Archive for August, 2011
Ethiopia to Import 300,000 Tons of Wheat to Build Reserves
By William Davison
Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) — Ethiopia will import 300,000 metric tons of wheat for reserves and to assure food supply amid drought, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said. The milling wheat, a variety used to make bread, has already been bought and will now be shipped, Berhane Hailu, the manager of the state-owned Ethiopian Grain Trade Enterprise said in an in interview from Addis Ababa.
The prime minister was speaking in Addis Ababa, the capital, at the opening of an African Union fund raising conference for the food crisis in the Horn of Africa in the city. The worst drought in 60 years in the region has left 12.5 million people, including 4.57 million in Ethiopia, in need of assistance, the United Nations says. There is a funding shortage of $1.4 billion for aid, the African Union said yesterday.
The fall of Tripoli
THE noose tightened and tightened and on Saturday night it cinched fast. Through Sunday, August 21st and into early Monday morning, the world watched through scratchy video feeds as Libya’s rebels—now in the heart of Tripoli and with the run of the country—searched for the trap door through which to drop their sworn enemy, Muammar Qaddafi.
At the same time, celebrations broke out in Green Square, at the centre of the capital. The scenes of jubilation recalled those from Cairo’s Tahrir Square, on February 11th. But the rebels who came pouring into Tripoli, and the beleaguered citizens who cheered them on, have won their day of victory by war. As in Cairo, flags are waved and God is praised, but tracer fire is also seen, criss-crossing the early-morning sky. Snipers from both sides hold rooftops around the city. In Benghazi, the origin of the February 17th uprising and the seat of the rebel government, residents were euphoric, parading through the streets in their cars and firing weapons into the sky late into the night.
After six months of fighting and with five months of aerial support from NATO, the rebels had brought Colonel Qaddafi’s capital into what was effectively a state of siege. Under the command of the National Transitional Council (NTC), they had captured Zawiya, a strategically vital port to the west of Tripoli, not ten days earlier. To the south, they held Gharyan, on the road to Algeria and the route to the colonel’s main supply of arms. With Misrata to the east in the rebels’ hands, Colonel Qaddafi and his loyalists had no way to flee Tripoli but into the sea.
When the final push came, it seemed to evince an admirable degree of orchestration. The NTC’s forces surged into Tripoli from three fronts, joining a general outpouring into the streets that began with several imams’ call for the evening prayer on Saturday. Rebel cells inside the city were co-ordinated to come out at their signal. In the fighting that followed, a government official said, 376 people on both sides died: an accurate number may take weeks to emerge, if ever it does. Read more: http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/08/fall-tripoli?fsrc=nlw|newe|08-22-11|new_on_the_economist
Source: The Economist
ETHIOPIA: Textile and clothing exports reach $62.2m
Ethiopia has nearly tripled its textile and apparel exports in its most recent fiscal year – but is falling way behind the government’s ambitious plans to grow the sector’s annual export earnings to $1bn over the next five years.
Textile exports jumped to US$62.2m in the 12 months to 7 July, up 168% on the $23.3m earned the year before, according to the Textile Industrial Development Institute. However, this still falls short of the export turnover target of $100m set for 2010/11.
Revenues rose by $39m thanks to government measures to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), modernising and privatising state-owned enterprises, and encouraging cotton cultivation. But a shortage of cotton, price fluctuations, and power shortages are among reasons the sector is starting to lag.
The major export destinations for Ethiopia’s textile products are Turkey, Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, US, UK, Netherlands, China, Australia, Belgium and Sudan, which together account for more than 94% of the country’s apparel and textile shipments.
The top export category is apparel (at 40% of the total), followed by yarn, thread and woven products.
Separately, the Leather Industry Development Institute said Ethiopia’s exports of shoes, leather and leather products nearly doubled to US$104m during the fiscal year.
Ethnic Politics Split US Ethiopians
By Anna Boiko-Weyrauch
America’s Ethiopian community has grown quickly since the 1980s and one of its hubs is the northwestern state of Washington. Yet, even though they live a half world away from Ethiopia, these immigrants are still influenced by politics back home.
Differences
In the middle of Seattle, a group of Ethiopian immigrants plays dominos at a community center for the city’s Tigray immigrants – one of the many ethnic groups from Ethiopia. Many people come to hang out at the lively place which has a bar inside. Similar community centers for other East African ethnic groups are practically within walking distance of each other. Washington State’s Ethiopian community is vibrant and growing, with anywhere from 10,000-40,000 people. No one knows exactly how many, since many don’t participate in census counts or don’t report their ancestry. Read more here: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/people/Ethnic-Politics-Split-US-Ethiopians–127312838.html
Reach Within to Embrace Humanity ~ Can We Make A Difference
By Lulit Assefa
“Look within yourselves, to
understand that all of humanity has the same dreams, similar hopes, the same
aspirations and similar problems.”
2011-12 RI Pr. Kalyan Banerjee
This is a speech taken from the 2011-12 Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee. This speech reflects the proverb stated as “Don’t Do unto Others, What You Don’t Want Others Do unto You.” When we pass on the road and see a street boy or street girl, we ask ourselves “would we let our children suffer such a way?” Alternatively, when we pass by rural area and observe small girls caring big jars on their back and travelling long distance, we ask ourselves “could my little girl at home be strong enough to do such chores and then definitely we swear to do everything in our power so that she won’t see this side of life.” Alternatively, when we drop by a public hospital to visit admitted relative and observe the number of patients suffering from different diseases lacking adequate health service, we ask ourselves “what can I do to help those people?”
Well this is the beauty of rotary!
Being a Rotarian is a privilege to reach out to those who need a hand; to make a difference starting from a very small effort aiming at a bigger output and to serve above self the society. The theme of rotary is Volunteerism for humanity.
There are more than 34,000 Rotary clubs and 8,400 Rotaract clubs all over the world. Each rotary club belongs to a certain district assigned by Rotary International. Since Ethiopia is under district 9200, every rotary club in Ethiopia belongs to the district 9200. The first rotary club to be established out of Addis Ababa is Rotary Club of Bahir Dar (RCBD) with Club ID No. of 73718. Under this rotary club, one Rotaract club is established in 2007. This Rotaract club is Rotaract Club of Blue Nile (RCBN). The two clubs have been doing community projects side by side with other rotary clubs worldwide and concerned bodies. Some of the projects accomplished by these clubs include:-
Polio Eradication Campaign;
Suspension Bridge in Mota area of Amhara Nationalities Regional State (ANRS) with Bridge to Prosperity America;-
Meskerem 16 School Toilet Project;-
Rotaplast Palate and Lip Cleft Surgery Mission;-
Lake Tana Front Walk Way Beautifying and Greening Project;-
Traffic Awareness, Use of Walkways and Pedestrian Crossing;-
Orphan Raising Ongoing Project Recently Rotract Club of Blue Nile has started a fund-raising campaign for Gish Abay public kindergarten situated at Bahir Dar the regional city of ANRS. The aim of the project is:-
To alleviate the shortage of kindergarten especially for those who cannot afford costs of available kindergarten (private)
To give the necessary and sufficient education for those children in order to prepare them for elementary schooling-
To create an appropriate student disciplines
To help the children to be a good citizen of their country
For this cause, can anyone now ask yourself “What can I do to help kids who cannot afford to join their kindergarten schooling?” Well Rotract Club of Blue Nile (RCBN) says “Please have the privilege to join our project on Gish Abay PUBLIC Kindergarten Project!!!”
Thank you for your time, effort and every single coin you are going to donate.
Lulit Assefa is a lecturer at the University Of Bahir Dare, Ethiopia. She is a graduate with MA in International and Development Economics, and A member of Rotract Club of Blue Nile. She can be reached by email at lulitassefa@gmail.com
