Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett decided to allow the immigration of 3,000 Jews from Ethiopia.
The decision came following a tumultuous Israeli government session, which saw accusations that the authorities were prioritizing immigrants from Ukraine over those coming from Ethiopia.
A spokesman said this would be a first step towards welcoming 10,000 migrants currently living in tents near Addis Ababa.
Bennett presented before the session a plan to accommodate several tens of thousands of immigrants from Ukraine and Russia, who were knocking on Israel’s door to escape the war. He pointed to strong criticism leveled at him and his colleague in the Yamina party leadership, Interior Minister, Ayelet Shaked, for refusing to grant temporary residence to thousands of people coming from these areas.
“Israel is part of the world, which is going through a difficult and terrifying period these days. We are managing this complex crisis sensitively, responsibly and by striving to extend a helping hand, as much as possible. We are preparing to absorb the new arrivals and the people who are eligible to come to the country according to the text of the Law of Return,” Bennett told the ministers.
(Asharq Al-Awsat)
Somalia, Ethiopia launch trade negotiations
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khalif Abdi Omar and his Ethiopian counterpart, State Minister of Trade, Denge Boru officially launched on Wednesday trade negotiations between the two countries.
The Ministers underscored the importance of the two countries strengthening cooperation and pledged to commence negotiation on cross-border trade agreement with a view to benefitting the people from both countries.
The two ministries also deliberated and agreed to negotiate and then sign a bilateral trade agreement that will bolster the regional integration efforts including COMESA and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Both Ministers also came to consensus of setting up a joint trade committee that will facilitate conditions to further strengthening the trade between the two countries and pinpointed priority activities that enhance connections between business personnel, the two countries and boost trade exchanges.
Somalia and Ethiopia have been enjoying good working relationships since the current regime came to power in 2017.
(All African)
Addis inks USD 29 mln deal with Chinese companies to upgrade public transports
Authorities in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, inked a deal worth USD 29.17 million with two Chinese companies to modernize the transport sector, the state-run Ethiopia Press Agency (EPA) reported.
The first agreement valued at USD 15 million will enable the Addis Ababa city government purchase 110 buses from China’s leading bus maker, Yutong, within eight months.
The city will also integrate digital systems in its public bus transport system among other upgrades at a cost of USD 14.17 million, according to details in the second agreement. The pact was signed between the Addis Ababa city administration and Chinese Hisense TransTech Co., Ltd.
The Ethiopian government is investing in the transport and logistics sector with a view to maintaining the country’s economic growth trajectory.
In a 10-year transport sector development plan for the construction of road and rail projects, the country hopes to build up to 1,600 kilometers of roads up from the current 301 kilometers, Road Infrastructure Planning Team Head at the Ethiopian Road Fund, Sadiya Beshir said on Monday.
(The East African)
Medical supplies ready for Tigray, but no permission given yet: WHO
Tedros Adhanom, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) told the press that the WHO and its partners have readied additional 95 metric tons of supplies to the war-torn, Tigray “but no permission has been given yet.”
“People are dying” due to the impact of war and other medical cases in Tigray, said Tewodros, adding, “There is no treatment for 46,000 people who need treatment for HIV, and the program has been abandoned. People with tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes and cancer are also not being treated, and may have died.”
“Yes, I am from Tigray, and this crisis affects me, my family & my friends very personally. But as the Director-General of WHO, I have a duty to protect & promote health wherever it is under threat,” added Tewodros.
Access to health services and medicine remains minimal, particularly in rural areas where lack of fuel has impacted the distribution of medicines.
(All African)
HORN IN BRIEF
1 soldier killed, 2 hurt in attack on AU forces in Somalia
One Ethiopian soldier was killed and two others were wounded in a bomb blast targeting peacekeeping forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Wednesday.
A landmine was planted near a well in Wajid, a town in southwestern Somalia, used frequently by Ethiopian soldiers deployed in the area, according to Adan Isak, a security official who spoke to Anadolu Agency over the phone.
“The explosion killed one soldier on the spot. The two that were injured have been taken to hospital,” he said.
The Ethiopian military and AMISOM are yet to comment on the attack, which has been claimed by the Al-Shabaab terrorist group. The Somali military has recently ramped up operations against al-Shabaab, which is affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
At least 60 al-Shabaab terrorists, including a senior operative, were killed in a military offensive in Somalia’s Hiran region, the army said on Tuesday.
(Anadolu Agency)
Ugandan Doctors, MPs unite against bid to jail the unvaccinated
In February, the Ugandan Parliament introduced a bill proposing to fine anyone refusing to take COVID-19 vaccines four million Ugandan shillings (USD 1,100) or sentence them to jail for six months.
The bill was the latest in a series of controversial moves taken by Uganda, which has imposed some of the world’s most stringent control measures since the beginning of the pandemic.
In January, the East African country fully reopened its economy after almost two years of anti-coronavirus measures, including restricting business operations, curfews and border closures.
It allowed 15 million pupils to return to schools that had been closed since March 2020, the longest such closure worldwide, and also rescinded nighttime curfew restrictions, which stopped boda-boda motorbike taxi drivers from working past 6pm.
In the days before the 2021 presidential elections, COVID-19 rules set by the government, restricted candidates’ interaction with voters. In November 2020, the main opposition candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician known as Bobi Wine, was arrested for campaigning in violation of the rules.
(Aljazeera)
World Bank approves Sh 87.5 billion aid to ongoing reforms in Kenya
The World Bank has approved Sh 87.5 billion (USD 750 million) Development Policy Operation, which will help strengthen fiscal sustainability through reforms that contribute to greater transparency and the fight against corruption.
The DPO is the second in a two-part series of development operations initiated in 2020 that provides low-cost budget financing, along with supports to key policy and institutional reforms.
World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Keith Hansen, lauded the government for maintaining the momentum to make critical reforms progress despite the disruption caused by the pandemic.
He noted that the World Bank will continue to support the efforts because they are positioning Kenya to sustain its strong economic growth performance and steering it towards inclusive and green development.
Hansen cited the shifting of public procurement to a new electronic platform, which by December 2023, will have five strategically selected ministries, departments, and agencies, procuring all goods and services through the platform.
In the infrastructure sector, measures will create a platform for investments in least-cost, clean power technologies, and enhance the legal and institutional setup for PPPs to attract more private investment.
(Capital FM)
4.3 bln Tsha set aside for improvement of Water Supply in Mbogwe
A total of Tsh 4.3 billion has been set aside in the current financial year to improve water supply services in Mbogwe district, Geitaregion.
Mbogwe Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) Manager, Engineer Rodrick Mbepera made the revelation over the weekend, during his visit at a water supply expansion project at Masumbwe town center.
“So far, for Mbogwe District, access to clean and safe water is at 55 percent equivalent to 14,500 out of 23,700 residents who are in need of the service,” Mbepera said.
According to him, out of the 4.3bnTsh, a sum of 1.2 billion Tsh is set to run the Kabanga-Nhomolwa water project in Nhomolw award, while 351 million Tsh is for completion of the Nanda village water project.
He further explained that the Iponya Ward water project is being implemented at a cost of 488 million Tsh and Lugunga-Luhalala villages water project is expected to be implemented costing over 1.1 billion Tsh.
About 200 million Tsh fund is set to implement a water project in Nyakafuru Ward, while the Kagera-Kanegere water project is run at a cost of 597 million Tsh, which is a Covid-19 fund.
(Tanzania Daily news)