Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) met with US Vice President Mike Pence in the White House on Friday July 27.
The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ longstanding partnership with the people of Ethiopia and applauded the historic reform efforts by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, including improving respect for human rights, reforming the business environment, and making peace with Eritrea.
The Prime Minister also held talks with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC.
The Premier had a productive discussion with Lagarde about IMF’s support for Ethiopians reform plan and priorities.
PM Abiy also officially graced the union of the two Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church (EORTC) Holy Synods which has been acting separately after the fall of Dereg regime before 27 years.
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhaedo Church-in-Exile based was lead by His Holiness Abune Merkorios, who goes to the USA after the fall of Durg. Also the home-based-church was led by His Holiness Abune Mathias after the death of His Holiness Abuna Paulos in August, 2012.
The tree year’s effort to reconcile the two churches failed at the beginning of this year. With the fresh efforts of the Prime Minister Abey a delegate sent to the USA to enhance the negotiation proper to the arrival of the delegate led By the PM.
The two Synods which were acting separately for so long agreed to work together and the Prime mister announces the union of the Synods as his first activity in the US.
A delegate led by Prime Minister Abey Ahmed arrived in the USA last Thursday. The team which consists of federal government officials also had the Oromiya Regional State’s president Lemma Megersa.
Lemma is going to have a meeting with the Ethiopians in Minnesota. Minnesota is a state where many Oromo Ethiopians are residing. He expressed his hope in the success of the tripe for while responding to the Voice of America at the Washington, DC – Dulles International Airport.
The Prime Minister also held talks with the World bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on Friday. The two discussed on various monetary issues including the risk of debt financing. The duo also discussed on the issues of human capital, sustainable debt financing and future of disruptive technology. Kim expressed the Groups’ readiness to provide a robust support to Ethiopia.
PM Abiy touring the US
CBE staff swears to strike if questions remain unsolved
The Workers Association of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) gathered last Saturday to negotiate with the Bank’s management about the ongoing disagreement over the new HR and Organizational structure applied.
Besides the Banks promise to fix the problems in the implementation of the new structural change the association called the official meeting to get a grant from the bank. Issues of revising the out dated salary adjustment and the respect of the collective agreement was raised in the meeting according to Haimanot Lemma, president of the Association.
“We will have a council meeting this month which is going to officially give a warning to the bank and which will decide the deadline for the response” he told Capital. “We will have a strike following the Labor Law of the country if the Bank failed to resolve the complaint with the time limit.”
The 50 years old workers association of the bank included every employee of the bank except those who are at the managerial level. The President mentioned that over 29,000 employees of the Bank are united with the questions raised.
The association also presents its questions to the office of the Prime minister at the beginning of this month, according to Haimanot.
The association was able to obtain the temporary ban of the reform which they are complaining to be implemented without salary listings.
The newly appointed Manager of the Bank who is referred as cooperative by the president was present at the meeting and promised the accelerated solution of the problem.
“We didn’t ask salary increment for the new structural change but it didn’t even include our previous salary” said Himont Lemma, the head of the association. “But, continuing with their previous salary wouldn’t be fair for the employees who are assigned to merged responsibilities”.
The current salary scale which was studied to serve for five years is expired according to Haimanot.
The 99 members of the council who represent the every region of the bank will official announce the deadline.
The 75 years giant has more than 50,000 employees currently with its 1,240 branches and half a trillion birr total asset.
Abraham Mebratu new Waliya-Ibex Boss
The former Finance Police, Ethiopia Bunna and Nyala FC head coach and later assistant to Ethiopian national team, Abraham Mebratu has been appointed the latest Ethiopian national team head coach. Abraham who hardly meets the minimum requirements signed a two year contract agreement and will be paid a 125,000 Birr monthly salary.
Though the federation announced earlier that five candidates were on the short list: (Jimma AbaJIfar head coach Gebremedin Haile, Wubetu Abate, Mekelakya head coach Seyoum Kebede, Welwalo boss Tsegaye Kidane Mariam and Yamani Olympic team manager Abraham Mebratu,) sources disclosed that none of the applicants submitted their resumes. The Technical team led by Ato Sewnet Bishaw simply called for Seyoum who claimed being under contract while by passing Gebremedin and Tsegaye. With Seyoum claiming to be under contract, the committee voted 6 to 5 in favor while Wubetu became the second alternate.
With a CAF Instructor license under his belt and huge achievements in war torn Yemen football, Abraham has never played football even at the lowest level plus never served as coach for ten years on Premier or Super League teams. “Winning titles or serving long years as coach of Premier League teams is not worse parameters to appoint a national team coach,” Sewnet who navigated four teams in to relegation yet was appointed boss to Waliyas to steer them to the African nations Cup final after three decades told reporters in a press conference.
Abraham, who assumed the hot seat after nine months since Ashenafi Bekele’s resignation, takes over Ethiopia that kicked-off AFCON qualification campaign with a shocking 5-0 away defeat to Ghana and will face Sierra Leone in a month followed by a home and away double fixture against Kenya in November.
Boss Gebremedin makes history as 2018 EPL Champion
Disregarded by Sewnet Bishaw and Company from the Ethiopian National Team Boss candidacy, Gebremedin Haile steered Jimma AbaJifar to the Premier League Championship title in the club’s first ever top tier season. Nobody is likely to be close to him when it comes to Coach of the Year voting. .
When he earned just five points from the first six matches the speculation was that Gebremedin would be sacked, even before the end of the first round. The 2-1 home victory in December over strong side Ethiopia Bunna was the turning point and since then it only lost two matches both away to Hawassa and Saint George.
The record shows AbaJifar was the most consistent team in the league this season. Their defensive line was strong, it conceded the lowest number of goals (15) and it had a devastating strike force that scored the second highest total, 39 one less than the defending champions. This is amazing and the architect is no other than the former Ethiopian national team and Saint George striker Gebremedin Haile.
According to critics Gebremedin’s smartest move was that of signing capable foreign players in the team’s three departments. A goalie from Ghana: Daniel Agyei, a central defender from Mali: Adama Sisoco and goal machine Nigerian Okikiola fired a new record for a foreign player of 23 goals.
