The United States and the National Elections Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday February 28, for a new USD 30.4 million program to support the upcoming national elections. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Sean Jones and NEBE Chairwoman Birtukan Midekssa jointly unveiled the new USAID Ethiopia Election and Political Processes Program, which will help strengthen the capacity of NEBE officials to organize, administer, and conduct free and fair elections.
Under the partnership, U.S. support will utilize technology and leverage the reach of the Ethiopian media to educate the public about elections, while ensuring greater transparency and promoting meaningful participation among all citizens in the political process-with a focus on women, youth, and other traditionally marginalized groups. USAID and its partners will also strengthen the capacity of Ethiopian civil society organizations and political parties to respond to the needs of all Ethiopians more effectively.
“These elections belong to the Ethiopian people, and we are proud to be welcomed as a partner in supporting free and fair elections, and ensuring that the voices of Ethiopians in every corner of the country are heard as this country continues its remarkable journey,” said USAID Ethiopia Mission Director Sean Jones.
The USAID Ethiopia Election and Political Processes Program is implemented by the Consortium for Election and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), which includes the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), Internews, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).
US to provide $30.4 million to support democratic elections
EU shows strong interest to back Africa’s green energy deal
The European Union shows a strong interest to back African green energy deal in the 10th EU- AU summit held at the African Union headquarter on Thursday February 27, 2020. This is announced by Frans Timmermans European Commissioner for green deal one of the 22European Commission delegation arrived in Addis at Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Ursulas Von der Leyen headed the delegation for the 10th AU-EU summit a partnership that started in 2005 between the two multilateral bodies.
“We come in the largest delegation ever to go abroad which shows a strong sign of interest that we have in Africa,” said Ursula von der Leyen in her opening speech of the meeting held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa on the same day. The talks include a number of issues including trade and security in the form of training, capabilities and surveillance.
Deepening of AU-EU partnership in the areas of peace and security, climate change; adaptation and mitigation, trade and investment, migration, among others were the main points of discussion during the day long discussion.
European Union is also keen to tap African Continental Free Trade Area agreement as EU is the largest investor and trading partner to Africa, according to the commissioner.
The European Commission head also pledged direct support to the African Union Commission and African countries for anti-terrorism efforts in Africa.
“I am pretty excited of the possibilities to cooperate among the issues important for the successful deal in Europe” said Frans Timmermans.
“Africa is the first continent electrified without coal or a very limited coal,” said commissioner Frans Timmermans adding that working in energy mix is vital.
It is just a good business to do with renewable energy; it is much cheaper, the natural conditions of African nations to exploit green energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydro as well also gave a huge advantage.
The state giant telecom monopoly announces massive reduction in broadband internet tariff
Ethio Telecom introduced discount rates for Broadband Internet service. Residential service users will get up to a 69 percent discount while VPN service users will enjoy up to 72 percent discount. Moreover enterprises will get a 65 percent discount.
Firehiwot Tamiru, CEO of the telecom monopoly said that the government would do its part to ensure access to the internet service.
The tariff changes are made to address questions that Ethio Telecom clients have been asking for many years.
The tariff cut off goes with upgrading the speed for all types of customers after ZTE upgraded the telecom infrastructure. ZTE has completed an expansion of its services at a cost of 748 million birr.
“The Internet service would increase three percent faster for businesses, four percent faster for companies” said Ephrem Arefayne, Chief Marketing Officer of the company.
As per the new tariff, the previous monthly subscription fee of 978 birr for 1mbps internet service now becomes 499 birr, while the 3,191 birr fee for the 4mbps internet service becomes 1099 birr.
The service and the payment will be effective from the month of March 2020.
Ethio Telecom is one of the most profitable national assets that are up for privatization. Despite opposition to it, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has announced plans to sell up to 49 percent of shares.
As the campaign for the upcoming general election is taking center stage of government activities, projects related to controversial economic decisions like that seem to be mute.
A number of African investors have expressed interest in investing in Ethio Telecom. Ethiopia’s state-owned telecom giant is said to have well over 60 million subscribers – mostly mobile phone users. Ethiopia has over 100 million people.
The marvelous human body Part 2
By Elias Abichacra (Phd)
In part 1, I made a general presentation of the Human Body. I explained the importance of the Vertebral column which should be given care permanently especially when we want to do exercises. In France where I took training to become a sport coach, the instructors insisted very much on the fragility of the human backbone, especially when we train youngsters who haven’t finished their growth yet and where the Skeleton is composed not only by bone, but by a certain amount of cartilage tissue which by nature is not as strong and resistant as the bone. An ill conceived training can easily tear the part of the bone where the muscle is attached. It is important not to perform heavy strength training with young children because of this problem that can provoke muscle pull out. Normally it is between the 18th and 20th year of age that bone growth is finished and solidified.
Frontal observation of a healthy backbone shows a straight line design but when observed laterally it has an S shape. These curves which are convex at the top of the structure then become concave and finally terminate with a convex profile allow the backbone to support much more pressure/weight than if it was a straight line (600 kg vs. 340 kg respectively!). Keeping this structure perpendicular to the ground needs permanent action of the muscles which are organized on the front and backside of this column reminding us the mast of a boat. The tension must be equal between the front and the back as well as the left and right part of this structure. Imbalance on one of these sides creates weakness and gradually discomfort and pain. Research results has showed us that the strength ratio between the abdominal muscles (ABS) located in the front of our body and the lower back muscles is 1:1 meaning that there is no difference of strength between these antagonist muscles. It is very important to keep the balance throughout your practice. Most of the coaches focus on the ABS and neglect the lower back muscles thus creating a dangerous imbalance which later provokes pain. Strengthening the back muscles is a good guarantee for health. If you are weak to perform pull-ups, which are excellent to strengthen most of the back muscles, then use the Lateral pull down machine. Whenever you train your Abs, you must also train you lower back muscles. I am always impressed with the strength of the back muscles of weight-lifters who are the athletes that have the strongest back in the sport kingdom. Our back is just like the chassis of a car; the more it is strong and rigid the more it can support load. If you carry weight on your shoulders make sure that there is an equal distribution on each side of the bar. If you train with single weights like dumbbells or Russian Kettle bells, work on the left and the right side equally. We shall see later on that a muscle has two contradictory properties which are elasticity and contractility. Strength training shortens the length of the muscles involved during the exercise. So whenever you practice for strength gain, finish with stretching exercises to help the muscles return to their original length. You will feel less awkward.
Man is the only creature of the Animal Kingdom to adopt an orthostatic posture. This physical attitude that defies gravity puts a lot of pressure on the muscles that keep this structure erect. But this victory has been achieved at the expense of health. We have the lonely and sad privilege to inherit back problems like lumbagos, sciatic nerve pinch, stiff neck and low back pain which are classified by researchers as the Lucy Syndrome and civilization diseases. Our modern life style hasn’t helped us solve the problem and on the contrary has aggravated it. Mattress and pillows, that were invented to give us comfort during our sleep, in fact have become the agents of pain! These civilization diseases are the ‘’privilege’’ of advanced societies and paradoxically the only developed nation that doesn’t encounter these problems is the Japanese society where the mattress used is rigid (Futon).
Our bones and especially our backbone are made to support a certain load. Whenever there is excessive load provoked by Obesity, then the structure is weakened and pain is the price we have to pay. It is very important to keep the physical integrity of this part of the body in order to avoid future health problems. When somebody gains weight by developing muscles through training, the bones of this person adapt and increase their mineral deposit that makes them stronger, increasing their capacity to support extra weight. The rise in bone density is the natural and correct answer to a well planned training. But when a person gains excessive weight through an accumulation of fat, which is a token of inactivity and unhealthy diet, muscles get weaker and can’t support the load. Many joint problems occur when fat overcomes and dominates the muscle proportion. Remember the car chassis! My recommendation is to take care of your weight especially as years go by.
Remember Health is Wealth!
You can contact the writer on this e-mail address: elias.abichacra@yahoo.com
