Saudi-Yemen Barrier Blocks Ethiopian Migrants

A popular path for Ethiopians to work as illegal household help in Saudi Arabia has been blocked by construction of a 75 kilometer-long three meter-high concrete-filled pipline, that is supposed to eventually span the entire 1,800 kilometer Saudi-Yemen border.

The Saudi-Yemen Barrier is designed to discourage illegal entry by Yemenis and other foreigners from sneaking across the border for work, to stop smugglers bringing in weapons for extremists and to end the shipment of qat – a plant whose leaves are a mild but illegal stimulant – to eager Saudi consumers.

Early construction has already cut off the route taken by thousands of poor Ethiopians seeking household jobs in Saudi Arabia’s wealthy middle class.

According to International Office for Migration (IOM) officials in Sana’a, 25,000 Ethiopians hoping for jobs as maids, cooks, nannies, gardeners and drivers in Saudi cities have been stopped at the barrier and now live in scattered temporary encampments not far from the fence.


IOM operates an emergency center there that provides water, food and medical help daily to about 3,500 of the most needy, said Marco Chimenton of the IOM office in Sana’a. The IOM has also repatriated thousands of Ethiopians from Yemen but has faced problems funding the flights in recent years.

Foreigners do Saudi menial labor

Saudi officials estimate that a million jobs in the Kingdom are filled by foreign workers.  Most are filling low-paying positions. “Anyone doing any sort of menial labor is basically a foreigner,” said Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch in Amman.

Traditionally, the largest percentage of domestic workers – about 60,000 - in Saudi Arabia come from the Philippines, said Dr. Ahmed F. Al Fahaid, the Ministry of Labor’s deputy for international affairs. In protest of Saudi working conditions, the Republic of the Philippines last year banned their domestic workers from further entry to the Kingdom until a bi-lateral agreement was reached. Ethiopians began competing in earnest for those Saudi jobs.

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office has since negotiated a Saudi agreement to, among other things, guarantee $400 monthly wages and the freedom to change jobs. They signed their new agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in May.

Ethiopians bound for the homes in the Kingdom

Work conditions in Saudi Arabia for migrant domestic laborers - and particularly for housemaids - have long been criticized by Human Rights Watch and other watchdog agencies that cite unsafe housing, nonpayment of workers, rape and other physical abuse.

Al Fahaid said the Ministry of Labor completed a set of regulations in July that for the first time addresses conditions and protections for the Kingdom’s 1 million foreign domestic workers.

Recent local Saudi media accounts have focused on Ethiopian housemaids as perpetrators of violence. In July, a Jeddah police spokesman said many accusations against Ethiopians have “turned out to be inconsequential” but anxious Saudi mothers have engaged in an anti-Ethiopian housemaid campaign on Twitter.

About 200 Ethiopians who ran away from their places of employment were being treated for psychological problems in a Riyadh center for housemaids, according to the Saudi Gazette.

“We had some problems, especially with the Ethiopians, and decided to temporarily stop and review the case,” said Al Fahaid.  “We found out through a consultant … that most problems started long before the workers came here – especially domestic workers.”

Foreign workers who try to change employers are in violation of Saudi law and subject to deportation because they violate kafala – the Saudi custom of sponsorship that denies a foreign worker the right to change jobs without the employers consent. Some labor advocates have compared the system to slavery. Bahrain has outlawed it.

Ethiopia purchased locally made transformers from Sri Lankan company

The largest consignment of transformers made by Lanka Transformer company, a subsidiary of the Lanka Electric Company, was exported to Ethiopia recently.

The token presentation of 1,660 transformers was made by the Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi to Ethiopian Electricity Company Chief Engineer Bogale AAbera on September 27 at the Lanka Transformers workshop premises in Ratmalana. Lanka Transformers was established as a subsidiary of the Lanka Electric Company in 1982.

However, later they began manufacturing transformers for the international market as well. Accordingly in 2002 locally manufactured transformers were first exported to Iraq. Since then the locally manufactured transformers have reached the export markets of the United Kingdom, Australia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Iran, India, Kenya, Uganda, Kuwait and 20 other countries including the Maldives.

These locally produced transformers of 5Kv-33 Kv capacity, are produced to international standards. Lanka Transformers has by now established themselves as a leading establishment both locally and internationally. Annually they produce around 4,000 transformers while 50 percent of their production is for export. Meanwhile according to Lanka Transformers, they have also received orders from countries such as Mauritius, Tanzania and Uganda for the supply of transformers. According to the company sources Lanka Transformers have already exported around 6,500 transformers to developing countries during the past five years.


Several ministry officials including the Additional Secretaries M. I. M Rafeeq, J. M. K. Jayasekera, Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman W. B. Ganegala and Lanka Transformers Chairman U. D. Jayawardena also participated at the handing over ceremony.

Ethiopia among Richest Countries in Africa According To Their GDP

Africa is one of the largest continents in the world and the home to 53 nation states. Although regarded as the poorest continent, there are some progressing economies in Africa which are quite wealthy. Here is the list of top ten 10 richest nations or countries in Africa with respect to Gross Domestic Product (Purchasing Power Parity). Interestingly, African Americans spend $960 billion in the US with a projected growth to $1.2 trillion by 2012. If regarded as a nation-state African Americans would represent the 14th largest economy in the world, and the largest nation on the African continent.
1. Egypt: The country has a highly developed economy, and she is the first richest country in Africa having 467,600 dollars GDP (PPP). GDP (Nominal) per capita of Egypt is 187.956 billion dollars in 2009, estimated by IMF. Egypt has a developed energy market based on coal, oil, natural gas, and hydro power. Egypt has huge reserves of gas, estimated at 1,940 cubic kilometers, and LNG is exported to many countries.
2. South Africa is the second richest country of Africa and is ranked 25th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) as of 2009. GDP (PPP) of South Africa is 403,900 dollars while GDP per capita is 227.379 billion dollars. South Africa is the largest energy producer and consumer on the continent. The country is also a popular tourist destination, and a substantial amount of revenue comes from tourism. Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines.
3. Nigeria is the third richest country of Africa continent having $ 294,800 billions GDP compared on purchasing power parity GDP per capita of Nigeria is 165.437 billion dollars with growing population. Nigeria is currently the 50th largest export market for U.S goods and the 14th largest exporter of goods to the U.S. Nigeria used part of its oil profits to pay the residual 40% freeing up at least $ 1.15 billion annually for poverty reduction programs.
4. Algeria is the fourth richest country of Africa having $ 268,900 dollars GDP (PPP) while GDP per capita of Algeria is 134.797 billion dollars estimated by IMF in 2009. The fossil fuels energy sector is the backbone of Algeria’s economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. The country ranks fourteenth in petroleum reserves, containing 11.B billion barrels of proven oil reserves with estimates suggesting that the actual amount is even more.
5. Morocco is the fifth richest country of Africa continent having $ 127,000 GDP (Purchasing Power parity) in her account whereas GDP per capita is 90.775 billion dollars in 2009. Morocco is the world’s third-largest producer of phosphorus and the price fluctuations of phosphates on the international market greatly influence economy. In the Arab World, Morocco has the second-largest non-oil GDP, behind Egypt.
6. Angola is one of the fastest growing economy in the world. The country is the sixth richest country of Africa having 93,100 dollars GDP compared on purchasing power parity. The GDP per capita of Angola is 69.708 billion dollars. Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency international rated Angola one of the 10 most corrupt countries in the world. Oil production from Angola now is china’s biggest supplier of oil.
7. Libya is the seventh richest nation in Africa having 90,600 dollars GDP (purchasing power parity) while GDP per capita of Libya is 60.609 billion dollars. Today, high oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest GDPS per person in Africa. The world Banks defines Libya as an “Upper Middle Economy” along with only seven other African countries.
8. Sudan is the eight richest country in Africa having 80,500 dollars GDP (PPP) whereas GDP per capita of Sudan is 54,294 billion dollars. Currently oil is Sudan’s main export, and the production is increasing dramatically. Agriculture production remains Sudan’s most important sector, employing 80% of the workforce and contributing 39% of GDP.
9. Tunisia: In 2008 Tunisia had a GDP of $ 41 billion (official exchange rates) or $ 82 billion on measured purchasing power parity. It also has one of Africa and the Middle East’s highest per capita GDP (PPP) having 76,900 dollars. Tunisia was the first Mediterranean country to sign an association agreement with the European Union. The Agricultural Sector stands for 11.6% of the GDP, industry 25.7% and services 62.8%.
10. Ethiopia has the biggest economy in east Africa (GDP) as the Ethiopian economy is also one of the fastest growing in the world. GDP (PPP) of Ethiopia is 61,600 dollars and GDP per capita is 33.920 billion Agriculture accounts for almost 41 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), 80% of export, and 80% of the labour force. Ethiopia is Africa’s second biggest maize producer.

Ethiopian airline to airlift Nigerian fans at reduced cost

Nigeria football fans wishing to watch the October 13 World Cup playoff tie between the Super Eagles and the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, now have the opportunity to do so at subsidized rate, so says Ethiopian Airlines, which has outlined plans to airlift teeming Nigerian soccer fans to Ethiopia at reduced cost.

Triple Joy Tour, which represents the airline, disclosed on Thursday in Abuja that the airline will be airlifting interested football fans from three locations in the country, namely Enugu, Abuja and Lagos.


Representative of the travel agency, Boma Anga said cost for the two-night, three-day tour will cost interested soccer fans $1,450 for economy and $2950 for business class. He added that the fee will cover costs for hotel accommodation in Ethiopia, guided tours to important tourist sites as well as airport shuttle transportation arrangement.


“For us, this is big occasion to take the fans to see their team do business on the pitch. It is a cracker that every football fan wants to be part of. So, we are offering an all-inclusive package to the fans. By paying the air fare, you get additional incentive in the form of hotel accommodation for two nights as well as transportation services to choice places,” said Anga.

Ethiopian housemaid commits suicide



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An Ethiopian housemaid committed suicide at the women’s ward of the Abyar Ali Penitentiary in Madinah on Friday.
The domestic worker had been in prison since the end of August, a local daily reported Saturday.
“The 23-year-old inmate was found hanging by her head scarf at about 8 a.m. She was immediately taken down and rushed to the nearby Meeqat Hospital, but the doctors there declared her dead on arrival,” said a source at the provincial prison directorate.
The woman, who arrived in the Kingdom as a housemaid, was sent to prison on charges of stabbing her female employer.
She was arrested a month ago after reportedly stabbing Gheelah, her octogenarian employer. Aziziah police handed her over to Aqiq police after her relatives identified her, Col. Fahd Al-Ghannam, spokesman for Madinah police, said in a statement shortly after her arrest. The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution then took over the case.
Ahmad Al-Ahmadi, the victim's son, said he knew nothing about the motive of the maid’s near-fatal attack on his mother, who used to treat her well.
The younger son of the elderly woman added that the maid’s attack was shocking and unexpected because she showed good conduct and had not manifested any signs of violent behavior or mental imbalance in the past.
Investigators could not obtain information from the maid because she refused to speak during the interrogation to reveal the motives for her attack.
Suhail Khan, director of a hospital for the mentally unstable in Jeddah, said 90 percent of female patients at his hospital were Ethiopian and that one patient a day on average is admitted. The doctor added that most cases were complicated and hard to deal with. The cases included serious psychological disturbances and schizophrenia.

Ethiopian Government and Reykjavik Geothermal Announce 1,000 MW Geothermal Power Agreement

In a landmark announcement, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Reykjavik Geothermal have revealed plans to develop one of the world's largest geothermal power projects in the Corbetti area in Ethiopia. The Corbetti Geothermal Project will be Ethiopia's first independent power project, and one of the largest in Africa. 

The Government of Ethiopia and Reykjavik Geothermal (RG) today announced an agreement to build and operate up to 1,000 MW of geothermal power in two 500 MW phases. Reykjavik Geothermal, a US-Icelandic development company, has been working with the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) and various government ministries for the past two years to finalize the power purchase agreement. The first 500 MW plant will be built inside the Corbetti Caldera, which is considered one of the top geothermal resources in the world by the team of Icelandic and Ethiopian geoscientists that have studied the area. The first 10 MW of power will be online in 2015, with an additional 100 MW in 2016 and the full 500 MW to be operational by 2018.
“Africa needs to transform, and energy is at the center of that transformation,“ said His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, at this morning’s announcement in New York. “My vision is that over the next 30 years we will need to harness as much as 80,000 MW of hydro, geothermal, wind and solar power, not just for Ethiopia, but for our neighboring countries as well. This cannot be done by public investment alone; we will need to partner with the private sector to bring in significant private investment going forward. From that perspective, this 1,000 MW project with RG is not that large – but it‘s a great start. What Africa needs now is not just aid, but trade and investment.“
"We are very pleased to announce this historic agreement with Reykjavik Geothermal. This will be a significant step for EEPCO in realizing our strategic vision of being the regional leader for power generation and export in East Africa," said Deputy Prime Minister and EEPCO Chairman, H.E. Dr. Michael Debretsion. "We believe Ethiopia has over 10,000 MW of geothermal potential which provides base load power and is a perfect complement to our over 50,000 MW of hydropower potential."
"Our agreement with EEPCO and the Government of Ethiopia is a ground-breaking achievement. Reykjavik Geothermal will be the first Independent Power Producer (IPP) in Ethiopia and the Corbetti Project will be the largest single geothermal power plant ever built in Africa," said RG Chairman, Michael Philipp. "The agreement for 1,000 MW of geothermal power, an investment of $4 billion over an 8-10 year period, confirms the confidence of international investors in the growth and stability of the Ethiopian Economy. This project is being led by US private investors and has generated significant interest from the development agencies involved with the Power Africa initiative announced by President Obama."
"The Corbetti Project is a new model for developing large scale power projects in Africa," said EEPCO CEO, Miheret Debebe. "The project combines the considerable expertise for electrical power generation of Ethiopia, with the geothermal technical knowledge of Iceland and the financial and structuring expertise of the United States. This project will set a new benchmark for large scale projects financed by the private sector and will help Ethiopia unleash its full energy potential."
"The Corbetti Geothermal Project will establish Ethiopia as a leader in the global geothermal industry,” said Gudmundur Thoroddsson, CEO of Reykjavik Geothermal. "Ethiopia has some of the best high temperature geothermal resources anywhere, and the Corbetti Project will be one of the lowest cost and most technologically advanced geothermal facilities in the world. Our goal is to transfer geothermal knowledge and expertise from Iceland to build a long term geothermal industry in Ethiopia."   
"This historic agreement for Ethiopia is a fitting tribute on the first anniversary of the passing of visionary leader H.E. Meles Zenawi," said Nejib Abba Biya, Chairman of Rift Valley Geothermal, the Ethiopian partner of Reykjavik Geothermal. "The late Prime Minister was Africa's spokesman at Global Climate Change conferences and an unflinching advocate for clean and renewable energy."
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia:
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is located in the north-eastern part of Africa commonly known as the Horn of Africa. It is strategically proximate to the Middle East and Europe, together with its easy access to the major ports of the region, enhances its international trade. It is bordered by the Sudan in the west, Somalia and Djibouti in the east, Eritrea in the north and Kenya in the south. The country covers 1,112,000 square kilometers (472,000 sq. miles) making it roughly as large as France and Spain combined. With over 91 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the second most populated country in Africa. The World Bank estimates GDP growth of approximately 8% over the next five years, after almost a decade of double digit GDP growth.
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation:
The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) as public utility enterprise was established in 1948 for indefinite duration by regulation No. 18/1997, and conferred with the powers and duties of the previous Ethiopian Electric Light and Power Authority. The purpose of the corporation is to engage in the business of producing, transmitting, distributing and selling electrical energy in accordance with economic and social development policies and priorities of the government and to carry out any other related activities that would enable it achieve its purpose.
Reykjavik Geothermal:
Reykjavik Geothermal (RG) is a geothermal development company founded in 2008. The Company is focused on the development of high enthalpy geothermal resources for utility scale power production. RG specifically identifies and targets locations where quality geothermal resources can be efficiently harnessed to meet the local demand for power and clean dependable energy. RG was founded in Iceland by a proven team of experienced geothermal experts. RG management has been involved in geothermal exploration and development in over 30 countries including spearheading the development of one of the world’s largest geothermal power plants in Hellisheidi, Iceland.

 

Diageo fighting for a place in Ethiopian beverage market 

Ekwunife Okoli is Diageo‘s general manager for the African regional market. Last week Okoli was in Addis reviewing one of his regional markets. Apart from that, he was also here to lead an executive meeting for the African regional market and to conduct a strategic business review that the company does twice a year.

According to regional GM, this year they have decided to hold the strategic business review in Addis Ababa to show how important the Ethiopian market is for Diageo. A number of executives flew in from different parts of Africa and the headquarters – London – to take part in a week-long convention. Birhanu Fikade of The Reporter caught up with Okoli to discuss Diageo’s stake in Ethiopia. Excepts:  
The Reporter: You have said that one of the reason for your being here is the periodic business review, which your company will be carrying out in Ethiopia this year. So what did you gather from your reviews of the Ethiopian market?
Ekwunife Okoli: Actually, we have not completed the review process. But, in general, we have gathered that Africa is a good place to do business at this moment. At present, the African markets are solid and growing faster. We also spent some time discussing our market in Ethiopia. In a nutshell, we have a positive review of the Ethiopian market. We love the brands that we are developing, and the overall outlook of the country is very promising.
Do you have a new product line that will be coming out any time soon? It could be for Ethiopia or the African regional market as a whole?
Our primary strategy in Ethiopia is very simple: it is investing in the future. So what will be coming in Ethiopia would be more investment. As you know we bought the business in Ethiopia for 250 million dollars, and ever since we have put in some 50 million dollars worth of new investments into our Ethiopian stake. In addition to that, we have approved a substantial investment injection to increase our capacity here, and you will be seeing a lot of that in the near future. We are committed to growing our two brands in Ethiopia – Diageo and Meta beer. I am sure you have seen our investment in advertising our products. This is because we believe and are committed to grow these brands. We have also invested in Malta Guinness (a new brand of zero alcohol beer in Ethiopia) and I can assure you that there will be a number of new brands coming through in the Ethiopian market. You will also see us rolling out our investments to increase our presence outside of Addis. You will also see more investment in people. Since we acquired this business, we have employed about 100 more; at the moment we employ a total of 800 people in Ethiopia. It is not only about providing employment opportunity though, we also invest in people so that they develop their capacity. We invest heavily specially in our young staff so that they can assume the leadership role in the future. You can take me as an example; I was nurtured by Diageo to this level from a young age in my country Nigeria. Most importantly, we as a company, believes that the community that we are doing business in should feel the impact of our investment. In this regard, we are commissioning 21 water-well projects across Ethiopia. It is our corporate responsibility. But for me and my colleagues, making money for our owners while leaving a lasting footprint in the country that we invest in is the right way to do business.  Read more

Ethiopia can rewrite history 

Nigeria and Ethiopia have locked horns seven times with the West Africans winning four times, drawing twice and losing just once. Though this may look lopsided on paper one has to remember that Ethiopia’s solitary win came against Nigeria’s best team ever - the 1994 Eagles.

In as much as it occurred a year earlier in 1993, the superb 1994 team would be the same almost to a man. As we know that team would be eventual African Champions and rise to be ranked 5th in the World which is the highest ranking of any African team ever.
Yet the Walya Antelopes against this star studded Eagles team that ironically included both current Nigerian coaches Keshi and Amokachi, clawed out a narrow 1-0 win in Addis Ababa.
So the writing for Nigeria is on the wall. Take the East Africans for granted and get nailed no matter how good you may be on paper or start studded a team you may have.
But let’s get back to history.
The first meeting between both countries was at the 1982 AFCON in Libya. There Nigeria pulled Ethiopia apart like a soft loaf of bread and won 3-0. In that game Coach Stephen Keshi had a monster of a game and scored a brace with Adeshina getting the other goal.
The second encounter though a friendly played in Ethiopia in January of 1993, was far tougher and Nigeria managed to overcome a solid home team with a 1-0 victory.
Then came the for mentioned shocker for Nigeria which unfolded on April the 11th 1993 and was highly celebrated by the East Africans who despite a blossoming local league then had failed to make any impression on Africa even at the club level.
Angered by that defeat Nigeria sharpened her swords and lay in wait for Ethiopia to come to Lagos for the return leg. On game day the Antelopes simply had no answer for the Eagles goal king and gargantuan Yekini (RIP). The Hulk scored a hat-trick en route to 6-0 trashing. The game was also the debut for SuperSport’s Sunday Oliseh and saw Nigeria’s goal keeper Peter Rufai dance his way from his 18 to the penalty spot to convert a goal. He would subsequently dance his way back to his net all without missing a beat. Despite the subsequent yellow card, it drove the Eagles fans crazy and the Surulere Stadium shook as they celebrated.
The next game was the 2012 first leg Nations Cup qualifier in Addis which ended in a 2-2 draw and in my humble opinion is the real reason the Siasia led Nigeria failed to make the ANC hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. I remember vividly listening to the game on radio and never hearing more than two Nigerian names being mentioned in a row. So disruptive was the Ethiopian defense that day that almost nothing worked for the team in all green. Meanwhile their Saledin Said was on fire and bagged a brace as Nigeria was rescued at the very end by Yobo’s head to salvage a draw she did not deserve.
Again that seemed to light a fire under the Nigerians because just as in 1993 they talked softly but lay in wait carrying a big stick for the return leg. This time it was in Abuja and Nigeria simply decimated the East Africans with Peter Utaka and Ike Uche each netting a brace each as Nigeria cruised to a 4-0 win.
The final encounter as we know came in South Africa at the 2013 Afcon. Tightly contested for 70 minutes Ethiopia fell apart in the last 20 with her Goal Keeper Sisay Bancha’s felonious antics on Victor Moses gifting Nigeria not one, but two penalties which he converted himself. They proved to be the difference.
And that’s the way things stand historically. Clearly the advantage is in Nigeria’s favour but Ethiopia knows that with one draw and one victory she can tip the odds just as she did on April the 11th 1993 and write her own history.

Starbucks Honors the Birthplace of Coffee with Ethiopia, a New Coffee Steeped in History 

A Single-Origin Coffee Unlike Anything in Starbucks 42-Year History, Ethiopia is Masterfully Roasted for an Exquisite Taste Experience

SEATTLE (September 24, 2013) – Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) today introduces a new single-origin coffee from the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia.

Starbucks first whole bean packaged coffee available globally since the introduction of Starbucks® Blonde Roast two years ago, Ethiopia coffee celebrates Ethiopia’s rich coffee tradition and delivers a taste in cup unlike any other coffee offered in Starbucks 42-year history.  This new coffee joins Starbucks selection of 20 core and 10 traditional and seasonal whole bean coffees offered at Starbucks retail stores nationwide.

“We’ve taken great care in sourcing this coffee and applying the signature Starbucks roast to create a flavor profile that is both uniquely Starbucks and unique to specialty coffee,” said Craig Russell, senior vice president of Global Coffee at Starbucks. “We want to honor Ethiopia’s rich coffee heritage while also giving our customers an exceptional flavor experience from the birthplace of coffee.”

With its high elevation, rich volcanic soil, and more than 10,000 coffee varieties, Ethiopia produces some of the most extraordinary coffee in the world.

“Starbucks fully-washed, medium-bodied Ethiopian coffee offers soft, velvety notes of dark chocolate, subtle hints of peppery spice, and sweet, mandarin-like citrus for a balanced and approachable taste in the cup,” said Anthony Carroll, Starbucks coffee development manager.

 

Ethiopia: PM Hailemariam Stresses On Sustainable Energy Supply 

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has called developing nations to strive to ensure sustainable power supply as a means to address their socioeconomic problems.

Speaking at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, PM Hailemariam briefed member countries on Ethiopia's ongoing endeavors to utilize renewable energy sources for sustainable power supply.

He said the government is working to meet the growing energy demand in the country which he said is a result of the nation's fast-tracking economy. He mentioned the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as a case in point.

He said Ethiopia is working hard to build carbon-free economy and envisages joining middle income countries by 2025.

PM Hailemariam urged developed nations to provide financial and technical support to developing nations in the latter's endeavors to build carbon-free economies and address their socio-economic problems.

Kenya: Police Alert at Border With Ethiopia 

Security has been tightened at the border of Ethiopia and Kenya following the Westgate attack. Marsabit county commissioner Isaiah Nakoru said the security apparatus in the region have been upscaled and the patrols intensified to ensure that the suspected attackers don't flee out or into the country. He said all police chiefs have been ordered to beef up their security checks and ensure no one gets in or out of the country.

Nakoru directed all lodges, hotels, bars and Public Service Vehicle operators in the region to review their security arrangements, including screening visitors. He was addressing officers at Marsabit Catholic Hall on Sunday when he presided over a forum for uniformed officers.

Nakoru said officers have been deployed in communal places such as churches to check on the security. He said adequate security measures have been put in place to avert the terrorist attack by the al Shabaab.

Kenya

Kenya Turned Down America's Help, Says New York Times

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Sisay gets a New Nose after Hyna Attack

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. - Local doctors and loving families from two very different worlds join forces behind an incredible little boy who survived a tragic attack.

Boy gets a New Nose after Hyena Attack

FOX 29's Joyce Evans has a tear-jerking story about how far good people are still willing to help when a child is hurt. His sneakers are cool. He's smart as a whip and fast as lightning.

"He is a force to be reckoned with on the soccer field," said Peter Doerschler, the boy's guardian. A quick study, learning all kinds of languages curious and engaging all wrapped into one adorable little 8-year-old boy.

"He's a spunky little guy, isn't he?" Dr. Thomas Balshi said.

He's also a very brave and patient little guy in a serious dental surgery chair -- way more than most adults can handle -- awake. Even more special, this second-grader is not getting work on his teeth. It's his nose.

"I looked at him and I started to get a little emotional about it," Balshi said. Emotional about all the suffering Sisay Taye had already endured.

Sisay's long and painful journey began about three years ago, halfway around the world in Ethiopia, Africa. A hyena pounced on Sisay, right in the yard of his home in Kolu, a small farming village.


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"It took his nose and his upper jaw in one clean swoop," Balshi said.

Sisay's dad grabbed his bleeding son, carrying him on foot to the closest town, Bedesa, about an hour away. There, somebody with a jeep drove the father and son almost five hours to a city hospital in Addis Ababa.

There, Sisay's massive wound was healing remarkably, but he needed major reconstructive surgery to breathe, eat, and speak normally.

Enter doctor Adam Waksor, a specialist from northeastern Pennsylvania visiting his homeland, where he donates high-tech oral surgery services.

Waksor arranged to have Sisay and his father flown from Africa to the Geisinger Medical Center near Scranton, Pa.

There, Sisay got an upper lip and implants in his cheeks. He also got a glue-on prosthetic nose and a host family, the Doerschlers, who would become much more after Sisay's father's visa ran out.

His dad had to make the tough decision to leave his boy behind for a shot at a better life.

"He was saying, 'I have to do this to give him an opportunity, to give one of my kids a chance to get out of poverty," said Peter's wife, Lisa.

When it became clear that a nose held on by glue was not practical for a fast-growing, very activity little boy, Scranton-area doctors sought the help of Philadelphia area experts at the Pi Dental Center in Fort Washington.

"We needed to work on the other nose first," Balshi said. "When I first saw it, I wasn't sure what we could do, you know, because we had never run across anything like this before."

The doctor called on is son, Stephen, a biomedical engineer to build a longer-lasting framework that could expand a bit as Sisay grows and strong enough to hold his nose in place and not fall off.

"It's a real experiment?" Evans asked.

"It is. It's, from our eyes, it's one of a kind," Stephen Balshi said.

You've heard that saying "necessity is the mother of all invention." Well, that's exactly what these local doctors are doing here.

"There are no words," Lisa Doerschler said. "There are no words. It's incredible."

"It is amazing 'cause we're doing something we've never done before," Thomas Balshi said. "We needed to figure out a way to give him something that wouldn't fall off."

His son, Stephen Balshi said, "Our design involved what we're terming the Mother Ship."

Thomas Balshi explained, ''We're calling it the Mother Ship 'cause it looks like something from Star Wars."

It's milled out of a solid block of titanium, and it has receptacles to receive two so-called "rare earth" magnets, which are super strong and have powerful pull to hold Sisay's new nose in place. Then come the adjustable extenders.

"The three bars will allow for that growth to happen," Stephen Balshi said.

For a life-like nose to fit on the framework, blend in to Sisay's face, and move like a soccer star.

Thomas Balshi called on Temple University's School of Dentistry to borrow his former classmate, Dr. William Reiger, and his partner, Jim Blakely. They're masters at creating silicon ears and noses for adult patients.

"It's a lot different working with a child," Reiger said.

It's different, tedious and time-consuming, but not impossible.

Jim Blakely fashioned a special device for Sisay to remove the nose from those rare-earth magnets. They call it the "nose picker."

Finally came the opportunity this young boy had been dreaming of, what his Ethiopian parents prayed for when they allowed him to stay in a foreign land with a foreign language at only 6 years old -- left with American guardians who want nothing less for him as a permanent member of their family.

"I don't think we feel like it's anything special that we're doing," Peter Doerschler said. "We're just trying to do our part to help a kid who's a great kid and needs somebody to really care for him."

Sisay's entire American family came down from Bloomsberg, Pa., for this moment.

"I wouldn't want anyone to lose sight of the fact that this offering of high-tech, beautiful, artistic nose is opening up a world for him," Lisa Doerschler said.

The stoic 8-year-old tries to hold back, but we did catch a slight smile. Then, it's back to just being a boy.

Asked to sum up this day, Thomas Balshi called it, "Awesome. This is just, it's a thrill to be a professional. … It's just a thrill for us. We're so happy we could do this for him."

"I don't even know what to say. I'm so grateful and so happy," Lisa Doerschler said. "Everybody's heart was in this. It was so much more about heart than technicality, and it really blew me away!"

"This is unbelievable!" said another family member. "To see him, it fits his face – what can you say? It's just amazing. Now, he's out there just playing like a normal, active kid. It's gonna change his life."

"You like it?" Evans asked Sisay?

"Yeah," he answered.

And, for the first time on camera, Sisay expresses how the new nose makes him feel.

"It gives me more power," he said.

His words are few now, but his parents know he'll open up later.

"He'll give us a huge snuggle and say something like, 'I got a new nose mommy, and I can go to school and nobody's gonna point at me and – it's just really special," Lisa Doerschler said.

Sisay will undergo much more tweaking, adjusting, and surgeries until he's grown, including teeth implants. Every single treatment here, including all of his noses, are being donated.

You, too, can help at PI Dental Center at the following link: http://pidentalcenter.com.

It looks like Sisay is going to be legally adopted last month by the Doerschlers.

Evans reported that Sisay speaks with his parents in Ethiopia by phone as often as he can, asking how they're doing and even how his goats are doing.

The entire Doerschler family is planning a trip to Ethiopia.

“Jews might have played a role in a proposal to dam the Nile upstream from Egypt in Ethiopia”  Mr. Hosni Mubarak 

Hosni Mubarak looked like a stalwart American ally but worried for years that Washington was trying to oust him as president of Egypt, he confided to a doctor recently in surreptitiously recorded conversations that came to light here last week.

Timeline

Hosni Mubarak’s Path From Presidency to Prison and Beyond

“How did the revolution start?” Mr. Mubarak mused about his ouster, in early 2011. “The Americans worked on it since 2005, and I had a feeling then.”

The conversations were recorded over a period of months this year and were authenticated over the weekend when the doctor, an ear, nose and throat specialist, was summoned to testify about them. They offer a rare, unadulterated taste of the former president’s attitudes about a host of subjects — Washington, Israel, his Arab neighbors, Jews, the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s new military leaders and most of all himself.

For all the aid the United States gave Egypt during his 30 years in power, his comments suggest that Washington gained little sway over Mr. Mubarak. And he expressed nothing but pride in his rule despite the steady decline of Egypt’s economy and influence.

The Islamists who won power after his removal “blame ‘the former regime’ for everything,” Mr. Mubarak is heard complaining in one recording. Speaking of the Egyptian population, he said, “They lived — they were 43 million when I received them and 90 million when I handed them over.”

The recordings were released last week through the Web site of the newspaper Youm el-Saba, and quickly captivated Egyptians with details like Mr. Mubarak’s boasts of his heroism as a pilot in the 1973 war against Israel, and his shock at the high prices of groceries. “An egg is one pound?” he said in shock, joking, “So let’s eat potato sandwiches!”

Mr. Mubarak apparently did not foresee the ouster in July of his successor, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. In a recording made in the spring, he was asked whether he thinks the military will act to stop the turmoil between Mr. Morsi’s opponents and his supporters; he responded, “What would they do?” He is heard guessing wrongly about Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, the head of the military, saying he thought General Sisi supported Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies: “The defense minister, I think, is to their liking.”

He realized his mistake after General Sisi seized power. In a later recording, someone said the general had turned out not to be a Muslim Brotherhood supporter after all. Mr. Mubarak laughed wryly: “No, no, he turned out to be devious.”

The recordings suggest that Mr. Mubarak subscribes to some of the far-fetched conspiracy theories that are now commonly heard in Egypt, claiming collaboration among the United States, Israel and the Muslim Brotherhood. “Of course they’re in a deal with the Brotherhood, for Sinai,” Mr. Mubarak said of the Western powers in one recording.

At another point, Mr. Mubarak said that about six months before he was forced from office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “tested the waters” about a plan to displace the Palestinian population of Gaza into the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.

“No, no,” Mr. Mubarak said he had replied. “Forget about it unless you want to start another war between you and us. The borders can’t be touched.”

But he is also heard saying he sometimes used Israel’s influence in Washington for his own purposes, perhaps alluding to the role that pro-Israeli lobbyists often played in securing American aid for their allies in Cairo. “I exploit the Israelis this way, and I stirred sedition” between Israel and the United States, Mr. Mubarak said. “I put them in confrontation with each other.”

At another point, Mr. Mubarak dismissed Mr. Morsi as overly reliant on Qatar, an oil-rich monarchy allied with the United States and supportive of the Brotherhood. “Qatar will bring American Jews” to Egypt, Mr. Mubarak said. “All will have American and Jewish passports, they will start projects and I don’t know what, and it will be worse.”

He speculated that Jews might have played a role in a proposal to dam the Nile upstream from Egypt in Ethiopia, a major worry in Cairo. “The Jews work there,” Mr. Mubarak said. “Africa is full of Jews.” He said of a former chief of the International Monetary Fund, “He was a Jew, but skillful.”

Mr. Mubarak is also heard insisting that, in addition to conspiring with the United States, Mr. Morsi was collaborating with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which the United States has labeled a terrorist organization. “They’re the ones who helped him during the revolution,” Mr. Mubarak said of Hamas.

He said in the recordings that American efforts to remove him began in 2005 when Washington pressed him to allow at least token rivals to run for president against him instead of holding a one-candidate plebiscite for another term in the office. He said that he had promised to “hand it over” in the next election, scheduled for 2011, but that the Americans had not trusted him.

He said “the Americans” were “liars.” He accused them of spreading false rumors that Mr. Mubarak might try to hand the presidency to his son Gamal, who had taken up a senior position in the ruling party and begun shaping Egyptian policy. “And people believed them!” Mr. Mubarak complained. “I told them, ‘People, we are a democratic regime!’ but to no avail. The media is stronger than us.”

Mr. Mubarak insisted that he stood up to “the Americans” at a confrontational meeting in December 2010. “I wouldn’t give them a base, or a port, or communications or anything,” Mr. Mubarak said, although there is no evidence that Washington made such requests. “They wanted to get me out of the way at any cost,” he added.

The next month, when the popular uprising against him began and President Obama called to urge him to step aside, he flatly refused, Mr. Mubarak said. “I said, ‘You know Americans better than I do, and I know Egyptians better than you do,’ ” he recalled. “ ‘I only do what the people want, not anybody else.’ ”

Mr. Mubarak is suing the doctor for recording him. Despite periodic reports that Mr. Mubarak, 85, is in failing health, he sounds hearty and high-spirited in the recordings, cheerfully joking and telling stories. He even offered some dietary advice. “Between you and me, meat is bad for you,” he told doctors, saying he ate red meat only once a month and preferred fish most of the time.

His former subjects, Mr. Mubarak complained, never appreciated his constant efforts to raise money from abroad to feed them, albeit without making structural changes that might have fostered self-sufficiency. “I broke my back for 30 years, building it and bringing in money,” he said. “And now they tell you: the president has $70 billion.”

He complained that investigators had asked his butler and office boy if the president sent bags of money abroad. “I never saw such moral degradation. I don’t lie. If I have it, I would say so.
”

Office concludes a 400,000 birr house rent deal for outgoing President Girma 

Previous 530,000 birr deal annulled

The Office of the President has finally concluded a deal to rent a 400,000 birr per month residence for outgoing President Girma Woldegiorgis on Friday September 20, canceling previous plans to rent a fully furnished house from Elias Arega at 530,000 birr a month.

The current house owned by Solomon Girma, businessman and owner of Mesale Bar and Restaurant, has been selected by the government to be the residence of President Girma, who has served in the position for the past 12 years after the first president, Negaso Gidada (PhD) resigned in 2001.

In the past few months the president’s office, i.e. the Palace Administration, has been looking to rent a house for the outgoing president. Three weeks ago the office had reached an agreement with Elias Arega to rent a fully furnished house for 530,000 birr per month. Although it is not known why, the plans were changed and a new deal was concluded with Solomon Girma instead.

Solomon told Capital that the house is semi furnished, ‘as the president will probably prefer to bring some of his own stuff’.

The two-storey residence which includes a swimming pool, located on Haile Gebresilase Avenue, behind Axum Hotel, was rented to the Kenyan Embassy the previous year. Before that the owner himself was living in it for five years after construction was completed.

Currently, an elevator is being installed in the house by Dan Technocraft, a lift technology supplier and contractor, before it is transferred to the Office of the President. According to sources, the lift installation will cost 1.6 million birr.

The deal was finalized on Friday Sept. 20 at the head office of Documentation and Authentication Registration Office (DARO).
“Based on the standard of my house I could get higher offers than the president’s office’s but I am proud to rent my home to the outgoing president,” Solomon told Capital with delight.

Sources said that the owner has to turn over the house to the Office of the President, by the end of September.

As per Ethiopia’s laws, the outgoing president has the right to receive several benefits, including a presidential standard residential house, but if the former president is involved in political activities the benefits shall be terminated.

According to the country’s constitution, the president shall not be in the position for more than two terms or 12 years. The current President is the first to occupy the position for two terms since the constitution was ratified.

President Girma, whose second six-year term comes to an end next week, is renowned for his role on environmental issues.

The ‘Proclamation No. 255/2001 Administration of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’ states that the government has to supply an up-to-the standard residential house and other facilities for the outgoing head of state. A September 2009 proclamation no. 653/2009 further states that the government will provide benefits for an outgoing head of state, heads of government and other top government officials.

According to the proclamation number 653/2009 under the article ‘Rights and Benefits of Outgoing Heads of State and Government, Senior Government Officials, Members of Parliament and Judges Proclamation’ an outgoing President, Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister shall be provided with a residential house having four-to-five bedrooms, the administrative costs of which, including remunerations of housekeeping staff, shall be covered by the government.

The proclamation also states that an outgoing President, Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister and his family shall get local and overseas medical services at the expense of the Government.

“An outgoing President, Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister shall be provided by the government with three high standard transport vehicles,” the 2009 proclamation also states.

In related news, speculation about the incoming president is rampant, even though the government or the leading party (EPRDF) has not given any hint about the identity of the incoming president.

One presumed front-runner to replace President Girma is former Caretaker Mayor of Addis Ababa and prominent diplomat Ambassador Berhane Deressa. However, it has not yet been confirmed by the government.

According to the 2001 proclamation, the president shall have no affiliation with any political parties.

Ten Million Ethiopian Supporters Wont Stop Eagles, Says NFF 

NIGERIA Football Federation (NFF) says it is not bothered about the huge support Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes will enjoy on October 12 when they confront Super Eagles in Addis Ababa in the first leg of the Brazil 2014 World Cup final round match.

  At the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup, the Ethiopians had large number of supporters at every game involving the Walya Antelopes. From their opening group game against Zambia in Nelspruit to the last match, which they lost 0-2 to the Super Eagles in Rustenburg, the flag-and-banner-waving Ethiopian supporters were everywhere routing for their team. In all three games, the Ethiopian supporters occupied more than half of the stadium, drumming and dancing, even when things were not going well with their team.

  However, the NFF Secretary General, Musa Amadu told The Guardian yesterday that they were fully aware of the large number of supporters the Ethiopians will have in Addis Ababa but assured that it won’t affect the Super Eagles.

  “We saw what they did in South Africa and now that they have the opportunity of playing host to Nigeria in the first leg of this game, I am sure all Ethiopians will be at the stadium for the game. That will be good for the game, but I don’t see that working against our boys. Supporters don’t win matches,” Amadu said.

 The return leg comes up at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar on November 16.

Battling brain drain: Training doctors in Ethiopia 

Brain drain is so severe in Ethiopia that the nation's health minister has complained there are more Ethiopian doctors in Chicago than in his own country.

The good news is that the East African nation has one of the world's fastest-growing economies and is recovering from the nightmare decades of civil war and famine. Tackling the health care crisis is high on the priority list of the government, which has opened 13 new medical schools in the last two years. But training the doctors is still a huge challenge.

One physician who is playing a key role in Ethiopia's bold medical initiative is Senait Fisseha, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan. She's leading a U-M effort to develop a postgraduate training program for doctors of obstetrics and gynecology that is fast-becoming a national model for Ethiopia.

Fisseha said that U-M has learned from its work in other African nations—especially Ghana—that one of the best ways to retain medical talent is to offer doctors training and other opportunities to advance their careers.

"People don't want to leave their country if they have the option to stay there. Nobody wants to be a second-class citizen somewhere else," Fisseha said.

Last year, Fisseha established a postgraduate OB-GYN training program at St. Paul's Hospital in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, with the help of Tim Johnson, chair of U-M's department of OB-GYN, and Joe Kolars, senior associate dean for Global REACH.

Her work is funded by a $1.6 million grant from an anonymous foundation. She has received an additional $270,000 per year for the next five years from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American International Health Alliance.

When she began working at St. Paul's, the hospital only had two OB-GYN doctors. One was an administrator and the other was the department chair, assisted by 16 midwives.

"They have about 250,000 visits per year and they do about 4,000 deliveries. That's equivalent to what we do at U-M," Fisseha said. "But we have over 80 OB-GYN faculty, 24 residents and 25 fellows."

Since the start of the partnership with U-M, the hospital has been able to recruit six more OB-GYN physicians who decided to leave their private practice or jobs at nongovernmental organizations. The doctors—who can make seven times more money in private practice—were willing to trade higher pay for better career opportunities, Fisseha said.

Physicians participating in the OB-GYN training program. Image credit: Senait FissehaWhen the OB-GYN training program started last year, seven residents were enrolled and 13 are taking part this year.

"Now, there are 200 OB-GYNs in the country with a 90-million population," Fisseha said. "In four years, we will be able to contribute about 50 OB-GYNs. It's a quarter of what the country has now. It's a massive contribution."

Postgraduate training programs are extremely rare in Ethiopia. After students earn their medical degrees as undergraduates, they're sent out into the field as generalists, often working on their own with little supervision.

"They are the surgeons. They are the OB-GYNs. They learn to do everything while they are deployed to the rural areas after medical school and internship," Fisseha said.

The U-M doctor knows Ethiopia well because she was born in Addis Ababa and experienced much of the violence and tumult of the dark days.

Fisseha came to the U.S. in 1989 after finishing high school. After earning degrees in medicine and law at the University of Southern Illinois, she decided to do her residency at U-M, impressed by the university's work in Africa.

"We go and deliver," Fisseha said, summing up U-M's approach to capacity building — transferring knowledge and skills.

After finishing her residency in 2006, she was eager to start a training program in Ethiopia, but the timing wasn't right yet. The prospects started looking promising two years ago when progressive officials in Ethiopia began mobilizing global resources to improve health care in the country.

"Everybody who travels to Ethiopia says that this is a robust time for change," Fisseha said. "It's easy to implement things. You can move things quickly. People function differently."

Fisseha has also been collaborating with other departments in the medical school and arranging exchanges between Ethiopian and U-M faculty in other fields, such as surgery, nephrology, radiology and anesthesia.

A postgraduate training program in general surgery was launched this month and planning is in place to start internal medicine and radiology training programs in 2014. The partnership is now expanding beyond the medical school and she has colleagues from the Ross School of Business and the William Davidson Institute as well as biomedical engineering collaborating with her in Ethiopia.

The country also has much to offer U-M medical students, she said.

"The kinds of diseases they see in Ethiopia are very rare here," Fisseha said. "Diseases are detected early in the U.S. For example, you don't see advanced breast cancer eroding through the breast. You only see it in textbooks."

Ethiopian doctors are also highly skilled at practicing cost-effective health care because of limited resources.

"It's a tremendous learning environment for our students," Fisseha said.

Ethiopia: Geothermal Energy Remains in the Shadow of Hydropower in Ethiopia 

Ethiopia's ambitious plans to become a carbon-neutral economy by 2025 have attracted headlines for the scale of the country's hydropower projects - but some experts hope that geothermal power will gradually get a look in too.

Hydroelectric dams currently under construction in the country have garnered international attention, especially the 1,870 megawatt (MW) Gibe III Dam and the 6,000 MW Grand Renaissance Dam.

But an often overlooked source of energy lies under the Great East Africa Rift Valley and the Afar Rift Valley, which pass through Ethiopia.

Best known for their scenic lakes and for both active and dormant volcanoes, the two valleys also harbour a largely untapped potential for geothermal electricity production, in which heat stored in the earth is tapped and used to drive turbines to create power.

Both Kenya and Ethiopia today tap some of that geothermal power, but scaling up production could help both countries move toward cleaner and more reliable sources of energy to meet growing demand.

Miskir Negash, a spokesperson for the state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), says Ethiopia has the potential to generate at least 5,000 MW from geothermal energy.

"We plan to upgrade the Aluto Langano geothermal project, which currently produces 7 MW, ten-fold to 70 MW by 2015," Negash said.

The plant, which is located about 200 km (125 miles) south of the capital, Addis Ababa, is being built with $12 million of financial assistance from the Japanese government, and $13 million from the World Bank. The Ethiopian government is contributing $10 million to the costs.

TOO EXPENSIVE?

Nevertheless, geothermal power has so far failed to get much traction in the government's current energy production expansion plans. According to EEPCo, extracting the energy requires drilling down as far as 3 km into the earth's crust, which is both expensive and technologically difficult.

This, along with the dearth of qualified Ethiopian geothermal technicians, makes it more costly to produce electricity from geothermal sources than from hydro and wind - though geothermal power is cheaper than solar power in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia: Health Heroes - Women Taking the Lead in Health in Ethiopia 

The UK support to the Global Fund is helping to bring healthcare to the doorstep of rural Ethiopians through the training and deployment of health extension workers.

While women continue to bear the brunt of health problems globally, many women are leading the way - inspiring improvements in healthcare and saving lives.

Abinet, 18, a farmer from a small community in Ethiopia believes he contracted tuberculosis (TB) from a friend whilst living in the city. "At the beginning, I thought it was just a common cold but I had a very serious cough. I couldn't sleep late at night," explains Abinet.

Ethiopia is one of 22 high-burden countries for TB and the disease is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality. Initially, Abinet relied on traditional medicine, but his health didn't improve and only got worse. This made him attend his local health centre.

"When I was very sick at the beginning, I had to be helped to the clinic. I could not walk there on my own. I had to sit and rest on the road because I was weak," says Abinet.

The health centre is managed by Workalem Haile, 28, a local woman trained as a Health Extension Worker (HEW) through a programme supported by the Global Fund and the UK government. In total the programme has trained 37,000 HEWs across the country.

Workalem ensured Abinet was tested for TB, and when the results came back as positive he was prescribed the necessary medication. During the 6 months it took for Abinet to recover, Workalem visited his home regularly to make sure he continued to take his medication.

"My health has improved because of Workalem's help. I would like to thank her very much," says Abinet.

Taking the lead in health

For Workalem, the case of Abinet reflects a typical day as a HEW. Both Workalem and her colleague Misrach are responsible for the health centre in the village of Chama Hembecho, overseeing health services for over 2,200 families. Due to their hard work and dedication, there has been remarkable progress, particularly in children's immunisation, hygiene and family planning.

Ethiopia Expresses Its Support to Kenya's Stand On the International Criminal Court 

Ethiopia has expressed its support to Kenya's campaign for all African countries to collectively withdraw from the Rome Statue, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court.

Government Communication Affairs Office Minister, Redwan Hussien, has detailed the Ethiopian Government's concern with the ICC's sole focus on African leaders. Redwan said "We do not appreciate what the ICC has been doing, particularly when it comes to African leaders. It is belittling and it is disparaging the African leadership. We stand by the Kenyan people and we stand by the Kenyan government." However, in an interview with Voice of America, he also added that Ethiopia would not be actively lobbying other African countries to adopt its position.

The Kenyan Parliament recently voted to withdraw from the ICC, following the ICC's decision to indict the then elected President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for their alleged involvement in 2007 post-election violence. On Friday, the Government of Ivory Coast announced its decision not to send the former First Lady, Simone Gbagbo, to the ICC to stand trial. The AU has announced that there will be an extraordinary Heads of State Summit on October 13 in Addis Ababa to discuss the concern of African states and consider a common position.