Japan has extended USD 85,679 grant for the restoration of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) located at Ras Mekonnen Hall in the Addis Ababa University (AAU).
A grant contract was signed between Embassy of Japan and IES Director on Tuesday.
The Project for restoration of IES’s Ras Mekonnen Hall is located within the historic Genete Luel Palace (Paradise of Princes), built in 1930 and was the former residence of Emperor Haile Selassie.
The restoration project, while retaining cultural and historical values by repairing damaged parts, restores the interior parts and installs new equipment, it was learned.
Ambassador Matsunaga said on the occasion his desire to see this beautiful and historical heritage preserved and maintained.
He indicated that Japan will continue strengthening the bilateral relations and connection of AAU and Kyoto University in the academic areas.
AAU Vice President Jailu Umer, said the institute has been facilitating scholarly works on Ethiopia and also plays important role in conducting and promoting research in humanities and social sciences. (ENA)
Ethiopia gives permanent ID cards for foreign nationals
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced that Ethiopia has given permanent identity cards for 1,247 foreign nationals who consider themselves as Ethiopians.
Briefing journalists on Thursday, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Meles Alem, said the foreigners got the ID Cards as they have high sense of nationalism, devotion and love for Ethiopia.
So far, the country has provided ID Cards for 688 Bete-Israel, a community of Ethiopian Jews living in northern and northwestern part of the country.
Some 99 Rastafarians, a community, who live in Shashemene, 250 km from Addis Ababa in the Oromia Regional State, are also among the beneficiaries.
Despite their love for the country, the Rastafarians have not got a status of citizenship. This is the first time that members of this community have got recognition and own ID Cards.
Additional 460 foreign nationals, who have been engaging in huge investments in Ethiopia, are among the receivers of the ID card. They are from Greece, Italy and, Armenia. (MoFA)
ERA sign agreements for construction of over 16 bln birr road projects
The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) has signed agreements on Thursday, December 13, 2018, for the construction of ten road projects at a cost of 16.3 billion birr.
The projects, which involve upgrading of roads from gravel to asphalt, are scheduled to be completed within 2-4 years, it was indicated.
The 724.05 km road projects, which are part of the second phase of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II), were awarded to local and overseas contractors.
The road projects are Kelela-Akesta, Tenta-Wegeletena-Kurba, Gore-Masha-Tepi, Morka-Mencha, Edo-Seko-Werka, Lare-Nignag-Jikao, Adishehu-Dila-Samre, Dengoro-Gingi-Mekabila, Omorate-Omo-Kangaten and Jigjiga-Tuli-Lowanja-Dulad-Samkub-Harmokale
The cost for the construction of the projects will be covered by the Government of Ethiopia, except the Gore-Masha-Tepi road project.
The ceremony was signed between officials of the Ethiopian Roads Authority and representatives of each companies in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Authority.
The projects will contribute a lot in facilitating socio-economic benefits to the local communities when completed while boosting the economy in broad, it was noted. (FBC)
Ethiopia earns USD 28.4m from electricity export to Sudan, Djibouti
The state-owned power operator, the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), announced on Wednesday that the country has earned over USD 28.4 million from electricity export to Sudan and Djibouti over the past five months (June-October).
According to officials of EEP, from the total earnings, USD 17.5 million was obtained from export to eastern neighbor – Djibouti while the remaining revenue was earned from Sudan of the North western neighboring nation.
Ethiopia is currently working to promote regional integration through cross-border electricity interconnections.
It has concluded agreements with Somaliland, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan to create electricity interconnection.
Exchange of electricity between Ethiopia and Kenya is expected to commence once the construction of East Africa’s first high voltage direct current (HVDC) power line project is concluded in 2019.
The total cost of the project is estimated to reach USD one billion, with funding from Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
Ethiopia is endowed with a huge hydro power generation potential which is estimated at approximately 45,000 MW.
