Hotel De Leopol, which was under renovation for the last six months, may be taken over by an international brand. They are adding more rooms, a swimming pool and a meeting hall that accommodates up to 1,000 people.
It was opened ten years ago with 54 rooms and lies on 7,000sqm. Soon it will have another building which is eight stories high and have 68 more rooms.
When the hotel renovation is completed it will create jobs for 300 people. It will have three bars, two restaurants and a pastry shop.
Presidential suite rooms, an underground health center and new services are part of the renovation.
All rooms have suite bathrooms, mini-bar fridges, satellite TV, work stations and tea/coffee making facilities.
The hotel located on Jomo Kenyatta Road commonly known as Bambis Supermarket is currently negotiating with European brand hotels to manage the hotel.
“The hotel is not only closed for renovation but also to come up with new energy that fits the international standard and gives more satisfaction to our customers,’’ a source said.
“The new property will become one of the upscale international brands to operate in the capital. This gives us a tremendous opportunity to give good service in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa by itself is a key commercial and tourism hub for the country, with a real and growing requirement for upscale hotels,” the source added.
Hotel De Leopol was founded by Damenaw Siman and his family a decade ago who are also planning to invest in manufacturing and agriculture.
The hotel’s goal is to reach at least a four star level.
Currently there are 140 star rated hotels in Addis Ababa including Sheraton, Hilton, Golden Tulip, Radisson Blu, and Marriot Executive Apartment.
Hotel De Leopol looks for European management
Ethiopia says no to unilateral GERD talks with Egypt
Ethiopia said it would not negotiate about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) unless Sudan is included, as Egypt came up with a new proposal.
The Egyptian diplomatic chief met with his Ethiopian counterpart early this week to talk about economic cooperation and related agendas according to statements from officials of the two countries. In his address Sameh Shoukry, Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Egypt, said that he presented a proposal to facilitate negotiations on the GERD. “I have presented for my brother a different very simplified proposal,” he added.
“Egypt has recognized the importance of economic development to Ethiopia, but science should be the determining factor on how we manage this important issue,” Shoukry said.
An early November meeting of water ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan in Cairo ended, without reaching an agreement on the “inception report” put forth by the international consultant, BRL hired by the three countries to study the impact of the dam.
Ethiopia stated that GERD would not have a significant impact on the downstream countries. Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Ethiopia will never negotiate concerning the project unless Sudan is included. “This is an issue between three countries,” Workneh said.
During the latest meeting of the tripartite national technical committee, among the three countries, no agreement was reached concerning the initial study of international consultants.
The biggest ever hydro power project on the continent will generate 6,000MW.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is expected to visit Egypt in the coming months. The discussion between the two foreign ministers mainly focused on economic activity of Egyptian investors in Ethiopia.
Bleak situation for those displaced by conflict along the Somali/Oromia border
According to a Save the Children Situation report that came out in December, levels of humanitarian need are extremely high given that most displaced people from the armed conflict along the Somali/Oromia border, are already in drought affected zones.
According the over view of the report on the situation, displaced people live in approximately 100 sites in addition to those in host communities.
It also states that displaced people in many locations are frustrated that numerous assessments have been carried out without humanitarian assistance. “The government therefore urges humanitarian agencies not to carry out verification assessment exercises unless they can ensure humanitarian assistance follows immediately as the current coverage is very little and a vast majority of internally displaced people are not receiving assistance in the ongoing collective response,” it reads.
According to a recent multi agency team assessment looking at people internally displaced through the conflict. As assessment of humanitarian needs, vulnerability and potential risks clearly indicated the need for life-saving interventions for food security, emergency shelters, WASH, health, nutrition, education and child protection needs. The findings of the assessment also show that cumulative effects of the drought and conflict-induced displacement is adding further stress to food reserves and water sources.
Staring in September 2017, armed conflict broke out between ethnic Oromo and Somalia inhabitants along the Somali/Oromia regional border. Although no official statistics are available on the number of people dead or seriously injured on both sides, many women and children and elderly are believed to have been affected, Save the Children says. In many Kebele’s and villages that were attacked, houses were burned, assets and personal belongings looted, and community assets destroyed, including looting of schools, health centers and mill houses.
The recent report by Ethiopia’s National Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector estimated that 929,000 people; 600,000 in Oromia and 329,000 in Somalia, have been displaced due to the border conflict between the two ethnic groups that started in April 2017 and escalated in late September 2017.
According to the humanitarian agency, there are reportedly a significant number of malnourished children, pregnant girls due to child marriage, children with physical and mental disabilities, physical injuries, separated and unaccompanied children, and children with deteriorating physiological situations. Most of school age children of displaced communities are not attending school since there is no established emergency school at many of the displaced people sites.
ERA awards 1.8 billion birr in road projects to three contractors
The Ethiopian Roads Authority awarded three road projects to one local and two Chinese contactors to construct 99 km of asphalt concrete highways in Sodo, Woreta, and Dire Dawa at a cost of over 1.8 billion birr.
The agreements were signed by Araya Girmay, Director General of ERA and representatives of the three firms last Wednesday.
The first project was awarded to Chinese Rail Way Sevens Group to construct a 74.5 km road from Sodo to Denke. The 1.05 billion birr road should be finished in four years. It will be 19 meters wide and have six bridges. The construction cost of the road will be covered by African Development Bank and the Ethiopian government. A tender will soon be posted to find a consultant.
The road will pass through the villages of Sodo, Sawella, Gerrera, Yebish, Gasuba, Denke, Yeselam Ber and the Zones of Gamo Gofa.
The Woreta to Meklle project will be 5.3 km long and 30 meters wide. It was awarded to two indigenous contractors, Zeleul Yohannes and Bakora Trading. The 504.8 million birr project will take two years to complete. It is fully funded by the Ethiopian government. The consultancy work will be conducted by local firm, Pure Consulting Engineers Plc.
China Civil Engineering Construction won the other road contract at a price of 499 million birr to construct a 7.5 km road in nine months. The road goes from Melka Jebdu to Dire Dawa Industry park. It is 50 meters wide and has five bridges, a two meter wide bike lane and a 1.5 meter wide green area. The government is fully funding the project and is still looking for a consultant.
“Everybody understands how important roads are for transportation, investment, trade and connecting people, so we hope the roads will add value to our country by giving access to schools, businesses, hospitals and other vital services to people,” he said.
During the current fiscal year the Ethiopian Roads Authority awarded 12 projects to contractors.
