South Sudan peace concert held in Ethiopia

January 3, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – As heavy fighting between Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) rival factions re-erupts this week, South Sudanese musicians in Ethiopia on Saturday stage a peace concert in Addis Ababa, calling for an end to the bloodshed in the troubled East African country.
The Chairperson for South Sudan Artists Association in Ethiopia (SSAAE), Khor Deng Jang, told Sudan Tribunethat the aim of the concert is to advocate for peace and reconciliation in the young nation.
Jang urged the two warring parties to reach an immediate peaceful settlement on the crisis.
The South Sudan plunged into conflict in December 2013, after political dispute within the ruling SPLM party led to fighting between troops loyal to president Salva Kiir and those allied themselves to his former vice-president Riek Machar.
IGAD led peace talks were put on hold on December 21 Christmas and New Year festive season however there are reports of renewed fighting in Nassir, Upper Nile State, and near Bentiu, Unity states of South Sudan.
The secretary for the SSAAE, Paul Bayoy said that the main point of holding the peace concert was to aware the communities on federalism, peace and New Year wishing to all South Sudanese.
Lul Tuach Dojiok who is deputy chairperson of the group pointed out that artists must act neutrally and work for peace, but warn the parties to promote the national interest.
Also attending the concert was South Sudan Peace Ambassador, Gatwech Koak Nyuon, who called on the leaders of the rival parties to advocate for peace and not war.
“Stop advocating for war but focus on how these two warring parties should return to one country, one beautiful party as well as one nation,” he said addressing the crowd.
“South Sudan belongs to South Sudanese and not to Nuer and Dinka alone,” he said adding “I believe a Nuer man and a Dinka man would peacefully check hands after sometime”.
“We need to collaborate to make peace happen and ignore the divide so that peace would quickly come,” Nyuon added.
The peace campaigner, who in July was named by Kale Hiywot Church of Ethiopia as Peace Ambassador further called on all regional and international actors put more pressure on the two warring parties in order to bring them to strike a lasting peace deal, ending the one-year-old conflict that has killed over 20,000 people and forced over two million civilians to flee their homes.
The peace concert which took place at Gerji Hall near Unity University attracted some 800 people.
Among Artists performed at the show were well known musicians Khor Deng Jang and Kilany Gatkek Tut.
(ST)

ኢትዮፈጣን ዜና: Spectacular Ethiopian Epiphany comes to Liverpool ...

ኢትዮፈጣን ዜና: Spectacular Ethiopian Epiphany comes to Liverpool ...:  Liverpool Cathedral is set to host a spectacular Ethiopian festival as thousands of followers pilgrimage from across the UK to Merseyside....

Spectacular Ethiopian Epiphany comes to Liverpool Cathedral

 Liverpool Cathedral is set to host a spectacular Ethiopian festival as thousands of followers pilgrimage from across the UK to Merseyside.
Followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawhedo church have chosen the cathedral to hold their world famous Timkat festival, a 2,000 year-old tradition.
Translating as ‘baptism’, Timkat celebrates Christ’s birth with a 24-hour spectacular of singing, chanting and prayer.
One of the definining moments of the celebration will be the parading of the Tabot – replicas of the tablet of stone on which believers say God inscribed the 10 commandments.
Ethiopia, with its uniquely ancient Hebrew and Christian heritage, is regarded by many as the spiritual heart of Africa.

The world famous Timkat festival is coming to Liverpool

The Ethiopian Orthodox Archbishop of Europe, His Grace Abuna Entonius will lead the celebrations assisted by dozens of priests and choirs from all over the UK and Europe.
A spokesperson for the festivities said that Merseysiders are welcome to see the world-famous spectacle for themselves.
They said: “Merseysiders are warmly encouraged to participate in this awesome display of living history and witness some of the most fascinating, colourful and moving forms of Christian worship in the world. This festival is one of the proudest for all Ethiopians.
“We have been participating in voluntary based social activities, cultural and religious festivals, community building and cohesion with others around us for over seven years in Liverpool. We think this is a great opportunity to advertise our city’s most beautiful sites.”
The festival will take place from January 23-24, with the holy Tabots arriving early afternoon on January 23, accompanied by enchanting drumming and music.
source :www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Ambassador of Kazakhstan presents letter of credentials to Ethiopian President

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Yerlik Ali has presented credentials to the President of Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome,
Yerlik Ali talked with Mulatu Teshome about the development of Kazakhstan, country’s foreign policy initiatives, and goals set by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for the developing bilateral cooperation. The Ambassador stressed the importance of cooperation as a part of the African Union.
In turn, President Teshome sent his regards to President Nazarbayev and expressed readiness to develop bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.
Teshome wished the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary success in his diplomatic work.
source: tengrinews.kz

Gilgel Gibe III Hydro Power Project 89 Percent Complete

Miskir Negash, External Communications Director at Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), noted on Wednesday that Ethiopia has completed 89 percent of Gibe III hydropower project, adding that "The Project, which lies in southwestern Ethiopia, on Omo River, has 10 turbine units each generating 187 MW." Miskir Negash further disclosed that Ethiopia's first ever Waste-To-Energy facility, the 50 MW Repi project in Addis Ababa, is also 58 percent complete. The 153 MW Adama II wind power projects are well underway. Currently, 82% percent of the project is complete while the 51 MW Adama I wind power project which was completed two years ago and is currently made fully operational.
source :allafrica.com/
 

Ethiopia dam project could start power generation by June

A much-delayed $1.8 billion dam project under construction along Ethiopia's Omo river could begin generating power by June and be fully operational by early 2016, an official said on Thursday.

Gilgel Gibe 3 will nearly double the country's energy output, helping to resolve chronic power outages and sustain a booming economy. Work started in 2008 and was due to be completed around three years later, but the project has faced funding shortages over concerns about its environmental impact.

"88 percent of the work for the Gibe 3 hydropower project has already been completed," Azeb Asnake, chief executive officer of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, told Reuters.

Two of ten units would be ready by June, Azeb said, while one additional unit would come on line each month after that.

Upon completion the project will generate 1,870 MW of power.

Ethiopia plans to spend a total of $12 billion to tap the rivers that cascade down its craggy highlands over the next two decades in a bid to beat energy shortages and become Africa's biggest power exporter.

The country's economy is expanding by 9 percent a year, and the dam is part of an infrastructure plan aimed at sustaining that growth. A bigger project, the 6,000 MW Grand Renaissance Dam, is being developed along the Nile.

Power outages are common in this country of over 90 million, where a majority still rely on subsistence agriculture. Addis Ababa's nascent manufacturing sector is also attracting firms from China, Turkey and India to produce clothes, shoes and other basic goods, but frequent blackouts hamper economic activity.

Ethiopia already exports power to neighbouring Kenya, Sudan and Djibouti, and it has signed agreements with Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan, as well as Yemen.

Critics of Gilgel Gibe 3 say it will reduce water flow and devastate the fisheries of Lake Turkana, which is fed by the Omo. Ethiopian officials admit criticism led the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank to turn down a request to disburse funds.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China stepped in four years ago with a loan of $500 million to pay for turbines.

Azeb dismissed the concerns, saying Ethiopia's research suggests regulating river flow will stabilise fluctuating water levels. "If they read these studies, they would not continue with their arguments," she said
source : Reuters

Dr. Tedros Meets President of Annual Investment Meeting

Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom met on Wednesday (December 24) with President of Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), Dawood Al Shezawi and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Ethiopia, Yousif Eisa Alsabri. Discussions covered issues related to the need for Ethiopia's and Africa's participation in the 5th edition of the AIM in Dubai, (UAE), which will be held from March 30 to April 01, 2015. Both sides also discussed on the AIM's plans to hold the 6th edition of the conference in Addis Ababa in 2016.
During the talks, Dawood Al Shezawi extended an invitation to Dr. Tedros to attend the 5th edition of the AIM in Dubai, UAE next year, and conveyed greetings of UAE's Minister of Economy, Sultan Saeed al-Mansouri, to Dr Tedros.
He also said that Ethiopia's participation at AIM would open up new prospects for the Government and private sector to showcase investment opportunities, network and exchange experiences with international investors and business persons in the fields of innovation and technology transfer as well as attract FDI inflows. He also noted that AIM was intending to hold the 2016 edition of AIM in Addis Ababa with a view to take Afro-Arab cooperation to a new high. Dr. Tedros on his part said AIM could be regarded as a golden opportunity to steer Ethio-UAE cooperation towards a new progress.
He also said that Ethiopia and UAE were witnessing steady development in their bilateral relations, adding that the inauguration of an Ethiopian Embassy in UAE would further maintain the momentum of the continued growth of the bilateral ties. He also stressed the need for both countries to work together on innovation to embrace a better future. Dr. Tedros also thanked for the invitation extended to his country and AIM's decision to hold the 2016 edition of AIM in Addis Ababa to open broader spaces for Afro-Arab ties, adding that the African Union's participation in the 2016 edition of AIM would set the course for a promising future development.
Ambassador Yousif Eisa Alsabri on his part noted the brotherhood that exists between the two countries and emphasized that AIM would reinvigorate Ethio-UAE brotherhood with innovation and technology transfer. Being as a global forum for investment and strategic networking, AIM's objective rests on ways to help governments, private sectors and international business persons and investors exchange best practices in the areas of innovation and technology transfer as well as promote business and investment relations.
The 5th edition of AIM will be held next year at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with the theme of "Sustainable Development through FDI Induced Innovation and Technology Transfer".