We live in a world where the average sheeple (human mass) is a mere spectator in the scheme of things global. This is not altogether unexpected, as the sheeple is hardly inclined to understand the hidden agenda of the prevailing lopsided globalization. Even in the best of times, inquisitiveness was never the sheeple’s forte. On the other hand, the ruling elites’ objective of bamboozling the gullible sheeple into complete submission continuous unabated. If truth and facts defy fitting into the narratives of the rulers, they would be promptly discarded. However and through out the ages, there were some pro-sheeple thinkers, who volunteered to do the heavy lifting of analyzing, investigating and interrogating to un-fathom truth & facts, particularly in times when the ruling elites were determined to go off on a tangent, like today!
The year 2020 can be considered a watershed in the (collapsing) modern world system. At this juncture, it is advisable to carefully look at the various developments that are now in play. The first thing to notice is; discourses that do not support the narratives of the status quo are being muzzled, rather strongly. Even the natural sciences have been relativized to support the untenable positions of the current global regime. See the article next column. When controversies regarding the sciences (particularly the life sciences) are raging amongst experts, one can be sure of the existence of a sinister agenda behind the distracting noise. Granted, the descriptive sciences (life sciences) are much more prone to relativize-ation, compared to the more analytical ones (physics, etc.) Nonetheless, when one observes the kind of blatant incongruities that are being thrown back and forth between no less authorities than Nobel Laureates, surely the sheeple cannot remain passive for long. In fact and unlike those ‘good old days’, the sheeple cannot calmly hide in its cocoon, as it will be ultimately impacted by the consequences of the raging conflicted narratives. Examining all sides of arguments, not only about the current plandemic or pandemic (whichever way one prefers to spell it), but about all and sundry, will be detrimental to the future of not only the sheeple, but also all lives on the planet, including the non-human ones! See Shiva’s article next column. Here is a nice and timely suggestion put forward by a Polish author, Monika Wisniewska, in regards to the ongoing vaccine controversy. ‘The vaccine should be tested on politicians first. If they survive, the vaccine is safe. If they don’t, then the countries are safe’!
This column has tried to highlight different perspectives on many of the pressing global issues, going back over a decade. Questioning/interrogating the critical assumptions that make the current world go round remains the paramount objective of this column. In this vein and as the current political economy spins out of control, we contend that critical thinkers delve into the problematic with vigor and honesty. We believe it would be wise to calmly and scrupulously examine potential trajectories, along with colleagues across the planet, with a view to possibly bring some respite to the current situation. It is imperative that intellectuals, not the usual credentialed idiots, but perceptive and inquisitive souls with deep commitments to all humanity confront the chaos thrown at us by the crumbling world system. The social goals should remain; a more humane, more democratic, more egalitarian and more inclusive world order, a la the French enlightenment project (1789). Here is a French philosopher, sharing our frustration, lambasting the intellectuals of his days. ‘European intellectuals had lost the Classical World’s ability to reason dispassionately about political and military matters, instead becoming apologists for crass nationalism, warmongering and racism. And History will smile to think that this is the species for which Socrates and Jesus Christ died for’. (‘The Treason of The Intellectuals’) Julien Benda (1867-1956, French philosopher).
The ongoing controversies within the ruling strata, which used to be an encampment characterized by its suffocating narratives and boringly monolithic ensemble, signal an impending bifurcation, as predicted by the likes of Immanuel Wallerstein (1930-2019). One should recall that when the going was good, there was relative peace amongst the parasitic elites of the world system. But today, as the sheeple becomes increasingly restless (it is visibly hurting), business as usual is as untenable as manna in the sky. We are still bound to our motto; ‘question more and live accordingly’ or in the words of a more eloquent and capable logician/philosopher of the 20th century: “The unexamined life is not worth living” Bertrand Russell.” Good Day!
QUESTION MORE & LIVE ACCORDINGLY
Polish help
The Polish Emergency Medical Team of the Polish Center for International Aid (EMT PCPM) arrived in Addis Ababa to give assistance.
The team that arrived in the framework of the WHO Emergency Teams Initiative, at the invitation of the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia came on September 22 and will stay until October 18, currently supporting the operations of the Millennium COVID Care Centre.
Hilina Tadesse, Chief of Staff, Director General of Medical Services General Directorate, Ministry of Health of Ethiopia expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the EMT PCPM and the Millennium COVID Care Centre.
Millennium Covid care center is the largest such center in the country with 1000 bed capacity. Running it poses challenges for design, flow management, staff capacity development, infection prevention management and delivery of care said Dr Ishmael Shemsedin, Executive Director of Millennium COVID Care Centre. “So far we have provided service for more than 3000 patients. In our effort to provide high quality care, inadequate experience in critical care and emergency response management has been rate limiting,” he added.
“This is the sixth mission of Polish Emergency Medical Team PCPM in response to COVID-19 pandemics,” says Wojtek Wilk (PhD), leader of the Team. “We are happy to share with our Ethiopian colleagues not only the experience from the Polish hospitals, but also that acquired by our EMT during recent missions to Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Lebanon and Madagascar. Our EMT will be also supported by a doctor and a nurse from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, which will add one more country experience to share”.
First deployment of the Polish Emergency Medical Team PCPM was to Italy, where it supported an Intensive Care Unit in a city of Brescia in March 2020. Later, it was deployed by the WHO on training and capacity-building missions to two countries of Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Since last August, Polish doctors supported two state-run hospitals for COVID patients in Lebanon, while three Polish medical workers were deployed on WHO surge mission to Madagascar. In Poland, the Emergency Medical Team actively supported hospitals, among others setting up COVID triage areas in front of hospital emergency departments.
“The project showed once again how much the Government of Poland was dedicated to support countries around the world in dealing with the pandemic. These days, international solidarity is especially needed,” said Przemyslaw Bobak, Ambassador-designate of Poland to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s export will show a 14 percent growth this year: Report
According to the analysis of CEHPEUS research and analytics on Ethiopian trade performance, the research firm forecasts that this year the performance of Ethiopia’s export will show a 14 percent growth and is set to generate 3.4billion dollars.
The expectation of large volumes for gold, coffee shipment and a strong performance from the horticulture sector is said to provide this significant role on growth.
CEHPEUS research stated that in the last fiscal year Ethiopia had changed its market with by driving its export mix to the EU market rather than the USA and China.
According to the analysis three European nations, namely; The Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany increased their purchase of Ethiopian goods by over 300 million dollars from the entire export of the last fiscal year 2019/20. Unfortunately, USA and China, two of the biggest Ethiopian buyers, reduced their purchasing order by 25 percent each.
“The shift in Ethiopia’s top export markets reflects a gradually changing product mix, especially in the sharp rise of gold exports as well as in flower exports,” stated CEHPEUS research. The uncertain performance of manufactured goods indicates the fall in exports to the US and China which are the primary buyers.
The policy reform at the central bank has helped the rise of gold exports, while the well-established cargo services of Ethiopian airlines aids in the timely delivery of flowers. Non-traditional exports, like electricity has also risen in its export by generating 66 million dollars. Electronics exports have also generated 38 million dollars.
According to the analysis, export has generated only 15 percent to the total foreign currency flow in Ethiopia in the last fiscal year 2019/20 which was 20 billion dollars. Other significant sources include; services totaling to 4.7 billion dollars, remittances 4.7 billion dollars, grants 1.5 billion dollars, loans 2.7billion dollars and FDI 2.4billion dollars.
However the Government forecasts 3.9billion dollars in exports for the coming fiscal year which is a growth of more than 25 percent.
The analysis further forecasts 7 percent growth for import substitutions since the chunk of governments’ budget is in infrastructure. However, government expectation in import substitution this coming year is at 4.5 percent.
According to the research even if there is a shift in export destination China still remains the dominant origin of Ethiopia’s import. Around a quarter of Ethiopia’s total imports, are sourced from China, and the share is even larger if we are looking at just non-oil imports alone. Other leading sources of imports are India, Kuwait, US.
Imports of Capital Goods and Consumer Goods are nearly the same. Based on an end-use classification of imports, imports of capital goods and consumer goods were each nearly 4 billion birr last year and together accounted for 60 percent of total imports. Though both have shrunk relatively to the GDP, capital goods imports have shown a relatively sharper fall over the years from 11 percent of GDP five years ago (when overall investment was 39 percent of GDP) to just 4 percent of GDP last year (when the ratio was close to 34 percent of GDP).
Imports to GDP fell to just 12.8 percent of GDP last year, down from around 30 percent of GDP a decade ago. This decline relative to GDP continues to support country’s external adjustment, most notably by helping reduce the current account deficit, at 4 percent of GDP in 2019-20, the lowest level in eight years.
The steadfast generosity of Abay Bank
Abay bank which is celebrating its ten year anniversary has given more than 20 million birr to support different national activities in the country.
Abay, which is named after the nation’s primary river has also bought a five million Birr worth of bonds for the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
According to the bank, Abay has donated 2 million birr each to the biggest Ethiopian Cardiac Center for Children and to Amhara’s regional State Heritage preservation and Tourism Development Fund.
In the aid to support the response of the national disaster and risk management agency, the bank also made a one million contribution.
Following the Prime Minister call to join the “Dine for Nation” event, Abay has allocate 10 million birr to buy tickets to attend the gala dinner that will be hosted to raise funds for the rehabilitation of three tourist destination sites Located at Gorogora in Amhara Regional State, Wonchi in Oromia Regional State and Koisha in Southern Nations, Nationalities & People’s Regional State by the initiation of the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
On Thursday October 1, 2020 the bank has handed over the cheque for the representatives of the prestigious event.
At the onset of the bank’s come up, in July 2010 it started its operations with 174.5 million birr in capital, 128 million birr in paid up capital with 823 shareholders.
In the decade of Abay banks existence it has amassed over one million subscribers, 17.1 billion birr in deposits, 3.4 billion birr in capital and 22 billion birr in assets. Abay also provides 12 different service loans to it million plus customers. It recently introduced a new electro- payment solution called “The Uni-Cash system” integrated with the latest version of core banking.
According to Abay Bank the system will enable customers to make all kinds of payments including school fees with digital technologies.