The first joint venture ethanol project between the Sugar Corporation and Eugen Schmitt, a German firm is expected to become a reality in the near future after the establishment of a share company.
The two bodies agreed last May about the general concept of forming the JV company at Wonji Shoa, 110km south east of Addis Ababa to produce ethanol.
According to Gashaw Aycheluhem, Public Relations head of the Corporation, the formation of the share company is ongoing, while the two sides have agreed to produce ethanol at the historical sugar production area of Wonji.
He said that the agreement signed between the two sides in May 2017 has been ratified by the Corporation′s Board of Management and Ministry of Public Enterprises, which is the green light for the realization of the company.
The company’s investment capital will be USD 51 million.
“The corporation has several kinds of investments like roads and electricity between the sugar factory to the main road. We are also source of the inputs, molasses, water and land,” Gashaw told Capital.
According to the deal the Ethiopian public enterprise would hold a 14 percent share in the company and the veteran ethanol producer from Germany will hold 83 percent of the shares.
Three other people each have one percent of the shares at the ethanol company, called Wonji Ethanol Technology SC.
“In the future the Ethiopian shares will be increased to 20 percent,” Gashaw explained.
According the Public Relations Head, the final process including the settled the paid up capital is the remaining issue to commence the project.
“Currently the German company which has over 50 years of experience in sector is producing the manufacturing equipment for the new ethanol plant in Ethiopia,” he added.
Currently, only Metehara and Fincha sugar factories are producing ethanol, which is blended with benzene up to ten percent, while the percentage might be reduced to 5 percent when the sugar factories suspend their sugar production.
The upcoming project at Wonji will take place in two phases. During the first phase 30,000 liter ethanol per day will be produced then the amount will double when the second phase is finalized.
The government has been looking to invest in the ethanol and sugar sector on a JV basis. It has been stated that Chinese companies like COMPLANT, which constructed three sugar factories in Ethiopia, are in the process of invest with the government in ethanol sector.
The Ethiopian Minerals, Petroleum and Bio Fuel Development Corporation and Sugar Corporation, both public enterprise, have also announced that they will establish a 1.1 billion birr ethanol industry to produce 50,000 liters of ethanol per day. The JV of the two enterprises will be established at Omo Kuraz III, sugar factory constructed by COMPLANT, which is expected to commence trial test before the end of this budget year.
Ethiopian Ethanol production closer to realty
Hope makes a comeback
The coming of Abiy Ahmed (PhD) as Prime Minister of Ethiopia has brought new hope that the political arena and bureaucracy will be reformed although some remain skeptical about the future. Abiy, one of the youngest leaders in the recent Ethiopian history after Mengistu Hailemariam and Meles Zenawi, has received extraordinary and wide spread acceptance from the general public and the Diaspora. After his inauguration on April 2 he has become the most hotly discussed topic on social media and in public squares throughout the country.
Most of the hopeful thoughts from citizens have been centered on his speech to the parliament during his swearing in ceremony. Significant numbers of Ethiopians have posted quotations from his speech, where he mainly focused on national unity and future cooperation between citizens. He has apologized for the incidents in the near past. “I ask a forgiveness from the bottom of my heart for the many advocates of freedom and justice and politicians and the many change-seeking youth whose lives were cut short before they were able to enjoy and have fun during the prime of their lives and for the many individuals and families who were exposed to both psychological and bodily trauma during the previous years,” Abiy said.
“The wisdom taught us by our Ethiopianess is not to be overcome by temporary obstacles but rather to change the trials we face into opportunities and desirable accidents and achieve victory. Yesterday, our forefathers, broke their bones in Metema, Adwa, Maichew, and KarraaMarra and shed their precious blood to preserve and bequeath to us a country that has been able to keep its independence and pride,” he said during his 40 min speech at the parliament.
Individuals saw his speech as progressive and unprecedented. Experts said that his speech had a power that would bring all Ethiopians and political parties together to work for change.
However the others express their concern that he will have difficulty exercising his power independently since the ruling party’s leadership style is collective.
Now the eyes of the citizens are on the new PM’s future moves hoping he will be able to realize the expected changes in the country and allow the democratic rights stated in the constitution to be implemented and resolve disputes between some regions.
Castel’s 2017 Chardonnay Prestige wins silver medal in Lyon
Castel Winery’s 2017 Chardonnay Prestige won a silver medal at the 2018 edition of the Lyon International Competition. This year, the world renowned event had 6,860 samples from 39 countries, tasted and awarded medals including Castel’s 2017 Chardonnay.
International tasters from all sectors including oenologists, sommeliers, restaurateurs, producers, wine shop owners, as well as knowledgeable consumers, have made this competition an important event.
The Lyon International Competition is a ‘viticultural’ competition; viticulture is the science, production, and study of grapes. It deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard.
The ‘viticultural’ competitions are currently very popular in Europe because they allow the consumer to make their choice more quickly thanks to the medal on the bottles. Lyon, the city dubbed the ‘capital of taste’ has held this competition for many years.
“This 2018 edition was chaired by Japanese star chef Tsuyoshi Arai. We received the results and it happens that the 2017 Chardonnay Prestige has been awarded the silver medal. It is an honour for Ethiopia, for Castel Winery. Still aware of the improvements we can make we now have the certainty that there is significant wine quality potential in Ethiopia,” Castel Winery said in a statement.
Castel Winery currently produces 1.4 million bottles on 170 hectares of land, although it has the capacity to produce on 400 hectares of land. With 700 employees, Castel has been able to successfully introduce Ethiopia as a wine producing country.
The winery is located in the town of Ziway. It is a lake town with an elevation of around 1600 meters above sea level, with a sub-humid to sub- arid climate, a Sandy Loam type of soil variety, mean annual precipitation of 650 to 700 mm and its all year average temperature of 25 degrees centigrade is deemed suitable for the grape varieties imported directly from France.
Local, Federal Tourism Bureaus at loggerheads over historical home lease
Gallery owner spent millions in renovation before being unceremoniously kicked out
Five years ago the Lideta Culture and Tourism Bureau (LCTB) agreed to lease a historical home to St. George Art Gallery for 50 years. After the agreement, Selmawit Alene, who owns St. George Gallery, invested five million birr to renovate the registered historical landmark.
However, last year LCTB closed the house, saying that a ‘technical mistake’ was made and the house would be leased to another person.
The 372sqm, 107 year old, wood and brick, Mussei Boghossian House is located in Golla Park and was built by Armenians during the reign of Menilik II. It has 19 rooms, 31 doors and 22 windows. Previously it was used as a Keble office and youth center.
In response, the federal government stepped in; ordering the Addis Ababa Cultural and Tourism Bureau (AACTB) to allow St. George Art Gallery to use the house.
Remedan Ashenafi, State Minister of the Cultural and Tourism Bureau said, “we are aware, based on a report from the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage that Selmawit Alene has done a good job in renovating the house so we are asking AACTB to return the house to Selamawit so she can use it for the art gallery.”
However AACTB has not responded. Capital asked AACTB why the house was not returned to St. George Gallery despite the federal government’s order.
Dereje Seyoum, Heritage Officer at AACTB said that they are organizing a committee to look into the issue.
“We are investigating the case and we are addressing the issue and soon we will announce our decision,’’ he said.
Selmawit says AACTB is bending justice by denying her a place she acquired legally.
“I did not conquer the place, they approved my request to renovate the house and create a business there. The letter from the woreda office suspending our lease agreement came after I spent a lot of time and money renovating the place. So my question is why would they allow me to do all this work if they though the house should not be given to a third person.”
Selamawit currently has another art gallery near the Sheraton Addis Hotel.
