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TheMonthlyPublicationfromtheEthiopianEmbassyinLondon
Ethiopian News Spring2019
Inside this issue
BuildingaBridgeforPeaceandUnitywiththeEthiopiancommunityintheUK………...2AmbassadorFessehaassumesdutiesintheUnitedKingdom………..………..………..…………8Scottishphotographer’sEthiopiaphotosshortlistedfortopPhotographyAward……...10TheworldunitesinmourningvictimsofEthiopianAirlinesFlightET302………..………..12UNrefugeeagencypraisesEthiopia’sinnovativeapproachtorefugees………..………..…..15EthiopiaReceivesUniversalHealthCoverageMinisterialChampionshipAward……….17NorthernPowerhousemissionexploresbusinessopportunitiesinEthiopia………..……18EthiopiarecordsbiggestgrowthinWorldTravelandTourism………..………..………..……..21EthiopiansshineatBirminghamIndoorAthletics………..………..………..………..………..……..23
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@EthioEmbassyUK
Ethiopians celebrate historic return of Emperor Tewodros’
Hair
CultureMinisterurgesMuseumstoreturnallMaqdalaartefactstoEthiopia
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Ethiopian News
In his first significant public engagement
sincearrivingintheUnitedKingdomtotakeuphisnewpost,AmbassadorFessehaShaweladdressedoverathousandmembersoftheEthiopiancommunityinLondonon16thMarchatanopendiasporaforumatthe
Embassy. Held under the theme, “Building aBridge forPeaceandUnity”,
theForumhonouredthePrimeMinister’scall forEthiopiansacross theworld
to come together and reject division,
infavourofunity.Toassistthisprocess,thePMurgedEthiopia’s most
senior diplomats to reorient thefocus of their activities towards a
more people-centreddiplomacy.TheAmbassador, in the spirit of peace,
unity andforgiveness, began his remarks by offering
hisapologiesonbehalfoftheGovernmentofEthiopia,and diplomats and
staff, for any unjust treatment
members of the diaspora had experienced in thepast, caused
knowingly or unknowingly, byindividual or institutional practices
within theEmbassy.Heapplaudedthecommunity inLondonforbeingsome of
the most enthusiastic supporters of
thereformprocesstodate,hopedtheywouldcontinueto play as significant
a role going forward
andassuredthemthatheandhisteamwouldbeattheirdisposalgoingforward.WithaviewtorealisingthePrimeMinister’svisionofademocratic,justandprosperoussociety,wherehumanrightsarefullyrespectedandtheruleoflawis
upheld, the Ambassador noted a number ofreform successes including:
a commitment toholding free and fair elections in 2020; the
Building a Bridge for Peace and Unity with the Ethiopian
community in the UK
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3 Spring 2019
unconditional release of political prisoners
andjournalists;theopeninvitationtopreviouslyexiledpoliticalparties,organisationsandtheirsupporterstoreturnhometoplayanactiveroleinthecountry’sdevelopment;
the end of the Ethio-Eritreastalemate, reestablishment of friendly
diplomaticrelations and the resultant peace dividendthroughout the
region; the selection of a
gender-equalcabinetandtheappointmentofwomentothePresidency,asChiefoftheJudiciaryandasChairofthe
Electoral Board; and the advancement of thepolitical philosophy of
“Medemer”, in
English“comingtogether”,whichhasseenthepublicunitebehindthereforms.TheAmbassadoracknowledgedcurrentchallengesin
ensuring the rule of law,
unresolvedadministrativeboundaryissues,displacement,anti-change
agents working against the reforms andcorruption and lack of good
governance. But heexpressed his belief that with the
activeengagement and collaboration of Ethiopians athome and abroad,
these challenges would beovercome.Ambassador Fesseha announced a
number of keyreformsthatwouldimproveservicedeliverywithinthe
Embassy before highlighting the
Embassy’sstrategicplansandprioritiesfortheupcomingyear.H.E.
concludedby opening the floor for questionsand comments, and a
wide-ranging discussionensued on what role the Diaspora could play
insupportofthechangesunderwayinEthiopia.Since the Forum, Ethiopians
in the UK haveresponded to theAmbassador’scall, enriching
theEmbassy with their ideas and experience
byengagingtheEmbassyinanumberofinitiatives.Tomentiona few:
theholdingofaspecialexhibition,“Remembering Adwa”; a series of
meetings toestablishaDiasporaPeaceandUnityCoordinatingCommunity;
the recognition of Ethiopianrestaurateurs as Cultural Ambassadors
by H.E DrHirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture, Tourism andSport;
fundraising initiatives for the EthiopianDiaspora Trust Fund, the
Tossa and Reppicommunities; and Ethiopians4Ethiopians,
aplatformtodiscussthementalhealthchallengesintheEthiopiancommunity.
Diaspora Agency Launched The Ethiopian Diaspora Agency was
officiallylaunchedon1stMarch,withtheaimofcreatinganenablingenvironmentfortheDiasporatomaximizeknowledgeandskillstransferandpromotingtradeandinvestment.
Her ExcellencyMrs. Hirut Zemene, StateMinisterfor Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and other highofficials, artists, members of the
diaspora,
andpartnerorganisationsattendedthelauncheventinAddisAbaba.
Special attention will be given to efficient
datamanagementinordertoidentifytheexactnumberof Ethiopian Diaspora
in the world and thecountrieswheretheylive.
DIASPORA CORNER
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Ethiopian News
TheAgencywillensuretheprotectionoftherightsand dignity of
Ethiopians in the Diaspora andprovide the right tools, so the
Diaspora activelyengagesinthecountry’sdevelopmentendeavours.The
agencywill be accountable to theMinistry ofForeign Affairs and
manage its own budget
andfinancialactivities.Forfurtherinformation,pleasevisitthewebsiteat:www.ethiopiandiasporaagency.org
and followthemonFacebookandTwitter(@DiasporaAgency).
Enat Bank and Bank of Abyssinia partner with WorldRemit for
digital
money transfers to Ethiopia
EnatBankandBankofAbyssiniahavejoinedforceswith leading digital
money transfer
service,WorldRemitfordigitalmoneytransferstoEthiopia.UsingtheWorldRemitapporwebsite,theEthiopiandiaspora
living inover50countries, including
theUK,CanadaandtheUSA,cannowsendmoneyhometoanyEnatBankorBankofAbyssiniaaccounts,andtohundredsofnewcashpickuplocationsinAddisAbabaandthroughoutthecountry.
WorldRemit has rapidly expanded in Ethiopia,adding twelve
financial institutions to its
partnernetworklastyear.Thecompanyisnowconnectedto31.5millionbankaccountsandover4,100cashpickup
locations throughout the
country.TransactionstoEthiopiaviaWorldRemit
fromtheUSAalonegrewbyover230%in2018.Remittances play an important
role in Ethiopia’seconomy. The National Bank of Ethiopia said
thecountryreceivedover$5billioninremittancesfor
the fiscal year 2017/2018. But evidence suggeststhat a
significant portion of remittances to thecountry still go through
informal
channels,whichareoftencostlyandputcustomersatriskoffraudandtransactiondelays.AndrewStewart,ManagingDirectorforMiddleEastandAfricaatWorldRemit,said“AsEthiopia,Africa’sfastest-growing
economy, becomes increasinglydigital, WorldRemit is delighted to
partner withleading financial institutions to make it
faster,simplerandcheapertoreceivemoneyfromaroundtheworld.…WearedelightedtopartnerwithEnatBank,
which shares our commitment to
makingfinancialservicesaccessibletounderservedgroups,including
women and rural communities
inEthiopia.”“ThesepartnershipsenabletheEthiopiandiasporatosendmoneyhomedirectlyfromtheirphones.”
Diplomats and staff take on EDTF Challenge
Diplomats and staff, led by the Deputy Head
ofMission,AbabiDemissie,inFebruarytookonPrimeMinister Abiy’s
challenge and contributed theirshare towards
theEthiopianDiasporaTrust Fund(EDTF).
The Fund was launched last year and works incoordination with
the government to
directlyinvolvetheDiasporainfundraisingforvitalsocio-economicprojectsinEthiopia.For
further information, head over
tohttps://www.ethiopiatrustfund.org.
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5 Spring 2019
HerExcellencyDrHirutKassaw,Ethiopia’sMinisterofCulture,TourismandSport,madeherdebutvisitto
the United Kingdom inMarch, visiting
culturalinstitutionsandmuseums.
Heading a delegation which included H.E.Ambassador Fesseha
Shawel, the Director ofEthiopia’s National Museum, Efrem Amare
andadvisersfromtheMinistryofCulture,thepacked4-dayscheduleincludedvisitstotheBritishLibrary,the
British Museum, the Victoria and AlbertMuseum and the National Army
Museum. TheMinister also held meetings with the Canon
ofWindsorandrepresentativesfromVisitBritain.
…NationalArmyMuseumhandsoverlocksofhairbelongingtoEmperorTewodrosII
An historic ceremonial hand-over of locks of hairbelonging to
one of Ethiopia’s most
popularEmperors–TewodrosII–tookplaceon20thMarchattheNationalArmyMuseuminLondon.
Ethiopians, friends of Ethiopia and the
mediagatheredtowitnessthelong-awaitedreturnofhair,taken from the
Emperor after he
heroicallycommittedsuicideratherthanbetakenprisonerbytheinvadingBritisharmyinApril1868duringthebattleofMaqdala.
OnbehalfofthePeopleandGovernmentofEthiopia,H.E.DrHirutKassaw,receivedthehumanremainsin
a box drapedwith the Ethiopian flag from theMuseum’s Director,
Brigadier Justin
MaciejewskiDSOMBE,withthecrowdululatinginjubilation.
TheMinisterapplaudedtheMuseumforthe“braveand principled decision
to return the Emperor’shair,” and called on allmuseums and
otherswhoretain Maqdala heritage in their collections
toreturnartefactstotheirrightfulhome,saying:
ETHIOPIA IN UK
Culture Minister visits British Museums on debut visit to the
UK
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Ethiopian News
“For Ethiopians, these are not simply artefacts or treasures but
constitute a fundamental part of the existential fabric of
Ethiopia
and its people…[I urge] all concerned to consider the
intrinsic value of the items in their collections which are of
far
greater significance to Ethiopians than to those who removed
them.”
H.E. Dr Hirut Kassaw receives Emperor Tewodros' hair from the
Director of the National Army Museum
“Whatever the future holds, I havenodoubt thatthe relationship
between our two countries willcontinue to go from strength to
strength. A factunderlined by the substance and spirit of
today’sceremony,”sheconcluded.
BrigadierJustinMaciejewskiDSOMBE,Directorofthe Museum said: “The
Abyssinian Expedition of1868 was a sad chapter in our shared
history. Achapter characterised by miscalculation
andmisjudgmentonbothsides.Butseventy-twoyearsafter Emperor Tewodros
II committed
suicide,BritishandEthiopianforcesfoughtalongsideeachother as allies
in the liberation of Ethiopia fromItalianoccupation.”
“We hope that in some small way this act will serve to reinforce
the
deep and strong friendship that exists between our two
countries.” - Brigadier Justin Maciejewski DSO MBE, Director of
the
National Army Museum.
Awelcomeceremonyforthelocksofhairwasheldat the Ethiopian
National Museum on 23rd
MarchfollowingtheMinister’sreturntothecountry.
…PrinceAlemayehuRemembered
A day after the historicreturn of the hair, theMinister visited
StGeorge’s Chapel atWindsor Castle – theresting place of
PrinceAlemayehu, son ofEmperorTewodrosII.
TheMinisterlaidawreathof remembrance on theyoung Prince’s
gravebefore observing a
minute’ssilenceandprayers.
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7 Spring 2019
Welcoming the Minister and her delegation, theReverendDrMark
Powell, Canon ofWindsor, ledthedelegationthroughatourof
thechapelwherethey were shown a brass remembrance
plaquededicatedtoPrinceAlemayehu,aswellastheCoatofArmsofEmperorHaileSelassieI,observinghismembershipoftheBritishOrderoftheGarter.
In discussions that followed with the Canon, theMinister
requested that the remains of
PrinceAlemayehuberepatriatedtohishomelandsothathecouldbereunitedwithhisfather’sremainsandwiththepeopleofEthiopia.
…MinisterrequestsreturnoftabotsattheBritishMuseum
OnavisittotheBritishMuseumthedelegationwasmetbytheMuseum’sDirector,DrHartwigFischerandspecialistAfricastaff.
The Minister welcomed the Museum’s offer
torenewthepreviousrelationshipitsharedwiththeNational Museum of
Ethiopia and extended
anofficialinvitationtoEthiopiatotheDirectorandhisteam, to explore
further opportunities forcooperation.
Duringdiscussions,theMinisterformallyrequestedthe return of 11
Tabots, Ark of the Covenantreplicas, taken at Maqdala, that are
currently inprivatestorageat theBritishMuseumas theycannever be
displayed. “The Arks act as
spiritualanchorsfortheEthiopianOrthodoxChurchandaremore than just
artefacts,” the Minister
stressed,urgingtheMuseum’sTrusteestoactontherequestso the Arks
could return to serve
OrthodoxbelieversinEthiopiaassoonaspossible.
…Victoria & AlbertMuseum commits to
furtherconsultationsonreturnofMaqdalaartefacts
TheMinistermetwiththeDirectorof
theVictoriaandMuseum(V&A),DrTristramHuntandhisteam,to continue
discussions on the return
ofMaqdalaartefactscurrentlyondisplayattheMuseum.
H.E. Dr Hirut Kassaw with Dr Tristram Hunt © Victoria and Albert
Museum, London 2019
DrHuntexpressedthesinceredesireoftheMuseumto see
theseartefactsondisplay inEthiopia
soon,butnoted,withregret,thatthebiggestobstacletothis was the
present status of the law in the UKwhich prohibits restitution. Dr
Hunt, however,committed to continuing consultations with
theMinister,herteamandtheEmbassygoingforwardonthereturnoftheseartefactstoEthiopia.
Thedelegationviewedthe“Maqdala1868”specialexhibition, which
opened in April last year, andcontinuesuntil30thJune2019.
…MoUwithBritishLibrarysigned
The Ministerial delegation was welcomed to theBritish Library by
the Chief Executive, Mr
RolyKeatingandstaffwheretheysignedaMemorandumof Understanding (MoU)
between the
EthiopianNationalArchives&LibraryAgencyandtheBritishLibrary, to
foster greater collaboration,
research,capacitybuildingandknowledgeexchange.
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Ethiopian News
The Minister welcomed the British Library’sdecision to
officially visit Ethiopia in May.
Whilethankingthemanagementforitsdecisiontodonatedigitised
imagesofEthiopianmanuscripts in theircollection and microfilm
readers to the NationalLibrary, she requested the return of
thesemanuscripts,whichweremostlytakenatMaqdala.Shestressedthatthemanuscriptscouldnotsimplybeviewedashistoricartefactsastheyaresacred.
Dr Kristian Jensen, Head of Collections andCurations, said: “We
are delighted to
haveformalisedourongoingandfutureengagement.WeareveryawareoftheimportanceoftheEthiopianmanuscriptsinourcaretopeopleinEthiopia,andto
researchers across the globe, and we
arethereforecommittedtomakingthemmorewidelyaccessible, both through
exhibitions such as
ourrecentdisplay,AfricanScribes:ManuscriptCultureofEthiopia,andbydigitising
themanuscriptsandmakingthemavailabletoallonline.”
…UKCulturalAmbassadors
On the eve of her departure, Minister Hirutpresented over 30
Ethiopian restaurateurs, fromtheDiasporacommunity
inandnearLondonwithcertificatesof appreciation for their
indispensableroleinthepromotionofEthiopianculture.
“I hereby declare you Cultural Ambassadors
ofEthiopiaintheUnitedKingdom,”theMinistersaid,addingthat“PeopleintheUKgettheirfirsttastesofEthiopiainyourrestaurants.MychallengetoyouistoturnthatintoajourneytotheLandofOrigins.”
TheMinisteralsorecognisedAlebachewDesalegn,a private collector
of Ethiopian artefacts, as aCultural Ambassador, applauding him for
hiscommitment,perseveranceandloveforEthiopia.
For further informationandpress releaseson theMinister’s visit,
please visit our website atwww.ethioembassy.org.uk/news.
Ambassador Fesseha assumes duties
in the United Kingdom
Ambassador Fesseha Shawel Gebre officiallyassumed his duties as
the newly-appointedEthiopian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
onMonday4thMarch2018.
Acareerdiplomat,AmbassadorFessehabringswithhimalmost30yearsofexperiencehavingservedatDiplomatic
Missions in Juba, Nairobi, Mogadishuand Cairo, as well as at
various posts within theMinistryofForeignAffairs.
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9 Spring 2019
AmbassadorFessehaarrivesatatimewhenEthio-UKrelationsareatanall-timehighandhasmadeithis
mission to strengthen these relations furtherduringhistenure.
In his first month, the Ambassador has madecourtesy visits to
British Museums to exploreavenues for cooperation. He has also
heldconsultations with members of the EthiopianDiaspora, the
Diplomatic Corps, investors and,sadly,had todealwith theaftermathof
the tragicEthiopianAirlinescrash.
The Ambassador’s full biography is available
[email protected]
Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi delivers keynote address at LSE
Africa Summit Meaza Ashenafi, Ethiopia's first female
SupremeCourtPresident,deliveredakeynoteaddressattheannual 2019
London School of Economics (LSE)Africa Summit, which was held under
the theme‘Africa’sFutureFrontiers’on30thand31stMarch.
Ms Ashenafi noted the recent increase in theparticipation of
women in politics in
Africa,highlightingEthiopia’scase,whereforthefirsttimeinhistory,thecountryhasseenafemalePresidentandhalfofallministerialpostsassignedtowomen.“Iamstanding
in frontofyou todayasoneof themanysymbolsof thatchange–as the first
femalePresidentoftheFederalSupremeCourtofEthiopiaandasthefirstevertocomefromabackgroundinhumanandwomen’srightsadvocacy,”shesaid.ShenotedtheongoingreformsinEthiopia-suchasthe
release of political prisoners and
journalists,revisionoflaws,andchangeinleadership.“Thereisacommitmenttotherecognitionoftheruleoflaw
andtobuildademocraticsociety.Humanrightsareatthecoreandanindependentjudiciaryiscrucialintheirrealization."Sheconcludedbysayingthatstrengtheningaccessto
justice, civil societies, themedia, and inclusiveaccess to finance
should be the central focus ofAfrican leadership. “This is the
route to theprotectionandpromotionofhumanrightsaswellas towards
inclusive and sustainable economicgrowthacrossthecontinent.”
Former PM Hailemariam at ShARE conference
On 1st March, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia,Hailemariam
Desalegn, participated at the
2019ShAREconferenceinLondon,whichwasheldunderthetheme‘DoWellDoGood’.
The Former Prime Minister was announced as aShARE global mentor
and called on the
youngpeopleinattendancetoestablish“DoWellDoGoodcompanies -
businesses that create jobs,
trainouryouth,preservetheenvironment,addvaluetoournatural
resources, pay their taxes,
transferexpertiseandtechnologyandintegrateAfricatotheglobaleconomicsystem."TheShAREinitiativeinspiresstudentsbyworkingwithanetworkofthebestuniversitiesworldwideto
develop a new generation of global
corporateleaderswhoDoWellandDoGood.TheFormerPMspoketoparticipatingstudentsontheside-lines.
UK Labour Party hosts meeting for African Heads of Mission
Deputy Head of Mission, Mr Ababi Demissie,attended a round-table
meeting for
AmbassadorsandHeadsofMissionfromAfricahostedbyleaderoftheLabourParty,JeremyCorbynMP.
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Ethiopian News
Thepurposeofthemeetingwastodiscussissuesofmutual concern such as
trade and investment,migration,educationandhealthcare.
In discussions that followed, Mr Demissiehighlighted the recent
political and
economicreformsunderPrimeMinisterAbiy,andEthiopia’seffortstosupportrefugeesandtherole
itplaysinregionalpeaceandintegration.
Tutu’s Ethiopian Table opens On 3rd March, Deputy Head of
Mission, AbabiDemissieandtheMayorofReading,CouncillorDebsEdwards,
were among hundreds of guests whoturned out to celebrate the
opening of TutuMelaku’snewcafé
inPalmerPark,Reading,whichservesauthenticEthiopiancuisineandsnacks.
The Mayor of Reading, Councillor Debs Edwards cuts the ribbon to
officially open the café and is joined by Ambassador Ababi Demissie
(left) and café owner, Tutu Melaku Speaking on the occasion, Mr
DemissiecongratulatedTutuforbringingatasteofEthiopia’scuisine and
culture to the people of Reading
andhopedhersuccesswillencourageotherEthiopians
tofollowsuit.HealsorecognisedhercontributiontowardspreservingEthiopia’sculturalheritagebyendorsingherasaCulturalAmbassador.Tutu’s
first venture,RISC’sGlobalCafé,whichhasserved a selection of meat
and vegetarian
stewssince2006,ispopularacrossReadingandhaswonastringofawards.TutuwasaguestonBBCRadio4wheresheextolledthevirtuesofEthiopiancuisine.Fouryearsago,shelaunchedarangeofsaucesforhomecookstoenjoy.Therangeincludesveganandglutenfreeandcanbeusedforcooking,spreadingorasadip.
Scottish photographer’s Ethiopia photos shortlisted for top
Photography Award Award-winning photographer, Kieran
Dodds‘extensiveworkonthechurchforestsofEthiopiahasbeen shortlisted
for the prestigious Sony WorldPhotography Award in the Professional
–Landscapecategory.
His series, ‘Hierotopia’, explores the forestssurrounding
churches in Ethiopia, where farminghas led to huge deforestation,
and how priests,scientists and the local community are trying
tosavethem.
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11 Spring 2019
Entos Eyesus church forest on an island in Lake Tana near Bahir
Dar InaninterviewwithTheScotsman,Kieransaid:“Mypersonal work
considers the role of theenvironment in human culture and at
howindigenous ideashavepreserved
theenvironmentandseeinghowthiscanbescaledup.”
The Debre Mihret Arbiatu Ensesa church, which looks from above
like a bright pinwheel, is surrounded by trees.
“In Ethiopia I stumbled across something remarkable where
Orthodox Christians preserve the environment, seeing it as
the
‘clothes of the church’ – a physical part of the church
building and a miniature Garden of Eden.”
Kieran’sworkwillbedisplayedattheSonyWorldPhotographyAwardsExhibitionatSomersetHousein
London from 18th April until 6th May,
beforeembarkingonaninternationaltour.Awardwinnerswill be revealed
on 17th April.
Images of the Gospels Through Ethiopian and European Eyes
ExplorethelinksbetweenEthiopianandEuropeanillustrations of the
Gospels. In this
illustratedlecture,historianDorotheaMcEwan,comparestwo17th-century
illuminated Gospel manuscripts, oneheld in the British Library, the
other in Ethiopia,with their European source, the
Evangeliumarabicum,printedinRomein1591.Venue: TheBritishLibrary
96EustonRoadLondonNW12DB
Date: Monday13thMay2019,7.15pmPrice:
£10Forfurtherinformation,contacttheBritishLibrarydirectlyat01937546546;[email protected]:http://bit.ly/BL-Events.
EVENTS
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Ethiopian News
On10thMarch,at08:44amlocaltime,(05:44GMT)anEthiopianAirlinesaircraftBoeing737-800MAX,flight
ET 302 toNairobi, tragically crashed in
theoutskirtsofAddisAbaba.Inthehoursthatfollowed,EthiopianAirlinesGroupCEO,TewoldeGebremariam,confirmedthatnoneofthe
flight’s 149 passengers and 8 crew membershad survived the
accident. Of the
passengersrepresenting35nationalitieson-board,32Kenyan,18Canadian,9Ethiopianand7Britishcitizenswereamongthedeceased.Monday11thMarch2019wasdeclared
anationalday of mourning and saw flags at Ethiopiangovernment
institutions, includingtheEmbassy inLondon, flying at half-mast as
an expression ofpublicsorrow.A book of condolence was also opened
at theEmbassyformembersofthepublicanddiplomaticcommunity to submit
their messages. UK AreaManager of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr
MichaelYohannes, and representatives from the
ForeignandCommonwealthOfficewereamongthefirsttosignthebook.UK’sPrimeMinister,TheresaMayMP,said:“Iwasdeeplysaddenedtohearofthedevastatinglossoflife
following the plane crash in Ethiopia. At
thisverydifficulttimemythoughtsarewiththefamiliesandfriendsoftheBritishcitizensonboardandallthoseaffectedbythistragicincident.”
Ambassador Fesseha signs a book of condolence at the Kenya High
Commission in London, in memory of the victims, among them 32
KenyansIn Ethiopia, local residents of Gimbichu Woreda(district),
where the crash happened, held atraditional memorial service on
21st March
tohonourthosewholosttheirlivesintheaccident.…PilotsfollowedallproceduresThe
preliminary report released by theinvestigative team has shown that
the EthiopianAirlinespilotswhowerecommandingFlightET302followed
Boeing's recommended, and the FederalAviation Administration’s
(FAA)
approvedemergencyprocedurestohandlethemostdifficultemergencysituationcreatedontheairplane.Despite
the pilots’ hardwork and full compliancewith the emergency
procedures, they could
notrecovertheplanefromapersistentnosedive.
LOCAL NEWS
The world unites in mourning victims of Ethiopian Airlines
Flight ET302
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13 Spring 2019
Commenting on the report, Group CEO TewoldeGebremariamsaid,
"AllofusatEthiopianAirlinesarestillgoingthroughdeepmourningforthelossofour
loved ones andwewould like to express ourdeep sympathy and
condolences for the
families,relativesandfriendsofthevictims.Meanwhile,weare very proud
of our pilots’ compliances withemergency procedures and their high
level ofprofessional performance in such an extremelydifficult
situation. We are also very proud of ourGlobal standard Pilot
Training Centre and theEthiopian Aviation Academy, which is one of
thelargest and most modern in the world equippedwith state of the
art and latest trainingtechnologies.”“I would like to thank our
valued customers, the travelling public,
the media and global aviation professionals for the vote of
confidence and strong support that you have given us
starting
from the day of this tragic accident. We will redouble our
efforts to win your confidence…Your safety will
remain our topmost priority and we will continue to work
together
with our partners around the world to make air travel safer
and more comfortable.” “My highest appreciation also goes to my
16,000colleaguesatEthiopianAirlinesfortheirresilience,high
standards of professionalism and theircommitment to operational
excellence and theiraward-winningcustomerservice,whichenabledusto
continue our businesswithout any
operationaldisruption,flightdelaysnorflightcancellations.”The
Embassy will continue to share
furtherinformationontheincidentasandwhenitismadeavailable via
ourwebsite and socialmedia pages.For the latest updates, please
contact EthiopianAirlines directly or follow them on social
media(@flyethiopian).
Political parties sign pact ahead of 2020 polls
Intherun-uptoEthiopianElectionsslatedfor2020,more than 100
competing political parties havesigned a code of conduct agreement
as part ofefforts to open up the political space and
thegovernment’s commitment to ensuring free,
fairandinclusiveelections.
PM Abiy signs the pact as the chair of the National Election
Board, Birtukan Mideksa, looks on
PMAbiyAhmedsignedthedocumentonbehalfofthe ruling coalition, the
Ethiopian People’sRevolutionary Democratic Front. This is
“ademocratic milestone” he said, and called on
allpartiestorespectthedocument.ThenewchairpersonofEthiopia'sNationalElectionBoard,
Birtukan Mideksa, and officials
werepresent.Appointedin2018,Birtukanandherteamwillorganisethe2020polls.Dr
Workneh Gebeyehu appointed DG
of United Nations Office, Nairobi
UnitedNationsSecretary-GeneralAntónioGuterresappointed Dr Workneh
Gebeyehu, Ethiopia’sForeign Minister, as Director-General of the
UNOffice in Nairobi (UNON). He succeeds Hanna
S.TettehofGhanawhobecomesAfricanUnion(AU)Special Representative and
Head of the UnitedNationsOfficetotheAU(UNOAU).MsMaimunahMohd
Sharif, Executive Director
oftheUnitedNationsHumanSettlementsProgramme(UN-Habitat) will
continue to serve as ActingDirector-General until Dr Workneh
assumes hispost.
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14
Ethiopian News
Secretary-General António Guterres with Workneh Gebeyehu (File
Photo) Dr Workneh has served as Ethiopia’s
ForeignMinistersince2016.
Ethiopians commemorate the Battle of Adwa
On 2nd March, Ethiopians from all walks of lifecelebrated the
123rd anniversary of the Battle ofAdwa – a day that commemorates
the bravery ofEthiopian troops in thebattle for
freedomagainstinvadingItalianforcesin1896.Ethiopians, under the
command of
EmperorMenelikII,defeatedover20,000well-armedItaliancolonial
forces.Thepivotalvictoryof theBattleofAdwa made Ethiopia the only
country in Africanevertobecolonised.
Statue of Emperor Menelik II in Addis Ababa
Ontheeveofthecelebrations,PrimeMinisterAbiyAhmedcalledontheexistinggenerationtorepeatthe
victory of Adwa by overcoming currentchallengesandbarriers.
The victory of Adwa laid the foundation for
thecurrentandthenextgenerationstowalkwiththeirheadsheldhighandtostandinfrontoftheworld,thePremiersaid,stressingthat“TheAdwavictoryteachesusthatunityisstrength.”Thevictorywasa“momentous
triumph” forAfrica inparticular
andblackpeopleoftheworldingeneral.“Theheroicdeedsof our foremothers
and
fathersagainstthecolonisingItalianforcenotonlyrealisedEthiopia’spoliticalindependence,butalsofreedthecurrentgenerationfromthebruntofcolonialism,”a“hopefulandemblematicmoment”inAfrica’squestforindependenceandtheabolitionofslaveryacrosstheglobe.Thousands
remembered the fallen patriots
inMenelikIISquarebutthedaywasalsomarkedwitha range of programmes,
including a walk fromMenelikIISquaretoAdwa.Here in London, a unique
exhibition of
historicalartefactstitle“RememberingAdwa”,washeldattheEmbassyfortwoweeks.TheexhibitionwasheldincollaborationwithMrAlebachewDesalegn,awell-respectedprivatecollectorofEthiopianartefacts.
Emperor Haileselassie’s statue unveiled at AU Headquarters
ThestatueofEthiopia’slastEmperor,Haileselassie,was unveiled at
the headquarters of the AfricanUnionon10thFebruary in
thepresenceofseveralAfricanleadersandrelativesoftheEmperor.ThestatueisthesecondtobeerectedinsidetheAUcompound,
after Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, whochampionedpan-Africanism.
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15 Spring 2019
The Founding Fathers of the Organisation of African Unity
Emperor Haileselassie was among key Africanleaders who founded the
Organization of AfricanUnity, which later became the African Union.
Heoversaw the maiden meeting of the
continentalbodyin1963.…EgyptianPresident
takesoverasnewheadofAfricanUnionEgypt's President Abdel Fattah
el-Sisi has takenoveraschairoftheAfricanUnion(AU)–apostthatrotates
annually between the five regions of thecontinent.
TheEgyptianleaderisexpectedtofocusonthefightagainst armed groups
on the continent
andrebuildingofcountriesrecoveringfromconflict.Sisi takes the helm
fromRwandanPresident PaulKagame, who focused on creating an Africa
widefree-tradezoneduringhistenure.
UN refugee agency praises Ethiopia’s innovative approach to
refugees
While on a four-day visit to Ethiopia, UN
HighCommissionerforRefugees,FilippoGrandipraisedthecountry’sgenerosityinhostingrefugees,andthegovernment’s
openness to new and innovativeapproaches to improve the livesof
themore than900,000 refugees and the communities hostingthem.The
High Commissioner spent two days
inMelkadida,aregionborderingSomalia,whichhostsover 200,000
refugees. He saw first-hand how a$100million investment by the IKEA
Foundationoverthelastsevenyearshastransformedthesemi-arid,isolatedareaintoathrivingcommunity.Grandi
visitedprojects fundedby theFoundation,including an irrigation
scheme where 1,000hectares of barren land are now lush farms
thatenablerefugeestogrowcropssuchaswatermelon,tomatoesandcornuptothreetimesayear.Healsovisitedmarketssupportedbymicrofinanceand
other economic empowerment programmes,where refugees and the local
community buy andsell their crops. The programme has been
sosuccessfulthatsomeofthecropsarebeingexportedto other regions in
the country.Refugees told theHigh Commissioner that they are saving
some oftheirincometoimprovethemarketsthemselves.
“What has developed here is a unique approach to the self-
reliance of refugees where the Ethiopian government has been
extremely open to new approaches. The host
communities and refugees have also been remarkably open to
working together in harmony.
This is something we don’t normally see.”
- Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
AtameetingwithcommunityleadersinDolloAdo,theHighCommissionerandIKEAFoundationCEOPerHeggenesheardhowtheinvestmenthashadapositive
impact on the entire community. They
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16
Ethiopian News
announced that the Foundation has decided toextend their
investment in theproject for at leastthree more years to ensure the
community cansustainitindependently.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi with IKEA
Foundation CEO Per Heggenes and a student. © UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin
Heggenes calls the progress he has witnessed “adream come true.” He
said its legacy is as
muchabouthelpingfosterharmonybetweentherefugeesandthelocalEthiopians,asitisaboutgrowingtheeconomy.“What
always happens when large numbers
ofrefugeesdescendonasmallcommunityisitcreatesconflicts, because
everyone wants to have
thefirewood,everyonewantstohavethegrazinglandfortheirgoats,”saidHeggenes.“Weapproachedthisinawaytosaywe’regoingtohelptherefugeesandthehost
community come together, farm the landtogether, share the crops and
live as sisters andbrothers.”At the Melkadida Camp, the High
CommissionervisitedanotherIKEAFoundationsupportedproject,a
secondary school where refugee and hostcommunity students have
access to qualityteachers, well-equipped classrooms and
asupportivelearningenvironment.While in Ethiopia, the High
Commissioner alsoattended the 32nd African Union (AU) Summit
inAddis Ababa from 9th-10th February, where theannual theme for
2019 is the “Year of Refugees,Returnees and Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs):TowardsDurable Solutions
toForcedDisplacementinAfrica.”
This year’s focus on refugees comes as the AUcommemorates key
legislation on forceddisplacement:the50thanniversaryoftheadoptionof
the 1969 Organization of African
UnityConventiononRefugeesandthe10thanniversaryofthe 2009 AU
Convention on Internally
DisplacedPersonsinAfrica(KampalaConvention).The High Commissioner
spoke about theimportance of the Global Compact on Refugees,adopted
by the UN General Assembly lastDecember, which calls for more
inclusion ofrefugees in communities where they reside
andmoreglobalsupportforcountrieslikeEthiopia,whocontinuetowelcomeandhostthem.“This
the first year we’ll implement the GlobalCompact on Refugees,“
Grandi said. “But I tellpeople we’re already implementing it here
inMelkadida, with development partners
fromprogrammesinirrigationandvocationaltraining.”While in Addis,
the High Commissioner also metwith President Sahle-Work Zewde, and
Ato (Mr)Kebede, theDirector General of the government’srefugee
agency ARRA. He praised Ethiopia’s newrefugee lawas
forward-lookingandupholdingtheprinciplesoftheGlobalCompactonRefugees.
South Sudanese refugee Ariat’s son, Angakuny, was amongst the
first refugee children to receive a birth certificate in Ethiopia.
©UNHCR/Diana Diaz
Addressing themedia following his meeting
withthePresident,Grandisaid“theproclamationisoneofthebestrefugeelaws,notonlyinAfrica,butintheworld,”andpledgedtomobilizemoreresourcesfordevelopment,
“not just for refugees, but also fortheirhosts.”
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17 Spring 2019
Ethiopia Receives Universal Health Coverage Ministerial
Championship Award The Ministry of Health received the
UniversalHealth CoverageMinisterial ChampionshipAwardin recognition
of its homegrown, grassroots-oriented primary Health Extension
Programme,launchedin2004,whichhassignificantlyimprovedthehealthoutcomesofEthiopia’spopulation.MsSenaitFisseha,amodelhealthextensionworker,acceptedtheawardonbehalfofmorethan40,000health
extension workers at the Africa
HealthAgendaInternationalConferenceinKigali,Rwanda,whichwasco-hostedbyRwanda’sHealthMinistryand
theAfricanMedical andResearchFoundation(AmrefHealthAfrica).
Ms Senait (right) with Dr Amir Abiy, Ethiopia’s Minister of
Health next to her Overthepastdecade,Ethiopiahasradicallyreducedthe
child death andmaternal mortality rates andthere has also been vast
improvement in hygieneand sanitation coverage and a reduction
inmajorcommunicablediseases.Morethan40,000femaleHealthExtensionWorkersare
deployed all over the country, providing
keyhealthservicesthroughfixedandoutreachbases.…Five-yearNationalHealthSecurityActionPlanlaunchedEthiopialaunchedafive-yearNationalActionPlanforHealth
Security (NAPHS),whichwill run from2019 to 2023. The World Health
Organization(WHO) congratulated Ethiopia for launching
theactionplan,which is expected tobring significantimprovement to
preventing, detecting andrespondingtohealththreats.
Second Electrification Programme launched
The updated version of Ethiopia’s
NationalElectrificationProgramme(NEP2.0)waslaunchedon27thMarchduringthe‘AfricaEnergyForum:Offthe
Grid’ and ‘Regional Energy Co-operationSummit’.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, H.E.
Dr. Seleshi Bekele The National Electrification Programme was
firstlaunched at the end of 2017 with a
programmeframeworkforachievinguniversalaccessby2025.NEP 2.0
provides a detailed framework for theintegration of off-grid
technologies with gridconnectivity, with both public and private
sectorefforts, for the achievement of 35% of
off-gridaccessby2025.TheMinistryofWater,IrrigationandElectricitywillbe
joined by Ethiopian sector leaders andinternational experts, to
discuss the future of thebold sector reformprogrammerecently
launched,including implementationof cost reflective
tariffs,furtherunbundlingofgenerationandtransmission,and
performance improvement in sectorinstitutions.Thesemeasureswill
furtherattractprivate
sectorparticipationandinvestmentinrenewableenergy.
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18
Ethiopian News
Northern Powerhouse mission
explores business opportunities in Ethiopia
CompaniesfromtheNorthernPowerhouse(NorthWest,NorthEastandYorkshire&Humberregions)visitedEthiopiafrom24thto29thMarch.Themission
offered a unique opportunity for
thecompaniestounderstandthevarietyanddepthofbusinessopportunitiesonoffertoUKbusinessesinsectors
including manufacturing, engineering,construction, food &
liquids processing andpackaging, transport and logistics, airport
designconsultancyandplanningandrenewableenergy.ThedelegationvisitedtheBritishEmbassyinAddisAbabaforpolitical,economicandculturalbriefings;industrysitevisits;businesstobusinessmeetings;Ministrymeetingsandmeetingswith
localserviceproviders,includinglawfirms.TheNorthernPowerhouseruns20trademissionsannuallytolocationsallovertheworldinadditiontotheDepartmentforInternationalTrade’scentralprogrammeoftrademissionactivity.Asthefourthlargest
economy in sub-Saharan Africa
andpredictedtobethethirdlargestby2025,EthiopiaisanimportantmarketforBritishcompanies.British
exports to Ethiopia rose 135% from £80million in 2010 to £149
million in 2017 and thenumber of British companies investing in
thecountry is on the rise. More than 34
companiescurrentlyoperateinEthiopiaincludingthelikesofPittardsUK,UnileverandDiageo,bringingnewjobopportunities,skillstransferandhardcurrency.
Ethiopia commits to easing business
hurdles
PMAbiysaidhisgovernmentistakingmeasurestoeasetheprocessofdoingbusinessinEthiopia.Chairinganationalsteeringcommitteeinchargeofintroducing
new reforms to improve the publiccredit supply system in Ethiopia,
PM Abiyannounced the government’s desire to increaserevenue, saying
the existing credit supply system
has been hampering citizens and investors
fromstartingabusiness.“Theredtapeandlackofaccesstofinancehavebeenidentifiedasmajorhurdlesinthisregard.”PM
Abiy stated that reforms on service deliverysystemsand legal
frameworks that inhibit easeofbusiness will be carried out to
correct problems.Reforms are also currently underway to
improveaccesstosupplyofpublicfinanceandloans.
Africa Free Trade Agreement comes into force after Ethiopia and
Gambia
ratify TheEthiopianParliament,on21stMarch,approvedEthiopia’s
membership of the Africa ContinentalFree Trade Area (AfCFTA)
agreement, bringing itonestepclosertoimplementation.TheAgreementwas
launched lastMarch
inKigali,Rwanda,duringtheAfricanUnionSummit,whereitwassignedby44countries.Sincethen,eightmorehave
signed and on 2nd April Gambia became the22nd nation to ratify,
meaning the historicagreementcannowcomeintoforce.
The African Heads of States and Governments pose during AU
Summit for the agreement to establish the African Continental Free
Trade Area in Rwanda, in March 2018.
The tradeAgreement,oneof thebiggestsince thecreation of theWorld
Trade Organization (WTO),aimstocreateasinglemarketinAfrica.Once it
kicks in, AfCFTA aims to increase intra-African trade by 52% by the
year 2022, removetariffs on 90% of goods, liberalise services
andtackleotherbarrierstointra-Africantrade,suchaslongdelaysatborderposts.
TRADE AND INVESTMENT
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19 Spring 2019
Ifall55Africancountries joina freetradearea,
itwillbetheworld’slargestbynumberofcountries,covering more than 1.2
billion people with acombinedGDPof$2.5trillion.
Unilever inaugurates state-of-the-art toothpaste factory in
Ethiopia
Unilever has inaugurated a world-class oral careplant,thefirstof
itskindinEthiopia,atUnilever’sfactory in Eastern Industry Zone,
Dukem, to spurgrowthandinvestmentinEthiopia.
Production of Signal will join previous Unileverinvestment in
the soap, detergent, and Knorrmanufacturing plants inaugurated in
2016 and2017.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony,
BrunoWitvoet,UnileverAfricaPresidentsaid“FromtodaywewillseelocallyproducedSignaltoothpastefromaworldclassoralcareplantand,evenbetter,weareinauguratingitwitha100%femaleworkforce.Therisingincidenceoftoothdecayisoneofthemajorreasonskidsmissschoolandincreasesmedicalfeesfor
families. We can help stop that and
nothingrepresentsourUnilevervaluesbetterthanhelpingbuildaneconomy
througha
locallymanufacturedglobalbrandlikeSignalwithastrongpurposeatitsheart.”
“Today’s launch is also testament to Unilever’sstrong commitment
to expanding its business inEthiopia and createmore job
opportunitieswhilealso working towards improving the lives
andwellbeingofEthiopianconsumersatlarge,”hesaid.Unilever
Manufacturing PLC was established in2015 in Ethiopia and is already
supporting agrowing network of Ethiopian
suppliers,distributorsandtraders.Hyundai opens vehicle assembly
plant
in Ethiopia InamajorboosttoEthiopia’sautomotiveindustry,Hyundai
Motor Co has opened a 10,000-a-year$17.5 million vehicle capacity
assembly plant inAddisAbaba-itsfirstfactoryinEastAfrica.
Foreign Minister, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu,inaugurated the assembly
plant affirming
thegovernment’scommitmenttocontinuesupportinginvestorsintheautomotiveindustry.Haile
Gebrselassie, the former
Olympian-turnedbusinessman,haspartneredwiththeSouthKoreanfirm in a
venture that will see some of the
carsexportedtotheregion.Thefirm'sCEO,WonHeeLee,saidtheyweredrawnbyEthiopia’sgrowth,oneofAfrica’sfastestformorethanadecade.“We
have good opportunities in Ethiopia. Webelieve the economic growth
in Ethiopia will befaster than any other country in Africa,” he
toldreportersattheinaugurationceremony.
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20
Ethiopian News
…Ethiopia’suntappedautomotivesectorattractsinvestorsEthiopiaproducesaround10,000commercialandother
vehicles a year for its home market.
Itimportedmorethan40,000carsin2017.Assemblers inthecountry
includeChinesebrandsGeely,FAWandBYD,aswellasLifan.Earlierthisyear,aMemorandumofUnderstandingto
develop an automotive industry was signedbetween Ethiopia and
Volkswagen, for theestablishment of a vehicle assembly
facility,localisation of automotive components, mobilityconcepts
such as app-based car sharing and
ridehailing,andtheopeningofatrainingcentre.Fitch Solutions recently
noted that Ethiopia’sautomotive sector remains largely untapped.
Itsattractiveness as an investment destination
iscontinuouslyimprovingandwillcontinuetoattractinvestment,especiallyintotheautomotivesector.Aseconomicliberalisationeffortskickin,Ethiopia'sautomotive
sector is well poised to become
aregionalpowerhouseintheEastAfricanregionoverthecomingdecade,withthemanufacturingsectorstanding
to benefit the most owing to the vastgrowthpotential
inthisuntappedmarket,andthepositivegovernmenteffortsaimedatpromotingthesector.
Ethiopia may triple coffee output in five years
Ethiopia, Africa’s biggest coffee producer,
isintroducingproductionandmarketingreformsthatcouldtripleitsoutputinfiveyears.The
Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority said
thecountryisreplacingoldtreesandpruningexistingones to allownew
stems to sprout as aging treesbecome less productive. That could
help
boostoutputtobetween1.2millionand1.8milliontonsby2024,upfromanestimated600,000tonsintherecentharvest.Old
trees account for about 60% of the
1millionhectares(2.5millionacres)oftreesinproduction,while another
1.5 million hectares aren’t yetyielding beans, according to the
authority. Newtrees in the country, where smallholders
accountforalmostalloutput,takeaboutthreetofouryearstostartproducing.Marketingreformsarehelpingproducersskipsomestages
of the supply chain, increasing income forfarmers, who currently
receive about 60% of
thepriceofcoffee.“Underthenewreforms,farmerscandirectly export,”
Adugna Debela Bote, directorgeneral of the authority said. “We are
creatingawareness,andthiswillmaterialisethisproductionyear.”EthiopiaexportsthebulkofitsbeanstoEuropeandtheU.S.,
and is trying to tapnewmarkets
inAsia,especiallyChina,SouthKoreaandJapan.
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21 Spring 2019
Ethiopia’s Travel and Tourism economy grew by48.6% in2018– the
largestofanycountry in
theworld–accordingtotheWorldTravelandTourismCouncil’s (WTTC) annual
review of the economicimpactandsocialimportanceofthesector.In 2018,
Travel and Tourism contributed
$7.4billiontothecountry’seconomy,anincreaseof$2.2billionon2017.Thesectornowrepresents9.4%ofEthiopia’stotaleconomy.The
Council’s research compares the Travel andTourism sectors across
185 countries, and showsthatin2018inEthiopiathesectors:
• Significantly outpaced the global growthrate of 3.9%, the
African growth rate of5.6%
• Supported 2.2 million jobs, or 8.3% totalemployment
• Wasprimarilydrivenby leisure travellers:79% of the spending
was generated byleisure visitors and 21% from
businesstravellers
• Isstronglyweightedtowardsinternationaltravel: 77% of spending
came frominternational travellers and 23% fromdomestic
Commenting on the numbers, Gloria
Guevara,WTTCPresidentandCEOsaid:
“Ethiopia’s Travel and Tourism boom was one of the great
success stories of 2018. This has been driven by the very strong
performance of aviation in the
country and the development of Addis Ababa as a dynamic and
growing regional hub.” “TravelandTourisminEthiopianowaccounts
foroneinevery$11intheentireeconomyandonein12 of all jobs. I would
like to acknowledge
thecountry’scommitmenttothepowerofTravelandTourismtodriveeconomicgrowth,jobcreationandsocialenhancement.”
TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Ethiopia records biggest growth in World Travel and Tourism
Muslim girls in the colourful historic city of Harar
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22
Ethiopian News
Ethiopian Airlines named “African Champions of the Year”
DuringaspecialCeremonyorganisedbytheAfricaCEO Forum in Kigali,
Ethiopian Airlines
wasawardedthe“AfricanChampionoftheYear”award.
Receiving the award, CEO Tewolde Gebremariam,said
“Thankyouverymuch for the
strongvoteofconfidencethatAfricahasgivenusevenatthemostchallenging
time in our history. We are stillmourning the loss of the lives of
our
esteemedpassengersandcolleaguesinthetragicaccidentonET302on10thMarch.Myheartfeltcondolencesgoouttothefamiliesofthevictims,thecountryandthecontinent
of Africa… Thank you all for all
thesupportyouhavegivenusandcontinuetogiveus.Together,wewillmakeAfricagreatandwewillputourcontinentinitsrightplaceontheglobalstage.”…Ethiopian
celebrates International Women’sDaywithall-womenflightEthiopian
Airlines once again celebratedInternational Women’s Day on 8th
March byoperatinganall-femaleflightcrewfromflightdeckall the way to
the ground including airportoperations, flight dispatch, load
control, rampoperation, on-board logistics, safety and
security,cateringandairtrafficcontrol,ontheAddisAbaba–Stockholm-Osloroute.CEO
Tewolde GebreMariam, said, “Women
[havebeen]anintegralpartofoursuccessstoryfromthestartandwiththisdedicatedflightwehonourandcelebrate
their indispensable contribution to ouraviationGroup.
Ethiopian Airlines has previously operated
all-femaleflightstoBangkok,Kigali,Lagos,andBuenosAires.
London, are you ready? The Ethiopians are coming!
The Virgin MoneyLondon Marathon isset to take place
onSunday28thApril.
In the men’s elite race, Ethiopia’s 22-year-oldmarathon star
Shura Kitata returns to
LondonMarathonafterfinishingrunner-uptoKenya’sEliudKipchoge last
year. Themen’s race is set to be amouth-watering clashwithBritain’s
SirMo
FarahandworldrecordholderanddefendingchampionEliudKipchogesettorun.Inthewomen’sfield,theEthiopiantrioofTiruneshDibaba,
the three-time Olympic champion on thetrack and third fastest woman
of all time, whofinished second in London and won Chicago in2017,
Tadelech Bekele, who finished third inLondon last year and 21 year
old Roza Dereje,second in Chicago and winner of the
DubaiMarathonin2018,arealsoconfirmedtorun.
TEAMETHIOPIAMen WomenMosinetGEREMEW
TadelechBEKELETolaShuraKITATA TiruneshDIBABALeuleGEBRSELASSIE
RozaDEREJETamiratTOLA BirhaneDIBABAMuleWASIHUN HaftamneshTESFAY
SPORTS
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23 Spring 2019
Ethiopians shine at Birmingham Indoor Athletics
Team Ethiopia performed superbly during
theIAAFWorldIndoorTourinBirmingham,England.Samuel Tefera broke the
long-standing worldindoor 1500m record finishing in 3:31.04,
taking0.14 off the previous record set by
Morocco'sHichamElGuerroujinStuttgartin1997.
Yomif Kejelcha followed Samuel and
finishedsecondinanoutrightpersonalbestof3:31.58.By winning the
women’s 3000m, Almaz Samuelbecame the first confirmed World Indoor
Tourchampionof2019.
Shefinishedin8:54.60leadinganEthiopian1-2-3with Axumawit Embaye
and Meskerem Mamofollowingcloselybehind.
Yomif Kejelcha breaks World Indoor Mile Record
ItwasthirdtimeluckyforEthiopia'sYomifKejelcha,whosmashedtheworldindoorrecordforthemile,
clocking3:47.01attheBruceLehaneInvitationalinBoston,Massachusetts,on3rdMarch.Yomif
took 1.44 seconds off the previous worldindoor
recordsetbyHichamElGuerrouj in1997.Moments later, his 1500m
splitwas confirmed at3:31.25, making him the third-fastest
indoorperformerinhistorybehindTeferaandElGuerrouj.
Yomif’s mile time is also an outright
Ethiopianrecord,betteringtheoutdoormarkof3:48.60setbyAmanWote.Speaking
to the BBC, the young Ethiopian athletesaid his big plan is to
break fellow compatriot,KenenisaBekele’s,5000mrecord.
Africa’s women are rising to challenge
gender discrimination
Inanopinionpiece intheFinancial Times, ahead ofInternational
Women’sDay,Ethiopia’sfirstfemalePresident, Sahle-Work
Zewde says: “Change is sweeping across
Africa.Systemicbarrierstogenderequityarefallingandagrowing number
ofwomen leaders are
reshapingthecontinent.”Rwanda,SeychellesandmyowncountryofEthiopianowhavegender-balancedcabinets,withsomeofthemostpowerfulpostsoccupiedbywomen.ArecentWorldBankreporthighlightsthatAfricaisseeingmorereformsinpromotinggenderequalitythananywhereelseintheworld.
ETHIOPIA IN THE NEWS
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24
Ethiopian News
As economic growth continues to expand
inEthiopiaandacrossourcontinent,thereisgrowingrecognitionthatinvestingingenderequalityisboththe
rightandsmartapproach.Africa’swomenarerisingandit’stimetheworldtooknote.Readmore:http://bit.ly/FT-Ethiopia
Top 10 destinations for foodies, 2019
Planningtheultimatefoodiegetaway for 2019? BBCGood Food made a
list oftheir top 10 foodie
destinationsthatshouldbeonanyone’sbucketlistandEthiopiawasamongthem.
"EthiopiaisarguablyhometoAfrica’smostuniquetraditional food
culture. The staple injera (a
sour,spongyflatbread)isthebaseforarainbowmezzeofsalads, 'wats'
(stews), 'tibs' (stir-fries)
andpulses...Asthebirthplaceofcoffee,Ethiopiaalsohasavibrantculturecentredaroundthedrink,knownlocallyasbunna.TheCoffeeCeremonyisregardedasasignofrespectandfriendship,andisaculturalritepasseddownthegenerations."Readmore:http://bit.ly/BBCGF-Ethiopia
The Last Wolves
TheEthiopianHighlandsarehometosomeofAfrica’shighestpeaks.They’realsothelast(theonly)strongholdofthecontinent’srarestcarnivore:the
Ethiopianwolf.
Therearecurrentlyonlyabout500leftintheworld,distributed among
six isolated populations, all
onthehighlands.TheBaleMountainsinthesoutheastishometothelargestofthesixpopulations.Thisiswhereresearchersatthenon-profitEthiopianWolfConservation
Programme have focused most oftheir efforts to learn about the
wolves and thethreatstheyface.Readmore:http://bit.ly/ETHWolves
CONNECT WITH US
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Published by the Public Diplomacy Department, Embassy of
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email to [email protected].
A copy is also available online on our website:
www.ethioembassy.org.uk.