The US Embassy in Addis Ababa and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) in collaboration with the Oromia Broadcasting Network (OBN) last week organized a one week training for local media professionals on newsroom management and on how to effectively manage newsrooms in conflict and post-conflict environments at the headquarters of OBN in Adama town.

The European Investment Bank president, Werner Hoyer, has been an advocate for Ethiopia’s reforms of late. The former German politician has been in Ethiopia, most recently during the gathering of the African Union.

Felix Horn is a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, particularly concerning Ethiopia and Eritrea. For years, Felix has been dealing with reporting and documenting issues of human rights in Ethiopia.

Adamou Labara is the Country Manager of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (WBG),covering Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia,based in Addis Ababa since April 2011.

Biruk Hailu is the co-founder and CEO of 360Ground, creators of the newly launched Meda Chat. The app is a multi-purpose messaging, mobile banking& social gaming platform.

Tesfaye Hailemichael is the Managing Director of Cornerstone Advisory Services Plc and the former board chairman of East Africa Tiger Brands.

AMREF health Africa is a noted non-governmental organization that has been operational in a number of nations, including in Ethiopia.

James Maskalyk (MD) is a noted Canadian doctor and author of a new book titled, “Life on the Ground Floor”, which is to be translated in Amharic.

Geoffrey Dennis is the Chief Executive of SPANA (The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad). He has had a long career with the Red Cross and been stationed in nations such Somalia, North Korea, Indonesia, notably in the midst of the 2004 tsunami and the former Yugoslavia.

Gedion G. Jalata is one of the few researchers who have broadly studied Chia and its political and economic relations with African countries.