Wag Development Association (WDA) said it has raised and extended 50 million Birr worth of support to Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
The Addis Ababa & Vicinities fundraising organizing committee head, Mitiku Beyene, noted that many of the IDPs to whom the support has been distributed to, are now sheltered in and the surroundings of Bahir Dar, Ebnat, Sehala and Dessie.
He also reminded that the law enforcement campaign against the TPLF Junta in the northern parts of the country has prevented farmers (in Wag) from planting food crops in the last major rainy season. (FBC)
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Deputy Premier says recent EU Resolution on Ethiopia biased, unacceptable
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen said the recent EU Resolution on Ethiopia is biased and unacceptable.
Demeke had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Anže Logar. He briefed Logar on the current situation in the Northern part of Ethiopia and the efforts being undertaken by the Ethiopian government to deliver humanitarian support to Tigray.
Demeke also explained in detail the attacks carried out by the terrorist TPLF in the Amhara and Afar Regions and how it destroyed the livelihood of civilians in the two regions.
He said the TPLF is diverting the more than 420 trucks that entered Tigray to deliver humanitarian aid for military purposes.
Demeke also briefed the Minister on the Ethiopian government’s rationale to expel the seven UN staff from the country. He said that the recent resolution by the EU Parliament was unacceptable since it is unjustified, biased and that it overlooked facts on the ground. (FBC)
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Ethiopian Airlines renews USD 110 mln deal with Sabre
Sabre leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, and Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier and the largest airline in Africa, have renewed their long-term strategic partnership for another seven years with a minimum commitment of USD 110 million.
Under the agreement, Ethiopian airlines will continue to use Sabre’s passenger service system, SabreSonic, enabling it to automate sales and service, helping it to maximize revenue opportunities and create efficient airport experiences for travelers.
Furthermore, Sabre’s Intelligence Exchange will help enhance the airline’s passenger experience through providing intelligent real-time insights to help make more informed business decisions.
Sabre’s robust travel platform and secure solutions provide the technology on which airlines, agencies and hoteliers rely. The company is committed to continue to accelerate innovation in the travel industry. (ET Statement)
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Economists advise government to address root causes of inflation
Government needs to seek research-based solutions to identify the root causes of inflation in the country and address them sustainably, economists suggested.
Ethiopian Economic Association Senior Researcher, Arega Shumate (PhD) told local media that the government needs to emphasize on research-based remedies to address the challenges of inflation.
“The government may review conditions from supply side, market chain, willingness and act of participants in the economic sectors of the country and structure of the economic sector,” Arega said.
Addis Ababa University Lecturer, Kostantinos Berhutesfa (PhD) told Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the government needs to adjust foreign currency allotment to curb the inflation. He explained that huge amount of foreign currency has been channeled to import construction materials and automobiles. (EPA)
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UN says Sudan, South Sudan ravaged by seasonal flooding
Seasonal flooding in Sudan and South Sudan has devastated whole communities, where homes have been destroyed and farmland and livelihoods washed away, the United Nations said.
The rains came early this year, beginning in South Sudan in late April instead of June. The buildup of massive amounts of rainwater has caused the Nile and Lol rivers and Sudd marshlands to overflow and flood large swathes of territory.
Jonglei, Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile are the worst affected states. The UN said nearly half a million people are suffering because of the floods.
Jens Laerke, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesman, said aid agencies are doing their best to provide emergency relief.
“Access is a major challenge though, with most of the flood-affected areas inaccessible by road, and the transport of aid by air is very costly. Some of the flood-affected counties are also affected by ongoing violence, which creates significant challenges for the people affected and the humanitarians who try to respond to their needs,” he said.
Laerke said aid agencies have delivered food, water purification tablets, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, mosquito nets and medical and other supplies, but resources are limited and must be replenished. (VOA)
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US-Kenya: Biden and Kenyatta talk trade, Covid & Ethiopia
US President Joe Biden greeted his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta in his first White House meeting with an African leader determined to usher in what he called “a new era of US cooperation with the African continent based on principles of mutual respect and equality.”
For the US president, the meeting was a chance to create goodwill and court a key strategic ally in the Horn of Africa. The US notably looks to Kenya to help fight the Al Shabab militant group and urge the warring parties in Tigray to end a conflict that is destabilizing the fragile region.
The meeting “demonstrates a new era of US partnership with Africa that is based on principles of mutual respect and equity, as laid out by President Biden in his address to the African Union summit,” a senior White House official told reporters ahead of the meeting.(The Africa Report)
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Ethiopia- electricity transmission line ready – Ketraco
The multi-billion Kenya-Ethiopia electricity transmission line is ready for commissioning, according to the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco).
The company downplayed the compensation issues involving a group of families in Naivasha adding that the tests on the Sh100B line had kicked off.
According to Ketraco, they were waiting for a valuation report from the National Land Commission (NLC) before compensating affected persons.
“We handed over our recommendation to the implementation committee in parliament and we are shocked that Ketraco which got the Sh8B compensation funds has not done its part,” he said.
“We were in Ethiopia last month and the Minister of Energy was complaining about failure by Kenya to complete its part of the project thus affecting planned evacuation of electricity,” he said.
On his part, Naivasha East MCA Stanley Karanja accused KETRACO of using unorthodox methods to take over the land from the peasant farmers.
“Some of the farmers have been arrested while demanding their rightful dues and currently the prices of land in this area have changed and hence the need for revaluation,” he said. (The Star)
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US to donate more than 17 mln J&J Covid-19 vaccines to AU
The US will donate more than 17 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to the African Union, President Joe Biden announced on Thursday.
Biden made the announcement when he met with President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya on Thursday afternoon at the White House.
The 17 million doses will be delivered to the African Union in the coming weeks, a senior administration official said.
This donation is in addition to the 50 million doses the US has already sent to the African Union. Kenyatta is the first African leader Biden has welcomed to the White House during his presidency.
The move is part of the President’s effort to reassert US leadership on the world stage and help countries around the world struggling with Covid-19 outbreaks combat the pandemic. It will also serve to counter efforts by Russia and China to use their own state-funded vaccines to expand their global influence. (CNN)
