Ethiopian Opposition Alleges Killings, Abuse

A leading Ethiopian opposition party said in a report Thursday that scores of its members and supporters had been killed, abused or jailed over the past two years.

“The report has information on human rights violations on members of UDJ, on supporters and other political party members and leaders… in different parts of Ethiopia,” said Unity for Democratic Justice (UDJ) leader Negasso Gidada.

Negasso said seven party supporters had been killed in southern Ethiopia and around 150 supporters had faced intimidation, arrest without charge, abuse, abduction and confiscation of property by police and security forces across Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian government said it had not seen a copy of the report, but accused the party of routinely coming up with “concoctions and spurious accusations”, Information Minister Redwan Hussein told AFP.

National Geography Photograph Journalist detained in Gambela

National Geography Photograph Journalist, Robin Hammond, is detained in Gambela State Ethiopia, according to Anteneh Abraham, President President of Ethiopia National Journalists Union(ENJU).
According to sources, the journalist along with an Ethiopian colleague has been detained this morning November 1, 2013 by the Custom authorities in Gambela for entering the country holding 4,000 USD in hand with out declaring the amount of money he has at the point of entry as per the law of the land.
Hammond was first identified that he has that amount of undeclared money by the Federal Police at a check point in Gambela and later handed over to the custom authorities.
The journalists were given visa by Ethiopian Embassy in Paris, France applying to tour to Ethiopia for photographing green development as well as agricultural and horticultural activities in Ethiopia.
The sources also confirm that, Hammond and his Ethiopian fellow journalist were nor release until 11:00 PM.
The Ethiopian Law stipulates that everybody entering the country should declare the amount of foreign currency at the point of entry.

ETHIOPIA: A LOT OF HOT AIR OVER GAS

Part of Ethiopia's geology resembles the oil and gas fields of the Middle East and, indeed, natural gas fields were first discovered as far back as 1972. Despite the fact that commercially viable volumes of gas are present, the Ethiopian government has so far been unable to put together an arrangement to extract the gas. Kaleyesus Bekele looks back on an astonishing series of missed opportunities.
THE HISTORY OF OIL AND GAS Exploration in Ethiopia dates back to the 1950s. After several oil field discoveries were made in the Middle East, hopes were high for similar results in Ethiopia as some its geological formations, particularly in the Ogaden basin, a vast arid land in southeast Ethiopia, resemble those of the Middle East. But so far, the gas has remained undisturbed under the ground despite the fact that many international oil companies were engaged in oil and gas exploration projects in the Ogaden basin's 350,000 sq km of land. It was an American company, Tenneco, that hit the jackpot in 1972. The company discovered a natural gas reserve in Calub, a locality 1,200 km southeast of Addis Ababa, estimated at 76bn cubic metres. Tenneco also discovered a non-commercial crude oil reserve with a thickness of one metre at Hilala.
Tenneco was not lucky enough to reap the fruit, though. In 1974, a socialist revolution swept the country, which ousted the imperial regime with whom Tenneco had signed a 50-year concession agreement. Tenneco was expelled by the former socialist government of Ethiopia in 1977, together with many other Western companies.
Following the expulsion of Tenneco, a former USSR company, Soviet Petroleum Exploration Expedition (SPEE), started working on the Calub and Hilala gas fields. SPEE drilled more wells in Calub and Hilala, and confirmed the natural gas reserve in Calub. SPEE discovered a gas condensate at Hilala 4 at a depth of 4,750 metres. However, SPEE's contractual agreement was also terminated in 1994 after the fall of the military regime.
After SPEE pulled out of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government signed several agreements with different companies that pledged to invest millions of dollars in the gas fields. The American company Secor, the Russian companies Methanol Joint Stock and StroyTrans Gas, the Jordanian company SITech International and Petronas, the Malaysian oil and gas giant, all signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) and petroleum development agreements to develop the gas fields.
However, Secor, which signed the agreement in 2000, vanished into thin air, while Methanol and StroyTrans Gas, which had signed an MoU in 2002 with the government-owned company, Calub Gas SC and the Ministry of Mines, demanded that the government should come up with the funds required to execute the project while they would provide the technology.
SITech International, which had pledged to invest $1.7bn in 2003, was unable to raise any significant capital. The company said it was unable to commence work on the project until 2006. Alemayehu Tegenu, former Minister of Mines, revoked the petroleum development licence given to SITech and decided to offer the project to tender.
The Ethiopian government had tried to develop the gas fields in collaboration with the private sector by establishing Calub Gas SC and was selling shares of the company to the public. The World Bank, which agreed to finance the small-scale gas development project designed by the company, signed a loan agreement for $66.3m. However, in 2001, the World Bank suspended the loan, insisting that the project should be privatised. Repeated attempts to jointly develop the gas fields with the company were not successful. Later on, the government liquidated the share company.
"The bank's move surprised everyone," says a senior official of the defunct Calub Gas SC, "because the bank usually does not suspend loans once it signs an agreement. Second, the well-completion work was done with the first round of payment secured from the bank. The gas reserve was made ready for production and it was made to rise to the surface. So production was supposed to start as soon as possible.
"Only a gas treatment plant is required to start production. The fact that the gas was made ready for production could cause pressure build-up and that is a big risk for the wellbeing of all the gas wells," the veteran geologist said.
In 2006 the Ministry of Mines put up a tender inviting international oil and gas companies interested in developing the gas fields. Petronas won the tender and in June 2007 signed a petroleum development and production sharing agreement with the Ministry.
Petronas made an upfront payment of $8om to the Ethiopian government. The company planned to build a gas treatment plant and to construct a gas pipeline all the way from the gas fields to the port of Djibouti. The total investment was estimated at $1.9bn. Petronas has been analysing and interpreting the petroleum data collected from the gas fields. However, due to a managerial decision, Petronas relinquished all its concessions and pulled out of Ethiopia in 2010.
Following the withdrawal of Petronas, the Ministry of Mines put up a tender to select a company that would take over all the concessions held by Petronas in the Ogaden in March 2011. Subsequently, in July 2011, the Ministry awarded the Calub and Hilala natural gas fields and eight exploration blocks (that belonged to Petronas) to a Chinese oil and gas company based in Hong Kong, PetroTrans, which had won the tender.
Furious reaction
After a year, in July 2012, the Ministry cancelled the petroleum development agreement it had signed with PetroTrans, saying the company has failed to commence work on the project according to schedule. In a letter dated 1st July 2012 and signed by Mines Minister Sinkenesh Ejigu, the Ministry notified PetroTrans of the termination of the petroleum development agreement. The company had agreed to develop the gas fields within three years. PetroTrans furiously protested the Ministry's decision. The company claims that it was analysing and interpreting old data collected from the concessions. It explained to the Ministry that it hired specialised companies that would collect seismic data and drill exploration wells. PetroTrans said it was negotiating with companies that would construct the gas pipeline and gas treatment plant.
In a letter signed by president and CEO of PetroTrans, John Chin, and addressed to Sinkenesh, the company listed the works it had undertaken and asked the Minister to revise her decision. The company had spent more than $18m on the project. It paid $11m in signature bonus to the Ministry.
It had also paid for land rent and community development projects. The company said has been working on the paperwork required to do the field work, adding that it was about to commence field work at the time of the termination of the contract. The Ministry did not accept the explanations, saying that PetroTrans is a broker company.
Executives of PetroTrans said they want to resolve the problem with the Ministry in a round table discussion and resume work on the project. However, they said, if the Ministry refuses to do so, they want to be compensated for the loss they incurred. Sinkenesh admitted that PetroTrans has spent a significant amount of money for the project. However, she said, the Ministry would not pay compensation to the company.
PetroTrans, which entered into a tug of war with the Ethiopian government, filed its complaint to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) based in Geneva on 28th December 2012. The Ministry has responded to the complaints lodged by PetroTrans at the ICC and currently the case is being overseen.
The Ethiopian government recently established a new company called Ethiopian Petroleum Development Enterprise that will engage in developing the gas fields in collaboration with an international oil and gas company. "Our government this time shows a firm commitment to extract the gas reserves. We are looking for a reputable international petroleum company that is committed to jointly develop the gas fields," Sinkenesh said.
However, PetroTrans said there is no company that will take over the projects before the disagreement is settled. "There is no company that will acquire the concessions, whose case could be presented to an international arbitration court. If there is any company that attempts to take over our concessions, we will sue it," a senior official of the company said. Sinkenesh downplayed the warning, saying that the concessions belong to the Ethiopian government. "The concessions belong to the Ethiopian government and people. And they are in our hands. No one can prevent us from utilising them," the Minister said.
Ethiopia is probably the only country on this planet that has been unable to develop a proven gas reserve for four decades.

10 Countries Facing the Biggest Brain Drain 

Brain drain, also known as human capital flight, is a serious issue in many parts of the world, as skilled professionals seek out work abroad rather than returning to work in their home country. Many are driven away by high unemployment, but issues like political oppression, lack of religious freedom and simply not being able to earn a big enough paycheck also play a significant role in exacerbating brain drain. The phenomenon is not only a serious economic issue (both in that the country loses workers and the money it put into training them in college), but one that often puts the health and safety of the nation’s citizens at risk, creating long-term and potentially disastrous results for countries with high brain drain rates spanning several decades.
Here we’ve compiled a list of some of the nations that have been hardest hit by brain drain in that past few years. While some are making progress in reversing the process, others are seeing numbers rise and citizens migrating in larger numbers every year. These nations, often those in the developing world, must make major economic and social changes if they hope to retain their best and most skilled workers over the long term.

1. Ethiopia: Ethiopia produces a large number of qualified professionals, especially in the medical field, but is experiencing one of the worst brain drains of any country in the world. Attracted by better prospects overseas and in other African nations and pushed out by political persecution, Ethiopia’s best and brightest haven’t been sticking around after graduation. A recent study presented at the National Symposium on Ethiopian Diasporas revealed some shocking numbers, with the country losing about 75% of its skilled professionals over the past ten years. This exodus of highly qualified professionals has had a huge impact on the country, leaving it with too few physicians, engineers and scientists to fill positions the country desperately needs to thrive economically.
   
2. Nigeria: Nigeria is another African nation that has suffered due to a massive brain drain. With much of Nigeria still essentially a developing nation with unreliable power and few resources, higher level science, engineering and medical professionals often find little to motivate them into staying, especially with job offers from the U.S. and European nations exerting a powerful pull. Since Nigeria’s brutal civil war in late 60s, the country has bounced between military governments and dictatorships, pushing out between 11 and 17 million people. Today, over 2 million Nigerians live in the U.S. alone, and of these about 20,000 are doctors and over 10,000 are academics. That’s a heavy loss for a nation that so desperately needs qualified professionals to rebuild and improve its own resources.
   
3. Kenya: High unemployment rates, lack of resources and other factors have made Kenya one of the top brain drain countries in Africa. With fewer than 30% of Kenyans who study overseas returning to work in Kenya, the nation is feeling the hurt of losing so many skilled professionals. The Kenyan Medical Association has warned that emigration of medical professionals may make it impossible to provide health care to the country’s residents – and the situation is already pretty dire. As of 2002, the public sector medical field had only 600 doctors and 70 dentists available to treat over 28 million citizens. With somewhere between 500,000 and 1.8 million Kenyans working and living overseas, the country is trying desperately to find a way to lure some of these citizens back home where their skills are much needed.
   
4. South Africa: Years of unrest, high crime rates, AIDS and lack of jobs have combined to make South Africa’s brain drain a serious problem. Over the past three years, the country has lost over 100,000 workers, with an additional 70% of skilled South Africans saying they are considering leaving the nation. Losing so many skilled workers has a ripple effect, with the loss of each skilled professional costing about 10 unskilled jobs. Currently, the country is working to not only keep residents from leaving once they’ve completed their training, but to also attract professionals from other nations to South African businesses. Though there is still a long way to go to make this a reality.
   
5. Iran: In 2006, the IMF ranked Iran the highest in brain drain among 90 countries (both developed and less developed), with over 180,000 people leaving each year due to a poor job market and oppressive social conditions. In fact, it is estimated that over 25% of Iranians with post-secondary degrees live and work abroad, adding up to a total of 4 million Iranians living overseas. While the outflux of Iranians was scoffed at in the early 80′s by government officials, today Iran is doing more to keep their skilled professionals at home, creating several national foundations aimed at improving the conditions for students in the sciences and increasing the number of graduate programs. Why pay attention now? Iran’s brain drain is estimated to cost the country over $50 billion each year in economic losses.
   
6. China: China has become a major player in global economics, but despite a rapidly growing job force, it is having trouble hanging on to qualified professionals. Many believe the reason lies in censorship and lack of freedoms (including the one child policy), but whatever the true cause, 70% of Chinese students who study overseas never return to their homeland. Since 1978, over 1 million Chinese students have headed to universities located abroad to get their degrees, yet fewer than 275,000 have returned. In fact, many foreign schools actually work to attract Chinese students, only exacerbating the problem for a nation in need of top scientists and researchers. The Chinese government has worked hard to reverse the trend, providing top-tier students in science and engineering with a large number of incentives, yet the numbers are only growing larger. By the end of this year, the nation could see well over 200,000 students leaving.
   
7. Mexico: Mexican immigration is a big issue in the U.S., with tens of thousands of illegal immigrants crossing U.S. borders each year. Yet a large portion of Mexican immigrants don’t fit this stereotype and are wealthy, well-educated and enter the country quite legally. Mexico is seeing a huge brain drain as more middle- and upper-class citizens move abroad, many who hold higher degrees and work in professional fields like medicine and law. The biggest cause for this is unemployment, with hundreds of thousands of skilled workers unable to find work, though security issues also play a big role. The higher the level of education, the less likely workers are to stay in Mexico, with about 70% of Mexicans with a PhD coming to work in America. The brain drain is worst in the sciences, where 79% of students who come to study in America never return home.
   
8. Jamaica: In a trend common for Caribbean nations, Jamaica faces one of the biggest brain drains in the region. Over 80% of Jamaica’s citizens who’ve obtained higher education live abroad. Most of this migration is due to lack of jobs, as there simply aren’t enough to go around for young graduates from university programs. What makes this loss so striking isn’t just the high percentage, but that Jamaican citizens who choose to work abroad must pay a remittance to the Jamaican government. Even with these additional fees, students aren’t enticed into staying to work in Jamaica. While much attention has been paid to the issue in recent years, little has changed and Jamaica. Along with Haiti, Suriname, Guyana and Grenada are losing between 70-90% of their college-educated force each year.
   
9. Malaysia: The brain drain in Malaysia has been steadily worsening, with the World Bank projecting it to intensify over the next few years. Currently, two out of every ten Malaysians with higher education seeks employment elsewhere, accounting for about 305,000 immigrants in 2009. There are a number of factors that contribute to this mass emigration, including job opportunities, political corruption and lack of religious freedom. Malaysia made big economic strides in the 90s, but growth has been halved in the past decade, slowing from 7.2% to just 4.6%. Experts believe this is largely due to brain drain, and caution that the nation could see serious economic issues if it doesn’t do something more to encourage professionals to work in their home country.
   
10. England: While it isn’t seeing staggering losses like many countries on this list, it is valuable to see how brain drain is a problem even in developed and relatively wealthy nations like Britain. Over the past few years, England has seen a large number of its skilled professionals leaving for work abroad, with over 1.1 million university graduates living and working outside of the country. This accounts for almost 1 in 10 skilled citizens choosing to emigrate. This mass emigration of skilled professionals may have serious ramifications for the British economy, as professionals add to the workforce of nations like Australia, Canada, America, France and Spain rather than at home. When compared to other developed nations, these numbers are especially high, with only Germany coming close in terms of losses (with 860,000 workers lost), making it clear that even top nations with good schools, public health and lots of resources can be subject to brain drain.
    
    source: www.onlineuniversities.com
    

Yonathan Getachew is the other Gedion Zelalem

All about HIF encounter Yonathan Getachew from U17 team

He was "super talent" on everyone's lips this summer when he left Husqvarna for HIF. 15-year-old Yonathan Getachew predicted a bright future and was sought after by many clubs but chose the finest of all - Helsingborgs IF. For Everything about HIF he tells about clubs showed interest, why they chose Helsingborgs IF and he dreams of becoming a professional as an adult.

Yonathan, for those who do not know you so well, you want to tell a little about who the person Yonathan Getachew is?

A fifteen year old boy who lives with his family consisting of mother, father and two siblings. Have always played football and it touches me quite a lot when I tried to combine studies and football in the best way. Is a humble and nice guy, a bit like a Smålander is.

When and where started your football trip?

I played a lot on the farm with my dad as a kid. But when I was eight years old, I started in a small club called Ekhagen. Then I went to Husqvarna big bet on its P97 team, then I was twelve years old. After a year, I was lifted into the academy and after another year there so I moved up into the first team. Six months later I went to the HIF.

When did you take the decision to invest wholeheartedly in football?

At the age of twelve or so, when I started playing for Husqvarna.

Were there any other sport that you also practiced?

Before the age of twelve, I tried badminton, karate and lot of different things. But it was just football that got me though.

What was it that made you choose to invest fully in football?

It's hard to say, I love football and it's my biggest passion. I fail to see how my life could be if I were not allowed to practice and play as much as I do.

You are midfielders, was in the midfield usually see you?

I am an interior offensive midfielder.

How would you describe your strengths as a player?

Technology, Game perception and clearance gap.

What do you have that you need to improve as a player?

Clinch game and physics.

Do you bet most on improving what you are good at or at least to further develop what is already your strength?

I have always been told that you should practice a lot on what you're good at, and even more than the words that are less good at. One must find a balance in between.

HIF considered to have one of the best nurseries in football in Sweden. What do you do to succeed so well?

They have an amazing theme throughout youth activities. Compared with Husqvarna, it was difficult to move between the different ages and the law of all played different. Here they have a common idea of ​​how all will develop and play.

How do you think the club has taken care of you during your short time here?

Very good, everyone has received a best possible way. The school, the town and the club has been very good to me and then it's easier to get into it faster too.

Where did you put the bar for your ambition? Is the Premier League or Football?

Man has always dreamed and hoped to become foreign professionals. But you have to set realistic goals now. And first of all, I manage to come up to the headlines here in HIF. Will you then play in the national team, it is just a bonus.

You have been training samples in Aston Villa, how were the differences between the Swedish and English perception of youth?

The players who were there only had football in his head, at school and everywhere. Then the clubs had a completely different economic condition of their youth activities. I do not think that means they would go better for playing there, there are few who manage to go the long way.

What other clubs were current when you chose to move to Helsingborg?

Many of the headlines. IFK Gothenburg, Kalmar, Elfsborg and then east in Superettan, plus I received an invitation from Ajax. But the way that HIF working on his thread and continuity made me choose HIF ahead of the other competitors. They play football here, and show that they want nothing to do with their youngsters.

You also play with the P97 team, how was the feeling when you became a part the first time?

It has always been in Distriktslag and then you get a sense that you at least have a chance. Then I was called to the squad and then it was just to show off, the margins between those coming in and those outside are very small, but you may be glad to get the chance.

How is the level of trainings at national collections? (Thinking that this squad does not only consist of 97: s, but also those who are older than you.)

We meet so seldom and all come from different parts of the country, so it's hard to have "regular trainings." We practice what we do on the game, so the level is seen as better at U17 trainings here. But the players in P97-squad is obviously good because they are the best in the country in his age.

Who or what people have meant the most to your football development?

My dad is the one who has always been there and is the first person I want feedback from. He has always gone to all practices and games.

The Husqvarna I had Andreas Sandqvist and Hamdiah Avdic at different times, and the two I had very good performance in, another that also meant a lot to the club's Simon Nuay.

Have you noticed anything in the future? Unless it would be something with the football it would say.

The fact that it is upper secondary school next year so it is contemplated what to choose but for me it only stands still. There are football related and if that's not enough, it's a thought I may take a while.

Are there any of the players in the first team that you draw inspiration from or who has helped you in your role as a football player?

Erik Edman has been down and visited. Because he is injured, he has helped a lot. Edman come from the same district as me. Otherwise, it's May Mahlangu as I watch most, we play the same position. Walid Atta is also a player that could be copied, he has a great character.

Do you follow any team more than Helsingborgs IF (A-team)?

Arsenal, all rooting for Barcelona because they play so well, but Arsenal do the same and play the same game but in the Premier League.

If you were to become professionals abroad one day the league and country do you think would fit your playing style best?

La Liga or the Premier League.

Finally, what is your advice to anyone younger youth players who read this?

Whatever happens, always remember that it is only your feet and you have to play, regardless of what people on the sidelines or coach says, agree with yourself and do the best. Then, never allowed to be happy!

Telecoms slow down development of Ethiopian tech scene 

The underperformance of the Ethiopian telecoms sector and the resultant low bandwidth available in the country is holding back the development of the local tech scene, according to Markos Lemma, co-founder of innovation hub iceaddis.

Lemma, who co-founded iceaddis in May 2011, told HumanIPO the tech space in Ethiopia had much potential.

“There is untapped potential and knowledge,” he said. “The ICT educational sector is growing.”

He said, however: “Even though there is a high potential in the tech space in Ethiopia, what is very visible right now is the challenges and the many problems which hold it back.”

He said the main challenge was the telecommunications sector, which he said slowed down the acceleration of Ethiopia’s tech scene and meant it did not see the economic growth evident in other sectors, which came about due to reforms in spheres such as agriculture and education.

“The bandwidth capacity of Ethio Telecom is 8.6gbit/s. To compare, Kenya has 8.6Tbit/s and plans to expand to 15Tbit/s,” he said. “So I believe the main challenge for techies in Ethiopia – and for any small businesses in the country – is the poor and unreachable service of Ethio Telecom. The penetration still remains below 2 per cent. About 2.5 million people are connected to the internet.

Lemma also pinpointed “restrictive regulations” as a challenge to the development of the sector.

“Customs is one big problem for startups as it is almost impossible to import innovative and new technologies,” he said. “The banking system is old fashioned, and unproductive, the most advanced banking services banks provide is an ATM. There is no mobile money whatsoever.”

Yet, Lemma believes, if these difficulties can be overcome, Ethiopia has the potential, as the second most populous country in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies globally, to compete on a global scale through ICT.
“There is a huge market,” he said. “So techies can develop solutions for the local market and still make good revenues. This will help them to gain momentum in the country and aim big into the global market. The local market enables the developers to quickly bring products to the market and make profit.”

He said the country is already planning on joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2015, which he said would expose local solutions to the international market.

“Competing on a global scale is generally hard for East African companies – as the playing field isn’t level,” he said. “But the current solutions from iHub, such as Ushahidi, show that East African companies can indeed compete in the international market.”

He said there has been some process in assisting the Ethiopian tech sector in recent years.

“The infrastructure is improved. New road lines and railways are under construction. This will help the tech scene to grow as these infrastructure developments increase quality of lives. In the last 10 years the number of public universities increased from one digit number to over 30. Most colleges now teach computer science, information technology and related fields. Many skilled techies are coming out of college and ready to join the market.”

Lemma said the formation of iceaddis was based on the lack of a place for young Ethiopians to take their innovative ideas to and connect with each other.

“The questions were very broad and the only thing we discovered was that there was no physical space in Addis Ababa for the energetic and high potential Ethiopian techies,” he said. “So the idea of iceaddis started there, answering the questions of the tech community – to bring high potentials together at a nexus point and help them to accelerate their startup and innovation to bring to the market.”

The hub has a collaborative open space, dedicated co-working spaces and prototyping laboratories, while it also supports green tech solutions. It provides entrepreneurship programmes and training, and, since it is located at a university, mainly targets university students seeking to open up new ventures instead of looking for jobs, which Lemma says are “scarce”.

“We managed to attract and connect the tech communities in the country,” he said. “We regard this as a big success as this wasn’t the case before iceaddis was established.

“We’re putting the Ethiopian tech scene on the map. There is almost no talk about the Ethiopian tech scene, but iceaddis is dedicated to changing this view, as we have bright and potential techies in the country.”

Ethiopian president educated in Beijing 

Mulatu Teshome's election as Ethiopia's new president on October 7 has created a sensation at two prestigious Beijing-based universities which were the cradle of the outstanding statesman.

In 1976, Teshome came to China for the first time. As a government-funded student, he studied at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) for one year and then moved on to Peking University, where he successively obtained his BA, MA, and PhD degrees.

"He [Teshome) was more mature and diligent than his peers when studying at BLCU. He also showed great respect for all teachers." Zhao Yupin, an associate professor from BLCU, recalled.

Zhao taught Teshome essential Chinese language courses when the young man was there to learn Chinese in 1976. BLCU is a university specialized in teaching the Chinese language and culture to foreign students.

Zhao, who was deeply impressed by Teshome, added, "He was active and brave in expressing himself in class. He used to finish his homework on time and would ask me questions on whatever he didn't understand."

Teshome made rapid progress in learning Mandarin Chinese and soon got acquainted with his new environment. The cheerful student made a lot of Chinese friends. In his spare time, he would often stroll around the streets, have a beer and a chat with his Chinese classmates.

The student, who got familiar with Beijing's hutongs during this time, developed a strong interest in Chinese history and culture.

In 1977, Teshome went on to study at Peking University, where he stayed for 14 years -- until 1991. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Philosophy of Political Economy in 1982. From 1985 to 1991, he received his master's and doctor's degrees in International Law under the supervision of Zhao Baoxu, a well-established Chinese political scientist.