Addis Ababa City Cup 14th edition kicks off the coming Saturday bringing together eight teams in to two groups.
Saint George, Ethiopia Coffee, Mekelakeya and Ethio-Electric are the four teams from the Capital while Baherdar Town, Sebeta Town, Welwalo-Adigrat and Wolkite-Town are the invited guests.
The group draw took place on Thursday at the presence of Addis Ababa mayor Engineer….who is said to have played a major role in the city’s sport development.
Group one brings record five times champions Saint George, relegated Mekelakeya, visitors Baherdar Town and newly promoted to the top tier from Debub region Wolkite Town.
When the group (A) opening match takes place on Friday
at Abebe Bikila stadium last year city cup finalist and under newly appointed Coach Seyoum Kebede clashes against Wolkite under new boss Degarege. In the day’s second match title favorite Saint George takes on old rival Mekelakeya. Saint George is the only side with a foreign Coach from Serbia while Mekelakeya is under Zelalem. Group (B) considered the death group opening match brings together Super League side and trice former City Cup champions Electric versus visitors Welwalo. Signing more than a dozen footballers including four foreigners Coach Yohanes Sahle is expected to become one of the strongest sides of the group.
Ethiopia Coffee under much talked about Coach Kassaye Arege is to be tested by fire when it entertains Sebeta Town under highly regarded Coach Wubetu Abate. Ethiopia Coffee is the only team decided not to employ foreign players in the league season
Determined to build an impressive squad capable of rattling the heavyweights, Sebeta boasts number of renowned veteran footballers that go along with four foreigners.
The two-week event is expected to turn out the biggest Addis Ababa City Cup tournament ever.
14th Addis Ababa City Cup opens on Friday: Baherdar Vs Wolkite
Health Ministry, partners renew commitment to end polio
To mark World Polio Day 2019 the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Rotary International came together to jointly reaffirm their commitment in the fight against polio, ‘that no child anywhere in the world suffers from this completely preventable disease’.
World Polio Day commemoration was organized on October 24th by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) together with Polio Eradication Initiative partners and allies for the 7th time in Ethiopia, under the theme ‘Let’s sustain the gain to End Polio Now.’
At the event, State Minister of Health, Dr. Lia Tadesse said that the government has been working with partners to free the country from polio. “We want everyone to become fully covered with vaccinations, and we are using consecutive campaigns and surveillance systems to increase our immunization coverage. What matters is not only the coverage but the quality as well,” she said. “The government is working hard to sustain the achievements in polio virus eradication not only from Ethiopia but from the region as well.” 
WHO’s Representative, Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo on his part, congratulating the FMoH for the successful maintenance of Polio Free status for almost six years, said the day is celebrated “acknowledging what we have achieved so far towards eradicating polio and pledging for tomorrow.” To end Polio for good in the horn of Africa we must take bold steps to addressing the challenges of reaching every child trough routine immunization. Eradicating polio is everyone’s responsibility, he noted.
However, the current reduction in funding is very much affecting health projects, noted Dr. Filimona Bisrat, Representative of Core Group on his key note address. “We need to come together as one with our partners and allies and work in areas especially where surveillance and vaccinations are weak. This huge cut has affected projects we had in the pipeline, but Core Group will use all the resources it has to support and assist all it can to eradicate polio from the world, ” he said.
Dr. Rajeev Gera, lauded Ethiopia’s polio free status on behalf of UNICEF’s representative, saying that effective immunization and strong partnerships are the core tools needed for this achievement “And this is the result of strong and effective leadership. The government of Ethiopia has effectively responded to polio outbreaks and ongoing solid eradication efforts.”
However, our continuous dedication is required given that Ethiopia is still considered a medium risk country for the importation of polio virus. Beside leading the two pillars within this partnership, which are; procurement, communication and social mobilization UNICEF is equally committed to supporting and strengthening routine immunization to sustain the gains we have made this far,” he noted. 
National Polio Plus Committee Chair Rtn Teguest Yilma on her part, expressed gratitude for the firm commitment of Ethiopia in polio eradication and called upon the government to sustain its achievements. “Rotary International has been working with the government of Ethiopia to make the country free from polio, and is committed to continue supporting Ethiopia’s Polio eradication efforts until Polio is completely eliminated from the world.”
“We have come a long way in the fight against Polio,” she said. Today there are less than 200 cases of polio reported globally, and are mainly in the last two Polio endemic countries Afghanistan and Pakistan,” she said, a great achievement in the fight against polio considering that 30 years ago when Rotary announced its Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) there were 350,000 cases in the world.
On world Polio day, Rotary and its GPEI partners announced that wild polio virus type 3 has been eradicated worldwide. Following smallpox and wild polio virus type 2, this is the only third infectious human disease to be eradicated from the world.
Ethiopia joined the GPEI in 1996, which was set up in 1988.
The event was held at Qusqwam Entoto Polio Eradication Initiative Park in the presence of Rotary Country Chair Mulu Tenashewa, members of rotary clubs of Ethiopia, rotractors and members of the surrounding community.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s new book ‘Medemer’ (synergy)
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s new book ‘Medemer’ (synergy) is released at the Millennium Hall with over 8000 Ethiopians from all parts of the country in attendance. Moreover, the book was also launched in over 30 other cities nationwide. 
The book is said to be the future political manifesto of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the government by replacing ‘Revolutionary Democracy’ if it wins the coming year’s election.
In the past couple of weeks, the content of the book has been presented by officials from the Office of the Prime Minister to regional allies, elites, opposition parties and the media.
The 278 page book is published in Amharic, Affan Oromo and English.
One million copies of the book were printed in China for free, according to sources.
Proceeds from the 300 birr book will go to building schools across the country.
Abiy’s catchword “Medemer” has brought about diverse interest groups from home and abroad.
Exhibitors take off during book launch
Thirty international companies from 10 countries who were expected to showcase products and technology at the Millennium Hall were forced to make way for the Prime Minster’s book launch.
The Hall had been booked a year ago for the fifth edition of the Livestock Exhibition, through Addis Park for the expo organized by Parana Events and a Sudanese Expo Team for Service.com Ltd. 
However, a loophole in the contract which mandates that the hall be vacated for an ‘urgent affair’, allowed the Addis Park managers to tell organizers to leave the hall because it was needed for the inauguration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s new book ‘Medemer’ (synergy).
The exhibitors had planned to showcase for three consecutive days but instead they were forced to relocate to Kolfe Kerano Subcity, inside the premises of MIDROC Ethiopia’s compound called Keranio Plaza.
“International Expos like this would not be hindered in the rest of the world unless there was a declared state of emergency. It really hurts Ethiopia’s Business tourism industry,” said Nebyu Lemma, Managing Director of Prana Events.
However, PM Abiy during the book launch acknowledge the mistake and apologized officially to the organizers.
Prana Events hosts around 5 international expos annually.
“International exhibitors are disappointed and have left the country despite attempts to relocate them,” the manager said.
According to him, they tried to work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry as well as the Ministry of Agriculture but their complaints fell on deaf ears as a result he fears many of these global companies will be reluctant to return to Ethiopia next year.
The Expo at the Hall was only open for one day, Thursday October 17, and closed at 6pm.
Nebyu said that US companies were particularly frustrated and that this hurts the country’s image.
Capital learned that the ceremony at Millennium Hall is organized by the Addis Ababa City Administration.
More than 100 companies from 10 countries including Netherlands, Sudan, China Germany, India and USA attended the event along with local companies. It features all kinds of agricultural products including unique animal feed.
