Capital

Former FIRA head, deputy in custody

By Groum Abate

Electric bus manufacturing on track

By Andualem Sisay

Minister involve in a fatal car accident in Saudi Arabia

By our staff reporter

Hopes for the release of CUD leaders

By our staff reporter

“Obey my directives,” says NBE
90% of the money you circulate belongs to the public, not to shareholders

By Andualem Sisay

Maritime Affairs Authority under formation

By Andualem Sisay

Saquinavir to be produced in Ethiopia

By Tedla Desta

Ethiopian trade with COMESA shows deficit
Joining FTA, EPA and WTO makes it even worse

By Andualem Sisay

House extends Caretaker Administrations’ Tenure

By Andualem Sisay

Ministry of Information to face ‘conflict of interest’

By Andualem Sisay

AU needs to improve accounting system, says EU Ambassador

By Andualem Sisay

Private sector-led growth to be discussed

By Tedla Desta

Houses go online for the millennium

By Tedla Desta

Ethiopia to earn over 10 billion birr from the millennium

By Tedla Desta

Starbucks finally gives up to pay the poor

By our staff reporter

New calibration company to be established

By Tedla Desta

Vision on Africa’s ‘Make a Difference’ journey reaps fruit

Former FIRA head, deputy in custody

By Groum Abate

Woldegabriel Naizgi, former head of the Federal Inland Revenue Authority (FIRA), Nebiyou Samuel, former deputy of FIRA under Woldegabriel, and four other department heads were arrested for alleged corruption this week.
The suspects were brought before court on Friday, June 22, and the court accepted the prosecutors appeal for a seven day investigation period.
Commission Ethics, Education and Public Relations Director, Berhanu Aseffa told Capital that the former head was arrested this week but said that the case is in the court hands and refrained to comment further.
Woldegabriel who joined the authority in the early 80’s was considered by many as the brain behind the recent tax reform of the government.
He was relieved of his duties in January 2006 along with his deputy.
He has joined a private audit firm since then. His deputy Nebiyou was reassigned as a taskforce department head in the Ministry of Revenue.
Teka Abraha, Eniyew Mengistu and Tilahun Melaku were also among the imprisoned officials together with the head, by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission this week.
Though considered as the backbone of revenue generation in the country, FIRA has been blamed by some for repeatedly failing to live up to its standards, according to observers.
FIRA is managed under the Ministry of Revenue, which is established with proclamation no 256/1994 issued on Oct. 10, 2002 under articles 4, 5, 16 and 26. In accordance with the proclamation the aims, powers and duties bestowed on the former revenue board on proclamation No 5/1987 are fully transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. In addition, the ministry is given the responsibility of conducting the Revenue sector reform program continuously. Furthermore, the Ministry leads and supervises three affiliated revenue sectors, namely: The Federal Inland Revenue /FIRA/, The Ethiopian Customs Authority /ECA/ and the National Lottery Administration /NLA/.

Electric bus manufacturing on track

By Andualem Sisay

RusAfro Trolley, the first electric bus in Africa which is soon planned to be manufactured in Ethiopia, will arrive in Addis Ababa on August 18, 2007.
“Besides solving the public transportation problems of Addis Ababa, it also contributes a lot in protecting the environment from pollution,” says Engineer Getachew Eshetu, Manager and owner of Afro-Asia Technical Trading Enterprise and 70 per cent share holder of Ethio-Russia electric bus. One Russian company works on the body of the trolley bus, while another other deals with the electrics.
The company is scheduled to discuss on Tuesday with the Ethiopian Electric Power Light Authority and decide on the first line for the trolley bus. One trolley bus costs around 100,000 USD in Europe but the company is planning to manufacture the buses at less cost. It also plans to reduce the cost to bus users in Addis Ababa by half.
The agreement to manufacture electric buses in Ethiopia was signed among the three parties last October: two Russian companies with 15 per cent shares each and 70 per cent from Engineer Getachew Eshetu. Currently the factory is under construction in Amhara Region, Debre Markos on 40,000 square meters. Except for some electrical components all the parts will be manufactured locally, according to Engineer Getachew.
When the factory becomes fully operational it is expected to create jobs for 5,000 employees and the cost of transportation is also expected to decline by then. According to the study conducted by the manufacturers, Addis Ababa needs 1,200 trolley busses to give service for the ever-increasing residents of the city by reaching at least one station in every 15 minutes.
The company plans to manufacture 500 trolley buses per year and is also undertaking studies to provide for other African countries. Uganda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Nigeria are the countries that the company is planning to undertake studies to introduce its producs.
Back ground about electric bus from the Internet will be added.
Trolley bus powered by two overhead wires, from which it draws electricity using two trolley poles. Two poles are required in order to accommodate the return current, which cannot pass to the ground as in the case of an electric tram (also called an streetcar) since trolleybuses use rubber tires, rather than steel wheels on rail.
The history of the trolleybus dates back to April 29, 1882, when Dr. Ernst Werner von Siemens ran his “Elektromote” in a Berlin suburb. This experimental demonstration continued until June 13, 1882, after which there was little progress in Europe, although separate experiments were conducted in the USA.
The next development was when Lombard Gérin operated an experimental line at the Paris Exhibition of 1900 after four years of trials. Max Schiemann made the biggest step when on July 10, 1901. The world’s first passenger-carrying trolleybus operated at Bielathal (near Dresden) in Germany.
The first trolley vehicle in Russia was built in Saint Petersburg in 1902 at Frese machine building factory. It utilized a carriage-type current receiver like the early von Siemens prototypes. There was no attempt to organize passenger or cargo services at this time.
The first operational trolleybus service was introduced in 1933 in Moscow. In Soviet cities with underground metropolitan railways, trolleybus systems were intended to replace tramcars. In reality such plans were partially performed in the 1950s rather than in the 1930s. The first Soviet-made passenger trolleybus LK-1 was named after Politburo member Lazar Kaganovich. It was a dangerous and unreliable vehicle, quickly replaced by more advanced YaTB vehicles.

Minister involve in a fatal car accident in Saudi Arabia

By our staff reporter

Siraj Fegesa, Minister of Federal Affairs who led a delegation to the USA and then to Saudi Arabia has been involved in a fatal car accident. Siraj was admitted to a hospital in Jeddah with fractured ribs another official and member of the delegation from the Southern Nations and Nationalities and People’s Regional State has also been involved in the car accident.
The officials were in Saudi Arabia for a working visit.
According to statistics, Saudi Arabia has the highest rate of car accidents per capita in the world. As known, Saudi Arabia not only in the whole world but also in Islamic world, is one of the unique countries where women, who are proven to be more careful drivers anywhere in the world, are in the car but never behind the wheel.
The Federal Affairs Ministry was established to ensure good governance, balanced development in all regions and strong federal system by 2015.
Car accident reports litter the Saudi dailies, and every day dozens of innocent people die at the hands of reckless drivers in Saudi Arabia.

Hopes for the release of CUD leaders

By our staff reporter

Following the rumor on the release of CUD leaders, some family members of the detained and people close to the issue, who request anonymity told capital that the ongoing closed discussion between the government and the detained may conclude next week on Wednesday June 27, 2007 by releasing the detainees.
According to close families of the jailed CUD leaders, the two parties have come up to a point in which they agreed and added that they expect their families to join them in the next couple of days.
Zemedkun Tekle spokesman for the Ministry of Information, said that the government does not know anything about the agreement.
Shimelis Kemal government prosecutor told Capital that the prosecutor office would present its suggestion for the ruling on Wednesday.
The Federal High Court convicted 38 individuals and three printing presses on charges of treason after they had forgone their rights to defend their cases in spite of repeated rulings calling on them to submit their defense evidence.
In their refusal of repeated rulings, the court said they even claimed to do without saying “we shall not have to defend; the court does not have the authority to sit in judgment on our cases”.
According to the Washington Post, some of the CUD/Kinijit opposition leaders, earlier found guilty, have now signed a document accepting partial responsibility for the violence in exchange for their release.
It is recalled that at his recent press briefing showed his government’s readiness to talk to CUD leaders for the sake of creating national consensus during the third Ethiopian Millennium celebrations if the CUD leaders approach the government.
“It is up to the leaders themselves whether to abandon their previous destructive policy and strategies and seek to be part and parcel of the peaceful democratic process. It is the responsibility of government to take people who have violated the law to court and we have done that. It is up to them to take the next step if they want to rehabilitate themselves in the political process in Ethiopia,” he said.

“Obey my directives,” says NBE
90% of the money you circulate belongs to the public, not to shareholders

By Andualem Sisay

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) says, since more than 90 per cent of the money in every bank is the public’s, the major shareholders of any bank in the country have to obey all directives and regulations that NBE introduces to protect the public interest.
In an exclusive interview Capital conducted with an official of NBE on the new directive of that is facing complaints from private banks, the NBE indicated that the banking sector is not like other investment and requires a stricter regulation by the government.
“Just because certain individuals have invested and opened banks does not allow them to do what ever they want by being lifelong Board of Directors of the Bank. Under the current situation, the total of shareholders in any bank does not exceed more than 10 per cent of the total money that circulates through the Bank,” says Getahun Nana, Manager of Banking Supervision Department.
Currently, there are around 3 mln depositors in the country, while there are only 60,000 borrowers from these banks.
“People deposit their money in these banks not because they know some one they trust, but the confidence of the public is based on the assumption that the government regulates the banks. Since, banking business by its very nature has a domino effect; one bank’s failure paves the way for a run on other banks when the public begin to lose trust. So, the National Bank, as a government entity, has the responsibility to protect the public by checking if the banks are properly managed,” he says.
“Therefore, we don’t allow these major shareholders to ruin the confidence that the public invested on them by letting the same major shareholders to stay on the Board of Directors for a lifetime. We have also the responsibility to avoid the conflict of interest that occurs when one individual serves as a Board of Director of a bank and an insurance company as well at the same time. In addition, we also have to make sure that these banks are run by well educated people with management experience to protect the banks from bankruptcy,” Getahun says.
The sub article forbids an individual to serve a bank and an insurance company on the Board of Director, at least 75 per cent of the Board of Directors must have first degrees or above and one member of the Board of Directors has to take a break for six years after serving for six years unless he/she gets a one third vote from the previous Board are the terms that most bank and insurance Board are not comfortable with, even though they have begun implementing the directive.
According to Getahun, if the National Bank of Ethiopia fails to properly regulate banks, the country may end up with dire consequences. It affects every one, starting from lives of many thousands of the banks’ customers along with all related to them up to the country’s economy as a whole.
“Unfortunately, it is so sad to hear from some of these board members of banks that the banking sector has no difference from other business. Instead of searching for loopholes to protect their individual lifelong dominancy over the banks, they should have debated with us on the benefits that the new directive has for the development or safety of the banks, the public and the economy of the country as a whole,” Getahun says.
“The new directive of the National Bank of Ethiopia violates our rights set in the Trade Law of the country,” is the major reason of major share holders of some Banks who have been serving the banks for the past years and want to continue in the position. Some of them have been serving for around 12 years on the Board of Directors.
However, Article 35 of Proclamation 84/1994 printed on the Negarit Gazetta and listing the duties and responsibilities of the National Bank of Ethiopia, says: “Any law, which is inconsistent with this proclamation, shall not apply to matters provided under this proclamation.” Article 3:1E of this proclamation also says: “It is confirmed by the National Bank of Ethiopia that the Directors and Officers of the company have the qualification prescribed by it (the National Bank of Ethiopia).
According to critics, some banks decline to declare bankruptcy even if they are actually bankrupt. They usually renegotiate their customers’ loan who failed to pay back their debts on time and declare profit by adding the new interest to the old.
As banking business is a risky business, which often goes as far as borrowing the same one dollar for nine different individuals, some countries that have frequently experienced banking crises have now beginning to include civic societies in the Board of Directors positions as whistle blowers.
“This is a global phenomenon,” says one critic who realized a few years ago that her money in a neighboring country was all gone when she went to a private bank to withdraw money from her account. “But, the danger comes when such practice is repeated again and again and blows up one day like what happened to me,” she says.
On its duty of protecting the public money and assuring welfare of the country’s economy, the National Bank of Ethiopia has to fix each and every loop hole in the laws and directives to avoid such phenomenon from happening in the infant banking sector of Ethiopia.
“Even if there are mistakes done in goodwill by these Board of directors previously, except corruption, injecting new educated staff to Board of Directors position will definitely give the opportunity to revive even for a bank that is bankrupt. In addition, this directive will also give these Board of Directors to transfer and duplicate their best experiences to newcomers for the sustainability and development of Banking sector in the country,” according to Getahun.

Maritime Affairs Authority under formation

By Andualem Sisay

A draft proclamation presented to the House of Peoples’ Representatives on Tuesday June 19, 2007 revealed that a Maritime Affairs Authority, which is to deal with all maritime related issues currently undertaken in various offices, is under formation.
When the Maritime Affairs Authority is established, “No person shall operate multi-modal or marine transport service or purchase, sell, import, export or use a marine transport service vessel, or be engaged as a seafarer on board any marine transport vessel unless he/she has obtained an authorization granted by the Authority.”
The house sent the draft proclamation to the Legal Affairs Standing Committee and other concerned offices for study and present to the House for approval.
According to the draft proclamation, the need for establishing a Maritime Affairs Authority arose to improve and expand the maritime sector in an organized manner and provide an enhanced service.
“It is essential to establish a government body reporting directly to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which assumes maritime related duties. This body will be responsible for analysis and work out maritime related issues and follow up execution of obligations and rights of our country under international maritime conventions,” states the draft proclamation.
The Authority shall have a Director General and a Deputy Director General, appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Minister of Transport and Communication and the necessary staff. The budget of the Maritime Affairs Authority shall be prepared and submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
Regarding tax exemption, any income that accrues to the Ethiopian Shipping Lines due to its ownership of vessels engaged in international marine transport services is exempt from any tax. However, any vessel registered by the Authority shall pay to it: annual charges levied by the Authority, service fees and vessel registration fees.
Employment income accruing to seafarers engaged on board seagoing regular marine transport service vessel registered by the Authority shall be exempted from tax.
Maritime affairs used to be handled under the Sea Transport Authority. however, after the Sea Transport Authority was closed 14 years ago, duties related to maritime are being carried out by various government bodies such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Saquinavir to be produced in Ethiopia

By Tedla Desta

The pharmaceutical group Roche has signed two agreements with Ethiopia and Zimbabwe enabling, the free transfer of technical know-how that will make possible the local production of a generic anti-HIV drug known as Saquinavir, Capital learnt.
This represents a new step towards wider access to treatments against HIV.
This antiretroviral drug is prescribed as a second line treatment for HIV infection, when patients develop resistance to first-line treatments. The normal cost of these treatments is often in excess of US$ 5,000 (euro 3,700), which places them out of the reach of patients in the countries where HIV/AIDS is widespread.
These agreements between the Swiss pharmaceutical firm and two African laboratories - the Addis Pharmaceutical Factory in Ethiopia and Varichem Pharmaceutical in Zimbabwe were made recently, sources said.
Almost 26 million women, men and children are today living with the virus causing AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. They account for 60 percent of the worldwide total, whereas this part of the continent represents only 10 percent of the world populatio.
Roche’s team will work onsite at the manufacturing facilities in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe and from its headquarters in Switzerland to undertake the technology transfers. The companies will be able to produce Saquinavir for supply throughout Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in addition to any country within sub-Saharan Africa or defined as Least Developed by the United Nations, encompassing 64% of all people living with HIV/AIDS globally.
Announced in January 2006, the Roche Technology Transfer Initiative aims to provide local manufacturers with the technical expertise required to produce generic HIV medicines. Manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa and the Least Developed Countries wishing to produce generic saquinavir for use in these countries will not be required to apply for a voluntary license, as Roche has committed as part of its global policy not to enforce patents on HIV antiretroviral medicines within these countries.

Ethiopian trade with COMESA shows deficit
Joining FTA, EPA and WTO makes it even worse

By Andualem Sisay

A study revealed that Ethiopia’s competitiveness in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) markets has shifted from surplus to deficit.
According to the study presented at the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (AACCSA) Forum by Amin Abdella of the Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute, since 2004, the balance of trade between Ethiopia and COMESA shows a deficit.
Although Ethiopian exports to COMESA states has grown from 63 mln USD in 2002 to 90 mln USD in 2006, the overall trade balance between the two sides is north in deficit as imports from COMESA increased from 52 mln to 187 mln USD during this period.
According to the Global Competitiveness Index 2005 data of the World Bank, out of 117 countries Ethiopia ranks 115th in basic requirement, 116th in efficiency enhancement and 111th in innovation factors.
Currently, The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development along with the Prime Minister’s Office are undertaking a study to decide whether Ethiopia should join the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) among COMESA members with countries with zero tariff. 13 COMESA member states are currently FTA members.
Ethiopia is one of the founding members of COMESA in 1981, which currently has 19 members of which 16 are least developed nation’s including Ethiopia.
Out of the total trade of COMESA member states, intra-COMESA trade accounts for 8.4 per cent, while 24 per cent of their trade is with the European Union and 20 per cent with Asia. Trade among COMESA members has grown from 3 bln USD in 2002 to 6.3 bln USD in 2005.
In recent years the economic performance of COMESA members was better than that of the whole Africa. In 2005 the average growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of COMESA member states was 5.8 per cent, while the continent’s GDP grouth for the same period was 4.9 per cent.
Other than COMESA, Ethiopia along with other ESA Eastern and Southern is expected to sign the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement), with the E.U. European at the end of 2007. The country has also made the first steps to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The competitiveness of Ethiopian products in global markets should be critically evaluated before the country jumps to signing free trade agreements such as FTA, EPA and WTO, according to criticism from most of the participants of the forum.
“At the current situation of the country joining such a global free market, put us in a worst situation,” said one participant. Commenting on the rush of Ethiopia to join EPA and WTO, “in the first place it is unfair for developed countries to compete with developing countries like Ethiopia, whose almost half people live under poverty line, “said another.
“The developed countries have to address the developmental and structural problems of the developing world before the two sides sign such global free trade agreements,” said the presenter.
Strengthening both private and public institutions, the countries has to insure adequate infrastructure, sustain acceptable levels of fiscal deficit and inflation by adhering to healthy macroeconomic situation and make the workforce healthy with basic primary education are among the advices of Amin to Ethiopia and other developing countries of COMESA.
Furthermore, these countries have to figure out mechanisms of protecting their products that have competitive advantages in global markets like some European countries do to their agricultural products, the expert advises.

House extends Caretaker Administrations’ Tenure

By Andualem Sisay

The House of Peoples’ Representatives on Tuesday June 19, 2007 gave an additional year’s for tenure both Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa Caretaker Administrations.
The House passed the resolution with 261 for, 31 against and 40 abstaining. According to and MP from CUD, Addis Ababa has to be governed by the elected party, that is CUD, who joined the parliament by the results they obtained during the May 2005 national election.
On the other hand, a member of UEDP Medhin, indicated that his party accepts the resolution but, this has to be for the last time the party would allow the Addis Ababa City Caretaker Administration to stay in power and that elections have to take place as planned next year.
Though it is not clearly indicated in the resolution, the next election, which aims to replace the Caretaker Administration of Addis Ababa, will be expected to take place January 2008.
It is to be recalled that Addis Ababa city was given over to a Caretaker Administration when the CUD leaders refused to join parliament and rule govern the city after, refusing to accept the May 2005 national election.
The election to replace the Caretaker Administration was supposed to take place this year, but due to the demand of parties in the House it was decided to be postponed.
On a related development the Addis Ababa City Administration is supposed to approve the next year’s budget within few days.

Ministry of Information to face ‘conflict of interest’

By Andualem Sisay

The House of the Peoples’ Representatives of Ethiopia on Thursday, June 21, 2007 sent a draft proclamation that defines the powers and duties of the Ministry of Information to concerned standing committees, though 87 opposition MPs rejected it.
The power given to the Ministry of Information as a government information producer causes conflict of interest with its duty of registering and issuing press certificates, according to those who opposed the draft proclamation.
“Registering and issuing certificates of competence to commercial press other than those whose distribution is limited within one region, and issue permits to non-commercial press and monitor their activities to ensure that they conduct their activities in compliance with legal requirements,” is set on the draft proclamation as one of the duties of the ministry.
The power given to the ministry on another sub article of the draft proclamation that says: “The Ministry of information has the power and duty to direct and coordinate government information and communication activities,” contradicts with the above duty of the ministry according to the critics.
They claim that investing the power on the Ministry of Information to undertake such two competing duties will open the chance for the Ministry to close any commercial press any time it feels that the media is entertaining what the government wants to hide.
They also criticized the duty of the ministry described in the draft proclamation as, “an institution that works for creation of national consensus and building the image of the country”.
“According to this draft proclamation, the Ministry of Information works for building the image of the ruling party, not the image of the country,” said one opposition party MP. “National consensus has nothing to do with executing one party’s agenda,” said another.
Some also claim that the power given to the ministry is broader than it deserves, and described it as an attempt by the ruling party to increase its press control mechanisms.
Even though the press law of the country has not yet been presented to the house, critics claim that the government, while passing other proclamations, is using a new strategy of passing laws that indirectly violate freedom of expression in Ethiopia.

AU needs to improve accounting system, says EU Ambassador

By Andualem Sisay

Ambassador Tim Clarke, EU Delegation Head to Ethiopia, stressed the need for the African Union (AU), to enhance its financial management, speaking at a forum held at the Sheraton Addis on Thursday, June 21, 2007.
Responding to the comment on the EU’s conditionality request to provide assistance to the African Union, he indicated that the EU is always willing to support Africa, but needs to get documents that show the money is properly managed.
“I will be happy to write checks for the AU or IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) , but they have to solve the little problem they have in administering the money,” he said at the forum entitled, ‘the role of European Union (EU), in the process of building sustainable peace and security in Africa’.
The AU needs to have the capacity to meet with international standards of accounting for managing its resources and the money it gets from partners, according to the Ambassador.
Often, EU and other development partners of Africa are being criticized by many people for setting endless conditionalties to provide assistance to the continent. Recently, they were also blaming African partners for the delay of peace keeping force deployment in Somalia, until they realized that the cause was failure of the AU to finalize details on time.
The forum was prepared by Inter-Africa Group (IAG), a non governmental organization established to facilitate dialogue on humanitarian, peace and development issues in the Horn of Africa.
IAG’s Africa Policy Forum brings together at such occasional lectures prominent African leaders and experts as well as international figures to share their views and perspectives with the international diplomatic community in Addis Ababa and Ethiopian participants on issues that vitally affect Africa.

Private sector-led growth to be discussed

By Tedla Desta

“Accelerating Private Sector Led Growth in Ethiopia: Investment Climate and Competitiveness”, a two-day conference is to be held on Wednesday June27, 2007, in Addis Ababa, it was stated.
The major objectives of the conference are, among others, to help identify specific improvements in the investment climate and thereby enable firms to grow more.
The activities that the private sector is engaged in such as manufacturing have much higher levels of average productivity, he said.
The conference is also aimed at discussing specific strategies like cluster development, the use of the diaspora for economic linkage and reforms that may help improve access to finance, land and fair competition
Accordingly, growing the high productivity part of the economy would have an impact on poverty by creating high value jobs, more employment, more purchase of farm produces, supplies and export.
It was reportedly cleared that the US and European Commission trade representative’s director for Africa, senior Ethiopian government officials, representatives from Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Ethiopian entrepreneurs, among others, would attend the conference.
The conference is expected to be co-hosted by the Ethiopian government, Donor Working Group on Private Sector Development and Trade and the World Bank.
Likewise, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA), credit of US$100 million to help increase agricultural productivity, accelerate growth and reduce rural poverty in Ethiopia.
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. The bank is made up of two unique development institutions owned by 185 member countries-The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).
The World Bank headquartered in Washington, DC, has offices in almost every developing country in the world. In their effort to eliminate poverty, the World Bank has developed programs to attack the roots of poverty from every angle. World Bank employees in DC and abroad direct projects in health care, maternity, agriculture, technology, energy, children, women’s rights, sanitation and so many more.
Conceived during World War II at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the World Bank initially helped rebuild Europe after the war. Its first loan of $250 million was to France in 1947 for post-war reconstruction.

Houses go online for the millennium

By Tedla Desta

As the preparations of the new Ethiopian millennium are underway, a local company called SEDNet General Business Plc has announced that it started an online Guest house reservation system together with the City Government of Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat.
According to the General Manager of the company, Hailemariam Solomon, in order to make the activity more effective they have reached an agreement with Shama Plc to place registration lists so that the guest house owners can fill the forms in 10 different Book World outlets.
“SEDNet will facilitate access for visitors through the service it will provide on line. Our company would identify available houses for rent ahead of time and would provide the information through the web page to all who would be interested to benefit from the service” he told Capital.
During the launching ceremony the representatives said that of the profits earned from the rental of these houses, 20 percent would go directly to the City’s Millennium Council.
“We don’t advise renters to evict their current inhabitants and register. This would ruin the long staying culture that we have. For the sake of a few months benefit we shan’t loose our life time neighbors. Only those who have non rented extra houses can register” said Berket Eshetu, Supply and Reservation Head.
This millennium expects to see from 750 thousand to one million people from the diasporas .As a result of this the is said to be escalating much higher than ever.
In the registration process the condition the guest house, neatness, peacefulness will be investigated and posted on the web.
During the occasion guest house owners and others were present. The company owners said also that the company has currently studied 56 standardized guest houses found in the city and the booking will start for them soon.
Guest house owners on their part said renting houses in such an organized manner would facilitate their services and guests would comfortably be hosted.

Ethiopia to earn over 10 billion birr from the millennium

By Tedla Desta

Ethiopia is expected to earn around from13- 14 billion birr as a result of its millennium celebration, a study yet unofficial reveled.
According to the unofficial study, the country will incur around 13 to 14 Billion Birr from the visiting tourists, events and celebrations incomes.
Beruk G/ Medhin , Projects, Information, Communications and Promotion Head with the City Government of Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat quoting the unofficial study said that from the festivities that would occur for the millennium celebration the country is supposed to witness hundreds of thousands visitors.
He said that the City’s Millennium Council is engaged in activities that would build the country’s image and projects that would help the larger society.
Ethiopia has its own calendar which is different from the Gregorian and other calendars of the world. Though it seems that Ethiopian calendar is 7 years late than the Gregorian calendar the fact is that Jesus was born 7 years before the Gregorian calendar makes us unique from the rest of the world. We are going to celebrate our millennium 2000 on the coming September 2007 of the Gregorian calendar.
The millennium celebration activities have commenced with the tree plantation project which will go under the slogan: 2 trees for 2000, where every citizen is to plant two trees each to symbolize double millennium to finally plant 60 million trees through out the country under a national campaign and will be completed within three months with other doings.
According to sources an estimated total cost of 75 million birr is needed for the tree planting campaigns.
One of the main purposes of the Ethiopian Millennium Project is to engage the Ethiopian community at large, educators and policy makers, researchers and learners, in Ethiopia and throughout the world, in an ongoing, mediated discussion regarding Health, Education and the Environment.
So much so that the Ethiopian calendar retains the old Egyptian system whereby the year was divided into twelve months of thirty days each plus one additional month of five days (six days in leap years). Ethiopian dates therefore, fall 7- 8 years behind western dates and have done so since early Christian times. This discrepancy results from differences between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church as to the date of the creation of the world.

Starbucks finally gives up to pay the poor

By our staff reporter

US coffee-shop chain Starbucks agreed to credit Ethiopia’s unique bean varieties on its labels, in a deal signed Wednesday ending a long-brewing trademark dispute.
Starbucks “will not oppose Ethiopia’s efforts to obtain trademarks for its specialty coffees,” said Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States Samuel Assefa.
“Ethiopia salutes Starbucks for its exemplary display of global corporate citizenship,” he said in a statement.
Ethiopia, Africa’s largest coffee producer, wants to protect its Harrar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe varieties, something US coffee roasters and the US trademark office fought.
“Our customers know that some of the highest quality coffees in the world come from Ethiopia,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman.
“This agreement supports both the Ethiopian specialty coffee industry and the farmers and their communities that produce these fine coffees while allowing us to bring them to our customers around the world,” he said in a statement.
“The commitment and support of Starbucks will help enhance the quality of Ethiopian fine coffees and improve the income of farmers and traders,” Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office Director General Getachew Mengistie said in the joint statement.
Starbucks and 14 other international coffee companies have signed trademark agreements with Ethiopia, the statement said.
British charity Oxfam backed Ethiopia in the dispute, which goes back to August, 2006, when the US Patent and Trademark Office ruled against the trademark application and in favor of the National Coffee Association, which represents US coffee roasters including Starbucks.
The NCA said the bid was bad economics and bad for Ethiopian farmers. Starbucks said Ethiopia would be better served by branding its coffee beans through geographic designations.
Offenheiser said the agreement would help Ethiopia’s 15 million people who rely on the coffee sector.
Ethiopia is the world’s sixth-largest coffee producer and Africa’s top producer and exporter.

New calibration company to be established

By Tedla Desta

TAY Test Engineering Solutions, a local provider of test equipments said that it is working to establish a calibration company in Ethiopia, Yergalem Asgedom, General Manager of the Company told Capital.
Yergalem said that they have already made an agreement with COMTEST (Pty) Ltd) of which they are sole representatives and are waiting for the license.
“We are optimistic that we will be given the license from the government .During our deliberation with industry owners, we have seen their keen interest to see the calibration centre established in Ethiopia.” He said.
Ethiopian law permits the establishment of such companies.
“This would ultimately help to significantly reduce the amount of foreign currency the country’s businesses spend by sending their equipment abroad for an expensive and time consuming process.” Yergalem.
“The booming construction industry and the existing, ever expanding businesses and investments in the country, are in dire need of first class testing equipment and a Standard Testing equipment calibration centre that are not readily available in the desired quantity and quality,” it was stated.
Meanwhile, TAY Test Engineering Solutions is introducing internationally recognized electrical, network and medical testing equipment manufacturer FLUKE to Ethiopia. Besides Fluke, TAY Test Engineering Solutions is representing other internationally recognized companies in Ethiopia. Among those are Rigol, All Test-Pro, Meterman, Pomona, Midtronics Battery Testers, B&K Precision Corp., Test-Um Data Communications and Psiber Data Communications.

Vision on Africa’s ‘Make a Difference’ journey reaps fruit

A journey that started by a little girl with a big heart is now making a difference to the less privileged and underserved Kotebe community in Yeka sub-city.
“…I am a teacher myself and I know how graduation feels…” said Vision on Africa’s guest of honor, Mrs. Anne Clarke who is Board Member of the Sub Committee of Ambassadors and Head of Mission Spouses Group. She expressed her heartfelt contentment to see the changed lives of mothers and the youth. She also expressed that Miss Senedu Araya-Sellassie who is the founder and president of the organization, will be an inspiration to many and congratulated the organization for its commitment, dedication and achievements.
Mrs. Clarke went on to say that at a teacher herself, graduations have special meaning for her. She advised the graduates that they are celebrating the fruits of the hard work during their training. She expressed her delight at being present on the occasion. She said, “Please don’t forget that we are here to celebrate the achievements of your trainers, because you are very special to them. That’s our gift to our students; as teachers it is to pass on what we know and to see you use all those skills that you have taken from your teachers.”
“It’s a vision of a wonderful lady, Senedu who has a special aura around her and I know she will inspire so many people as she works on her vision here in Ethiopia. I wish her all the very best… Vision on Africa and your teachers have given you today perhaps the most special gift that anyone can give… the gift of education… it’s a gift for life.
In the midst of the joyful participants was the trainer, Mrs. Elizabeth Mulatu, the person that played the most important role in transforming the graduate’s lives and rated as number one employee. She was awarded with an “Employee of the Year” certificate. She expressed that her greatest satisfaction is to see the achievements of all her students.
A brief testimony was shared by one of the graduating students, Mekdes Kassa along with a recital of a touching poem.
Sister Almaz Gebretsadik, VoA Administrator, presented a warm welcome during the “Make a Difference” graduation event which was held on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at the Vision on Africa’s Mother and Child Health Center. The occasion was well attended with distinguished guests from the surrounding community, non-profit organizations and also the private sector.
VoA project coordinator, Sister Laketch Asnake presented to the audience the achievements of the organization within such a short time and expressed her heartfelt thanks to all event sponsors; Wossi Design for supplying one hundred colorful bags for the trainees’ start-up trade kit as well as for sponsoring five graduates for extended training at Wossi Garment Design. The president of Ethio Knitting also pledged to sponsor up to five graduates, both showing the commitment of the private sector in supporting community based social development projects.
“Building the capacity of one hundred individuals in just five to six months and making ends meet with low cost material makes a measurable impact on the community. All of this was possible with the help of wonderful employees who are dedicated to realizing the “Make a Difference” journey. They are my strength and the pillar for the organization’s mission,” concluded Senedu.

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Former FIRA head, deputy in custody

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Vision on Africa’s ‘Make a Difference’ journey reaps fruit

“Obey my directives,” says NBE
90% of the money you circulate belongs to the public, not to shareholders

Ethiopian trade with COMESA shows deficit
Joining FTA, EPA and WTO makes it even worse

“Obey my directives,” says NBE
90% of the money you circulate belongs to the public, not to shareholders

Ethiopian trade with COMESA shows deficit
Joining FTA, EPA and WTO makes it even worse