The International Trade Centre (ITC), through its Alliances for Action initiative, today unveils in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Amharic translation of the fourth edition of the world’s most comprehensive, practical source for the international coffee trade, The Coffee Guide.
This new edition updates the latest trends of the last decade, especially for quality, digitalization, climate change, finance and risk and consumer preferences. It presents fresh industry data that classify production and consumption numbers by coffee quality segment (standard, premium and specialized) rather than the traditional Arabica/Robusta classification of data.
This guide is designed to be a practical tool for producers, exporters and other value chain stakeholders to support a positive transformation of the sector. It can be accessed globally and free of charge in 5 languages: Amharic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. It builds on collaboration with more than 70 coffee industry actors from across the globe, from seed to cup, to chart a path towards a more sustainable future for the industry. A focus on sustainability, inclusiveness and partnerships steer its content.
‘This is our first-ever Amharic version of the Coffee Guide, part of our move to more actively include coffee stakeholders in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee,’ said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, ITC Executive Director, at the launch event in Addis Ababa. ‘We’ve been providing neutral, hands-on information on the global coffee value chain for decades, and this latest edition puts a special focus on how product quality matches up with its impact on the environment and the lives of people behind the cup.’
Sofia Kassa, State Minister for Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture said: ‘Last year, we earned 1.4 billion dollars in coffee exports alone, an unprecedented amount. The backbone of this success is our smallholder coffee farmers, and we must give back to them.’
This Amharic translation was facilitated thanks to the support of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority as well as of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands through the NTFV programme in Ethiopia. It also relies on contributions from the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the Agency of African and Malagasy Robusta Coffee (ACRAM) and the International Coffee Organization (ICO) under the ‘ACP Business-Friendly’ programme implemented by ITC’s Alliances for Action sustainable agribusiness initiative, which is also responsible for leading the production of this Coffee Guide.

The cross-continent support of the global tech community has culminated in a sold-out GITEX Africa 2023, with an expansion phase now underway as construction ramps up of a purpose-built super venue in Marrakech Morocco for Africa’s largest and most influential tech and start-up event.

The inaugural GITEX Africa will make its historic debut from 31 May-2 June 2023, welcoming more than 900 exhibitors, start-ups, and visiting delegations from 95 countries for three days of intensive outcome-focused public-private sector collaborations in the world’s next biggest digital economy.

GITEX Africa is held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco, and hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), the public entity leading the Moroccan government’s digital transformation agenda under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform.

Ghita Mezzour, Minister of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, said: “The Kingdom of Morocco is honoured to host the 1st edition of GITEX Africa Morocco in 2023, an event which constitutes a real opportunity for our country to deepen the efforts made and the work carried out in recent years in the field of digital transition and technological innovation.

“It falls perfectly in line with the efforts of the Kingdom of Morocco to strengthen South-South cooperation in the digital field, and to contribute to the influence of the African continent on the international level. GITEX Africa Morocco will thus aim to promote multi-sector technological innovation and the digital transformation of the continent.”

“The potential for tech on the continent of Africa is limitless and the time for action is now,” added Mohammed Drissi Melyani, General Director of the Digital Development Agency (ADD). “As the catalyst for Morocco’s digital transformation, ADD is involved to promote innovation in many sectors and to push all the involved partners of the ecosystem to ensure Smart digital transition.

“As the African continent is beginning to create an enabling environment for technology innovation to thrive, GITEX Africa Morocco is a real opportunity to gather the tech moguls and promote investments and we are deeply engaged to contribute to this first edition’s success.”

GITEX Africa 2023 is affiliated with GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech and start-up show hosted in Dubai.  “Africa has a great story to share with the world in their digital cities evolution powered by a talented youth generation and future focused governments,” said Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX Africa’s organiser KAOUN International, who announced the event’s expansion plans during a Moroccan tour recently meeting key tech stakeholders, exhibitors, government entities and media.

“That GITEX Africa is so well received in its inaugural edition is a strong validation of the world’s confidence and optimism in the growth of the African digital economy. Every company with an internationalisation strategy must partake in the digital revolution of the world’s most watched continent.”

Converging transformational technologies at Africa’s showpiece tech event

With the African Union’s bold mission to unify the continent into a secure Digital Single Market by 2030, GITEX Africa exhibitors are rousing optimism about the proliferation of trends shaping the continent’s tech ecosystem, from increased internet connectivity and a rampant start-up scene, to the rise of artificial intelligence and a flourishing fintech sector.

IBM, a global technology and consulting company, will utilise GITEX Africa 2023 to amplify their commitment to the continent.  Badrane Kaddour, Africa Partner Ecosystem Leader at IBM, said: “Our portfolio is built around hybrid cloud and AI, the two most transformational technologies of our time.  Our go-to-market approach brings together the necessary software, consulting, and infrastructure that our clients require, from across our expanding ecosystem of partners.

“Attending the inaugural GITEX Africa is an opportunity for us to highlight our commitment to the continent, expand our presence and market reach through our ecosystem of partners as well as showcase our latest technological innovations that are helping our customers increase productivity, reduce costs and fuel growth.”

With an African presence spanning more than two decades, global cybersecurity heavyweight Kaspersky is another exhibitor investing in Africa’s vast potential.  CEO Eugene Kaspersky commented: “For more than 20 years now we’ve been working to protect Africa’s businesses and ordinary users – securing the continent’s technologies and fast-growing economies.

“It’s important that we share expertise and exchange knowledge needed for protection against cyberthreats, which are constantly growing in both volume and sophistication. Today, we’re glad to be part of the first edition of GITEX Africa, the continent’s largest tech event – participation in which we deemed simply essential in helping to build a more secure digital world together.”

Moroccan exhibitors elevate Africa’s thriving tech revolution

Major players from Morocco’s tech landscape have also signed on for this much-awaited business venture, in-line with the North African country’s unifying economic mission, where 60 percent of its foreign investment is directed towards Africa.

Maroc Data Center (MDC); MTDS, a leading cybersecurity and technological solutions provider; Ribatis, a provider of e-Gov platforms for African public administrations; and CASANET, a pioneer in the ICT industry, are among the Moroccan exhibitors with a joint mission to elevate Africa’s thriving tech revolution.

Yassir Lamrani, CEO at CASANET, said: “As one of the Moroccan tech pioneers, we would not miss this inaugural event that marks the start of a new era for Africa’s bold digital ambitions. The African tech ecosystem is one of the fastest growing in the world, and since GITEX Africa is the most sought-after tech event in the continent, we’re hoping to meet Africa’s brightest IT minds, and to connect with the African youth who hold the future of tech in Africa.”

GITEX Africa DIGITAL SUMMIT leads power-packed conference programme

Leadership dialogues and outcome focused meetings will meanwhile dominate at GITEX Africa via a power-packed multi-sectoral conference programme including The GITEX Africa DIGITAL SUMMIT and the GITEX AFRICA CEO Forum.

The GITEX Africa DIGITAL SUMMIT will unify 250-plus government and private sector leaders, policy makers, investors and academics, to steer Africa’s transformation into a single digital market.  Critical themes covered at the world’s most influential forum for dialogues, exchanges and collaborative intentions, range from analysing the current state of play in the continent’s digital economy, to fast-tracking an integrated and inclusive digital public infrastructure.

Lacina Koné, the DG and CEO of Smart Africa – the pan-African organisation driving the continent’s digital transformation – is a headline speaker at the two-day summit.  Smart Africa is an alliance of 36 African countries tasked with Africa’s digital agenda, to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent and usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and the use of ICTs.

“I am pleased to see GITEX coming for the first time to Africa, the land of all digital opportunities,” said Kone, who will be part of a panel discussion titled: ‘Uniting Towards One African Market,’ adding that Smart Africa aims to achieve an inclusive multi-stakeholder approach that encourages innovation through data sharing and cross-border data flows while protecting individuals’ rights.  “We look forward to promising insightful exchanges at GITEX Africa where businesses will meet and decisions will be made.”

North Star scales African imagination converging 400-plus start-ups

GITEX Africa 2023 has also partnered with North Star, the world’s largest start-up event, to deliver North Star Africa, converging more than 400 start-ups – including 100 Moroccan start-ups – from across the globe to extend engagements, build connections, and scale imaginations in an African tech ecosystem where investment reached US$6.5 billion in 2022.

Saudi-headquartered food tech company NOMU Group is among those looking to foster prosperous partnerships in Africa.  “Africa’s start-up ecosystem has matured significantly with banks and governments creating mechanisms that support the start-up community,” said Shehab Mokhtar CEO & Co-Founder at Nomu Group, which operates the Jumlaty and Appetito e-grocery and food-tech start-ups in Saudi, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.

“The African continent is emerging as a hotbed for foreign investment, due to the rise of mobile penetration, better internet infrastructure and a growing fintech start-up ecosystem.  At GITEX Africa, Nomu Group looks forward to connecting with tech innovators, start-ups, investors and global innovation hubs, while at the same time collaborating, and exploring new ventures in the world’s rising tech continent.”

The UN Committee against Torture (CAT) on Friday, May 12, 2023 issued its findings on Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg and Slovakia after reviewing the six States parties in the latest session.

The findings contain the Committee’s main concerns and recommendations on each country’s implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

On Ethiopia, the committee said that it was disturbed by reports of summary executions, deliberate attacks on civilian populations, enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment.
“While welcoming the signing of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Ethiopian Federal Government and the TPLF in November 2022, the Committee expressed its deep concern about the alleged extensive violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee laws, including in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions against civilians, in particular ethnic Tigrayans, human rights defenders, dissenting journalists and protesters. The Committee was disturbed by reports of summary executions, deliberate attacks on civilian populations, enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary and prolonged detention without charges and judicial process, incommunicado detention in unofficial facilities or military centres, recruitment and use of children in the hostilities, conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, denial of access to humanitarian assistance and the destruction of civilian property by all parties to the conflict. It urged Ethiopia to investigate all alleged violations, especially those that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed in the conflict in Tigray and surrounding areas. The Committee further asked Ethiopia to ensure full and unconditional humanitarian access to all conflict-affected areas,” the report reads.

CAT further states “The Committee was gravely concerned about complaints of torture and ill-treatment by police officers, prison guards and other military and security forces members in police stations, detention centres, federal prisons, military bases and in unofficial or secret detention places. It also noted with concern that there is still no independent, effective and confidential mechanism to handle complaints of torture or ill-treatment in detention facilities and that existing investigation bodies lack the necessary independence. The Committee requested that the State party take measures to ensure all complaints of torture and ill-treatment are investigated by an independent body and that the suspected perpetrators and the superior officers responsible for ordering or tolerating these acts are duly tried and punished.”

The committee also recommended Ethiopia should continue to develop and implement mandatory initial and in-service training programmes to ensure that all public officials, in particular law enforcement officers, military personnel, judicial officials, prison staff, immigration personnel and others who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of persons subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment, are well acquainted with the provisions of the Convention, especially the absolute prohibition of torture, and that they are fully aware that breaches will not be tolerated and will be investigated and that those responsible will be prosecuted and, on conviction, appropriately punished