Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has returned home yesterday after concluding his three-day state visit to the East African country, Kenya.
Hailemariam was seen off by President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Following his visit, Ethiopia and Kenya signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), including an agreement to commence the construction of Ethiopia-Kenya oil pipeline by the end of 2016.
The two sides further agreed to work together on areas of mutual benefit and cooperate in immigration, trade and investments, civil aviation, energy, transport, environment, education, science and technology, housing and urban development and public service, among others.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn and President Uhuru Kenyatta also held discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual interest at bilateral, regional, continental and global levels.
Hailemariam invited Kenyatta for a state visit to Ethiopia in the context of the Second High Level Biennial Commission in the first half of 2018. (FBC)
Ministry, universities agree to cooperate on agro-processing parks dev’t
With a view to catalyzing the development of agro-processing parks in four regional states—a plan that is formulated by the government to be implemented in the near future—the Ministry of Industry has signed agreements with universities, technical and vocational education (TVET) agencies and education bureaus.
The ministry concluded the agreements with Bahir Dar University, Hawassa University, Axum University and Adama University as well as TVET agencies and industry bureaus of the Amhara Regional State, Oromia Regional State, Southern Regional State and Tigray Regional State.
Mebrahtu Meles (PhD), State Minister of Industry, said that the agreements help support the development of the parks with research, education, and training and in technology transfer.
Based on the agreements, the universities will feed the parks with skilled manpower, provide short term training for employees and generate new ideas.
The agro-processing parks to be established in four regional states are expected to create more than 400,000 jobs. (FBC)
ARMFA to open regional office in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia and the African Road Maintenance Fund Association (ARMFA) On Wednesday signed an agreement on the establishment of ARMFA’s regional office in Addis Ababa.
The agreement was signed by Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia and Rashid Mohammed, Representative of the African Road Maintenance Fund Association.
ARMFA is an association established for information, experience and knowledge sharing in the management and administration of road funds among 34 member countries.
On the occasion, State Minister Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie welcomed ARMFA’s proposal of opening a regional office in Addis Ababa, which he said would help the Ethiopian Roads Authority in areas of experience sharing and capacity building.
The State Minister also expressed Ethiopia’s commitment in executing and carrying out its promises in conformity with the relevant laws of the country and as per the provisions of the current agreement.
Rashid Mohammed on his part thanked the government of Ethiopia for the expression of will and support to the prospect of establishing ARMFA’s regional office. (MoFA)
Ethiopian begins Enugu-New York flights
Ethiopian Airlines will begin three-days-a-week flights from Enugu to New York in the US today to enhance business in the Southeast.
The airline’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde Gebremariam, announced this Thursday at the 70th anniversary of Ethiopian Airline in Enugu.
Tewolde said the airline would begin the thrice-a-week scheduled flights to New York-Newark from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 3 via Lomé, Togo, thereby connecting Enugu to New York.
The airline chief said Ethiopian Airline would deploy a modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route.
He said “For travellers flying out of Lagos through Lome to New York, the journey is about 12-hour flight as passengers will connect between New York-Newark and many cities throughout Africa.
“At Lomé, passengers will enjoy seamless connections to and from points in West Africa with ASKY, Ethiopian partner airline based in Lomé.
“Connections will be available to and from Abidjan, Bamako, Bissau, Brazzaville, Conakry, Dakar, Douala, Kinshasa, Lagos, Libreville, N’Djamena, Niamey, Ouagadougou, Yaoundé, among others. (The Nation)
