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See Russian, Vatican ... page 2
See Parliament ratifies... page 2
See Bridging ... Page 2
ADDIS ABABA- Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Crown Prince
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan of the United Arab
Emirates held bilateral discussions yesterday on issues of mutual
interest, the Office of Prime Minister announced.
Upon arrival at Al Bateen Airport, the premier was warmly
received by the Crown Prince who is also Deputy Supreme Commander
of the UAE Armed Forces, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA)
reported.
The leaders then went to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre to
visit some of the athletes competing in the Special Olympic World
Games, according to ENA.
On Wednesday, the premier also visited Qatar, where he met with
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and
PM Abiy Visits Abu DhabiBY STAFF REPORTER
discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of
mutual
concern, it added.ENA also wrote as the
two sides agreed to further
consolidate economic ties, particularly investment, tourism and
infrastructural developments.
Ethiopia has been applying Eurocentric knowledge across its
political, social and economic spectrum, a trend which has had its
fair share of ramification mainly due to incompatibility.
And rethinking the neglected yet precious indigenous knowledge
and challenging the imposed western values according to experts is
a must to do and timely task.
The mental attitude to solely depend on Eurocentric values
almost annihilates African indigenous knowledge production system.
However, according to experts, indigenous knowledge would rather
resonate to the cultural and other internal aspects of the
Continent. Ethiopia is no exception.
Having enormous and unexploited potential, the country’s
indigenous knowledge has increasingly been over the shadow of
Eurocentric values for quite long time now.
Mainly misfit and unsynchronized, western values have arguably
been less effective due to incompatibility and copy and paste
trend. These were the very facts reflected on the recently held
discussion forum organized by the African Studies Professional
Association.
Western knowledge system is
Back to the roots Challenging Eurocentric hegemony
BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT
considered to be incomplete and often distorted when it comes to
problematizing others’ phenomenon, says Biruk Shewadeg in his paper
presentation entitled ‘Rethinking Knowledge Production in
Africa:‘Afrocentric Epistemology’ as an Emancipatory
Discourse’.
Biruk signals that the Western
monopoly in knowledge production which unmasks the undeclared
assumption that only the West is legitimate in producing and
disseminating its produced knowledge.
“In fact, our modern education system has been problematic. It
almost ignores indigenous knowledge while embracing Eurocentric
values whose impact has been
little.” Biruk tells The Ethiopian Herald in an exclusive
interview.
“This does not mean western values are irrelevant but to
completely abandon local values is irrational. These knowledge is
approached and applied are compatible with local contexts”.
The fact that the country had not been colonized enables the
country to preserve its indigenous knowledge but new version of
mental colonization has barred the country to exploit its
potential. “One of the greatest mistakes was to fully discredit
local values and revolutionize it with western ones.”
“It is time to challenge the western imposed values; in fact it
behooves us to enrich them with Ethiopian ones. There are Ethiopian
values almost in all sectors but need through study. We just cannot
label our values as backward without examining them. It would be
absurd judgment to do so.”
“We need to move to a more Afrocentric epistemology whose
ultimate aim is to liberate. Afrocentric knowledge production
system generates a knowledge that will free and empower the
Africans in the course of mental decolonization.”
That it is an alternative, non-exclusionary, and non-hegemonic
system
ADDIS ABABA (FBC) – The House of People’s Representatives (HPR)
yesterday approved Ethiopia’s membership to the Africa Continental
Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
The AfCFTA, one of the biggest trade agreements since the
creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), aims to create a
single market in Africa.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was
endorsed by leaders of more than 40 countries in March last year.
Since then more countries have joined the agreement, including
Ethiopia.
The AfCFTA is meant to create a tariff-free continent that can
grow local businesses, boost intra-African
Parliament ratifies Ethiopia’s membership
to AfCFTA
BY YESUF ENDRIS
Psychologists suggest that children’s mind can easily acquire
knowledge. This would usher us in the path of Lockean buzzword,
tabula raza, which compares children’s mind with white paper.
Children living in urban areas of the developing world like,
Africa, have exposure to the digital world— which has brought both
opportunities
Bridging digital rift
See Back to... Page 2
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
ADDIS ABABA- Ambassadors of Russian Federation and Vatican City
State to Ethiopia yesterday took leave of President Sahlework
Zewde.
The president stressed as both dip-lomatic heads played pivotal
role in strengthening the historic and long standing ties with
Ethiopia in various areas.
The outgoing Russian ambassador Vsevolod Tkachenko told
journalists
Russian, Vatican ambassadors took leave of President
STEM centers are believed to create opportunities to primary
school learners to access technology
(Pho
to: G
oogl
e)
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed with Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed
bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan
-
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019
NATIONAL PAGE 2
ADDIS ABABA (FBC)- Locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros
II have been officially handed over to Ethiopia by the British
National Army Museum.
Ethiopian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Hirut Kassaw,
received the hair at a ceremony held in London yesterday.
The Minister also requested the Museum to return 11 replica Arks
of the Covenant, which are currently in storage at the Museum,
emphasizing that the Arks were more than just artifacts.
The locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II were removed
by a member of the British expeditionary force led by Field Marshal
Robert Cornelius Napier after the Emperor chose to commit suicide
rather than surrender at the battle of Maqdala in 1868.
UK returns locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II
The Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency (ENALA) and
the British Library in London yesterday also signed a Memorandum of
Understanding
(MoU) to collaborate in various sectors.
Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Hirut Kassaw,
signed the MoU on behalf of
ENALA.The agreement will see
the institutions foster greater collaboration, research,
capacity building and knowledge exchange.
Official handing over ceremony of the locks of hair held in
London
BY MISGANAW ANAKE
ADDIS ABABA- Ministry of Health (MoH) said improved links
between health centers and hospitals have shrunken maternal death
by 72 percent.
Excessive bleeding and hypertension are said to take the larger
slice of mothers’ death during delivery, Ministry of Health
Maternal and Children Director Dr. Meseret Zelalem told The
Ethiopian Herald.
Services expecting mothers get at each and every health center
and improvement in the information exchange channel among health
centers and respective hospitals as well as the use of up to date
equipment at all levels have contributed for the declining of
mothers’ death, according to her.
“The previous figure was 1,400 deaths per 100,000 births. Now it
declines to 419 per 100,000 births.”
Mothers get uninterrupted one stop pre-pregnancy, delivery, post
pregnancy services, she said.
Health extension workers also offer various services ranging
from personal hygiene, family planning, among others, in both rural
and urban
Improved health services reduces maternal mortality
nation-wide
areas of the country which contributed greatly to the
improvement, she added.
The ministry has been working to expand ambulance services
targeting maternal services in all areas of the country, she said,
adding the number of health professionals is also growing from time
to time.
To further trim maternal death, the
Ministry has focused on the provision of major
services—compassionate maternal care, electronic community
healthcare system and accessible and quality services at
health.
“We’re training a number of midwives to further expand maternal
healthcare services across the length and breadth of the
country.”
On the other hand, Dr. Shimels
Solomon, Menelik II Hospital Medical Director added that no
single mother has lost her life during delivery in their Hospital
over the last one year.
“All health professionals have been working hand-in-glove to
ensure safe delivery.”
He did not, however, shy away from mentioning that the deficit
of midwives and other health professionals.
Maternal health receives increasing attention in Ethiopia
resulting in the reduction of the rate of death at delivery
significantly
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
ADDIS ABABA- Despite the production of knowledge in almost all
of Ethiopia’s universities, the translation of research findings to
practice is still far from enough, according to scholars.
Universities are mushrooming in the country. Diametrically
opposite to this, research findings of both students and seasoned
faculty members usually decorate shelves of academic
institutions.
Shortage of funding, digital plagiarism and limitation in
research skills are among the major challenges facing academic
institutions effort of generating problem solving researches. Yet,
authentic research findings that could bring positive impacts on
the society remain unnoticed.
In an interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Prof. Zerihun Woldu,
Research Director at Addis Ababa University, told The Ethiopian
Herald scientific findings that may help to narrow gaps in many
areas are usually shelved at universities.
Absence of institutions that may bridge university and industry
could partly be ascribable to the problem, according to him.
To him, researches that could improve the lives of the people
remain idle due to limitation in mobilizing financial sources.
In one hand, as Abera Wondoson,
Scholars called for feasible academic researches
Lecturer at Dilla University Department of Journalism and
Communication argues, quality constraints in the education sector
contributed to the bad appetite the industry developed to research
works of universities.
As students fathom to modern research skills is questionable
which is exacerbated by digital plagiarism has led to less reliable
findings, according to him.
To Abera, limitation in language skills, the fact that English
is medium of instruction at higher education, are no less important
in hampering research quality.
Enhancing quality education and ensuring strong
university-industry linkage are ways to counter the problem, he
said.
Prof. Zerihun for his part indicated that Addis Ababa University
(AAU) embarked up on collaborative research method to get adequate
funding to researches and to put findings to practice.
Also, university-industry linkage has brought about shift in the
research trend in which students have been attempting to conduct
researches to fill gaps in the industries, he noted.
There are various researches the university has been conducting
in areas like health improvement, malaria control, traditional
medicine, crop productivity and nutrition, solar energy, quality of
education, human health and HIV/AIDS in the 13 research faculties
of the University.
and constraints to this part of the globe. Underage children, if
unchecked, waste
their time on digital world, at the expense of their social and
cognitive development.
Primary schools seem to have ignored their roles in shaping kids
in both online and offline use of digital technology. In the case
of Ethiopia, the issue is ignored in the curriculum hence children
are far from developing skills at an early level.
STEM power, an international NGO registered in the USA is said
to have mainly focuses in promoting and facilitating hands-on STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education across
Ethiopia, an effort that may help the generation to shake hands
with the future by emulating the best out of the digital world.
It signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with seven
Universities.
At the event, Prof. Hirut W/Mariam, Minister of Science and
Higher Education (MoSHE), stressed that universities are vested
with responsibilities of cultivating children’s skills of
innovation. Hence, such cooperation helps higher education
institution to expand their capacity.
Children can get measured exposure with technology. Put it
another way, children can use technology for the good of the
society.
STEM power president Kidist Gebreamlak, explaining about the
benefits,
said their intervention make technology accessible in all areas
of the country.
“The project intends to foster coordination between universities
and surrounding communities on building youth’s innovative
skills.”
Selected primary school students will get opportunities to
access labs including IT and other science equipment.
As MoSHE State Minister Prof. Afework Kasu, indicated this is
one mechanism to bridge technological constraints.
Students, particularly during their long vaccination of
Ethiopian major rainy season can utilize their time efficiently in
the STEM centers, Bahir Dar University President Dr. Frew Tegegne
noted.
As a research conducted last year by Ministry of Education
indicated, despite some promising opportunities, technological use
in primary schools of Ethiopia face challenges of low quality
education and budgetary constraints.
The study revealed that primary schools lack educational
facilities which in turn affect students to link their studies with
relevant technological outputs.
On the other hand, Ministry of Education has designed new
education roadmap which aims, among others, to enhance science and
mathematics so as to create productive citizens, its implementation
is expected to inspire youths’ technology use and innovation.
Bridging...
trade, revamp industrialization and create jobs.
The agreement creates a single continental market for goods and
services as well as a customs union with free movement of capital
and business travelers.
Countries joining AfCFTA must commit to removing tariffs on at
least 90 percent of the goods they produce.
If all 55 African countries join a free trade area, it will be
the world’s largest by number of countries, covering more than 1.2
billion people and a combined GDP of USD 2.5 trillion.
Parliament...
areas of sharing experiences to Ethiopia in the energy and
education sectors.
He also lauded Ethioia’s ongoing reform particularly in ensuring
freedom of expression.
Also, the outgoing Vatican Ambassador Luigi Bianco said the two
sides have been collaborating in education and health sectors, he
also vowed to expand the experience to other areas.
Russian, Vatican...
of knowledge based up on the African experience.
Scholars shoulder the biggest slice of responsibility in
bringing the values into the spotlight and enriching them with
improved application ways.
The main fault line rests on countries ability to synchronize
the western adopted values with their indigenous one, states Fisha
Moreda who also presented a paper in rethinking peace in Africa.
Adding, he said that the copy and paste trend brought almost the
unique values to their knees. The methodology and application was
also incompatible with local contexts.
There is this ill-perception that western values are justified
and all fit is wrong. Indigenous knowledge particularly conflict
management systems are unfairly treated and labeled as
backward.
“Unlike the negative perception, we saw Afrocentric values
making difference in restoring peace and fostering reconciliation
as it is the case in South Africa and Rwanda. Ethiopia is also home
to democratic and effective conflict managements systems.”
It proves null to carbon copy western values without properly
examining Ethiopian values. Indigenous knowledge if utilized
correctly would make a better alternative in all aspects
particularly in ensuring peace and building internal cohesion. “We
need to bring the values from the dust and reassess them.”
Now that prescribing western values to internal issues proves
unfit and less effective, it requires the country to go back to the
drawing board and try to integrate local values with the social
system.
There have been little attempt to study the indigenous knowledge
of the country. Books are published particularly in alternative
justice system. But the main duty lies on the shoulder of
universities and state tourism bureaus to explore the potential of
different communities, Alemayew Getachew Ministry of Culture,
Tourism and Sport Common Cultural Values Development Director.
Indigenous knowledge particularly conflict management systems
are more lasting and cost effective. That is way they are
officially recognized by the government though a lot remains to be
done in further developing and integrating the system to modern
justice system.
By fostering reconciliation and forgiveness, indigenous conflict
management system appears to effectively settle problems.
Preserving indigenous knowledge requires collaboration among
scholars, respective government bodies and others. First the
country needs to identify the values and their significance before
applying them. This knowledge should be studied across various
disciplines. In fact identification is not an end; the values
should be applied and used. Preserving indigenous values should aim
more on mainstreaming them.
Back to....
-
PAGE 3 FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019
The Ethiopian HeraldEstablished in 1943
Published daily except MondaysBy The Ethiopian Press Agency
General Manager Tel. 011-126-42-22 Fax. 251-011-156-98-62
Advertisement and Dist. Department
email:[email protected]
Tel. 011-157-02-70 Website: www.press.et
email: [email protected] /Ethiopian Press
Agency
Editor-in-Chief Kifle Worku email- [email protected] Address-
Kolfe Keranio Sub-city Woreda - 03 House No- --- Tel- +251 111 26
41 98
Recklessness, fake news and rushes to incite violence can partly
explain the social media use of current time. But self-restraint,
honesty and efforts to success the ongoing wide-array reform must
substitute the rhetoric on the social media platforms.
Doing so might ring in our mind the saying: ‘easier said than
done.’ It seems tough to regulate the social media sector,
particularly for countries that lack homegrown platforms.
Another factor that exacerbates the problem is the lack of gray
line between what is called open web, freedom of speech and
dangerous speech. Most circulate their venomous perspectives under
the pretext of the former. Yet, a great extent of individuals
masked themselves behind pseudonyms or fake accounts.
What must be clear to all is, however, the ill-intent messages
that goes viral on the web is likely to get hundreds of thousands
of buyers. We should not forget the fact that Ethiopia is one of
the countries with bulging youth population that could make up over
60 percent of the population, almost half of them unemployed.
No doubt, not few of those who post hate and dangerous speeches
are far from understanding the impact of their actions; they only
do that to buy fame and get wide circulation or followers.
However, one should not downplay the deliberate actions of the
rest majority who are after political gains.
Hence, the state must respond appropriately and legally. It is
high time to open series of debates at policy makers’ level on ways
and means of taming the platform. Its proper use, no doubt, can
help democracy to send roots and branches. The cyber world brings
enormous benefits to communities by shaping
Rational social media usethe way they live. But unregulated
cyber media also poses grave dangers.
Policy makers should not stand on the fence on this dearly
important matter. The cyber and social worlds have to complement
one another. But when the cyber world flexes its muscles to the
devastation of law and order, it must be checked with proper
measures.
There is no intention to criminalize the social media, but when
it starts to bring more harms than good, pertinent bodies have to
sit and discuss the issue, if not raise red flag.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed in his statement earlier this week
made government’s stance clear.
The statement denounced social media use that goes astray. It
has also called on citizens to exercise informed social media use.
While contributing to democratization through genuine dialogue,
citizens ought to counter activities on the web that undermine the
reform effort, it adds.
The clear stance of the government is sure to send message to
wrong doers. Yet, to bring the reform to fruition, the platform
plays a huge role. Messages could go viral at a click of a button.
And studies show that wrong and negative information has a tendency
to go 70 percent faster than the constructive ones.
Apart from doing activities, the government has to communicate
with the public, in various ways, to enable them understand what
has been achieved on the ground.
Thus, far-sighted citizens and friends of Ethiopia must join
hands, if not minds, to counter narratives that tarnish works
accomplished. And it should be clear to all that this has nothing
to do with being critical of the government.
This being the case, policy makers are shouldered with huge
responsibility of clearly delineating the buffer zone of freedom of
expression.
2018-19, A Year of unprecedented reforms in Ethiopia BY SOLOMON
DIBABA
A year has just elapsed since the election and coming to power
of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and his government. Following four years
of protest and unrest, on 15 February 2018 the Ethiopian Prime
Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, announced his resignation.
Hailemariam’s resignation triggered a leadership election among
EPRDF coalition members to replace him. On 1 March 2018, the 180
EPRDF executive committee members started their meeting to elect
the leader of the Front. On 2 April 2018, Abiy was elected as Prime
Minister of Ethiopia by the House of Representatives and sworn
in.
On April 2, 2018, Abiy was confirmed and sworn in by the HPR as
Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Right after the confirmation of his
premiership, Abiy made a historical speech in which he promised
sweeping political reforms; to promote the unity of Ethiopia and
the unity among the peoples of the country; to reach out to the
Eritrean government to resolve the ongoing Eritrean–Ethiopian
border conflict after the Eritrean–Ethiopian War and to also reach
out to the political opposition organizations inside and outside of
Ethiopia.
His speech triggered a nationwide optimism and received an
overwhelmingly positive reaction from all sectors of the Ethiopian
society including the opposition groups inside and in the
Diaspora.
Since taking office in April 2018, Prime Minister Abiy’s
government has presided over the release of thousands of political
prisoners from Ethiopian jails including leaders of opposition
parties and journalists paving the way for the expansion of
country’s political landscape
On 30 May 2018, it was announced the ruling party would amend
the countries
infamous anti-terrorism law, widely perceived as a tool of
political repression. The reform on this law is currently under
review. On 1 June 2018, Prime Minister Abiy announced the
government would seek to end the state of emergency two months in
advance of the expiration its six-month tenure, citing an improved
domestic situation. On 4 June 2018, HPR approved the necessary
legislation, ending the state of emergency.
Pragmatic Economic reforms at the later part of the year
including partial or whole privatization of state-owned enterprises
such as Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio-telecom, Ethiopian Maritime and
Logistics Corporation were announced.
The government resolved that state ownership in the
telecommunications, aviation, electricity, and logistics sectors
are to be ended and those industries opened up to private sector
competition. Furthermore, state-owned enterprises in sectors deemed
less critical, including railway operators, sugar, industrial
parks, hotels and various manufacturing firms, may be fully
privatized.
As part of the government’s foreign policy reforms, In May 2018,
Prime Minister Abiy visited Saudi Arabia, receiving guarantees for
the release of Ethiopian prisoners including Mohammed Hussein Al
Amoudi, who was detained on alleged corruption and recently
released by the Saudi government.
In June 2018, he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah
el-Sisi in Cairo and, separately, brokered a meeting in Addis Ababa
between the South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and rebel leader
Rieck Machar in an attempt to encourage peace talks.
Prime Minister Dr. Abiy was also engaged in a cunning diplomatic
move in facilitating the release of hundreds of Ethiopians detained
in Djibouti, Sudan, Egypt and a number of Ethiopians detained
in
other African countries.Prime Minister Dr. Abiy’s government
was also actively engaged in a policy of facilitating Ethiopia’s
access to the seas through ports in the Horn of Africa region.
Shortly before his assumption of office it was announced that the
Ethiopian government would take a 19% stake in Berbera Port in the
unrecognized Republic of Somaliland as part of a joint venture with
DP World.
In May 2018 Ethiopia signed an agreement with the government of
Djibouti to take an equity stake in the Port of Djibouti, enabling
Ethiopia to have a say in the port’s development and the setting of
port handling fees.
Similar agreement was signed with the Sudanese government
granting Ethiopia an ownership stake in the Port of Port Sudan. The
Ethio-Djibouti agreement grants the Djiboutian government the
option of taking stakes in state-owned Ethiopian firms in return,
such as the Ethiopian Airlines and Ethio Telecom. This in turn was
followed shortly thereafter by an announcement that Abiy and Kenyan
President Uhuru Kenyatta had reached an agreement for the
construction of an Ethiopian logistics facility at Lamu Port as
part of the Lamu Port and Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport
Corridor (LAPSSET) project.
The potential normalization of Ethiopia-Eritrea relations opened
the possibility for Ethiopia to resume using the Ports of Massawa
and Asseb, which, prior to the Ethio-Eritrean conflict, were its
main ports, which would be of particular benefit to the northern
region of Tigray. All these developments would reduce Ethiopian
reliance on Djibouti’s port, through which approximately 85% of
Ethiopia’s foreign trade currently transits.
In few months after taking office, Prime Minister Abiy over saw
Ethiopia’s acceptance of the Algiers Agreement. In June 2018, it
was announced that the government
had agreed to abide with the Algiers Accord, complying with the
terms of the 2000 agreement to bring an end to the state of tension
between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
On 8 July 2018, Prime Minister Abiy became the first Ethiopian
leader to meet with an Eritrean counterpart, President Isaayas
Afeworki in Asmera in over two decades. In the 2018
Eritrea–Ethiopia summit. The very next day, the two signed a “Joint
Declaration of Peace and Friendship” declaring an end to tensions
and agreeing, amongst other matters, to re-establish diplomatic
relations; reopen direct telecommunication, road, and aviation
links; and facilitate Ethiopian use of the ports of Massawa and
Asseb.
Speaking to senior commanders of the Ethiopian National Defense
Force declared his intention to carry out reforms of the military
to strengthen its effectiveness and professionalism, with the view
of limiting its role in politics. Notably, he has also called for
the eventual reconstitution of the Ethiopian Navy, dissolved in
1996 in the aftermath of Eritrea’s secession after an
extraterritorial sojourn in Djibouti, saying that “we should build
our naval force capacity in the future, was reported that this move
would appeal to nationalists still smarting from the country’s loss
of its coastline 25 years prior. Ethiopia already has a maritime
training institute on Lake Tana as well as a national shipping
line.
On 7 June 2018, Prime Minister Abiy carried out a wide-ranging
reshuffle of top security officials, replacing ENDF Chief of Staff
General Samora Yunis with Lieutenant General Se’are Makonnen,
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) director Getachew
Assefa with Lieutenant General Adem Mohammed.
On 23 June 2018, a large peaceful demonstration was organized in
Addis Ababa at Meskel Square to show support for the new prime
minister. Just after he had finished
addressing the crowd a grenade was thrown just 17 meters from
where he and other top officials were sitting. Two people were
killed and over 165 were injured. Following the attack, 9 police
officials were detained, including the deputy police commissioner,
who was fired immediately. After the attack the prime minister
addressed the nation on national TV unhurt by the blast and
describing it as an “unsuccessful attempt by forces who do not want
to see Ethiopia united”.
On the HPR session held on 16 October 2018, Prime Minister Abiy
proposed a draft that reduces the number of ministries from 28 to
20, where half of the cabinets are female ministers. The new
cabinet restructure included giving high ministerial positions for
women, including the first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde; the
first female minister of Ministry of Defense, Aisha Mohammed Musa
the first female Minister of the new Ministry of Peace, Muferiat
Kamil and head of National Election Board – Birtukan Medekssa.The
proposal included the introduction of Ministry of Peace, which
commands the Ethiopian Federal Police and the intelligence
agencies. These were all approved by the HPR.
However, all these multifaceted reforms were not conducted on a
red carpet. Anti- reform forces conducted systematic and sporadic
unrests in parts of Oromia, Amhara, the SNNPR and Somalia region
under the guise of public demands and outright opposition to the
measures the government was taking.
Legal reforms pertaining the operation of charities and
societies agency were also made over the year and as the reform is
still unfolding in process the peoples of Ethiopia are expecting
and supporting more reforms. The road is indeed challenging but the
future is bright for united Ethiopia.
Friday’s TeamWorku Belachew (Tel. 011-1-26-42-01)Dirriba
TeshomeDesta GebrehiwotMisganaw Asnake Yesuf Endris Abdurezak
MohammedBethlehem Asfaw
-
PAGE 5 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019
‘Similarities’ intensify doubt on Boeing 737 MAX 8 BY DESTA
GEBREHIWOT
Fortnights into the deadly Ethiopian Aircraft crash that united
many countries in grief with causalities of 35 nations, preliminary
findings and experts ar casting their concern on mechanical fitness
of the model.
This concern further strengthened as the recent Ethiopian
aircraft shares similarities with the Lion Air plane crash, the
same model that plunged into the sea though full results are yet to
be released.
Concerns have intensified over the Aircraft model as Ethiopian
and Lion aircrafts’ accident share similarities in many ways. From
the unstable vertical speed to the flight time after takeoff, the
two doomed aircrafts displayed various resemblances.
It was reported that satellite data and physical evidence from
the sites of crashes have shown similarities between the two
fleets. Full findings from the black box are yet to be released, as
was described by the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport.
Last Sunday Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told journalists
that an initial analysis of the black boxes recovered from the site
pointed clear similarities between the two crashes. But she said
further investigations are needed for specificity, saying
preliminary findings would be public in 30 days. She also said data
are successfully retrieved from the uncovered black
box by French experts. The two aircraft crashed soon
after takeoff with the Lion Air plane plunging into the sea
after 15 minutes while Ethiopian Aircraft crashed after six
minutes. Based on these assumptions, some are casting doubts on the
mechanical efficiency of the aircraft mode until further
assessments are made.
This concern led to many countries grounding the model with some
suspending the aircraft not to fly in their airspace including
UK.
It was also reported that the pilots who flew the aircraft were
seniors with good flying record. In such way, the cause of the
accident though premature to pass judgment, more inclines to
mechanical issues of the aircraft.
To strengthen further concern on the model, the Wall Street
Journal reported that the US Department of Transportation is also
investigating Boeing’s development of the 737 Max, with a grand
jury in Washington DC issuing a subpoena
for documents related to the commercial aircraft.
Experts last week in their interview with The Ethiopian Herald
also weighed their concern on the mechanical issues of the plane.
The massive grounding moves, according to the experts, seem to
justify their concern with the aircraft.
Capt. Abera Lemi - Owner of National Airways for his part said
countries are not only halting their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft
but
banning it from their airspace, this points the concern that
hangs over the model, though it is impossible to tell what caused
Sunday’s crash. The pilots were said to report some technical
problems.
The fact that more countries are joining Ethiopian Airlines in
banning the aircraft with some other also suspending the model to
fly in their airspace implicates concern on the model, said a
Brigd. Gen Mesfin Haile who also trained the deceased pilot of the
doomed ET 302 Boeign737-MAX 8 Aircraft.
Countries could not make the decision to ground the aircraft out
of the blue. Not only governments’ but public trusts have already
been eroded on the model and for countries to regain confidence
they must assess the safety of the model.
“I hope an independent international investigation will uncover
the cause of the crash. Airline Safety Boards involve credible
experts from Ethiopian Aviation Authority and others and the result
is most of the time considered to be factual.
Ethiopian Airlines is leading airliner in the continent with
latest and most modern fleets with good safety records. While many
media outlets continue to reporting on the efficiency of the
airliner, many passengers are also still showing their
solidarity.
Not few peoples are taking pictures and selfies to show their
trust on the biggest Airliner in Africa with myriads of flight
destinations.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
The government has announced plan to launch a formal capital
market by 2020, the time in between serving to install the required
infrastructure.
Scholars also suggest that the decision is significant to
escalate the growing economy of the country while allowing business
persons to make secure capital transaction.
A World Bank Overview 2018, states that Ethiopia’s economy
experiences fast and holistic speed growing at a rate of 10.3
percent on average a year. Despite this, Ethiopia is among the
nations that have no formal capital market.
Last week [March 14/2019] Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and
Sectorial Associations discussed the issue with representatives of
public authorities and the business community.
At the event, State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation
Dr. Eyob Tekalign remarked the commencement of preparation to
provide legal framework to regulate stock market.
Countries even with less financial infrastructure and economic
power than Ethiopia are better positioned in the stock market
world.
Zafu Eyesuswork, CEO and founder of United Bank, indicated that
stock market is the pre existent tool to exploit the citizen’s
economic power for fair engagement in economic ownership. Absence
of stock market, therefore, deprives of citizens’ access to the
capital market.
“Even with no stock market, stockholders run many companies
Launching stock market business
in Ethiopia,” he said. As to him, the market that goes without
supervision exposed individuals or shareholders to suffer
unnecessary cost.
Due to lack of trust in the prevailing market, people would
rather prefer to deposit their money at banks.
As to Zafu, the absence of capital market causes most
individuals to
develop little confidence towards share companies.
Banks, Insurances and other business have stirred the public’s
interest to involve in the capital market, but few people have
already dominated the sector, according to him.
“Most of share companies are controlled by small number of
tycoons. Hence, the larger public has nothing to do other than
depositing their money at banks.”
Shareholders are being exploited by informal agents and cajolers
in buying and selling shares, said Tesfaye Hailemichaeal, who
presented paper on Stock Market in Ethiopia: Challenges and
Prospects.
Adding, he also reiterated that the
capital market here is maneuvered by few business persons which
rather is unhealthy.
He has also rung cautionary call to the government as
professional and experienced IT experts, economists and secured
administration ought to be considered in the effort of launching
the stock market business here.
Ethiopia aims to formalize stock market business by 2020
A grand jury in Washington DC issuing a subpoena for documents
related to the commercial aircraft.
(Pho
to: G
oogl
e.)
-
PAGE 8THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019
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BERHANENA SELAM PRINTING ENTERPRISE
Institutionalization of Pan Africanism: The Establishment of
Adwa Pan-African University
“I can see no security for African states unless African
leaders, like ourselves, have realized beyond all doubt that
salvation for Africa lies in unity, Kwame Nkrumah,” — a quote from
first President of the Republic of Ghana, one of the founders of
the Organization of African Union in 1963 and notable for leading
ably the Pan-African Movement in Africa, in addition to authoring
several books, including Africa Must Unite.
EstablishmentIt’s been close to two years since a
foundation stone was laid to establish Adwa Pan-African
University (APAU) at Adwa by the-then Prime Minister Hailemariam
Desalegn and President Yoweri Musevini of Uganda. The University is
going to be built in a 150-hectare of hilly land, located in the
north east section of the town of Adwa.
The University will occupy a prime real estate, not far from the
majestic and historic mountains of Adwa and not far from the first
site of the battlefield, now called Mindibdib. Gesasso, Inda Kidane
Mehret, Abune Aregawi and Semayata Mountains are visible and close
to the University site.
Soloda Mountain is also nearby dominating the landscape of Adwa
and far beyond, one is able to see Maryam Shewito, another
battlefield site in which the Ethiopian cavalry took the battle to
the highest level, giving no chance for the enemy to gain any new
ground. The University’s site provides an excellent panoramic view
of the entire town and its magnificent mountain-rich
surroundings.
The purpose of this essay is to provide a general overview of
APAU, including a short narrative on Pan-Africanism.
It was also almost one year ago that the APAU Coordinating
Committee, in collaboration with the Ministry of Affairs,
successfully convened the first international conference in Adwa.
The theme of the conference was “Institutionalizing
Pan-Africanism.” It was at this conference that we are able to
organize task forces, namely Curriculum, Architecture, Funding and
Archives and Documentation. These taskforces have prepared and
submitted reports pertaining to prior academic issues.
To this date, with regard to the task of fund raising or
mobilizing resources, the Committee has managed to obtain pledges
of 460 million Birr (200 million Birr from the Federal Government,
250 million Birr from the Tigray Regional Government and 10 million
Birr from the Addis Ababa City Administration) for the initial
phase of the construction of the University. We are hopeful that
the other regional governments will follow suit. We are also
confident that the Federal Government continues to support the
project.
For the City of Addis Ababa, the Vice Mayor travelled to Mekelle
to donate the 10 million Birr at a special ceremony at the Martyrs’
Park. The Vice Mayor has also promised to make additional donations
for the realization of APAU. The Committee members are grateful to
this gesture and sense of ownership. Adwa belongs to all
Ethiopians, for that matter to all Africans and people of the
world.
Dr. Debretsion Gebremikael, the Chief Administrator of the
Tigray Regional Government, announced a pledge of 250 million Birr
in a speech he gave at the 123rd anniversary of the victory at the
Battle of Adwa in Adwa. Dr. Debretsion also met with two of the
members of the Coordinating Committee on March 2nd. He was briefed
on the activities of the Committee, including the issue of
compensation that ought to be paid to the farmers and residents, on
the University-designated premise, who need to be relocated.
He was also briefed on the state of curriculum preparation to
begin academic program. Dr. Debretsion, who has shown
keen interest in the establishment of the University and who is
consistently involved in making sure that the University becomes a
reality, wants the academic program to begin immediately. Since the
program begins with graduate studies, it is possible to start the
program with one MA program. There is enough material to conduct
classes. There are also qualified scholars to begin a program.
Dr. Debretsion suggests that we request facilities at Aksum
University to begin the academic program. Aksum University is only
25 minutes away from Adwa. The Committee may also lease homes in
Adwa that may be used for office, classes and student-housing. The
Committee is hopeful that other regional governments follow the
examples set by Addis Ababa City Administration and the Tigray
Regional Government thereby affirming their ownership of the
project. It is also the hope of the Committee to meet with Prime
Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed soon.
What is Pan-Africanism? The Pan-African Movement that began
with the African Diaspora in Europe and the Americas achieved
its institutional anchor with the founding of the OAU in May 1963
in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. African leaders similarly
met decades later, at the Lusaka summit, to unanimously decide to
replace the OAU, having fulfilled its original mandate, with the
African Union (AU). As we approach the Africa Day, which is on May
25, 2018, it is important to reflect on the steps taken to
transform Pan-Africanism.
The OAU/AU, a Pan-African institution created with the principal
purpose of advancing the interests of African people both on the
continent and in the Diaspora, locates its roots in the concept of
Pan-Africanism.
According to W. Ofuatey-Kodjoe, Pan-Africanism reveals itself as
an ideology with a cognitive component that recognizes all African
Peoples, both on the continent and in the Diaspora, as being one
folk, or nation as a result of a shared cultural identity, common
historical experience and indivisible future destiny.
Ofuatey- Kodjoe’s definition of Pan- Africanism is perhaps one
of the most concise definitions given so far. W.E.B Du Bois, the
great African American thinker and widely acknowledged father of
the Pan-African Movement stated its aims and objectives as
follows:
“Pan-Africa will seek to preserve its own history, and write the
present, erasing from its literature the lies and distortions about
black folks which have disgraced the last centuries of European and
American literatures; …Pan-Africa seeks the end of making Africans
not simply profitable workers for industry nor stool pigeons for
propaganda, but for making them modern, intelligent, responsible
men
(and women) of vision and character.” While old school
Pan-Africanists, such
as George Padmore of Trinidad and Tobago, viewed the movement
“as a revolt of people of African descent against oppression and
humiliation imposed upon them because of their African origin”, the
new school, such as Kwame Tourè (formerly Stockley Carmichael)
believed the fundamental goal of Pan-Africanism to be “the
empowerment of all African people wherever they are.”
Sid Lamelle identified seven major points as the strategy by
which to fully comprehend the idea and praxis of Pan-Africanism.
His idea included ‘Africa as Homeland’, ‘Solidarity’, ‘Historical
Restoration’, ‘Cultural Heritage’, ‘Africa for Africans’, and
‘Unity’. Consequently, Lamelles’s seven salient points of
Pan-Africanism were as follows:1. Africans and persons of African
origin
recognize Africa as their homeland;2. Solidarity among men and
women of
African descent;3. Belief in a distinct ‘African personality;4.
Restoration of African’s History;5. Pride in African cultural
heritage;6. Africa for Africans in material and
spiritual pursuit; and7. Hope for a United Future of Africa.
To Lamelle, the conditions that gave rise to the Pan-African
idea include: the humiliation and exploitation of the African
diaspora, racism, and white supremacist arguments about the
inferiority of African descent, and colonialism and imperialism in
Africa and in the Diaspora.
Although Nkrumah’s vision of a United States of Africa is yet
unrealized, Pan-Africanism has registered a number of historical
accomplishments. As a political movement, it has substantially
contributed to the struggle against colonialism and apartheid in
Africa and against white supremacy in the United States.
Pan-African principles were behind the formation of Marcus Garvey’s
the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the United
States in the 1920s.
UNIA became one of the largest people-centered Pan-African
organizations in the diaspora with over 5 million members. UNIA was
described as such due to its objective of addressing the social,
cultural, and economic issues facing Africans globally.
When one reflects on the history of the Pan-African Movement, it
is extraordinary to note how ordinary men and women transcending
their confined identities at great personal cost to their lives in
order to advance the cause of Africans. In fact, the Movement has
produced some of the most principled and influential freedom
fighters and thinkers in history.
From the first Pan-African Conference
in 1900 in London initiated by Henry Sylvester Williams to the
fifth Congress in Manchester, England in 1945, Pan-African aims and
objectives underwent fundamental transformations. It made a
qualitative shift from an appeal to “well-meaning” colonial masters
to improve the conditions of their colonial subjects to an explicit
demand for self-determination, freedom and independence of African
peoples and countries.
Institutionalizing Pan-Africanism: Political Dimension
The Pan-African Movement reached its zenith when the leading
actors of the African political realm, Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor
Haileselassie I came together to play their leading roles in the
founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia in 1963.
The establishment of the OAU, in fact, is one of the great
milestones in the history of African people. With this, it was
hoped that the OAU would become instrumental in promoting
political, cultural, and economic cooperation and unity in Africa.
The OAU/AU has yet to achieve those lofty goals, and has in the
process faced numerous challenges in the wake of the pervasive
neocolonial blocks, boundaries, and identities prevalent on the
continent. Nkrumah recognized these neo colonial schemes in Africa
at its earliest stage and cautioned African states to seek
African-centered development.
In an editorial entitled “What Mandela Means to Our Future”, the
editor of the Michigan Chronicle wrote: “Nelson Mandela, a
universal symbol of freedom, has also exposed a major challenge for
Africans on the continent and abroad. The world’s nations are
clustering themselves around political ideologies, religious,
ethnic groupings and geographical location…Africans throughout the
world must recognize that their place has not been reserved in any
of these alliances.
To move forward in the next century and eventually cooperate
meaningfully with other groups – Africans must first coalesce with
each other. The time is here when Africans facing environmental,
development and health crisis in both Africa and abroad must pull
their resources, skills and talents for their very survival.
The African Union must continuously strive to provide a platform
for Africans to play a significant role in world affairs. It must
be a source of strength for us to relate to ourselves and the rest
of the world with dignity, self-confidence and self-respect. We
should be actively involved in the shaping of the new Union so that
it would become a bastion of human rights, indigenous peoples’
rights, women’s rights and rights of all our people on the
continent and in the
Diaspora. The African union must strive to be self-reliant. The
resources needed to run our institutions ought to be generated from
within, thus avoiding the neocolonial strings attached to resources
from abroad.
Institutionalizing Pan-Africanism: Cultural Dimension
At a conference held in Adwa at the end of February 2016 in
conjunction with the 120th anniversary of the victory at the Battle
of Adwa, a citizens’ group publicly announced a plan to establish a
Pan-African University in Adwa. The symbolic and historical
significance of Adwa, particularly in the context of the African
World, were taken into consideration in making the
announcement.
In 1896, eleven years after the Berlin Conference, the Ethiopian
army defeated the invading Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa. It
was a decisive battle because it aborted Italy’s ambition to
establish a colonial foothold in Ethiopia. The victory at the
Battle of Adwa set the stage for the beginning of the end of
colonialism in Africa.
Adwa, therefore, is significant because it disturbed the
colonial order in the world. Colonial subjects interpreted Adwa as
a call to resist and defeat colonialism and racial oppressions
throughout the world. With Adwa, they have a permanent symbol and a
constant reminder that colonialism was wrong and it ought to be
defeated. No system is just as long as it treats human beings as
objects and fodders to exploitative and profitable economic
systems. Citizenship is a right that cannot be denied and that
should be exercised if at all freedom is a universal right of
peoples and communities.
Adwa, to many, was not simply an Ethiopian victory, but an
African victory as well. The 1884/85 Berlin Conference was convened
to divide up the entire continent of Africa and assign colonial
territories to European powers. The Europeans allocated the Horn of
Africa to Italy. Italy’s military push in Ethiopia is a part of the
European colonial design in Africa. Adwa inspired resistance and
anti-colonial movements in the African world.
In 1963, the first step was taken to institute continental
Pan-Africanism by founding the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
At its 50th anniversary, the Organization was strengthened by
transforming itself into the African Union (AU). AU has crafted
Agenda 2063 and, at present, efforts are being exerted to put into
practice. As another step to continue the institutionalization of
Pan-Africanism, Ethiopian citizens, in 2016, took the initiative to
establish a university in Adwa for the primary purpose of advancing
Pan-African causes. Establishing a Pan-African institution of
higher learning is viewed as a way of implementing Agenda 2063.
Adwa Pan-African University (APAU) commits itself to address and
advance Pan-African issues in line with Agenda 2063 of the African
Union and the Africa Decade Program of the United Nations. With the
establishment of APAU, Adwa will become a major hub and center of
excellence for Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.
Fifty-five years ago, at the founding summit of the Organization
of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, Emperor Haileselassie I had
proposed the founding of an African University where the
continent’s youth and future leaders would be nurtured together at
one site in Africa. His dream was not realized until AU has begun
to open Pan-African Universities in five regions of the continent.
Adwa Pan-African University is intended to compliment the AU’s
Universities. While the AU Pan-African Universities are established
on the basis of equity and geography, APAU is going to be a
standalone University with Pan-African center of excellence. As
Addis Ababa is the political capital of the AU, Adwa will become
the center of historical knowledge and archives about the African
World.
BY DR. AYELE BEKERIE
One Of the proposed architectural design APAU
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