics added.)

Shoukry’s letter to the Security Council, stripped of the diplomatic mumbo jumbo about Ethiopia’s decision to begin filling the GERD posing “a threat to international peace and security” and “the U.N. Charter authorizing member states to protect their vital national interests and ensure their survival” is this: “Egypt will declare war on Ethiopia if she proceeds to fill the GERD without an agreement pre-approved by Egypt.”

Make no mistake: Shoukry is not threatening war, he is promising it.

Shoukry is not spreading rumors of war, he is drum beating and bugling his troops to get ready for war with Ethiopia.

Shoukry is not blustering.

Shoukry says in his letter Egypt “has explored and exhausted every avenue of reaching an amicable solution” with Ethiopia.

So, what is left after all amicable solutions to deal with Ethiopia have been exhausted?

War.

War on land.

War in the air.

War in the water.

Shoukry is not giving a warning to Ethiopia. He feels that warning has been given for decades.

In 1979, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat threatened to go to war with Ethiopia .

In 2013, Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi declared “if the Nile is diminished by one drop, then our blood is the alternative.”

Sisi told the U.N. General Assembly last September, “The Nile is a question of life, a matter of existence to Egypt” and has recently directed  his forces to be on the “highest state of alert”. Even Egyptian billionaire Naguid Sawiris was drumbeating the tweets of war. “If Ethiopia doesn’t come to reason, we the Egyptian people will be the first to call for war.”

Now, Egypt is wagging its fingers at Ethiopia in the Security Council for becoming a threat to international peace and security.

Egypt gives new meaning to the phrase “blaming the victim”.

The Security Council is one of the 6 major organs of the United Nations. Its primary responsibilities include maintaining international peace and security and promoting friendly relations among nations.

The Security Council “takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression” and bring “parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.” It may “impose sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

It is a supreme irony that Egypt should go the U.N. Security Council to accuse Ethiopia of breaching international peace by beginning to fill the GERD in July 2020.

War mongering and brinksmanship are favorite past times of Egyptian leaders. Today, Egypt is preparing for war on the Ethiopian and Libyan fronts.

Yet, Egypt seeks to haul Ethiopia in the Security Council and have it convicted as a “threat to international peace and security.”

The secret U.S.-Egypt 10-point game plan to break Ethiopia’s back in the Security Council

Perhaps what is not self-evident is the fact that Egypt’s letter to the Security Council is  part of a well-coordinated and calculated strategic move between Egypt and the U.S., masterminded by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s clueless son in law, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and World Bank Group President David Malpass to bring Ethiopia to her knees and breaking her back with sanctions or threat of sanctions and preventing her from completing the GERD.

It is no secret that U.S. representatives at the U.N. for the past week have been arm twisting, jawboning, badgering and browbeating Council members to support Egypt’s position.

As the old saying goes, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.”

Mnuchin, Malpass and Shoukry tried to skin the Ethiopian cat alive in the “Washington talks”.

They found out the Ethiopian cat is no meerkat but actually a lion in tiger’s clothing.

The strong arm tactics of the “Washington talks” did not bring Ethiopia to its knees nor get her sobbing and begging, “Uncle Sam, massah, have pity on us. Please massah, I can’t breathe with your knees on my neck, just like Floyd George!”

When Egypt, the U.S. and World Bank learned they could not choke Ethiopia into submission, they decided to pull out the last trick hidden up their sleeves:

Dupe the U.N. Security Council into having a fake debate over Egypt’s baseless allegations and hijack the debates to get a resolution favorable to Egypt.

Mnuchin, Malpass and Shoukry’s game plan at the Security Council is simple, TRAP AND CLAP Ethiopia just like they tried to do in the Washington talks:

1) The U.S. will insist the Security Council take a pro forma look at the Egyptian letter.

2) The U.S. will call the three parties to make presentations to the Council.

3) The U.S. will then stage a make-believe debate on Egypt’s allegations against Ethiopia.

4) The U.S. will present a draft a resolution, already prepared by the U.S. and Egypt just like in the Washington agreement, and present it to the Council.

5) The U.S. resolution will be one-sided just like the Washington agreement. It will be in the form of a warning to Ethiopia in the same exact language of the Washington agreement: “Ethiopia shall not begin filling the GERD without an agreement.”

6) Given Ethiopia’s rejection of the Washington agreement, the U.S. will have an alternative resolution that will condemn Ethiopia for its intransigence, unreasonableness, disregard for international law, decision to proceed with filling the dam with an agreement (read approval of Egypt), etc., and threaten sanctions or other punitive measures if it proceeds with its plans to fill the GERD.

7) The U.S. will sweet talk, coax, lobby, hoodwink and/or threaten the non-permanent members of the Council (Belgium, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Germany, Indonesia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Tunisia, Viet Nam) into supporting the resolution.

8) The U.S. will fail in its efforts in the Security Council. The U.S. will then pull its “nuclear option” on Ethiopia. Just like Trump’s Ukraine quid pro quo, the U.S. will put the squeeze on Ethiopia and give her an ultimatum. Sign up or the U.S. will cut off all aid, block trade and prevent multilateral bank loans.

9) Egypt will declare moral victory over Ethiopia by having the issue heard in the Security Council and continue with its global campaign of victimization by Ethiopia.

10) The U.S. and Egypt believe once Ethiopia submits to Security Council jurisdiction, the trap will be shut, and Ethiopia will forever be yoked to and jerked by the Council on GERD issues.

Let the Security Council learn from Ethiopian history

The U.S-Egypt conspiracy to deprive Ethiopia of its right to use the Nile waters reasonably and equitably is not the first time she has been abused, mistreated, victimized, preyed, hoodwinked and screwed over.

The League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations, ignored Ethiopia’s plea when she was invaded by fascist Italy in 1936.

When Ethiopia “struggled to maintain its age-old independence” from Italian colonialism, faced “systematic extermination by barbarous means”, barrels of poison and mustard gas rained on its people and hundreds of thousands died, the League of Nation stood on the sidelines and turned a blind eye and deaf ears to Italy.

In the last sentence of his speech at the League of Nations, H.I.M. Haile Selassie posed one question to the League: “Representatives of the World I have come to Geneva to discharge in your midst the most painful of the duties of the head of a State. What reply shall I have to take back to my people?”

The League was silent, and H.I.M. Haile Selassie left in despair of what will happen to his beloved Ethiopia.

The Ethiopians did not need an answer from the League which was working hand in glove with fascist Italy.

The Ethiopians had their own answers.

Fight the fascist invader in the valley, in the mountains, in the forest, on the trails, on the rivers, on foot, in hand to hand combat, with bows and arrows, muskets and swords, stick and stones.

In 1941, the Ethiopians sent the Italian colonial invaders packing home.

Today, Egypt wants to use the United Nations Security Council to make Ethiopia its water colony, just like fascist Italy in 1936 wanted to fully colonize Ethiopia, by hogtying Ethiopia from using its Nile river waters.

The same fate awaits Egypt and all who dare to infringe on Ethiopia’s sovereignty or make her a vassal state or water colony.

History shows many European colonial powers have not tried to screw over Ethiopia.

Like the so-called Washington agreement, in the 1889 Treaty of Wucahle, the Italians tried to pull a fast one by doctoring their version of their treaty and claimed Ethiopia was an Italian protectorate.

They got their answer in the Battle of Adwa in 1896 where they were wiped out in a battle that barely last one-half day.

There is no question Egypt and the U.S. are working like the devil in hell behind the scenes to manipulate the Security Council and make Ethiopia a water colonial protectorate of Egypt.

Ethiopia will be Egypt’s water protectorate when the Nile River freezes over the devil goes ice skating. And with God on our side, we will fight the devils on the ice tooth and nail! 

The solution rests with the African Union

The fact remains: Ethiopia will begin filling the GERD in July 2020.

Egypt’s best chance of reaching a fair agreement rests with the African Union.

Egypt could sail the seven seas   in search of answers and solutions to GERD disputes, but she will find the right answers only in the African Union.

Egypt needs to realize there are 10 other Nile riparian African countries watching Ethiopia in its dealings. If the U.S and Egypt succeeds in steamrolling Ethiopia, Africa’s ultimate symbol of independence and sovereignty, or if Ethiopia buckles and breaks under the pressure of the two hegemons, that will be the end of them as well. They too will become water colonies of Egypt.

Egypt needs to understand the wisdom of an old African saying, “If you can’t resolve your problems in peace, you can’t solve them in war.”

Regardless of what the U.S., the U.N. Security Council, the Arab League or the Arab Republic of Egypt do or do not, there is no power on earth that can stop Ethiopia from building its GERD and reasonably, equitably and lawfully use its Nile Waters.

Egypt goes to the Security Council with unclean hands. She threatens war on Ethiopia and yet seeks the Council to intervene on her behalf and exact punishment on Ethiopia for threatening international peace and security.

The Security Council should throw out Egypt’s complaint.

Those who seek justice must practice justice themselves. Those who preach the gospel of war on their neighbors should not be heard in the Security Council.

It will not be easy to fight a tag team of two U.S-Egypt Goliaths and Hegemons in the Security Council at the same time.

But history in the past few decades has shown the little guys with guts and determination have successfully beaten the big guys.

The Trump administration may believe Ethiopia is just another “s**t hole African country” and they can screw he over as they like.

Let them remember Ethiopians have always kicked the s**t out of those who have dared to disrespect or invade them.   

Let them remember Ethiopia beat back, for the first time in African history, a mighty European colonial army in a battle that lasted one-half day in the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Let Egypt remember its mighty invading army that got wiped out in the Battles of Gundet and Gura in 1875-76.

Ethiopia has been able to defeat its enemies with one and only one weapon. Ethiopian Unity!

ETHIOPIANS UNITED AROUND THE GERD CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED!

My motto and rallying cry: “One GERD for all Ethiopians. All Ethiopians for one GERD!”

AFRICAN UNION SOLUTIONS FOR AFRICA’S PROBLEMS. GET THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL OUT OF AFRICA!

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Demonstrations have broken out in parts of Ethiopia following the shooting dead of musician Hachalu Hundessa, well known for his political songs.

Seven have died during the spontaneous protests, medics told the BBC.

Hachalu’s songs often focused on the rights of the country’s Oromo ethnic group and became anthems in a wave of protests that led to the downfall of the previous prime minister in 2018.

The 34-year-old had said that he had received death threats.

The police are now investigating the killing, which took place on the outskirts of the capital, Addis Ababa, and several people have been arrested.

Thousands of his fans headed to the hospital in the city where the body of the singer was taken on Monday night, BBC Afaan Oromo’s Bekele Atoma reports.

Image copyrightREUTERS

To them, he was a voice of his generation that protested against decades of government repression, he says.

‘More than an entertainer’

By Bekele Atoma, BBC Afaan Oromo

Hachalu was more than just a singer and entertainer.

He was a symbol for the Oromo people who spoke up about the political and economic marginalisation that they had suffered under consecutive Ethiopian regimes.

In one of his most famous songs, he sang: “Do not wait for help to come from outside, a dream that doesn’t come true. Rise, make your horse ready and fight, you are the one close to the palace.”

The musician had also been imprisoned for five years when he was 17 for taking part in protests.

Many like him fled into exile fearing persecution but he remained in the country and encouraged the youth to struggle.

BBC

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Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil

July 01/2020-Ararsa Merdassa, Oromia Police Commission Commissioner General told local news media late this afternoon that the number of people who are killed in connection with continued protests against the assassination of prominent Oromo artist Haacaaluu Hundeessaa has climbed to 81. One of the killed is Haacaaluu’s uncle, who the commissioner did not mention by name. Of the 81 who were killed so far 78 are civilians, and three are members of Oromia police force. Seven of those killed are in the capital Addis Abeba, the Commissioner General said without giving further details.

According to the Commissioner General Haacaaluu’s uncle was killed in Ambo today in what he said was a bomb thrown at his house. However, two eye witnesses who spoke to Addis Standard said that he was killed by security forces as he confronted them from removing the body of Haacaaluu out of the family’s house. The body was later on taken to an army barrack on the outskirts of the city of Ambo. The regional state said the artist will “receive a hero’s funeral tomorrow.” But the youth in the city continued protesting that the artist should be laid to rest in Addis Abeba, where he lived with his widow and three children.

There were sustained gunshots throughout the city today, the two eye witnesses told our reporter Mahlet Fasil and added there were “several deaths” as federal and regional security forces “fired live bullets” at angry crowds. “I have seen two dead people laying on the ground near the main police station where protests were happening today,” one of the eye witnesses told Addis Standard by phone. “Both bodies were laying there for several hours as shootings were coming from everywhere.” Members of the federal police were deployed in the city since yesterday after the government airlifted the body of Haacaaluu by a helicopter from Addis Abeba.

Haacaaluu’s family have not spoken to the media directly as of yet. But an interview with VOA Amharic containing his father’s interview is expected to be aired tonight.

Protests have also continued elsewhere in the region, according to the Commissioner General. Many cities in Arsi, including cities in west Arsi, as well as Jimma and Adama, among others, were places where sustained protests continued. Unconfirmed reports indicate that several properties belonging to the government and private citizens were destroyed in Arsi Assela and in Jimma. The Commissioner General was not forthcoming to describe the details and Internet connectivity remained shutdown; phone networks outside of Addis are also sporadic.

Meanwhile in Addis Abeba, heavily armed members of the city’s police have, this afternoon, detained Eskendir Nega, founder & leader of the opposition party Balderas for Genuine Democracy, according to Henok Aklilu, lawyer and head of the party’s legal department. Henok said they didn’t know the reason behind the detention of Eskendir, nor the place where he is currently held at.

There were gunshot sounds in various parts of the city throughout this afternoon, our reporter confirmed. In the area commonly known as Kazanchis, several group of youths were seen with knives, rocks and sticks chanting “we will defend the city.” Armed police and members of the federal army are stationed in various parts of the city, which remained eerily quiet. AS

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Reuters

Addis Abba – Six people were injured on Thursday in scuffles between Ethiopian security forces and mourners trying to attend the funeral of singer Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, whose killing earlier this week sparked protests that killed more than 80 people, a witness said.

Residents reported soldiers, federal police and regional police lining the roads and police firing in the air to deter mourners from entering the stadium in the town of Ambo.

Sporadic gunfire continued after the short service, four residents said. One said he had seen a protester shot in the leg. A visitor at Ambo hospital said he saw six wounded people had been admitted. Another resident said roadblocks had been set up around town and he could not get home.

All asked not to be named to prevent reprisals. Police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

At the stadium, a live broadcast showed sparse numbers of people. The slain singer’s wife, Santu Demisew Diro, gave a short speech after mourners laid wreaths.

“Haacaaluu is not dead. He will remain in my heart and the hearts of millions of Oromo people forever,” she said, referring to Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group. “I request a monument erected in his memory in Addis where his blood was spilt.”

The popular Ethiopian singer, 36, was shot dead in the capital Addis Ababa on Monday by unknown gunmen and was laid to rest later at a church in Ambo, his home town about 100 km (60 miles) west of Addis. He leaves behind three daughters, the youngest a month old.

“It is very sad that his body is accompanied by only a few people and security forces are keeping many others away,” one of Haacaaluu’s relatives told Reuters.

One Ambo resident told Reuters he was determined to attend the service because the electricity had gone out in his house so he could not watch it on television.

“He is our hero, we have to pay him our respects,” said lab technician Mamush Dabala by phone as he got ready to go out. He said he could hear gunshots, but was going anyway.

Haacaaluu’s songs provided a soundtrack to a generation of Oromo protesters whose three years of anti-government demonstrations finally forced the unprecedented resignation of the prime minister in 2018 and the appointment of the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The Oromo have long complained of exclusion from political power. In recent months, some Oromo activists who initially supported Abiy have become more critical, accusing him of not protecting the interests of the Oromo people.

The singer’s killing sparked protests in the capital and surrounding Oromiya region that have killed more than 80 people so far.

On Wednesday, Haacaaluu’s uncle was killed during a scuffle between police and a crowed outside the singer’s house, the regional police commissioner told state media.

The singer’s death has reverberated across the Ethiopian diaspora. The governor of the US state of Minnesota, which hosts a large number of Oromo people, tweeted his condolences.

Reuters

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The funeral has been held for the popular Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa – who was shot dead earlier this week in the capital Addis Ababa. More than 80 people have now died in unrest sparked by his death, with dozens of opposition supporters under arrest, the army deployed on the streets and the internet cut off. Hundessa had been a prominent supporter of the rights of the Oromo people – Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.

The post Funeral held for Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa as more than 80 die in unrest sparked by his death appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

Dr. Robert McMahan, President of Kettering University
1700 University Ave, Flint, MI 48504
Re: Professor Ezekiel Gebissa’s call for ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia

July 6, 2020

Dear Dr. McMahan

We are writing you this letter as concerned US citizens of Ethiopian origin residing in New York and New Jersey. As you may know Ethiopia is a country that is in the middle of its transition towards democratization, after close to five decades of dictatorial rule, which was imposed on Ethiopians by the communist military Junta, followed by an ethnocentric cruel dictatorship by the TPLF (Tigrian people’s liberation front) which was deposed by popular uprisings in 2018. Once TPLF was forced to relinquish power, the current prime minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and his cabinet worked very hard to bring peace, fair democratic elections, and economic development to the nation. The prime minsters’ efforts to bring peace to East Africa by resolving decades of animosity towards neighboring nations has earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

While Abiy has overwhelming support there are narrow minded ethnocentric and power thirsty individuals like Professor Ezekiel Gebissa who are now working with ousted leaders of the TPLF (considered by majority of Ethiopians as looters, torturers and criminals) to undermine and overthrow the current regime by force. Sadly, the professor in your university who is enjoying a peaceful life in Michigan became a man who is calling for genocide on the Amhara ethnic group (one of the major ethnic groups in the country).

On June 29, 2020 a young and popular singer “Hachalu Hundessa” who was also an ardent critic of the former TPLF regime was assassinated in Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia). The heinous killings are believed to have been plotted by the TPLF leaders and Oromo extremist including Jawar Mohammed (a close confidant of Professor Ezekiel Gebissa) to incite violence and realize their political ambitions. The second day (30th of June 2020), the Professor went on his youtube page claiming the killings were perpetrated by Neftegna’s (a term used to describe Ethiopian fighters who are mostly from the Amhara ethnic group). Gebissa went on further, elaborating how the act was equivalent to the killing of the whole Oromo ethnic group. By spreading that type of rhetoric, he was calling for ethnic cleansing designed to benefit his power monger friends in the country. His irresponsible and cowardly actions have already resulted in the killings of hundreds of citizens in various parts of Oromia regions the next day.

The professor who previously claimed violent transitions to power by various groups has deterred the country from implementing a democratic rule, became the provocateur in chief of violence of the worst type; ethnic cleansing. Unfortunately, he and his extremist friends see that as the only option to get to power rather than participate in a democratic process they were invited to be part of by the current prime minister.

It is beyond reprehensible for a professor in your college to have dispersed such hateful language while living in the comfort of his home in the US, where various ethnic groups and people of all kind of background including him come to live and exercise their rights as human beings, and not as ethnic entities.

As you may know, Rwanda has shown the world how hateful speeches loaded with intentional name callings have resulted in one of the worst genocides in recent human history. As a self-claimed expert on African studies professor Ezekiel Gebissa was aware of what he was doing while propagating the Rhetoric that Neftega is the killer of the prominent Oromo singer “Hachalu Hundessa” and claiming the whole Oromo ethnic group is under attack. We believe the professor was involved in incitement to genocide.

Professor Ezekiel Gebissa has the blood of many Ethiopians on his hands. We are asking you to have an independent investigation on his actions and take appropriate measures. The fact you have an employee practicing hate speech that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of poor Ethiopians is a sad reality that we think you should pay close attention to.

Professor Ezekiel Gebissa (right) and his religious fanatic friend Jawar Mohammed (left) who is currently in prison, suspected of inciting ethnic violence in Ethiopia via his Oromo Media Network (OMN)

To understand Gebissa’s rhetoric, we ask you to please obtain an independent translation of the following Amharic video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14Ag_kr1OE

Sincerely

NY/NJ Ethiopian Task Force

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At least 239 people have been killed in Ethiopia after the violent death of a popular singer sparked unrest across the country.

At least 239 people have been killed and 3500 arrested in more than a week of unrest in Ethiopia that poses the biggest challenge yet to its Nobel peace prize-winning prime minister.

In the Oromia region, the toll includes 215 civilians along with nine police officers and five militia members, regional police commissioner Mustafa Kedir told the ruling party-affiliated Walta TV on Wednesday.

Officials earlier said 10 people were killed in the capital, Addis Ababa, eight of them civilians, amid outrage after a popular singer was shot dead last Monday.

Hachalu Hundessa had been a rallying voice in anti-government protests that led to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed taking power in 2018.

Mr Abiy swiftly introduced political reforms that also opened the way for long-held ethnic and other grievances in Africa’s second most populous country.

The military was deployed during the outrage that followed Mr Hachalu’s death.

In remarks last week while wearing a military uniform, Mr Abiy said dissidents to whom he had recently extended an offer of peace had “taken up arms” against the government.

He hinted there could be links between this unrest and the killing of the army chief last year as well as the grenade thrown at one of his own rallies in 2018.

The 3500 arrests have included that of Oromo activist Jawar Mohammed and more than 30 supporters.

The Oromo make up Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group but had never held the country’s top post until they helped bring Mr Abiy to power.

Local reports have said that in some places ethnic Oromo have attacked ethnic Amhara, and in Shashamane town some people were going home to home checking identity cards and targeting Amhara residents.

SOURCE AAP

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By Tom Leins

After years of speculation that market liberalization was coming in Ethiopia, in May 2020 authorities kick-started the long-awaited licensing process. The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) issued a request for expressions of interest (EoI) for two new telecom licenses.

With the deadline now passed, we look at the bidders vying to disrupt one of Africa’s last mobile monopolies.

The Status Quo

State-run Ethio Telecom (formerly Ethiopia Telecom Corporation, ETC) launched wireless services over its GSM-900 network in April 1999, having been awarded a concession the previous year.

More than 20 years on, the telco remains the country’s only mobile operator, serving an estimated 45 million subscribers. But it seems Ethio Telecom’s days are numbered. A variety of well-known international players are keen to enter a market where the wireless population penetration rate is less than 50%—among the 10 lowest figures on the whole continent.

The Bidders

Within days of the June 22 deadline, the ECA named the would-be bidders as: Global Partnership for Ethiopia, Orange Group, MTN Group, Telkom South Africa, Axian Group, Saudi Telecom Company (stc), Etisalat, Liquid Telecom, Snail Mobile, Kandu Global Telecommunications, and ElectroMecha International Projects.

A twelfth submission from an unnamed company was deemed incomplete.

Licensing Conditions

As per official documentation, the two licenses on offer will be technology-neutral, offer “a range of spectrum across multiple frequency bands,” and be valid for 15 years with the possibility of further renewal.

As per official documentation, the two licenses on offer will be technology-neutral, offer “a range of spectrum across multiple frequency bands,” and be valid for 15 years with the possibility of further renewal.

The basic terms and conditions of the concessions on offer will feature requirements to meet or exceed specified population and geographic coverage targets, as well as an obligation to commit to “reasonable” tariffs, universal accessibility, and teledensity targets.

The Major Players

First, we look at the telecom giants going head-to-head for a license.

Orange Group

Paris-based Orange Group boasts one of the largest African footprints of any international operator. And it’s made no secret of its desire to strengthen its presence in the region further.

Paris-based Orange Group boasts one of the largest African footprints of any international operator. And it’s made no secret of its desire to strengthen its presence in the region further.

In January 2020, when opening its new regional headquarters in Casablanca, CEO Stephane Richard said, “Orange is one of the rare international groups to have made the strategic choice, 20 years ago, to seek to develop in Africa and the Middle East. We have always been convinced of the immense potential of this continent. In many ways, it can be seen as a model for digital transformation; mobile money is a great example of this.”

Orange already invests EUR1 billion a year in Africa and the Middle East to improve the connectivity and performance of its networks. It arguably ranks as one of the top candidates for a new license.

MTN Group

With 17 mobile businesses across the continent, South Africa’s MTN Group has long coveted a license in Ethiopia. The company is on record professing an interest in the market since at least 2012.

Last year, chief executive Rob Shuter said, “There are a few large markets that are under-penetrated and where there is scope for a number one or number two operator, like Ethiopia.”

MTN is widely recognized as one of the most valuable brands in Africa, and its experience in the sector will likely see it perform strongly against rival bidders.

Etisalat

UAE-based Etisalat boosted its presence in Africa in May 2014. It completed the acquisition of French media group Vivendi’s 53% shareholding in Morocco-based Maroc Telecom for a final consideration of EUR4.1 billion.

See if you can keep up with what happened next.

In a strategic reshuffle, January 2015 saw Maroc Telecom pay EUR474 million for Etisalat’s wholly-owned West African subsidiary Atlantique Telecom, reconfiguring Maroc Telecom as a pan-African player with operations in 10 countries.

In mid-2019 Maroc Telecom acquired Chadian operator Tigo Chad from Millicom International Cellular, increasing its footprint further. While Etisalat was the company named on the paperwork, any pursuit of an Ethiopian concession will surely involve Maroc Telecom too.

Global Partnership for Ethiopia

While the name may be unfamiliar, the partners behind Global Partnership for Ethiopia are all well-known entities: UK-based Vodafone Group, its majority-owned African unit Vodacom Group, and Kenyan mobile market leader Safaricom, which is part-owned by Vodacom.

For its part, Vodacom currently offers mobile services in South Africa, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and Lesotho. In the build-up to the licensing process, Safaricom was one of the most enthusiastic parties, despite its executive team cautioning that the total cost of license and spectrum could reach $1 billion.

Saudi Telecom Company (stc)

Despite its status as one of the best-known telecom groups in the Middle East, Saudi Telecom Company (stc) has limited experience within Africa.

Its interests in the continent are restricted to a minority indirect shareholding in South Africa’s Cell C.

However, further exploration of Africa may be on the horizon, with stc completing a due diligence study regarding its proposed acquisition of Vodafone Group’s majority stake in Vodafone Egypt in July 2020.

If that deal comes to fruition, the 55% stake is expected to be valued at $2.4 billion.

The Outsiders

Alongside the household names, a number of lesser-known companies have also registered their interest in the process.

Liquid Telecom

While Liquid Telecom is best known for deploying 70,000km worth of fiber-optic infrastructure—which it claims represents “Africa’s largest independent fiber network”—it’s unknown in the cellular sector.

However, Liquid’s parent company Econet Global is well known on the continent and operates cellular networks in a number of markets including Zimbabwe, Burundi, and Lesotho.

Axian Group

Madagascar-based Axian is owned by the Hiridjee family, a French family of Indian descent, who settled in Madagascar 150 years ago and initially set up business in the textile industry before diversifying into real estate, energy, financial services, and telecommunications.

The Axian Group name was introduced in 2015 and covers operations in 34 countries. In terms of its telecom prowess, Axian Group owns Madagascar’s dominant telco, Telma, alongside joint-ventures in Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte, Senegal, and Togo.

Telkom SA

Best known as a fixed-line operator, Telkom South Africa belatedly entered its domestic mobile market in October 2010, where it has struggled to gain traction against larger rivals MTN and Vodacom.

It remains to be seen whether it would fare any better outside of South Africa.

Snail Mobile

The presence of Snail Mobile on the list is a genuine curveball. China’s largest MVNO by subscribers, Snail Mobile commenced commercial services in June 2014 and has enjoyed great success targeting gamers with specially-designed handsets and an integrated app store that allows users to download and play games without paying for data traffic.

The presence of Snail Mobile on the list is a genuine curveball. China’s largest MVNO by subscribers, Snail Mobile commenced commercial services in June 2014 and has enjoyed great success targeting gamers with specially-designed handsets.

The MVNO reached the 11 million subscriber milestone in December 2017. TeleGeography estimates that this figure hit 17.5 million in Q1 2020.

The Non-Telcos

Bringing up the rear are two companies that currently lack experience in the mobile sphere:

Kandu Global Telecommunications

Beverly Hills-based Kandu Global Telecommunications asserts that its objective is to “facilitate international trade and commerce via our e-commerce website KGx, a full-service e-wallet remittance solution—KanduPay—and market-specific news services that coincide with remittance and commercial trade routes, Kandu Global News.”

ElectroMecha International Projects

ElectroMecha was established in 2004 as a general trading and contracting company for undertaking medium voltage and high voltage cable works within the oil and gas sectors and general industry.

Following the June 22 deadline, ECA released a statement: “The Ministry of Finance and ECA would like to thank all those potential bidders who have responded to the request and expressed their interest. As the ECA prepares for the next stage, it will keep the participants informed and engaged as the process moves forward. ECA remains fully committed to fulfill Ethiopia’s telecommunications sector reform and enhance its digital transformation.”

No timeframe has been revealed for what is sure to be a tough decision.

The post The Companies Competing to Break One of Africa’s Last Mobile Monopolies appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

Tatiana Rokou

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline is resuming service to Dubai further to the ending of the lock-down and its opening for leisure travelers as of July 8, 2020.

Djibouti has also announced that it will end lock-down on 17th of July. As a result, Ethiopian will resume normal service to Djibouti on the 17th of July.

These resumptions will bring the total number of destinations to be served by Ethiopian with enhanced safety measures to 40. As countries continue to open-up their airports for passenger arrival, Ethiopian will announce list of these destinations in due course.

Esteemed Customers are kindly informed that facemasks will be mandatory for travel and are requested to satisfy destination entry requirements such as health certificates and fill health declaration forms if required. As countries continue to open their borders and relax travel restrictions, Ethiopian is ready to increase frequencies to accommodate the demand by focusing on the wellbeing of customers and staff.

Ethiopian is happy to welcome back business and leisure travelers to these destinations.

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Ethiopia -ESAT DC Daily News Fri 10 July 2020

The post Ethiopia -ESAT DC Daily News Fri 10 July 2020 appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

By Alemayehu G. Mariam

Aaahhh! Longing for the sweet earthy scent of Aba-I
Her beauty and bounty resounding to the sky
Waiting for July on the calendar
Hail Aba-I, I salute you from afar.

Aba for the Father
I, for the Son of the Light and Power
Aba-I, the Mother
Of the longest running river.

Strangers call you Baḥr Al-Nīl, Nile and Neilos
To me, you are the “River Gihon” of Genesis
“That compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia”
Destined one day to be a utopia.

There stood I at Aba-I

Starkly saw in my mind’s eye
A future so radiant and bright
My heart filled with gushing delight.

It is July at Aba-I
Pride glints in the lion’s eye
For July brings the light of prosperity
Farewell and begone poverty!

Aba-I many found you a source of plenty
As your people scoured the earth for charity
Aba-I now you are the source of our power
Our great equalizer!

Rushed to leave for thousands of years
Aba-I helplessly we stood and shed our tears
Now rest your feet for just a while
And make Ethiopia your domicile.

“A gift of the Nile”, they call themselves
Recite their history in superlatives
If anyone should tamper with “their water”
They promised a day of wrath and slaughter.

They call themselves the “Lords of the Nile”
Damned the GERD but it was all futile
In July we asserted our sovereignty
To last for all eternity.

Egypt has nothing to fear
They are our brothers and sisters so dear
We will share our Aba-I equitably
With malice towards none and responsibly.

Sudan shall tame its annual floods
As Aba-I mends their livelihoods
Let’s join hands in our Africanity
And together affirm our humanity.

[G]reat is the month of July in Ethiopia
[E]nergy for regional cornucopia
[R]ise up and shout in the dawn of summer
[D]amn! Behold the beautiful tower of our power!

No longer will we live in the dark
Aba-I today is our Ark
God gave Noah the rainbow sign
And today brought Ethiopians together by His design.

Aba-I shall power our industry
Commerce and agriculture shall follow in symmetry
Our youth shall gain employment
No more trouble, only excitement!

Aba-I dearest, have you heard?
Your children fighting unable to go forward
They beg for answers at the U.N.
Forgetting their own African Union.

Aba-I dearest, Lake Tana your mother can’t breathe
Choked by water hayacinth
We are standing idly by
Shame on us for watching as passersby.

Aba-I said Abiy will light our way to prosperity
Warned no one can tread on our sovereignty
Come hell or high water
Abiy said Aba-I will produce power.

Let us all enjoy Aba-I without acrimony
No more talk of hegemony
Aba-I is our gift to keep
There will be no reason for anyone to weep.

Let Aba-I be Aba-I for one and all
A source of life for nations great and small
Let our hopes overcome our fears
There is no more need to shed tears.

Let us gather around Aba-I and sing
Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan make a ring
Lets us lift every voice and shout in July, “I am Aba-I”
“I am Aba-I. Aba-I am.”

The post Ode to Aba-I (Nile) River in July የአባይ (ህዳሴ) ዉዳሴ በሃምሌ! appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

Dawit Endeshaw

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia has begun filling the reservoir behind the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, its water minister said on Wednesday, a day after talks with Sudan and Egypt on the giant Blue Nile hydroelectric project stalled.

The comments by Seleshi Bekele did not address whether Ethiopia had closed the gates of the dam, or the role of recent heavy rains in filling the area behind it. The minister and his spokesman did not return calls seeking clarification.

The project has raised concerns in Egypt that already limited Nile waters, which its 100 million people depend on heavily, will be further restricted. The Blue Nile is a tributary of the Nile from which Egypt gets 90% of its fresh water.

Egypt asked Ethiopia for urgent clarification of whether it had started filling the dam, the foreign ministry said.

“The construction of the dam and the filling of the water go hand in hand,” Seleshi said in televised comments, a transcript of which was provided to Reuters by his spokesman. “The filling of the dam doesn’t need to wait until the completion of the dam.”

The water level had increased from 525 metres to 560 metres, he said.

The $4 billion dam, when finished, will have an installed capacity of 6,450 megawatts – more than doubling Ethiopia’s existing capacity – and is the centrepiece of the country’s bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter.

The dam is being built about 15 km (9 miles) from the border with Sudan. Sudan and Egypt have sought a legally binding agreement before the dam is filled.

Sudan’s Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources said it was prompted to investigate after satellite images appeared to show the dam filling.

“It was evident from the flow meters in the al-Deim border station with Ethiopia that there is a retreat in the water levels, equivalent to 90 million cubic meters per day, confirming the closure of the gates of the Renaissance Dam,” it said in a statement.

Sudan rejects any unilateral actions taken by any party as negotiating efforts continue, it said.

On Tuesday, talks between the three nations to regulate the flow of water from the dam failed to reach agreement

The post Ethiopia starts filling dam after talks with Egypt, Sudan stall appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

Ethiopia starts the first phase of filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Wednesday July 8, after years of waiting.

Sources at the construction site told Capital that the dam starts catching water mid this week and expects to be filled to some level in few weeks for the first phase.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed this week told parliament that it is impossible not to start the filling in this season.  According to sources the primary stage of filling will supply a level of 560 meters above sea level along with the “early generation of electricity”.

Satellite images also show that the catchment area is being filled with water. The filling stages that ensue will see a release based on the hydrological conditions of Abay.

GERD is a 6,000 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Abay is located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. It will be the largest hydropower project in Africa. Owned and operated by the Ethiopian Electric Power, the 145-m-tall roller-compacted concrete gravity dam will flood 1,874 km2 at a normal pool elevation of 640 m, and will have a tributary catchment of 172,250 km2. With a volume of 74 km3 (of which 14.8 km3 is dead storage), the reservoir can hold about 1.6 years’ worth of average flow of the Abay – 48.5 km3/yr – at the El Diem gage station, just below the border in Sudan.

Background

The GERD project is a majestic hydroelectric plant, which was born in the 60s concerning a vast and far-sighted plan to exploit the Abay potential for hydroelectric purposes and improve management of this huge water resource.

The concrete faced rockfill (CFRD) saddle dam is 60 m high and approximately 5 km long, with an embankment volume of 15 million m3. Its composite cut-off, made up by grouting and plastic diaphragm panels, was conceived to fulfil two different requirements: permeability and erosion control.

The river diversion system, designed to discharge up to 14’700 m3/s, includes four culverts for discharging during the dry season and a temporary stepped spillway structure located in the central part of the dam, for dam overtopping during the wet season.

A system of three spillways safeguards the project against the Probable Maximum Flood (30’200 m3/s peak and 18’000 m3/s routed discharge): the main service gated spillway, located on a saddle area; the aforesaid free-flow crest spillway on the overflow section of the main dam; the side channel un-gated emergency spillway.

The main dam is crossed by sixteen penstocks (8m diameter), two of which at lower elevation committed to early generation during reservoir impounding.

The two outdoor powerhouses are located at the main dam toe on the right and left riverside housing 10 Francis turbine units and 6 Francis turbine units respectively, with 375 MW each. The step-up transformers, erected in the yard between the main dam downstream face and the powerhouses, are connected through overhead lines to the 500 kV switchyard, located on right bank.

The project was made possible to the vision and ambition of the late PM Meles Zenawi, who resolved to fulfil the ancient dream of past emperors. He decided to build the plant directly to its maximum expansion, not in stages.

The post Ethiopia starts filling GERD appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

KHARTOUM

Ethiopia has informed Sudan that it has not started filling the reservoir of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said Ethiopia had conveyed that reports regarding the filling of the dam were incorrect.

The clarification was presented by Ethiopia’s Charge d’Affaires Mekonnen Gossaye in a meeting with Babaker al-Amin, a senior official of the Sudanese Foreign Ministry, in Sudan’s capital Khartoum.

Gossaye asserted that Ethiopia had not closed the gates of the dam and the buildup of water was a natural process due to the current rainy season.

He also reaffirmed his country’s willingness to continue the ongoing negotiations between Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt on the $5 billion project.

For his part, al-Amin reiterated Sudan’s commitment to negotiations to reach a consensus on the matter, while also conveying the country’s stance against any unilateral measures.

The issue was sparked by a statement from Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s water minister, on Wednesday, which gave the impression that Ethiopia had started filling the dam.

The minister has since issued a clarification, while Ethiopia’s state-owned broadcaster also apologized on Thursday for what is said was “erroneous” reporting.

Egypt opposes the hydropower project that Ethiopia started building in 2011 on the Blue Nile, a tributary of the Nile River, near the border with Sudan.

Ethiopia has said it will start filling the dam in July, while Egypt and Sudan are opposed to any such move before a tripartite agreement is reached.

The three countries failed to reach an understanding earlier this week.

Egypt fears the dam will affect its annual share of the Nile’s water, amounting to 55.5 billion cubic meters.

The GERD’s construction is expected to finish by 2023 and the hydroelectric dam will produce 6,475 megawatts for Ethiopia’s domestic and industrial use, as well as for export to neighboring countries.

Ethiopia maintains it will not harm the interests of Egypt and Sudan, and that its only aim is to generate electricity and boost development.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat

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Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil

Addis Abeba, July 17/2020– Judges at the Federal High Court Lideta Branch have ordered federal police to conduct an inquiry into the beating of Eskinder Nega, Founder and Leader of the opposition party Balderas for Genuine Democracy, by members of the federal police.

Eskindir was arrested on July 01 by heavily armed police officers from his office. Sintayehu Chekol, his deputy, was also detained the next day from the capital Addis Abeba.

Update: Police brought @eskinder_nega and Sintayehu Checkol, another senior member of the party, today to the Fed. 1st Instance Court, Arada Branch. The judges have granted the police 14 days to remand & investigate Eskinder & 12 days to remand & investigate Sintayehu.

Src: EBC pic.twitter.com/L4B4KDY6xb

— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) July 2, 2020

The police have already brought Eskinder and Sintayehu to the Federal First Instant Court First Arada Branch on July 02 and were granted 14 days to remand and investigate both.

However, due to security concerns, yesterday’s pretrial hearing was transferred to the Federal High Court Lideta Branch, his defense lawyer Henok Aklilu told Addis Standard.

During the hearing, Eskinder and his defense lawyer told the judges that Eskinder was physically assaulted by members of the police on the day he was detained. Eskinder told the court that he will press charges against the members of the police who were involved in his beating. Subsequently the judges have ordered the federal police to investigate the claim and submit the results to the court.

The police accuse Eskinder and Sintayehu of coordinating violence in Addis Abeba in the aftermath of the assassination of prominent Oromo artist Hacaaluu Hundeessaa, including paying money to and dispatching several groups of young people in the city, which resulted in the death of ten people, including two police officers, who were killed either by rocks, or shot at, or due to bomb blasts. The police also accuse the two of causing the injuries of 57 police officers and damages to properties worth 54 million birr in the two days that followed the assassination of Hacaaluu.

Eskinder and his defense team deny all the allegations. Henok also objected police’s request for additional days on the grounds that the police have already told the court they were in possession of said evidences.

However the judges have granted the police 13 more days to remand and investigate Eskinder and Sintayehu and adjourned the next hearing on July 29.

AS

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By Hizkel Hailu
The Ethiopian Herald

The post Ethiopia: Esw Service Cuts 18 Million Birr, 400 Thousand Working Hours in 6 Months appeared first on Satenaw Ethiopian News/Breaking News.

On the other hand, Ethiopia’s annual growth rate is estimated to reach 8.5%, which is a slight decrease from last year’s growth figure. The budget for fiscal year 2021 is based on this growth rate which can be characterized as good although independent studies could not confirm it. The budget deficit that was evident two years ago has now given way to a more balanced budget although it has not produced surplus. Ethiopia has now shifted from high indebtedness to low

The 467 billion Birr budget for fiscal year 2021 is largely covered with money secured from domestic sources while less than 30% is expected to be covered with domestic and foreign loans. However, the budget deficit is a far cry from what it used to be when the new reformist government took power two years ago. At that time, the budget deficit was more than 30% of the DGP and that did not entitle the country to secure additional loans from international financial institutions. Now the deficit has been lowered to 21% of the DGP, a level of indebtedness that allows the country to secure additional loans not only to balance its budget but also implement its development projects.

The country was recently shaken by sporadic communal violence but this is expected to have marginal impact on the overall performance of the economy or on its macroeconomic profile.

If we look at the macroeconomic situation from the point of view of sector-based performance, we realize that the industrial sector is perhaps the most hard hit by COVID-19. Although there is no detailed and independent evaluation of the situation the factor that most affected this sector is the sharp fall in exports and consequent earnings from foreign trade. Many manufacturing industries in the sector could not secure the income necessitated for imports of industrial inputs although commercial banks were instructed to facilitate their operations and keep them afloat through a number of supporting measures.

The mineral sub-sector in Ethiopia is believed to be of strategic importance in generating income to the industrial sector in general because of its promising potentials both as hard currency earner and provider of inputs for many manufacturing enterprises. In this time of constraints caused by the pandemic the mineral sub-sector can help save hard currency through import substitution and exports.

According to many estimates ,the tourism and hotel sector is the hardest-hit by COVID-19 followed by air transport and the flower export one. These are by any estimates, the most productive sub-sectors that generated badly needed hard currency to the country in the pre-corona times. While manufacturing industries depending on foreign imports have lost the most those depending on local inputs have suffered relatively less damage.

On the other hand, the economic impact of COVID-19 is less felt in the agricultural sector which is not yet widely affected by the spread of the virus which is so far confined to urban areas. COVID-19 has not yet reached the rural communities in a big and decisive way. Yet, it is going to hit agriculture in a big way unless preventive measures are taken to prevent the spread of the virus. For now agriculture remains the pillar of the economy and the sector most reliable to curb the potentially devastating impact of the pandemic on the economy as a whole.

The situation remains largely intact in the rural areas and in the most important food producing areas of the country. The manpower structure remains largely intact while productivity is not affected in a big way. According to report from the food grain producing areas of the country particularly in Oromia region, the prospect of producing more food grain this year is bright due to the series of measures the regional and federal governments have implemented in order to improve farm productivity.

It is to be recalled that the government both at the federal and regional levels had issued directives for improving farm output through technological improvement. To this end a new directive was issued to allow the importation of modern farm machineries free of taxation. This was intended to help not only the relatively better off farmers but also those who have little income by allowing them to use their plots, livestock, or the little money they have as collateral to borrow money from banks. This is an important incentive to farmers if the policy is used diligently and tangibly even if it takes a longer time to feel its positive impacts.

There are also other positive factors that will help farmers achieve better productivity and improve harvests. Recent climatic or meteorological data indicate that there will be regular, stable and abundant rains this season and the aggregate farm area under the crops is expected to be bigger than last year’s. Growth in farm outputs has obviously positive effects on many economic variables.

A good harvest will allow food prices to fall. This would in turn entail less food imports from abroad. Ethiopia spends millions of dollars on the importation of food grain and mainly wheat from abroad. This year too it has spent millions of dollars to buy wheat. As domestic food grain production increases, there will be less need to import the same amount of food grain. This would lead to less spending on imports and permit the money thus saved to be invested in the sector.

Growth in productivity or volume of output would also permit farmers get better income at household levels and an opportunity to improve their lives. Instead of living from hand to mouse they would have extra income to spend on other necessities of life such as clothing, housing and others. In some cases farmers would be able to save some of their incomes that they would spend on buy improved farm inputs such as fertilizers and modern farm machineries. This would have a positive effect on the young rural population, by giving the incentive to stay on the farm and engage in improved farm activities.

According to experts, COVID-19 is expected to stay with us for a longer time than expected and impact economies of all countries around the world. Its impacts may be more or less felt but it has already impact even the most vigorous economies in the world and continues to do so until a vaccine or effective treatment is discovered sooner rather than later.

According to recent official data, the Ethiopian economy in general will continue to feel the heat of COVID-19 but the outlook is not at all grim. According to Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed who spoke at the recently held 18th regular session of parliament, the growth prospect for the Ethiopian economy in 2021 will be one of the best in Africa where only a few countries are successfully dealing with the pandemic. He said that the growth figures for the Ethiopian economy will be released sometime in September.

The Ethiopian economy is so far showing remarkable resilience in the face of a potentially more devastating pandemic. Some of Ethiopia’s flagship companies like Ethiopian Airlines are even serving as source of inspiration to other developing economies across Africa. Ethiopian’s creativity, flexibility and resilience is not only exemplary but also legendary. It has managed to float the bad tides by converting its passenger planes into cargo transporting ones by removing the passengers’ seats in dozens of aircrafts and thus achieved remarkable results without laying off its employees or cutting down their salaries.

Other local companies too are showing remarkable survival skills by converting their previous production lines that were forced to stop due to shortage on inputs, to the production of badly needed consumer goods in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of them are now producing face masks, hand sanitizers and other materials needed for the battle against the pandemic. The financial sector too is living up to its share of responsibility by helping these enterprises in many ways.

It may indeed be unjust or unrealistic to paint a rosy or exaggeratedly positive picture of the Ethiopian economy at this stage because there are other negative fallouts from COVID-19, such as the growth in poverty, lower income for the majority of low-income population and a general fall in the standard of living of the people. It would also be unrealistic to say that the Ethiopian economy is hopelessly screwed up which is not true. The economic reform measures implemented before the onset of the pandemic might have helped in averting a potential economic catastrophe. Nevertheless, the negative features may sometimes outshine the positive ones, but overall the economy is showing a remarkable resilience in these very bad times.

The Ethiopian Herald

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