Category: General

The government of France has today donated 932 new children’s books to Abrehot Library.

Speaking at the event, Head of Cooperation and Culture of the French Embassy, Sophie Makame, said a year ago, the Cooperation Department of the Embassy of France in Ethiopia was approached by the management team of Abrehot library , wishing to develop a foreign languages section in the library.

Hence, the embassy of France acquired a set of 932 beautiful books in French language, dedicate to Ethiopian children, to serve as the foundation of a French language corner in Abrehot library, she stated.

According to her, the newly designed permanent French language corner at Abrehot Library is therefore the place for all French –speaking people in Addis Ababa including Ethiopian children who speak French and children from French speaking countries.

Addis Ababa University managed, Abrehot Library is currently among the biggest libraries in Africa.

Addis Ababa University President, Professor Tassew Woldehanna, said on the occasion that to eradicate poverty education is a key noting that education cannot be expanded without books.

According to him, everyday over 4,000 people from all walks of life, mostly young people, are using the library.

“We have many diplomats from French speaking African countries as Ethiopia is the head of African Union’, he said, adding putting books at Abrehot means that you can access many readers in the country.

Knowledge is the building block of civilization, he said, hence the books donated to the library will be beneficial.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

With onset of long rains in some parts of Murang’a County, tea farmers are anticipating increased production after experiencing drought for several months. The farmers since January this year, have been recording decreased production due prolonged dry weather conditions especially to tea growing zones. The dry weather experienced in the region occasioned meager earnings as green leaf production dropped by more than 40 per cent. A farmer from Kiambuthia area in Mathioya Julius Muraya told KNA that majority of farmers from the sub county were harvesting about 10 to 20 kilos of green leaf, down from over 100 kilos they used to harvest during wet seasons. Muraya observed that low production led to decreased monthly earnings forcing them to source for loans from various financial institutions. ‘The production since January has been affected by drought. Harvesting about 20 kilos of green leaf is not near enough to make any meaningful earnings. This has forced some of us to accrue loans from banks and Saccos.’ Explained Muraya. Each of the 10 KTDA allied tea factories in Murang’a has capacity to process more than 240, 000 kilos of green leaf on daily basis but due to drought the a factory is currently receiving roughly 40, 000 kilos. Some tea factory chairpersons including Chege Kirundi (Kiru), Michael Kamau Ngatia (iria ini), Samson Kaguma (Gatunguru) and Dr Muthoni Waithanji (Gitugi) confirmed that all the factories were operating below capacity due to decreased production of green leaf. They revealed that green leaf plucking days have been reduced to four to allow the factories to operate at the optimum. ‘We have organised the farmers in such a way to ensure we remain operational and sell our teas,’ said Kirundi. On his part, Kaguma observed that Gatunguru tea factory was operating at 40 per cent getting between 20,000 and 30,000 kilos of green leaf daily. ‘Farmers allied to the Gatunguru tea factory used to deliver between 100,000 and 120,000 kilos of green leaf, but now we are at the lowest level, we hope long rains will boost production.’ said Kaguma. A director from Ikumbi Tea factory in Kigumo Jerald Ngumba highlighted that depressed rainfall in tea growing zones has negatively affected functioning of most factories. He said due to decreased production, some factories are forced to halt processing till the needed quantity of green leaf is delivered to the factories. ‘Tea needs high rainfall but since January most parts of the county have not received rain. Some bushes dried up. The county government can consider providing water for irrigation. The cash crop is a source of livelihood to many farmers in this country,’ stated Ngumba.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Foreign Minister of Yemen, Dr. Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak has arrived in Addis Ababa today for an official working visit to Ethiopia.

Upon arrival at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, he was accorded a warm welcome by State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Misganu Arega.

The objective of the visit is to exchange views on ways strengthening the bilateral relations of Ethiopia and Yemen, it was learned.

During his stay in Ethiopia, the Foreign Minister of Yemen is expected to discuss with senior officials of the government of Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) stated that it is cooperating with Ethiopia in many ways and especially supporting the country to diversify its rich tourism sector.

ECA East Africa Director, Mama Keta told ENA that ECA is cooperating with Ethiopia in many ways and especially it is supporting the country to develop and diversify its rich tourism sector.

This continued support for Ethiopia in tourism development and diversification is part of ECA’s cooperation and supports to the country in many ways.

According to her, the second most populous country in Africa, with a big economy, immense potential in many sectors, and especially tourism for her office is critical point of cooperation and support to facilitating trade and regional economic integration.

“ECA works very well with Ethiopia. Ethiopia is key for AFCFTA and for Africa as a whole. The size of the economy is big and in terms of population also it is very big. It has also some great skills. So, ECA supports Ethiopia in so many things,” Mama Keta said.

The director pointed out that her office is particularly working with the Government of Ethiopia to unlock and diversify the enormous tourism potential of Ethiopia.

“From my office, for instance, we supported the country, and we are still supporting the country to diversify its tourism sector,” she pointed out.

Mama Keta noted that developing and diversifying the tourism sector in Ethiopia is critical and extremely important.

“For a country that is not very rich in natural resources and that is rich in historical sites and heritage, tourism is a critical and extremely important sector. So we are, for instance, supporting Ethiopia right now, to develop further the tourism sector to improve the statistics in order to be able to plan well, and to measure the results that are being done. So this is just one example where ECA is supporting Ethiopia but in many other sectors really collaboration is going on.”

Ethiopia is bestowed with massive tangible and intangible heritages and its natural and artificial tourism destinations have been expanding and diversifying, increasing earnings.

ECA has been assisting Ethiopia’s trade policy agenda, aimed at fostering industrialization and sustained economic growth and regional integration, it was learned.

She further stressed the need to remove non-tariff barriers and harmonize policies that allow free movement of people and goods to enhance economic activities, especially trade, particularly in East Africa and the continent.

Removing the barriers of trade will facilitate regional economic integration, create jobs and offer favorable markets in Africa, she added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Practical and innovative ways to accelerate inclusive economic transformation in Africa took center stage in a session to review progress and set a new agenda in the implementation of the Doha and Vienna programme of action in Africa at the expert’s segment of the 55th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

Presentations by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) highlighted that despite a greater emphasis on both programmes of action in building productive capacity, boosting agriculture, food security, trade, good governance, and development, most African countries which form the majority of the LDCs have made only limited headway in transforming the structure of their economies to achieve sustainable development.

According to ECA, the devastating impacts of COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine on production, trade, and its wider economic and social effects, have mired progress even further.

Despite this, some African countries have made some progress in various areas of action. Botswana, Cabo Verde, and Equatorial Guinea have graduated from the list of LDCs while Comoros, Djibouti, Senegal, and Zambia were determined to have met the graduation standards for the first time.

There has equally been considerable progress in science, technology, and innovation, as well as on trade with the advent of the AfCFTA.

On renewable energy, Africa is performing well and for the first time, it is on the same line with the rest of the world in a race to explore technologies that could impact its energy security, it was indicated.

While this progress is promising, many African countries still face an array of binding constraints.

A lack of technological capabilities, infrastructure deficiencies, limited government capacity to implement growth-oriented structural policies, and insecurities and instabilities in areas like the Sahel have all combined to impede faster progress.

“There is no way trade or development will happen where bullets are flying. We need a nexus between security and development to ensure no one is left behind,” said Francis Ikome, Chief of the Regional Integration Section, ECA.

Addressing these constraints is crucial for Africa’s long-term development and will be the main driver of its transition from low- to middle- and, ultimately, high-income status.

As experts analyzed and sought ideas that translate into action, a set of recommendations presented highlighted the need for ECA to continue strengthening support for African LDCs to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine.

Countries need to expedite the implementation of the AfCFTA, deepen regional integration and increase connectivity by closing the digital divide, as well as leverage digital technologies to boost trade and grow the capacity of African LDCs to attract productive investment.

These recommendations can drive more discernible progress in overcoming the many structural impediments confronting these countries.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has called on farmers to register in the ongoing National Household Farmers’ Registration exercise so as to enable the government plan accordingly while making the national budgets. Linturi who spoke at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Narok Branch when he inspected the distribution of subsidized fertilizer said his ministry is planning to give more subsidized inputs to farmers to boost production. ‘The farmers’ database will help the ministry in planning for the farmers’ needs as they seek to get funding from the National Treasury. We will get to know the number of farmers and their specific needs,’ he said. The CS who spoke to prominent farmers in the county promised that the government would not import any goods that the farmers have in store. ‘We care about our farmers and we promise you that we will never import any goods as long as you have them in store. But as long as the goods are not available, we will import so as to curb food shortage,’ said Linturi. He called on the farmers to support the government saying that though they have been in office for only seven months, they have achieved much and hoped to do more things to benefit the country before their term expires. ‘Don’t mind because the government is concerned about you. We are committed to getting the best prices for your wheat, maize and beans. In the next six months, I promise you that you will see more fruits,’ he said. The CS reiterated that the ministry will support all farmers in the country regardless of their political background, asking farmers to support the current administration so that they could serve them well. ‘We are not biased against anyone. Given an enabling environment, we will work with all farmers to support them and ensure they live a decent life,’ he added. The agro vets that distribute sub-standard goods were also put on notice as the CS requested the farmers to speak out whenever they purchased any input that did not do well on their farms. ‘Please do not keep quiet if your farm does not do well because of the input. Send us an SMS of the product you used, the batch number and company so that we can be able to eliminate the sub-standard goods from the market,’ he said. Joseph Nchoe, a large-scale farmer, thanked the current administration for the fertilizer subsidy saying the prices almost hit the Sh7, 000 during the previous administration. ‘This is the planting season of the farmers in the Lower Mau area. The availability of subsidized fertilizer will boost our farming as we believe more farmers will dig their farms,’ he said. Another farmer Ms. Purity Dikirr said the subsidized fertilizer motivated farmers who had initially left the practice for other businesses to go back to farming. She said even women were actively preparing their farms so as to plant during this rainy season as the government has assured that the subsidized fertilizer would continue being distributed.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Carefully tucked on a jutting rock shelf inside a chilly dark ancient cave at the hilly Mwanda village of Wundanyi is a trove of macabre trophy; hundreds of white-washed human skulls that eerily gleam in the spooky gloom of the cave. These skulls belong to revered leaders, heroes and other notable members of the community from centuries ago whose selfless deeds of valor and sacrifices elevated them to be honored within the community and beyond. At a time the world is getting rapidly modernized, the preservation of human skulls as deified memorabilia might appear like a ghoulish practice but to the local residents, the skulls form a key part of the community’s cultural identity that strengthens traditions and reinforces attachment to the arcane ways of the ancestors. The Chair for Domestic Tourism Association (DTA) Mr. Livingstone Mgenyi explains that Taita skull caves have great cultural significance for local communities owing to the deep historical and spiritual links the caves have. He adds that esoteric rites and other secret rituals performed by selected elders before allowing outsiders’ access to the skull caves only adds to the mystifying influence clinging to these traditional sites. The rites are mandatory to clean outsiders and allow them into the hallowed grounds of the cave without having them suffer harm from incensed ancestral spirits These rites include not wearing shoes when entering the cave and slaughtering a goat to appease the restless spirits roaming in the undisturbed darkness. While leaving the caves, it is forbidden to glance behind. ‘The caves are special sites where the remains of the community’s heroes are safely stored. They have their strict rules before one enters. These are great historical assets for this county,’ he explains. Promoters of domestic tourism argue that Mwanda and other skull caves in Taita remained one of the most underexploited and under marketed cultural assets despite its vast tourism potential. Other skull caves are found scattered in selected villages in Sagalla in Voi; Funju in Wundanyi and Ndemwa in Mwatate. While Taita-Taveta County is widely regarded as a sleeping tourism giant, little progress has been made in marketing other diverse tourist products the region possesses. There is just a fleeting mention of the ancient World War 1 battlefield sites, a cursory talk on cultural caves and casual discussion on homestays in the scenic Taita hills. A key reason attributed to this lackluster effort to market such emerging products is the presence of Tsavo National Park; a world-famous magnificent wonder whose unmatched bush tourism experience easily eclipses other not-so-famous tourism products. ‘Tsavo is too famous. Most tourists have a wrong perception that Taita-Taveta has nothing else to offer but the wildlife and thrills of Tsavo. We need to show them other rare products. We have World War 1 battlefield sites, the skull caves and excellent homestays facilities,’ says Mr. Mgenyi. To promote cultural tourism, the national government, through the National Museum of Kenya (NMK), has moved in to bolster rare historical sites to increase their global visibility in a move expected to attract droves of local and international tourists into the region. Deputy Director for National Museum of Kenya in Coast Region Mr. Athman Hussein says a comprehensive survey on cultural heritage sites across Kenya had identified Taita-Taveta as a region endowed with rich cultural-historical sites that called for special attention. He noted that the ancient skull caves were a rare product with potential to propel the county into international fame. He further disclosed that archeological research showed that the only other country where such skull caves in the hills are to be found is Peru in South America. ‘The caves and the elaborate ritual associated with them are very rare. They only have their equivalent in Peru. This points to a great potential for promoting tourism,’ explained the official. Athman stated that to preserve their uniqueness, plans were underway to have the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) confer the status of World Heritage Sites on selected sites in Taita-Taveta County. Top in the list are the World War 1 battlefield sites and ancient skull caves. Already, NMK says it has forwarded a dossier to UNESCO asking for The Ruins of Gede in Kilifi County to be upgraded into a world heritage site. ‘We are done with Gede. Our next agenda is Taita-Taveta County. These extremely valuable sites qualify to be under World Heritage Sites because the battlefield sites and the skull caves are very special,’ he explained. Conferment of World Heritage Site status to the little-known skulls caves is expected to propel the county into instant global fame. With the massive attention world heritage sites receive from tourists, scholars and researchers, the move by NMK is seen as the most practical solution for marketing the region to an international clientele. According to UNESCO, a site qualifies for the status of a World Heritage Site if it has outstanding universal, cultural, historical, natural and archeological value. This conferment of status also allows critically endangered, rare and valuable products and sites to get special protection from degradation as a result of human activities or natural activities. The sites can either be classified under natural sites or cultural sites. Kenya is a signatory to two UNESCO conventions; the 1972 Convention of The Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 2003 Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Already, Kenya has seven sites classified as World Heritage Sites. They are Lake Turkana National Park and Mt. Kenya National Park. Both parks were conferred this status in 1997. In 2001, Lamu Old Town became a World Heritage Site followed by Mijikenda Kaya Forests in 2008. The Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley and the famous Fort Jesus became world Heritage sites in 2011 while Thimlich Ohinga Archeological Site was upgraded in 2018. There are 17 more listed sites in Kenya waiting for UNESCO’s nod to be conferred with world heritage site status.

Source: Kenya News Agency