በዚህ አስቸጋሪ ወቅት ህይወት ለማዳን ቅድሚያ ሰጥተው ላደረጉት ድጋፍ እጅግ እናመሰግናለን። (September 23, 2020)
በዚህ አስቸጋሪ ወቅት ህይወት ለማዳን ቅድሚያ ሰጥተው ላደረጉት ድጋፍ እጅግ እናመሰግናለን። Thank you for your invaluable contributions to the historic fight against #COVID19Ethiopia.
Ethiopia to Launch Second Satellite into Space in Dec (September 22, 2020)
Ethiopia will launch a second satellite into space in December this year, said the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute.
Dr Solomon Belay, director-general of the institute told FBC today that the satellite, named ET-SMART-RSS, will be launched on December 19, 2020 from a Chinese satellite center.
It would play a significant role in sending information that are helpful for agricultural activities and also in covering areas that could not be reached by the first satellite, he said.
The 12 kilograms remote sensing satellite, which has so far cost $2 million, has a lifespan of 3-4 years into orbit, said the director-general.
Ethiopia launched its first satellite named ETRSS-1, a 70kg multi-spectral remote sensing satellite, in December last year.
According to Dr Solomon, works are in progress to launch ETRSS-2 in 2022.
Ethiopia has planned to launch a total of 7 satellites into space over the coming 10 years.
Ministry Encourages Diplomatic Community to Engage In Gorgora, Koysha, Wonchi Projects (September 22, 2020)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia and stakeholders today (September 22) co-organized a briefing on the “Dine for the Nation” project for resident diplomats in Addis Ababa.
H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed initialed the “Dine for the Nation” idea to gather financial resources for tourist attraction sites planned at Koysha, Wonchi, and Gorgora.
H.E. Eng. Abraham Belay, Minister of Innovation and Technology and H.E. Eng. Habtamu Tegegn, General Manager of Ethiopian Roads Authority, briefed the diplomats on the Koysha, Wonchi, and Gorgora projects.
At the occasion, H.E. Gedu Andargachew, Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, delivered opening remarks.
He said the success stories of the recent Addis Ababa city beautification projects inspired the Government to aspire even for more grand scale projects at the national level.
The minister said the projects on Koysha, Wonchi, and Gorgora would add value to the transformation of Ethiopia’s Ecotourism.
The projects will also employ many people in the countryside and further stimulate the country’s aspiration to build a Green Economy, he added.
Mr. Gedu concluded his speech calling on the diplomatic community to make a practical contribution to the realization of these noble projects.
State Minister H.E. Burtukan Ayano also made a briefing about the establishment of a fundraising committee to support the projects.
Facilitated by Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Din Mufti, the audience discussed various issues regarding the projects.
በመስጠት ውስጥ መቀበል ስላለ በወጣ ይተካ ብለናል! ህይወት ለማዳን ስላደረጋችሁት ታሪካዊ ድጋፍ እናመሰግናለን! (September 21, 2020)
በመስጠት ውስጥ መቀበል ስላለ በወጣ ይተካ ብለናል! ህይወት ለማዳን ስላደረጋችሁት ታሪካዊ ድጋፍ እናመሰግናለን! By helping others you receive more! Keep helping and receive! Thank you!
PM Inaugurates Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center (September 20, 2020)
Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed this morning inaugurated an artificial intelligence (AI) center.
The center was designed to support young entrepreneurs through capacity building and research excellence.
It will be a site for development of functional and problem solving technological innovations.
The opening of the centre is expected to modernize various sectors and facilitate the transition to digital economy.
It would also help to save both time and money by replacing human labor with technologies.
The establishment of the centre was approved by the Council of Minister early this year.
The Prime Minister seized the opportunity to caution all Ethiopians locally and abroad to not be tools of money laundering.
“Amidst a period of currency change, I call upon all Ethiopia loving Diaspora to use appropriate channels of remittance to ensure that you’re not a channel for illicit currency transfers,” he said.
Last Monday, Ethiopia introduced new banknotes that have enhanced security features and other distinctive elements.
The new banknotes replace the birr 10, 50 and 100 notes while an additional birr 200 note has also been unveiled.
በአሜሪካ የባፈሎና አካባቢው ነዋሪ የሆኑ ወገኖቻችን በኢትዮጵያ ኮቪድ19ን ለመከላከል በዓይነት እና በገንዘብ ለግሰዋል! (September 20, 2020)
በአሜሪካ የባፈሎና አካባቢው ነዋሪ የሆኑ ወገኖቻችን በኢትዮጵያ ኮቪድ19ን ለመከላከል በዓይነት $5,000 (face mask) እና በገንዘብ $11,845 በድምሩ $16,845 የአሜሪካን ዶላር ለግሰዋል!በዚህ ታሪካዊ ወቅት ለወገናችን የቻልነውን እናደርጋለን በሚል ተፈላልጋችሁ ለደገፋችሁ ሁሉ ምስጋና እናቀርባለን:: በተለይ ከሮችስተር አቶ ተስፋዬ ኃይሌ እና አቶ ተክሉ ኃብተማርያም፣ ከባፈሎ አቶ ተመስገን ኃይሌ እና አቶ እስክንድር ተፈራ እንዲሁም ከሳይራከስ አቶ በላይ ነጋ ተጨማሪ ኃላፊነት በመውሰድ ስላስተባበራችሁ እጅግ እናመሰግናለን::We thank Ethiopian communities in Buffalo, Rochester & Syracuse for donating $16,845.00 US dollars to fight against #COVID19Ethiopia. #Ethiopiahttps://abay.ethiopianembassy.org/
Ethiopia Investing In Infrastructural Projects to Meet 2030 Dev’t Goals: FM (September 18, 2020)
Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew yesterday joined a virtually held annual ministerial meeting of the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
The meeting aims to provide strategic guidance for the last year of implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action and articulate the key sustainable development priorities of LDCs.
Gedu delivered a speech that pointed out strains that threatened Ethiopia’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implement the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA).
He said the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has further weakened some of the development gains achieved by LDCs over many decades.
The LDCs have also continued to face multiple structural challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and the adverse impacts of climate change, he said.
Despite the apparent problems, Gedu said, Ethiopia is expanding rural development programs to achieve food security and promote agricultural productivity.
Ethiopia is also investing in social and physical infrastructural projects to meet some of the 2030 Development Goals, the minister added.
Noting that LDCs remain far below many of the targets set by the SDGs, he called on to recommit to accelerating the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Istanbul Program of Action (IPoA).
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was hosted by Malawi’s Foreign Minister, Chair of the LDC Group, and attended by ministers from 47 LDCs, “Friends of LDCs” and the UN Deputy Secretary-General.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a commitment to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development by 2030 worldwide, ensuring that no one is left behind.
The IPoA aims to help LDCs overcome the structural challenges they face to eradicate poverty and achieve internationally agreed development goals.
World Bank Approves $80m Grant to Support Ethiopia to Boost Agro Productivity (September 16, 2020)
The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors yesterday approved a $80m grant from the International Development Association to support the government of Ethiopia to boost agricultural productivity and enhance market access for smallholder farmers.
According to a press release issued by the bank, the additional financing for the Second Agricultural Growth Project (AGPII) will further increase the economic potential of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector.
AGPII has helped to increase access to agricultural services for nearly 1.4 million smallholder farmers (37% women). It has also successfully promoted over 254 new agricultural technologies with significant impact on crop productivity as well as climate-smart interventions.
Additionally, the project has been instrumental in helping farmers adapt to climate change by completing 2,629 new small-scale irrigation schemes and upgrading existing irrigation infrastructure, which made possible the irrigation of 23,290 hectares of agricultural land.
The market infrastructure and value chain investments made under the project have been critical for connecting farmers with markets and enhancing commercialization. These activities have resulted in substantial increases in yield per hectare and raised farmers’ incomes. They have also led to enhanced nutritional outcomes for farmers.
“The agricultural sector is crucial to Ethiopia’s economy as it accounts for 45 percent of total output and employs nearly 80 percent of the labor force. While encouraging results have been achieved so far, more work is needed to address remaining challenges and accelerate productivity gains, reduce exposure to erratic climatic conditions, decrease land degradation and enhance the natural resource base on which the sector depends,” said Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director for Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan.
This additional financing will help to address these challenges and is key to ensuring that Ethiopia’s agricultural sector reaches its full potential. The funds will go towards scaling up results achieved so far and enhancing the technical design of various activities.
Furthermore, the funds will fill the unanticipated financing gaps created by high inflation and accelerate the implementation of project activities that have been delayed due to significant cost-over run.
AGPII is implemented in 167 woredas (districts) in Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella and Harari regional states as well as Dire Dawa city administration.
According to a press release issued by the Bank, the project will directly benefit 1.6 million smallholder farmers, who live in areas with the highest potential for agricultural growth.
Ethiopia Introduces New Currency Notes (September 14, 2020)
The government of Ethiopia today introduced new currency notes, with enhanced security features and other distinctive elements.
The new currency notes replace the birr 10, 50 and 100 notes while an additional birr 200 note has also been unveiled.
The birr 5 note remains unchanged and will be turned into coin format soon, according to office of the Prime Minister.
The currency change is aimed at gathering currency circulating informally and outside of financial institutions, curbing corruption and contraband and support financial institutions confront currency shortage.
Most of the print work is currently in country within the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) vault, the office added.
Distribution mechanism and planning having been developed and will go in effect through concerned bodies, it noted.
As security plays a key component in the currency change process, a federal command post will be set up to oversee this process with the expectation that Regional Command Posts will also be set up, the office indicated.
The command post will be composed of members from the National Defense Forces, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) and Federal Police.
While Ethiopia has never had a symbol to represent its currency, a new symbol has been designed and will be soon unveiled to symbolize the birr, the office stated.
Premier Inaugurates Paperless Customs Service (September 13, 2020)
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated paperless customs service on Saturday.
On the inauguration ceremony, the Premier noted that the paperless customs service has multifaceted benefits for the country.
The new technology also plays a critical role to strengthen country’s economy by modernizing the service and encouraging global investment.
“We will continue implementing technologically advanced service provision in all sectors.” Prime Minister Abiy said on the occasion.
The Customs Commission has undertaken a wide range of institutional reform activities over the last few years, it was indicated.