The long serving governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia, Teklewold Atnafu and Yohannes Ayalew (PhD), deputy governor were celebrated for their achievements in an event organized by the central bank.
At the farewell ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, July 24 several former and current officials involved in the finance sector including Abraham Tekeste (PhD), Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation, Eyob Tekalgn, head of National Plan Commission, Yinager Dessie (PhD) governor of NBE, and Bekalu Zeleke, vice governor of NBE, former chief economist and chairman of central bank Neway Gebreab, attended the event.
The central bank awarded recognition for the outgoing long serving staffs, who are assigned on different positions by PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD).
Bidding farewell
Attorney General announces procedures of the amnesty
The office of the Federal Attorney General announced methods of applying to the Amnesty Proclamation approved by the parliament on June 28, 2018. The amnesty was granted to listed crimes by the proclamation and crimes which are committed until June 28.
The federal Attorney General, Brhanu Tesgaye, said the date was decided to last on June 28 believing that citizens were not able to exercise their rights without violating these provisions until the condition was stabilized few weeks back.
Individuals who are said to be involved with crimes listed by the Proclamation should apply to the Attorney General within the next six months.
Individuals with cases in different stages including those which are under investigation, in trial and those which get the judgment are subjects to the amnesty which its effect will extend to the total removal of criminal records of the individual.
The office mentioned that those who violate the provisions of the criminal code, anti-terrorism law and the two states of emergencies will be eligible of the amnesty if and only if the crimes are those which are listed in the proclamation. Brhanu also stressed that other convicts or suspects cases will remain under the normal procedures of the law and the government’s commitment to the rule of law will not be compromised. He quoted the different confusion among prisoners and the people as the government is planning to release all the prisoners as a misunderstanding. The Attorney General calls the public for its integrity for the obedience of the rule of law trough his one hour briefing to the press.
Crimes which are committed to exercise one’s democratic rights are selected by the proclamation to grant the amnesty.
The amnesty will not include returning of properties which are already commenced as the process will affect rights of a third party but persons whose cases are pending will get their property back.
Corruption and crimes which are listed by the constitution will not get the amnesty. Persons which are accused of Genocide, arbitrary killings and crimes committed on humanity will not be included in the amnesty.
“We are looking into corruption cases to decide if there are mistakes of defining corruption and if cases should be seen on administrative tribunals” said Brhanu. “We will not look into the motive of the charge, if they are politically motivated, and we will reveal the result for the people soon.”
The office will accept application in its head office, in Justice Bureau of regions, in its website, via telephone or via post. The individuals which are seeking the amnesty should fill the form in person or through their representatives.
Persons who didn’t apply within the coming six months will be considers as they waive the amnesty. The amnesty will be applicable in every regions and city administrations of the country.
China Merchant to redevelop Djibouti’s old port
China Merchants Group the mother company of China Merchant Holding, who bought 23.5 percent share on the Djibouti Port SA in 2013, stated that it would redevelop the oldest port in Djibouti.
The company that is undertaking massive logistics developments in collaboration with the Djibouti government finalized the biggest ever port facility at Doraleh, Doraleh MultiPurpose Port at the cost of close to USD 600 million last year. It has also lunched the 50 square kilometer giant free trade zone in collaboration with the government of Djibouti recently.
On the latest reports the company stated that it may shortly begin redevelopment of the old port, which is located at the downtown area of the country’s capital.
China Merchant, which is one of the logistics giant in the world, is considered as one of the major instrument for the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative that the Chinese government introduced few years back to smooth the economic integration between China and the rest of the world. Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya are some of the countries that are included under the initiative in Africa.
According to the plan of Djibouti Ports and Free Trade Zones Authority (DPFZA), which is a government body that over look the logistics and relative developments in Djibouti, the old port would be changed to modern business district like residential, office, shopping and recreation centre.
Djibouti is the major export/import outlet for Ethiopia for the last two decades that enable the country to expand its facilities aggressively that makes the country the highly developed logistics hub than others in the region. The country has also launched several additional port facility projects in different part of the coastal areas, which makes the country more competitive in terms of tariff and accessibility of developed facility.
Recently, Ethiopia and Eritrea revived their friendship after two decades of hostility. This may led Ethiopia to use the port facilities in Eritrea, while experts said that the ports needs massive upgrading to compete in terms of service and tariff.
On his visit to Djibouti PM Abiy tabled a joint port development with Djibouti that both have agreed on it. Currently the two countries are linked with the 759km electric railway that makes the logistics transport more easy and cheap. Ethiopia is also interested to develop in partnership with other regional countries.
Crown Plaza gets copy of ruling after 10 months
The newly appointed speaker of the House of Federation (HoF), Keriya Ibrahim, decided the handing over of the judgment which the house refuses to deliver for the past ten months. The four years trademark saga between Six Continents and Crown hotel were finally decided by the house in favor of the Six Continents, the subsidiary of Crown Plaza, on its September, 2017 session.
Mihretab Leul, lawyer of the Six Continents, appealed to the house for constitutional interpretation opposing the Supreme Court’s Cassation Bench decision. Even though the house interpreted the constitution in its favor, the judgment remains unexecuted as the legal department of the House refrains from handing over the judgment for the applicant.
The case started with the application for registration of Crown Plaza Brand to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) by Six Continents. The office initially rejected the application of the company stating that there is another same business registered with similar name in Ethiopia.
The oversees brand appeal to the tribunal of the office and get a favorable decision which causes an appeal for the Federal High Court by the owner of the local brand, Zewditu Mesfin. The Court affirms the decision of the tribunal which led the local Crown to apply for the Federal Supreme Court Cassation Bench.
The bench, which consists of five judges to look into Legal errors of lower court only, reverses the decision of the lower court stating that the co-existence of both Crown Hotel and Crown Plaza would create confusion in the mind of a reasonable customer.
Mihertab Leul, on behalf of Six Continents, applied to the Council Constructional Inquiry (CCI), to interpret the constitution.
Basing on the recommendation of the CCI, which consists of 10 legal experts, the house approved the recommendation of the experts which states the Cassation bench overpasses its power to resolve errors of law and deals with the factual errors itself. Also the house said that the bench should return the file back to the lower court for revision if it thinks there are irregularities rather than entertaining the irregularity itself.
Miheratab was making multiple requests to the house and the Legal department looking for the copy of the judgment. After the appointment of the new Speaker of the House, Keria, the lawyer of International Crown applied the delivery of the judgment.
The house finally handed over the judgment for the applicant following the Decision of the House.
