The Special Envoys on Funding Consultations for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), made a day’s visit to Mogadishu, to discuss sustainable funding to peace operations in the Horn of Africa country.
Ramtane Lamamra and Jean-Marie Guehenno, the Special Envoys from the African Union and the United Nations respectively, emphasized a gradual shift of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, without a regression in the progress already made securing the country.
“It is very important that gradual shift from AMISOM to the Somali authorities happens in a way that doesn’t jeopardize all the efforts that have been made so far,” said UN Envoy Guehenno.
Mr. Guéhenno acknowledged the presence of a multiplicity of actors who are supporting security and peace building programmes in Somalia and highlighted their importance towards the achievement of sustainable peace.
“In the coming phase, the coordination between all these actors is more important than ever and it is of course a very sensitive issue,” he remarked.
The two Special Envoys met with the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, the Prime Minister H.E. Hassan Ali Khaire, the AU and UN Special Representatives for Somalia, Francisco Caetano Madeira and Michael Keating respectively, ambassadors from the Troop Contributing Countries to AMISOM, who are accredited to Somalia, and European Union officials.
Discussions with these teams focused on achieving a smooth transition of the security responsibility from AMISOM to the Somali security forces.
The Envoys’ assessment visit to Somalia is part of ongoing consultations on peace support operations for AMISOM, spearheaded by the African Union and the UN.
The AU Special Representative for Somalia Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira expressed concern that unpredictable funding to AMISOM, may have far reaching implications on Somalia.
“It is no longer an issue of charity. Supporting SNA or AMISOM is not charity at all. Success of security in Somalia, in all its aspects, is success for everything, including international business,” Madeira said.
Upon completion of their assessment, the Envoys will submit a report, which will inform decisions of the African Union Commission and the UN, on the level of funding and provision of logistical support to AMISOM.
In related news (AMISOM has started the biometric registration of the Darwish militia in Jubbaland state, preceding their integrating into the state’s security forces.
Over five-thousand members of the militia group will be registered in Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba regions. The biometric registration entails collection of key personal data including photographs and fingerprints of each member of the group.
“This is in line with AMISOM and UN programme aimed at developing the force into a police force in Jubbaland that will be mandated to keep law, order and security in the state,” Martin Abili, the AMISOM Police Coordinator in Kismayo explained.
Abili said the militia will be integrated either into the Jubbaland state’s police force, the paramilitary or the Somali National Army.
AU, UN Special Envoys on Funding Consultations for AMISOM make assessment visit to Somalia
Nearly half of Ethiopia’s farmland damaged by high acidity, salt
Acidity and high salt content have damaged 43 percent of Ethiopia’s farmland, according to a paper presented last week in Adama. It says 11 million hectares of it is considered to have a high salt content.
Poor irrigation and lack of awareness about using water and soil productively are two of the culprits, according to the paper.
According to the Agriculture Transformation Agency (ATA) the decline in soil fertility costs Ethiopia billions of birr in reduced wheat, barley, sorghum and maize yields. The impact of soil acidity on wheat and barley production alone is estimated to cost the country over 18 billion birr per year.
One thing that would really help reduce acidity is treating the soil with limes. Several researchers have undertaken significant multi-year studies that have varied lime application to measure the effects on productivity. Improvements ranging from 50 to 100pct in wheat, barley, teff, soybean and maize were reported under moderate to severe acidic soil conditions
According to the paper adding limes could increase cereal production to 4.6 tons per hectare from its current 1.1 tons per hectare. However, the price is daunting since treating just one hectare of land for acidity takes 2.6 tons of limes and just one quintal goes for 170 birr. Primarily for this reason limes are only being used at six local farms.
“We need to work on transporting limes more efficiently,” Dr. Kaba Urgesa, State Minister for Agricultural and Natural Resources, said
In the past six months 14,000 out of 26,000 hectares of acidic soil has been treated.
Soil runoff is another concern according to a staff from ATA.
“The soil in the highland areas has washed off and many important nutrients are missing so we must do something to save our soil.”
Dr. Kaba says the government is taking steps to alleviate the problem by importing crops from Amahara, Oromia, Somalia and Tigray.
He says fertilizer is being used on cereal crops along with potash on 49,406 hectares of soil and they have seen increased fertility.
Ethiopian soils are deficient in various essential nutrients like boron, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and zinc and copper, although severity differs from region to region. Some nutrients like iron are in a sufficient range in many parts of the country. However, nutrient availability to crops depends on numerous soil and crop factors such as: soil pH, organic matter content, soil texture, adsorptive surface, nutrient interactions in the soil, and crop varieties.
Business Chamber launches e-directory
In an attempt to modernize the way businesspeople communicate, the Ethiopian Chamber of Sectoral Associations (ECSA) has launched its first e-directory.
One of ECSA’s several missions is to make it easier to for businesspeople to network, especially in the manufacturing sector.
Now anyone in the world can access the e-directory, and hopes are this will attract new business partners.
“The e-directory was developed to promote business partnerships here and abroad by availing basic business information from the industrial sector in Ethiopia to everyone,” a representative of the Association stated.
“This will be an advantage for Ethiopia’s business community,” the association said.
“Now the speed information is made available determines the pace a country develops,” ECSA said in its statement.
The e-directory was made possible through financial assistance from the Ethiopian Competitiveness Facility and Cavalink Event and IT Solution PLC.
“Unlike printed directories, this product allows new member data entries, updating existing data, and a range of advertisement options for companies to display their products to international viewers,” Association officials explained at the launching event held on March 29 at Magnolia Hotel and Conference Center.
The electronic industrial directory is a mobile application downloadable from ECSA’s website (www.ethiocsa.net). It can also be downloaded by using ‘play store’ on Android phones.
Under the national sectoral association there are 27 sub sectoral and 11 regional sectoral associations included. ECSA is working to boost the manufacturing industry in line with the government’s policy.
Diamond Hotel opens in Bole
The 400 million birr, G+10 Diamond Hotel near Fantu Supermarket is set to open this May.
The 600sqm facility will have 50 rooms, including a presidential suite. The Hotel, which was a six year work in progress that was designed by Turkish engineers, is expected to employ 100 people. With two restaurants, a bar, gym, meeting rooms for 200 people, and 50 car parking Diamond is expected to be a four star hotel, according to the General Manager, Getahun Desalegn.
“All day, guests can enjoy a restaurant serving international and local cuisine, or a steak house that will calm any carnivorous craving. For a relaxing drink, guests have a choice between the stylish lobby café, a bar, business class lounge or pool terrace. Its strategic location is close to the Bole Airport, many embassies and international organizations.”
Even though the hotel will serve international cuisine there will be something for everyone.
“Our main target to give many options to our customers and we won’t forget our traditional foods. We will also offer many international drinks and liquors, he said.
In the past five years, on average one hotel has been built every month. Twenty years ago there were less than 10 standard hotels. Now there are over 160 hotels and many more international and brand hotels are in the pipeline.
