Ethiopia has welcomed the end of US economic sanctions that were imposed on Sudan for the past 20 years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
“It has long been apparent that these have caused unnecessary and considerable problems to the Sudanese people, limiting the country’s developmental progress,” said the statement that the Ministry has sent to ENA.
The removal will be welcomed both in the Sudan and in the region as a step that will support and encourage further regional development, it added.
“Sudan is more than a neighbor; we have a great deal in common with our strategic relationship built on close people-to-people relations,” the Ministry said.
“We have no doubt our relationship will benefit greatly from this decision as will the regional stability and development to which we are both committed; improvements for the Sudan will certainly benefit us all in the region,” the statement pointed out adding that Ethiopia would continue promoting cooperation in the region to overcome any challenges facing Sudan. (ENA)
Swiss re-start cooperation projects in Eritrea
Switzerland has resumed support for cooperation projects in Eritrea, having withdrawn from the east African country over ten years ago. Since the beginning of October, Switzerland has supported two vocational projects in Eritrea in a pilot phase scheduled to run until the end of 2019.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the foreign ministry office in charge of Switzerland’s international cooperation, was active in Eritrea from 1993 to 2006 and ran a cooperation office in the capital Asmara from 2001 to 2006, mainly for humanitarian operations.
The office was closed in 2006 because the conditions needed for the SDC to carry out its activities were not met, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
The first project, run by the private organization Swiss Support Committee for Eritrea (SUKE), supports a vocational school in the port city of Massawa. The school’s instructors are themselves employed in companies in the region. (swissinfo.ch and agencies/ts)
Somalia defense minister, army chief resigns
The Somali defense minister and army chief resigned Thursday afternoon, the country’s information minister said.
Abdirahman Omar Osman told reporters in a news conference in capital Mogadishu that Defense Minister Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed resigned during a Cabinet meeting.
“He resigned today for personal reasons and the Cabinet wishes him a successful future,” Osman said.
The Cabinet also appointed Gen. Abdiwali Jama Hussein, as the new Somali National Army Commander after former chief Gen. Ahmed Mohamed Irfid also resigned today, he added.
Local media reported that resignation of the top officials was related to recent attacks on Somali military bases in Gedo, lower Juba region and a raid by the U.S. and Somali government forces in Barrire village, lower Shabelle region.
The attacks claimed by Somali-based insurgent group al-Shabaab had resulted in dozens of deaths.
Mohamed, a former humanitarian worker and Bay region governor, is the first minister to resign in Prime Minister Hassan AliKhaire’s cabinet. (Anadolou)
Ten universities to enroll maiden batches
Ten newly built universities in different parts of the country are ready for the admission of 15, 000 new entrants by end of November, 2017, Ministry of Education disclosed.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald on Monday, New Universities Construction Project Office General Manager, Abebech Negash said: “By now, the 10 universities, but Kebridahar, whose construction started late, are at 92 per cent completion status, leaving the finishing job, and about 70 per cent of the contractors are in quest of handing over the projects.”
Though the projects were meant to be erected at an initial outlay of 2.4 billion Birr, it would incur additional cost on account of revised design, she indicated.
The ministry expects to see 100 per cent completion of the projects until October 20.
The ministry has already assigned presidents and vice presidents for the universities. Teaching and other staffs have recently been recruited in different campuses are now receiving trainings, she said. (Ethiopian Herald)
