Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) said it has achieved 50 percent of the 123 million birr it has targeted to collect towards drought assistance effort currently underway in Ethiopia.
According to head of communication and resource mobilization with the society, Degsew Amanu, the organization has been able to collect around 60 million birr locally through donation, via serious of SMS fund-raisers and international donors.
Among local companies, so far Coca Cola Company has donated the highest amount in order of two million birr. Coca Cola made its donation officially on Thursday at in an event held at the National Palace.
President Mulatu Teshome, the patron of ERCS received the donation from the beverage maker.
ERCS officials said that the rest of the money is expected to be collected in the coming few month both from local sources and from international donors. Currently, 10.2 million people are in need of emergency food aid in Ethiopia due to drought conditions caused by El Niño. (Compiled by Yonas Abiye)
Office tables draft advertising policy for discussion
The Government Communication Affairs Office said it has drafted Public Advertising Management Policy which would be enriched by stakeholders.
The Office has organized a panel discussion for stakeholders yesterday with the theme: “Equitable and Accessible Public Advertisement for Media Development.”
Opening the discussion, state minister Workinesh Birru said that the practice of advertising in both private and public organizations is steadily growing.
The State Minister also said that advertisement in public institutions is practiced in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the country. So, the Office would exert its maximum effort to implement the advertisement management policy to address concerns of the public.
Public institutions should disseminate advertisement materials that safeguard peace and stability thereby contributing to the national development and democratization process and ensuring good governance through addressing problems of corruption and malpractices, she added.
Over the years, as Ethiopia enacted the advertising proclamation, illegal and immoral tendencies have been observed in public advertisement materials. Therefore, she said strict policy action is needed. (The Ethiopian Herald)
Prosecutor in Dubai drops charges on six Ethiopian meat exporters
Prosecutor in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has dropped all charges against six Ethiopian meat exporters over allegations that they had exported meat that did not meet the required quality standards.
The charges filed by Tareeq Al Huda Meat and Foodstuff, an importer based in UAE, alleged that the companies had made “not-up to-the standard” meat exports from Ethiopian during a period of six months.
The charges came at a time when the six Ethiopian meat exporters had been in Dubai to take part in the Gulf Food exhibition which was held from February 21-25, 2016.
Since their arrival, the six meat exporters were banned from leaving the country, while two of them had been detained for a couple of days.
The Ethiopian meat exporters maintained that the exports were made as per the terms and conditions of the agreement.
Given that the prosecutor had already dropped the charges, the six Ethiopian meat exporters are now free to leave the country. (MoFA)
EEP, Chinese Firm Sign USD 98 mln power transmission agreement
Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and a Chinese firm, TBEA Contractor Limited, have today signed a contract agreement amounting to USD 98 million for a power transmission project.
Engineer Azeb Asnake, CEO of EEP and Xue Fen, Deputy General Manager of TBEA Co. Ltd, signed the agreement here in Addis Ababa.
Accordingly, TBEA will handle the construction of Bole-Lemi and Kilinto Industry Zone power transmission project.
“This project is expected to satisfy the power demand of the industrial parks, condominium houses, real estates and other new demands around Koye Abo, Koye-Fitche, Kilinto and Bole Lemi areas of Addis Ababa,” said Engineer Azeb Asnake, CEO of EEP.
The contract has two packages: substations and transmission lines, she indicated.
Both projects are expected to be accomplished in 12 months with 85 per cent of the total project cost to be financed through a commercial loan from the Exim Bank of China and the balance will be covered by the Ethiopian government. (ENA)
Ethiopia signs Paris Climate Agreement
Ethiopia has joined 171 countries in signing the Paris Climate Agreement at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, US on Friday.
The Paris Agreement, adopted last December at COP21 in Paris by the 196 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, aims at limiting global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn signed the agreement at the event which attracted “by far the largest number of countries ever to sign an international agreement on a single day.”
“Today is an historic day,” the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at a press conference following the opening ceremony of the signing event, the UN News Center reported.
The Paris meeting held last December saw the election of Ethiopia as chair of Climate Vulnerable Forum for the period 2016- 2017.
The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification. (ENA)