Source : Walta Info

The decision passed by Eritrean opposition parties to work jointly is instrumental towards ensuring the quest of Eritreans for peace, democracy and development.

The resolution issued by some 13 Eritrean political parties issued at conclusion a seven-day conference indicated that the formation of the alliance would expedite the struggle launched to depose the dictatorial regime.

The opposition parties hold the conference with mutual understanding and agreement more than ever, the statement indicated and added that all the political parties reached consensus to jointly carry out the fight to help Eritrean people enjoy the fruits of democracy and development.

The participants of the conference unanimously endorsed the charter and regulation in which the new Eritrean Democratic Alliance would be governed as well as set up a 23-memeber central committee, the statement added.

Chairman of the Conference, Dr. Habte Tesfamariam, on his part stated that the alliance has the desire to peacefully resolve problems of Eritrea with other countries.

The chairman who indicated that the struggle against the Eritrean government has reached at its final stage called upon Eritreans to further enhance their fight to over throw the regime.

Dr. Habte finally appealed to international human rights organizations to expose the plight of Eritreans as well as donors to further step up their humanitarian support to citizens fleeing their home.

Source: Addis Fortune

Will Prime Minister Meles Zenawi run yet again for a fourth term of office, come national elections in 2010? The Prime Minister has given conflicting signals to various audiences: He has been telling the foreign media that he “has had enough” suggesting that “this is likely to be my last term”, yet he has indicated to an audience on the local front that he is merely a soldier of the EPRDF and the ultimate decision lies with the party.

In an exclusive interview with Fortune last week, this latter assertion was strongly reiterated by his Special Advisor on Public Relations, Bereket Simon: “He’s a loyal solider and an exemplary leader of the party,” Bereket stressed. “He’ll be deployed to any work the party would like him to do.”

The Special Advisor pointed out that it is the party that decides on the fate of its members and the leadership does not believe that the Prime Minister should step down as he has yet to complete his job.

“He’s a lot to do and he is capable of doing a lot more,” said Bereket.

The Federal High Court has adjourned a hearing into Teddy Afro’s appeal for bail until Tuesday April 29.With a sea of fans outside the courthouse, Teddy pleaded innocent to homicide charge that could send him to ten to fifteen years prison.

When the hearing begun, the judge demanded the prosecutor if the charge was amended as ordered days before for which he readily answered yes.

After Teddy pleaded not guilty, the judge sheduled an April 29 court session to decide on the matter.

Minutes earlier, hundreds of cheering and chanting fans had greeted Teddy’s arrival.Wearing a T-shirt and sunglasses, Teddy waved as he slowly made his way into the courthouse.As he left the court, the ‘free him’ shout became more intense and police surrounded and arrested some of them.A journalist for Hamrawai magazine and another newspaper reporter were among the arrested.It’s unclear why police arrested them.It was said they are all detained in the police station in front of the court.

Teddy’s arrest weeks ago has generated much interest and anxiety in the city and his songs have enjoyed sudden popularity in the bars, taxis and public places.

Source: WaltaInfo.com

ADDIS ABABA, May 8 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it will give Ethiopia 2.5 billion birr ($260.9 million) this year to help the Horn of Africa country try to achieve the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Some of the money will be used to send 1 million children to school and buy three million mosquito nets to prevent the spread of malaria, one of sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest killers.

British High Commissioner (ambassador) to Ethiopia Norman Ling said the assistance was the biggest Britain has offered to any African country, adding the aid would be provided through the UK’s Department for International Development.

“The UK is fully committed to helping Ethiopia achieve the MDGs as the assistance of the 2.5 billion birr for this year shows,” Paul Ackroyd, the head of DFID, told a news conference.

DFID has spent some 2.7 billion birr on programmes in Ethiopia over the past four years, Ackroyd said.For more details log on to WaltaInfo.com.

Source: WaltaInfo.com

Mekelle, May 7, 2008 (WIC) - More than 2.8 million people have undergone HIV/AIDS blood test during the past nine months in the country, Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO) said.

Information Monitoring and Evaluation Department Head with (HAPCO), Dr. Afework Kassa, said at a meeting that deliberates on nine-month performance and plan for next budget year here yesterday that the stated number of people underwent VCT against the set target to deliver the service to 2.2 million people.

The performance is indicative of the efforts being exerted to contain the spread of the virus, he said adding that the number of people who undergo blood test has steadily been growing.

HAPCO Director General, Dr. Betru Tekle, on his part said that successful results have been achieved in the provision of voluntary counseling and testing, HIV/AIDS blood test and therapy services as well as collaborative works with partners, among others this budget year.

The Director General further urged for enhancement of HIV/AIDS prevention works by rectifying drawbacks experienced during the reported period.

Tigray State Council Speaker, Dr. Wolderufael Alemayehu said that it would be possible to contain the spread of the virus when all people strive jointly for common goal.

The speaker further pledged that the state government would provide the necessary support to bring down the public mobilization efforts down to grass root levels.

Representatives of Global Fund and World Bank, among others lauded the efforts underway in the country to arrest the pandemic and further pledged to consolidate their support in the years ahead.

Participants from federal, state health bureaus and various international donor organizations are in attendance at the five-day conference, it was learnt.

Source:EthioFirst.com

Bahirdar, May 7, 2008 (WIC) – More than 100 million birr loan would be provided to tens of thousands of youth in Amhara State to enable them engage in micro and small-scale enterprises next Ethiopian year, according to the state administration.

Deputy Chief Administrator of the state, Demeke Mekonnen, made the remark here yesterday while handing out awards to some 434 millennium development heroes who accumulated wealth up to 2.3 million birr.

The government has given due attention to engaging citizens in sectors that would yield better results in a short span of time so as to replicate economic gains achieved in rural parts of the country as well as speed up the emergence of industries, he underlined.

The State Trade and Industry Development Bureau Head, Kassa Teklebirhan, on his part said that more than 760,000 citizens have engaged in 405, 855 micro and small-scale enterprises in the state.

Over 188, 000 news jobs have been created just in the past five years, according to the head. Over 279 million birr loan and more than 9 million square meters of land was also provided to the youth, he added.

The State Micro and Small-scale Trade and Industrial Works Promotion Agency Head, Tesfaye Getachew, on his part underscored that the contribution of partners is significant so as to further step up the results achieved to a higher level as well as rectify drawbacks.

Source: WaltaInfo.com

Addis Ababa, May 3 (WIC) – Africans need to consolidate the struggle against poverty so as to ensure the sustainable socio-economic benefit of the peoples of the continent, South African Ambassador to Ethiopia stressed.

Ambassador Lungile C Pepani told WIC at the 14th anniversary of Freedom Day of South Africa celebrated yesterday here at Sheraton Hotel that many Africans have been expediting the economic growth of their respective countries more than ever establishing a government based on common will of their people.

Most African countries have been registering sustainable economic growth, he said, adding that efforts being made by Ethiopia and South Africa to get out of poverty are exemplary to other nations.

South Africa was plagued by many social and political problems that hinder its economic growth when it was under Apartheid rule, he said, adding that several countries also contributed their share for the struggle.

Ambassador C Pepani added that Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Morocco, and Tunisia in particular played great role for the independence of South Africa by establishing OAU and creating conducive situation for the formation of ANC.

Ambassadors, South African athletes taking part in the 16th CAA Championship as well as invited guests attended the celebration, it was learnt.

Source: WaltaInfo.com

Addis Ababa, May 4, 2008 - The 5,000 women’s and 10,000 men’s gold medalists athlete Meselch Melkamu and athlete Gebre’egziabiher Gebre-mariam said the 16th AAC has inspired them to aim at best results in the forthcoming Beijing Olympics.

The two medalists told ETV on Sunday that the victory they enjoyed in their home land has boosted their enthusiasm to attain shining victories in the Beijing Olympics.

Gebre’egziabiher described the preparation made for the championships as well organized, colorful and spectacular.

He further said that fellow African athletes too enjoyed the transport, hotel accommodations and other facilities being offered during the tournament.

Meselech, who won the gold medal of the 5,000 meters race, expressed her delight over her victory and the unblemished victory athlete Gelete and athlete Meskerem scored in the women’s 1,500 category.

The Ethiopian spectators have been supporting all participating nations and are attending with good discipline, in which the Ethiopian athletes are proud of

You have to stay in shape. My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 today and we don’t know where the hell she is.

1.Yo mamma so ugly, she got arrested for mooning when she looked out a window.
2.Yo mama’s so fat she had her ears pierced by harpoon.

3.Yo mama’s so fat she needs a watch on both arms because she covers two time zones.

1.Doctor! I have a serious problem, I can never remember what i just said.
When did you first notice this problem?
What problem?……Loooool!

2.Bonny: Would you punish me for some thing i didn’t do?
Teacher: no, of course not.
Bonny: good, because i didn’t do my homework!

 Source: WaltaInfo.com

Addis Ababa, May 1, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - Ethiopian renowned athletes stood 1st-3rd in the 10,000 meter race in 16th CAA championship held here on Wednesday at the Addis Ababa Stadium.

Gebre-egziabher Gebre-mariam and Ibrahim Jeilan stood 1st and 2d respectively followed by Eshetu Wondimu.

Gebre-egziabher finished the race in 28:17:13.

The first ever CAA African Athletics Hall of Fame Gala was held in Addis Ababa late on Tuesday colorfully in the presence of athletics legends across the continent and a list of prominent personalities.

Original 7:41-2:01 PM

  Source: Ethiofirst.com

Addis Ababa, April 30, 2008 (WIC) - Ethiopia plans to buy 100,000 tones of sugar in 2008-2009 to meet growing local demand, according to Reuters.

Director of the state-owned Ethiopian Sugar Support Enterprise, Musa Mohammed Zeinu, said expansion work on the country’s three sugar estates had taken longer than planned and the country would have to import sugar to stabilize the market.

“The first batch of 40,000 tones purchased from a UK-based ED&F and Louis Dreyfus, a Switzerland-based company at 15 million USD is being shipped and we hope it will reach here by June,” Musa said.

He said the state-owned management company had floated a tender to procure an additional 60,000 tones of sugar.

Ethiopia’s three sugar estates produce 260,000 tones annually and the government has launched a 600 million USD sugar estate known as Tendaho to boost production by 600,000 tones. Production is expected to start in 2009,the news agency stated.

     Source: WaltaInfo.com

Mekelle, May 1 (WIC) - A Norwegian expert lauded the efforts being made by the members of the Tigray Women Association to extricate themselves from poverty as well as ensuring their rights.

Information Exchange Program worker by the Norwegian government, Anita Land, told WIC today that the collaborative efforts being exerted by the members of the society to become self-reliant is promising.

Land who stayed with the association for ten months to gather data on the activities of the association and provide it major donors in her country hailed the work ethic of women in the state.

She also commended the members who ensured their land ownership rights, engaged in income-generating schemes and reportedly striving to abolish early marriage.

The direction being pursued by the association to alleviate problems of women by establishing women’s vocational training institutions as well as the endeavor being made to scale up women’s enrollment is encouraging, she underlined.

The association has reportedly been exerting efforts to change the livelihoods of some 300,000 members out of the half a million members, it was pointed out.

According to a sample study carried out by the association earlier, some 98 percent of the 14,900 women who received training have changed their livelihoods.

 Source: WaltaInfo.com

Addis Ababa, May 1 (WIC) – Awareness raising activities launched to minimize the vulnerability of members of police and prison administrations to HIV/AIDS should further be enhanced, Federal Police Commission Director General underscored.

The Director General, Workineh Gebeyehu made the remark while opening the millennium advocacy and consultative symposium on HIV/AIDS organized here today for senior officials of police and prison administration.

Workineh indicated various studies have proved that members and workers of the police and prison administration are more vulnerable to the virus for reasons related to their working environment.

He said members of the police and prison administration should play their part to end the damage caused by the virus on the socio-economic activities of the country by protecting themselves from the virus.

Federal Prison Administration Deputy Director General, Birhane Melka, on his part said that members of police and prison administration should protect themselves from the virus in order to efficiently discharge their responsibilities.

He said members of the two institutions need to provide care and support to people living with the virus as well as orphans and become exemplary to others.

University of California San Diego Country Director, Diana Mattanovitch, said that the university has reportedly been providing HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services here in the country using fund secured from Global Fund and PEPFAR.

The university has been working in collaboration with the Defense force, Police Commission and Prison Administration, he added.

Walta Information Center General Manager, Birhane Kidanemariam, on his part said that HIV/AIDS has been incurring huge damage in the African continent which makes up 12 percent the world’s population.

Some 68 percent of the total over 33 million people living with the virus across the globe live in the African continent, he added.

He further noted that the training would help to beef up the prevention activities in the institutions.

Heads of federal and states police and prison administrations are in attendance of the two-day symposium organized by the university in collaboration with Federal Police Commission, Federal Prison Administration and Walta Information Center, it was learnt.

Some memorable jokes about the Sardars, Indian tribes mostly joked to be the damest ones.

(Remember you can register and post your own jokes). Enjoy!

1. A Sardar is in a bar and his mobile phone rings. He picks it up and says ‘Hello, how did you know I was here?’

2. Sardar returns book to library, bangs it on table & says - What a shit ? ‘I read the whole book, too many character, no story at all?

Librarian : So, you are the one who took the Telephone Directory….

3. Man: How was your exam today?

Sardar: Fine, except for one question which was difficult

Man: Which one?

Sardar: What is the past tense of THINK ? I thought…i thought…i thought about it and wrote THUNK

Source: Addis Fortune

Following the signing of a bilateral relation agreement between Ethiopia and Iceland on January 2008 to explore geothermal power potential in the rift valley region, a team of experts from Reykjavik are to engage in a bilateral geothermal survey.

It would be too early to talk about the project cost, said Sendeku Araya, public relations division Head at the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporations (EEPCo).

“Ethiopia has an estimated potential of 1000mw of power from geothermal energy located in the rift region,” ambassador Svavar Gestsson, especial envoy to the ministry of foreign affairs, told Fortune. He said the exact potential would be known after the actual study is conducted.

The preliminary agreement between Ethiopia and Iceland is expected to be reached in a month time, according to the ambassador.

Iceland’s Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism Osur Scarper Dinson (PhD) visited Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on April 11, 2008 and agreed on the technical support that Ethiopia could get from the geothermal energy production.

The feasibility study has to be carried out first, though a prior study conducted by Ethiopian Geological Survey hinted that geothermal possibilities have already been detected in Afar, in the Fentale and Aluto Langano areas of the rift region.

“If the project starts as scheduled, it would be completed in three years as the country is using fast-track approach,” Alemayehu Tegenu minister of Mines and Energy (MoME) told Fortune.

The fast-track approach is extending the working hours to 24 a day from the normal eight hours of operation.

The experts coming from Iceland will give technical assistance to Ethiopia, including maintenance of obsolete drilling plants at EGS, according to Alemayehu Tegenu.

Iceland is also searching for geothermal sources in Djibouti, where the feasibility was completed with the whole project expected to be ended by 2011. The potential there was discovered to be 50 mw.

Iceland, which has many years of experience using geothermal energy, gets about 27pc of its power from geothermal sources, which is renewable, clean and environment friendly, according to energy experts.

The project will be executed by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) with the support of the Ethiopian Geological Survey (EGS), which is equipped with drilling plants.

Geothermal drilling requires digging three kilometres down.

Ethiopia has the largest portion of the rift system that stretches 1500kms, and the potential of geothermal power is expected to be even more than previously thought, according to the minister.

The current utilization of geothermal energy in the country is around 17mw.

The government of the United Nations and government of Iceland recently trained twenty three Ethiopian engineers for six months in Iceland, covering most aspects of geothermal exploration and sustainable development.

Iceland is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of geothermal energy use. Iceland generates nearly all of its electricity from renewable sources: about 73pc from hydropower and virtually the remainder from geothermal power. Geothermal sources are also used to heat 87pc of the households in Iceland.

Source: The Associated Press

BOSTON — Dire Tune outkicked Alevtina Biktimirova after a back-and-forth last mile to win by 2 seconds in the closest finish in the history of the women’s race. Robert Cheruiyot, of Kenya, and Tune, of Ethiopia, each earned $150,000, the biggest in marathon history.

Robert Cheruiyot is well-versed in the Boston Marathon course, with four victories in five attempts.

Abderrahime Bouramdane visited for the first time on Monday, learning what thousands before him have learned at Heartbreak Hill, 20 miles in.

“Up,” he said, “is the problem.”

Cheruiyot pulled away from Bouramdane as they entered the Newton Hills, reaching the crest of Heartbreak Hill with a 27-second lead and coasting to the sixth-fastest time in Boston Marathon history.

Cheruiyot won in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 46 seconds to become the fourth man to win the race four times.

“This was the hardest,” he said. “Boston is not a very easy course, it’s very difficult. I enjoy running the hills.”

Although he repeatedly checked his watch as he ran alone, Cheruiyot did not challenge the course record of 2:07:14 he set two years ago.

His problem: No one to race with.

Tune finished in 2:25:25. She ran side-by-side with Biktimirova into Kenmore Square, and appeared to give up an edge when she nearly missed one of the final turns.

Tune quickly composed herself and took the lead before the last turn, but Biktimirova caught her and regained the lead briefly. Tune pulled ahead for good in the last few city blocks and beat the Russian to the line.

“I was fighting until the end,” Biktimirova said. “And in the end I just didn’t have enough speed.”

The previous closest women’s finish came two years ago, when Rita Jeptoo beat Jelena Prokopcuka by 10 seconds. Jeptoo finished third this year, 69 second behind Tune.

Cheruiyot’s third straight victory gave Kenya its 15th men’s title in 17 years; Kenyans also finished sixth through ninth. But Cheruiyot’s countrymen struggled more than usual overall, with just the one man in the top five - the fewest since 1992 - and one woman in the top 10.

Cheruiyot couldn’t say whether the performance was related to the postelection violence back home, in which some of his country’s top runners have been killed and threatened. Cheruiyot missed two months of training because of the unrest before his coach moved their camp to Namibia.

“My training has been going well despite the problems in Kenya,” he said. “When something happens, you have to forget and train.”

Bouramdane finished 1:18 back and fellow Moroccan Khalid El Boumlili came in third, another 1:31 back. Nicholas Arciniaga, of Rochester Hills, Mich., was 10th to give the Americans a top-10 finish for the fourth straight year.

Cheruiyot pulled away from a pack of four at the base of the Newton Hills, running the 19th mile in 4:37. He passed defending women’s champion Lidiya Grigoryeva, with the two No. 1 bibs running side-by-side, just before the 24-mile mark.

Cheruiyot remained on a record pace as he approached Kenmore Square before slowing over the last mile. Although his course record remained intact, he still beat his winning time of 2:14:13 in last year’s monsoon-like conditions.

“Myself, I tried to push,” he said. “Last year, I wanted the race to be faster.”

The race came a day after the U.S. trials featured the top American women running for a berth in the Olympics. Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Blake Russell finished in the top three to make the U.S. team that will go to Beijing.

With the three new Olympians serving as grand marshals, more than 25,000 runners left Hopkinton under a cloudy but calm sky and temperatures in the 50s - a major improvement over last year’s rain and wind that threatened to scuttle the race.

Among those in the event’s second-largest field: cyclist Lance Armstrong and astronaut Sunita Williams, who ran a simulated Boston Marathon last year while in orbit on the International Space Station.

Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times on the strength of his work in the mountains. When he started preparing for Boston, his third marathon, some race veterans told him the hills weren’t as difficult as their reputation made them out to be.

“They were wrong,” said Armstrong, who finished 496th in 2:50:58. “They are harder, and they do come at a difficult time in the race.”

Top finishers:

Men

1. Robert Cheruiyot, Kenya, 2:07:46.

2. Abderrahime Bouramdane, Morocco, 2:09:04.

3. Khalid El Boumlili, Morocco, 2:10:35.

4. Gashaw Asfaw, Ethiopia, 2:10:47.

5. Kasime Adillo, Ethiopia, 2:12:24.

Women

1. Dire Tune Ethiopia, 2:25:25.

2. Alevtina Biktimirova, Russia, 2:25:27.

3. Rita Jeptoo, Kenya, 2:26:34.

4. Jelena Prokopcuka, Latvia, 2:28:12.

5. Askale Tafa Magarsa, Ethiopia, 2:29:48.

Source: Walta Information Center

April 23, 2008 – The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced today preliminary results of candidates who won the by-election and city administrative councils in the metropolis.

NEBE Office Head Tesfaye Mengesha disclosed that EPRDF has won all the 14 seats for Addis Ababa City Council.The opposition parties CUD, OFDM, ONC, UEDP–MEDHIN, AENM, EDU, OLNP and independent candidates have contested in the election, he added.

He said EPRDF won in all the 10 sub-cities in the city,except one seat won by CUD in Bole Sub-city.

Of the 586,571 voters who secured IDs in the metropolis, 415,091 cast ballots, it was indicated.

Source: Walta Information Center

April 23, 2008 (WIC) – The Ethiopian Privatization Agency concluded today an agreement that transfers Bahirdar Edible Oil Factory to a Sudanese company for a total of 25.4 million birr.

The agreement was signed between Agency Director General Beyene Gebremeskel and company owner Ashraf Hussen.

The company has paid 30 percent down payment and would pay the remaining sum five days ahead of the transfer of the factory, according to the director general.

The government was forced to privatize the factory because it failed to utilize its capacity and become profitable, he said, indicating his belief that the new owner would make the factory more productive.

The company will take over the material and human resources as well as debts of the factory, according to Beyene who pointed out that the company has invested over 360 million birr in Ethiopia.

Ashraf on his part said the company has been purchasing modern machineries that increase the production of the factory. The modernized factory will begin production after six months, he added.

Among the projects of the company in the country include fish and meat processing factories.