Ethiopian Airlines international flights were disrupted today for hours after Air traffic controllers staged a strike. The strike is caused by employees demand related to salary and benefits, reported DW Amharic.
Authorities in Ethiopian Aviation Authority appeared on state Television, Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, to confirm the strike and that it is caused by overtime pay controversy. Later, the authorities announced that employees are back to work and international flights have resumed.
Air Traffic Controllers Union blames the Ethiopian Civil Aviation authorities for the problems that employees are having.
Fitsum Tilahun, president of the Union, is quoted as saying :
“Instead of addressing the legal and professional rights of employees, the aviation authority is making irresponsible decisions and decision that are at odds with the ethics of the profession like removing highly experienced professionals and compelling employees cover other roles with heavy workload…Aggravating the problem by putting unnecessary pressure on employees could make the industry vulnerable to danger.”
Ethiopian Airlines is often criticized for ethnic-based discrimination of employees. In 2015, Ethiopian Airlines workers stowed away to Sweden hiding in the hold of the plane and revealed multi-faceted abuse of workers.
In 2014, Co-Pilot Hailemedhin Abera diverted Rome bound Ethiopian Airlines plane to Geneve, Switzerland, where he sought and was granted asylum.
Lemma Megersa made public, though the region’s communication Bureau, major cabinet reshuffle for the regional administration. The reshuffle is meant to enhance the regional government capacity to deliver service and execute change.
Lemma Megersa – OPDO chairman
borkena
April 18, 2018
Ethiopia’s Oromo regional state president Lemma Megersa made a major cabinet reshuffle in his team. Teyba Hassen who served in the past as mayor of Shashemane town is now vice-president of the region, a position which was held previously by Abiy Ahmed who is now Prime minister of Ethiopia. Teyba sternly opposed killings by Agazi forces in Shashemane and ordered the arrest of those who committed the killings.
Teyba Hassan, new vice president of OPDO
Addisu Arega Kitesa who served as communication head of the region is now giving way to Dr. Negeri Lenho who is said to have been troubled as Government Communication Minister at the Federal level. As such Negeri’s case does seem a promotion in that it represents a rescue by Lemma Megersa. Negeri held the Federal position only for a little over a year. It is rumored for months now that Nigussu Tilahun, Amhara region communication head, is likely to be the next Federal government communication minister.
Addisu Arega is to say in team Lemma as Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO’s) rural political mobilization head. The urban wing of this position is given to Kefyalew Ayana.
Adama (Nazret) Mayor Adanech Abebe is promoted as head of OPDO central office, another woman in Lemma’s team to hold a senior position in the region. The controversial Chaltu Segni is now in charge of the region’s revenue authority. In the past, she ordered demolition of Ethiopian Orthodox church as Mayor of Lege Tafo and the matter was resolved after it was escalated to senior authorities. Lemma Megersa has also promoted Habiba Siraj, Elfenesh Bayecha and Zeineba Adem as mayors of Legetafo town, Adama (Nazret) and Asela respectively.
Departments dealing with industry, mining and urban development and housing have also seen changes. The reshuffle brought a total of 23 members of the organization on board to what is often referred to as Team Lemma.
Lemma Megersa is distinguishing himself as a reformer and diligent leader with a vision to bring about change and has even got some support outside of his ethnic based party- OPDO. He stepped down as chairman of OPDO last month so as to make way for Abiy Ahmed who was vying for Federal prime minister position for Abiy needed to be a chairman to run for prime minister position.
However, there are Ethiopians who doubt him as a man of change due to the fact that he worked for the regime in power in the intelligence unit and that he is a product of ethnic politics. For many, he is an ethno-nationalist.
Prominent Ethiopian Musician Tamrat Desta died in the capital Addis Ababa today, reported Ethiopian media outlets in the country.
The report indicates that he was not feeling well and was driving to a private clinic when he collapsed. Later he was taken to Menelik hospital where he was pronounced dead. His body is sent to a hopital for postmortum.
He was known for his song “Hakime Nesh.”
Tamrat was married and is survived by five children.
borkena team would like to express heartfelt condolences to his family and his fans.
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Abiy Ahmed is reportedly announcing his new cabinet ministers tomorrow. New appointments in key sectors are expected. Defense and Justice ministry to be filled with OPDO officials.
Source : SM
borkena
April 19, 2018
In what is to be Abiy Ahmed’s first parliamentary session since he took Hailemariam Desalegne as chairman of EPRDF and prime minister, he will be attending the 21st regular session of the parliament today.
And he is expected to announce his new cabinet members to be approved by the parliament.
Sources close to the ruling party, including Horn Affairs and Fana Broadcasting Corporation, reported that Shiferaw Shigute, for whom the TPLF fought hard during the race for prime minister within EPRDF council, is to be the minister of agriculture and livestock. He served as minister of education during Hailemariam Desalgn administration.
The current Minister of Defense, Siraj Fergessa who is from Southern Ethiopian People Democratic Movement (SEPDM), will be the minister of Transport.
Mottuma Mekasa, a member of Oromo People’s Democratic Organization whose chairman is Abiy Ahmed, will be appointed as the minister of defense according to the sources. It is a public knowledge that senior military positions in the defense force are mostly under the tight control of TPLF and if Abiy Ahmed is indeed a reformist, as many of his supporters assert, much needed meaningful reform in the defense force is prone to cause a serious confrontation with TPLF. This week, two senior military officers of TPLF, Brigadier General Kinfe Dagnaw and General Teklebrhan Woldearegay resigned as Director General of METEC and Director General of INSA respectively “to focus on their roles within the military.” According to research-based estimates from the opposition quarter, more than 95 percent of high ranking military officers in the defense force are from TPLF, the dominant party in the ruling coalition.
Berhanu Tsegaye, also a member of OPDO, is said to be assigned to the ministry of Justice Department.
The current speaker of the house, Abadula Gemeda, and it is to be remembered that he returned to his position after he tendered resignation letter over claims of “disrespect to his people and his party”, will be replaced by Mufriyat Kemil from SEPDM, according to Horn Affairs – news portal with sources from within the ruling elites in TPLF.
Negeri Lencho, government communication affairs minister, is selected by Oromo regional state president Lemma Megersa to serve as communication head for the region. Ahmed Shide from Ethiopian Somali region is said to be the next government communication affairs minister, the sources added.
The foreign ministry is reportedly to remain under Dr. Workeneh Gebeyehu who is also from OPDO.
The new administration made it clear that it seeks to achieve quality service delivery through cabinet member changes which were introduced yesterday. However, as far as the Ethiopian people is concerned,the change seem to be too little.
Apart from opposing corrupt practices and red tapes in the public service, Ethiopians demanded fundamental economic and political change. And there was an apparent expectation that Abiy Ahmed’s administration will be at least a little different from the very system that Ethiopians have been living for more than 27 years.
As it turns out, Abiy Ahmed seems to be rather interested in staying the course. 16 ministerial appointments he introduced to the parliament, and they were all approved, demonstrates the case. Three of the new cabinet members are women but all the appointees have been part and parcel of EPRDF.
Visibly, the new cabinet sounds like it is “OPDOized” version of EPRDF in the sense that key federal government positions including foreign affairs, defense ministry, a federal prosecutor, revenue authority and of course the prime minister himself are from Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO).
Speaker of the house was fielded by an OPDO member until Abiy Ahmed announced today that Abadula Gemeda will have a new role as National Security Advisor for the prime minister.
How is the Ethiopian Opposition reacting to the “new” cabinet?
The Ethiopian opposition did not take long to figure out the new appointment; the view from that trajectory is that it does not represent change.
In an interview with VOA Amharic service today, Dr. Bezabih of All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP) says “I don’t believe that the new cabinet is a new cabinet.It is the role of the same people that is changing.”
“I have not seen anything changed from the usual EPRDF practice,” says the chairman of Blue party, Yeshiwas Assefa. He added that the focus on the part of the “new” administration seems to be rescuing the ruling coalition, not addressing the demand of the people.
Merara Gudina, leader of Oromo Federalist Congress who was in jail for more than a year before he was released after the regime in power decided to release selected political prisoners and journalists, says that “the change happened within EPRDF box”
Gezahagne Gebremeskel ( alias Nebro) was assassinated in Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday.
Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) spoke to friends of the deceased who have known Gezahagne for a long time in South Africa and in Ethiopia; they all describe him as a selfless and courageous Ethiopian.
Tamagne Beyene, also an Ethiopian activist based in the United States who traveled to South Africa in connection with his activism, told ESAT about Gezahagne’s commitment to the cause of Ethiopia. ‘When I talked about rumored death threat on my life in South Africa, he[Gezahagne] told me that they will have to kill me first before they do that to you,” recounted Tamagne.
The deceased served in the Airborne Division of Ethiopian army until the TPLF government disbanded it following the collapse of Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam in 1991.
From ESAT report, it seems that police is investigating the matter. However, preliminary circumstantial evidence seems to suggest that the TPLF group orchestrated the assassination. What is known is at this point is that the activist showed up at a meeting that the regime in Ethiopia organized in Johannesburg for Ethiopian business people and he was bounced out.
The same day, three people came to him in a broad light and shot him in the forehead.
His longtime friend in South Africa who described the deceased as “a kind-hearted, altruistic and patriotic Ethiopian”, says that there had been attempts in the past to assassinate him. And he seems to have little doubt that TPLF is behind the assassination of Gezahagne Nebro.
It is a public knowledge that TPLF has experience in organizing assassinations, there was one in Kenya in the last two decades. And it is widely believed that TPLF government spent millions of dollars to corrupt Yemeni authorities to abduct a leading opposition figure from Yemen while he was in transit.
The 7th Tana Forum in Bahir Dar is closing today. The two days long forum which brought together about 250 participants, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and former African heads of states – Hailemariam Desalgn, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo (he is Tana Forum Board Chairperson), and former Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama, among others.
Ethiopia’s newly minted prime minister Abiy Ahmed was represented today by Hirut Zemene, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the closing day of the Forum.
The agenda for this year’s forum was peace and security provision in Africa, and finance and reform of the African Union and the notions of “African solutions for African problems” is reflected in during.
The forum is reportedly attended by stakeholders and peace and security experts from across Africa.
Abiy Ahmed met with Sudanese leader Omar Hassan Al-Bahsir on the sidelines of the forum; he promised participants during a town hall meeting in Gondar, where he was asked about Ethio-Sudan border issue, that he would raise the matter and discussed it with Sudanese leader.
Omar Hassan Al-Bahsir is one of strong allies of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a party that has been accused of giving out Ethiopia’s rightful land along the border to Sudan. A few years ago, TPLF led administration and Sudan signed joint border security agreement.
Journalist Eskinder Nega, who is released from prison following “amnesty” by the Ethiopian government at the height of popular struggle for change, is reunited with his family in the United States after over seven years.
His wife, Serkalem Fasil, and his only son, Nafkot Eskinder, have been living in the United States after he was sentenced to long-term prison terms some time in 2011.
Ethiopians in Washington DC area gave Eskinder Nega a warm welcome when he arrived at the airport.
Eskinder Nega was thrown to jail on charged with the infamous “anti-terrorist legislation” for doing his activism work.
Before arriving in the United States, Eskinder traveled to Europe to receive his award during world press freedom day.
Eskinder vowed not to end his activism work until the creation of a democratic Ethiopia. He is now sending a message that it is impossible to defend freedom of expression and freedom of a press in a situation where there is no democracy and that he will now focus on the struggle for democracy in Ethiopia.
In a similar development, Bekele Gerba, secretary of the largest ethnic-based opposition party in Ethiopia -Oromo Federalist Congress – has arrived in the United States for a working visit. Ethiopians have given him a warm welcome as well.
Abiy Ahmed headed to Kenya, Ethiopia’s neighbor in the South and the host of thousands of Ethiopian refugees, for two days state visit. Last month, thousands of Ethiopians from the border town of Moyale reportedly crossed to Kenya after members of Ethiopian defense force killed civilians randomly.
Sources close to the Ethiopian government report that Abiy was invited by Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president who won a controversial second term in office.
The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues. Economic integration is among agenda item as was the case when Abiy Ahmed visited Djibouti and Sudan and hold similar discussions with the leaders of those countries this past week.
The two countries had joint infrastructure development worth millions of dollars. In 2015, Ethiopia and Kenya launched a partnership project to foster peace and sustainable development in the areas adjacent to the Ethio-Kenya border.
Abiy Ahmed has been traveling across Ethiopia and outside of Ethiopia non-stop since he took office over a month or so ago. He has already got critics and became a material for political satire.
Renewed Ethnic violence between Ethio-Somalis and Oromo reportedly caused loss of lives in Moyale. Regional Communication Head calls for intervention from concerned federal authorities.
Image source : Zehabesha
borkena
May 7, 2018
As prime minister Abiy Ahmed is on a two days official visit to Kenya, the border town between Ethiopia and Kenya, Moyale, is experiencing another round ethnic violence involving Ethiopian Somalis and Oromos.
The incident has involved police force from both regions in addition to the involvement of defense force. The extent of causality is not known at this point.
Former Federal government communication minister, now Oromo regional state communication head, Negeri Lencho indirectly confirmed the news when he posted a brief update on his Facebook page yesterday: “The ongoing attack on our citizens is unacceptable and condemnable. The body with the authority [unclear if it is a reference to the Command Post] need to take measure to stop the attack in time.”
BBC bilingual reporter,Emmanuel Igunza,tweeted yesterday :
Reports of heavy casualties in #Moyale#Ethiopia after a day of intense fighting. Residents say several people feared dead. More refugees fleeing the fighting crossing into #Kenya
Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT), US-based Ethiopian news outlet, reported earlier today seems to confirm the violence in Moyale yesterday. And there was an exchange of fire between Ethio-Somali region special police force and Oromo region state police force. Federal defense force, added the report, disarmed Oromo regional police in the town and that there were heavy casualties. Residents are crossing border to Kenya leaving behind their homes in Moyale Ethiopia.
Addis Standard, Addis Ababa based news portal, quoted what it called “a message sent via WhatsApp to Addis Standard” to share what appears to be an eyewitness account :
“The fire exchange started as early as 10:40 am before noon today. The shooting was started by Somali Leyu force and Garri tribe in intention of opening fire on Oromia Police station which [is located] adjacent to Somali residents on the Eastern side of Moyale town. The Oromia police station covered an area of approximately around 2,000 square meters. And this always [served] to block members of the Liyu Police from passing to the western side of Moyale town where many ethnic communities including the Oromo live. On [many] occasions this side of the town was their target and [was] always blocked by [the] presence of Oromia police station.”
Ethnic tension between Oromo speaking Ethiopians and Ethio-Somali has been going on for a long time now and sporadic skirmishes have claimed numerous lives.
In September of 2017, the ethnic tension between the two ethnic groups heightened after fifty Oromos were killed along the Ethio-somali and Oromo region in the east of the country and after more than half a million people from the region were displaced.
The new prime minister’s first business was to travel to the Somali region in an apparent move to ease tension between the administration of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, who is seen as a TPLF ally, and Lemma Megeresa’s administration. As it turns out, the effort does not seem to be taking root.
When Abiy Ahmed returns to Ethiopia after his trip to Kenya, he obviously has a decision to make but again TPLF senior military officials are said to be still in firm control of power. There is even a rumor about a possible military coup against Abiy Ahmed.
On March 10, TPLF led defense force entered to Moyale town on “mistaken intelligence report”, as government authorities put it, opened fire and randomly killed at least 11 civilians in the town including a school principal. The incident caused fear among residents in the town so much so nearly 10,000 people from the town crossed to Kenya.
What is said to be the 19th tripartite meeting between Egypt,Ethiopia and Sudan ended with no agreement. The parties met in Addis Ababa this time around.
The three countries have hired a French private firm to complete study on impact of Ethiopia’s $ 5 Billion grand dam project,it is believed to be the first of its kind in Africa, on the flow of water to the lower riparian countries.
The bottleneck in the talk is that Egypt seeks to the 1959 Nile agreement, to which Ethiopia was not a party, as a point of reference for the impact assessment by hired by the three countries.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, disagrees on the point that the agreement between Sudan and Egypt during colonial Africa should not be binding for Ethiopia.
Egypt has a stand that “no single drop of Egyptian water” could be used by other countries. 85 percent of the Nile water originates from Ethiopia and the water was never used by Ethiopia for generating electric power or otherwise.
Ethiopia reaffirmed on different occasions that the Grand Dam project will not cause change to the volume of water flowing to Egypt.
Ethiopian authorities say that over 60 % of the project is completed.
Assefa Gebremariam, author of Ethiopian National Anthem, “Ethiopia Kidemi”, which was in use during colonel Mengistu Hailemariam’s administration passed away yesterday at the age of 82.
He passed away while in exile. He had been living in Las Vega, the United States for many years now.
He studied language and literature at the Lenin Grad University in the former USSR, what is now Russia, and the University of Edinburgh.
“Yemeskerem Chora” and “The Voice” are some of his literary contributions to Ethiopia. He has also served as secretary of Ethiopian Authors Association.
The Ethiopian government is to come up with new history textbook for high school students, as per The Ethiopian Reporter report which cited the Ministry of Education.
Tilaye Getie (Phd), Minister for Education, appeared before the Federal Parliament this week to present a nine-month report in which he mentioned that the ministry is partnering with Addis Ababa University and production of textbooks is underway.
Apparently, the decision to produce new teaching material was reached after examining existing textbook but it was not pointed out as to what aspect of history lesson text was deemed uninformative or incorrect. It is to recalled that the regime in power ordered production of new textbooks after taking power following the collapse of Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam’s government in 1991 which means that it took a generation to find out that the new history lesson was rather not that relevant. And there has been a critic against contents and inaccurate information included in the textbooks. How inaccurate was the teaching material? Inaccurate so much so that the highest mountain in Ethiopia, Ras Dashen, was indicated as it is located in Tigray regional state in the country.
Tilaye Gete reportedly said that so far 90 percent of the production of 9th and 11th grader textbooks is completed. The plan is to make all the textbooks ready for the 2012 Ethiopian academic year (check the Ethiopian calendar here).
In what seems to be an effort to glorify the military and alleged “political” victory of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which waged a guerrilla war against the military government before 1991, Ethiopian history was demonized so much so indisputable anti-colonial struggle and the victory of Adwa was overlooked.
The federal prosecutor disclosed today that it dropped charges against Ethiopian born Swedish Cardiologist, Fikru Maru, and 62 others.
Despite the release of many political prisoners in recent years, the decision of government came as a surprise for the Ethiopian court ruled this past week for the prisoners to defend themselves of criminal charges related to Qlinto prison fire which happened in August 2016 amid the height of popular protest against the ruling party.
The prosecutor still requires four inmates to defend themselves against charges of “homicide”
From experiences of political prisoners released in recent months, inmates whose charges are dropped could be released from prison in a matter of days. Dr. Fikru Maru and others whose charges are dropped are still in prison at this writing.
The 67 years old cardiologist has been in jail for nearly five years now. In 2006, he helped establish the first cardiac hospital in Addis Ababa.
But he was thrown to jail in 2013 in connection with alleged tax fraud – charge from which he was cleared last year but the government decided not to release him and then he was charged again with the pretext of Qlinto fire.
Activists, including the late Dr. Frank Ashall, have been campaigning for the release of Dr. Fikru Maru.
Addis Fortune, local financial newspaper, reported this week that audit into Addis Ababa City Administration reveals 905.8 million birr unaccounted for spending in the 2016/2017 budget year.
The huge portion of it, 721.7 million birr, is spent on unaccounted payment while the rest of the shortage caused due to corrupt use of aid money, procurement, payouts with no proof, and uncollected revenue, among others.
The auditor general for the city, Tsegewoyn Kassa, is cited as saying, “illegitimate procurements, inflated salaries and benefits, unaccounted for expenses, uncollected accounts, as well as mismanagement of properties were the reasons for the audit gap during the annual assembly of the City Administration’s Council.” She apparently had a press conference after completion of the audit.
The audit report is already submitted in April 2018 to the city council whose chair is Tabor Gebremedhin.
Financial, administrative and property management divisions of the city administration are among the city bodies implicated in the wastage of the city’s fund.
The auditor general office was established about six years ago, according to Addis Fortune‘s report.
Last week prime minister Abiy Ahmed reached an agreement with Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir in a range bilateral and regional issues when he was in Sudan for a two days state visit.
Apart from agreeing to invest in Port Sudan as an alternative import and export access point for Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed secured the word of Al-Bashir for the release of Ethiopian prisoners in Sudan.
Today, government-affiliated media outlets in Ethiopia reported that Sudan released 1400 Ethiopian prisoners after Omar Hassan Al-Bashir issued a decree for their release. They were held in different prisons across Sudan.
Abiy requested the government of Kenya as well to release Ethiopians who are in different prisons across the country and to treat Ethiopians who are in Kenya for different reasons with dignity. No Ethiopians are yet released. However, president Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has agreed to release Ethiopians.
Despite skepticism on numerous pledges made during a meeting with Ethiopians in different parts of Ethiopia, Prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s effort to protect Ethiopians outside of the country has earned him notable respect even in the opposition quarter and among Ethiopians in the diaspora. Unlike previous Ethiopian governments, it was not in the tradition of the ruling party, whose chairman in now Abiy Ahmed, to stand up for the rights of Ethiopians. In fact, the administration of the late Meles Zenawi was criticized for using foreign agents at attack or humiliate Ethiopians who oppose his government.
Another important development today regarding the release of prisoners, at home, is that government decided to drop charges of 64 prisoners including Dr. Fikru Maru, Ethiopian born Swedish cardiologist who founded the first cardiology hospital in Ethiopia. They were charged in connection with prison fire at Qilinto in August 2016. That too is seen as another positive step by Abiy Ahmed’s government.
Yet, Ethiopians are reminding the government of Abiy Ahmed to release all political prisoners including Andargachew Tsige leader of Patriotic Ginbot 7 movement who was abducted while in transition at Sana’a international airport in 2013. Ethiopian government intelligence unit allegedly corrupted Yemen security forces to capture him.
Ethiopian activists based in Ethiopia launched a three days cyber campaign to demand the release of Andargachew Tsige. And there seem to be some hope that prime minister Abiy Ahmed will exercise his power to release him from prison and join his family back in Britain.
Prime minister Abiy Ahmed seems to be changing gear to speed up measures that would help planned reform measures for his government. Apart from reshuffling cabinet ministers and appointed more than forty deputy ministers and directors, his administration is removing high ranking officials who are considered to be too powerful, albeit charges of corruption and abuse of power, to remove from power.
Pro-government sources including Fana reported today that the office of prime minister disclosed that five government authorities are made to retire. Statement from the office was explicit in pointing out that the change is part of the reform measure and part of the effort to address “people’s demand for change” and that it will continue to do so.
One of them is Sebhat Nega. One of the founders and ideologue of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), he was highly influential not only within TPLF but also in the Federal government so much so that he was even deemed more powerful than the late Meles Zenawi. At the age of 84, his last formal government portfolio was Director General of Foreign Relation Strategic Study Institute. He has been very controversial and is believed to be one of the masterminds of crimes committed by TPLF.
Kasu Ilala, Belete Tafere, Mekonen Manyazewal and Tadesse Haile are the other high ranking officials whose retirement is announced today. They all worked in policy areas. Tadesse Haile, from TPLF like Sebhat Nega, was head of Ethiopian investment authority and is believed to be corrupted.
Yesterday, citizens reported on social media that head of Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority, Zeray Asgedom, a staunch TPLF who was blackmailing state-funded media in Amhara and Oromo regions of Ethiopia following a meeting after ethnic-based violence in Buno Bedele Zone, is removed from his position.
Prime minister Abiy Ahmed says that his government is investigating overseas bank accounts of government officials and that countries are cooperating with his government on this matter.
He spoke about it during a meeting with his cabinet ministers and deputy ministers today, according to state media. From the look of it, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss service delivery in the public service which was characterized in the past as inefficient and ridden with red tapes.
Prime minister Abiy Ahmed is aiming for efficient, fast,corruption free and client oriented service delivery. A paper that is said to be researched by himself was presented during the discussion and the focus of the paper is,according to government media sources, leadership skills.
Quality service delivery and a public servant dedicated for serving the public are the ideals that Abiy Ahmed is trying to make the hallmarks of his administration.
The weekly cabinet meeting on Friday is to move to Saturdays so as, the prime minister told his ministers, not to waste working hours for a meeting. And he want his ministers to be not just critics but leaders who generate ideas in the sector they are leading.
In essence, say some observers, what the prime minister seem to be aspiring to achieve is tantamount to revolutionizing a system that has been corrupt and inefficient for more than two decades. In fact, corruption became a part of the system by design as the regime works to gain a social base that could be relevant for legitimacy, an effort which rather brought about pretty much the opposite of what was intended to achieve. It is in that light that critical observers are saying that Abiy Ahmed might be a bit unrealistic in his objective of achieving efficient and quality service delivery with senior government officers who were part and parcel of the corrupt system in one way or another. Yet, the task of doing away with old guards from his administration is not without a risk at this point in time.
Practicality of “investigating over sea bank accounts of members of his government” is questioned as well. And there are those who goes to the extent of questioning if Abiy meant what he said in that regard. The reason is that government officers would obviously avoid depositing loots in foreign banks in their names or with the names of their relatives.
Abune Mathias and Sergey Lavrov Source : Embassy of Russia to Ethiopia twitter account
borkena
May 15,2018
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Patriarch Abune Mathias is in Russia for a six day visit. His visit to Russia is reportedly initiated by Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill.
Abune Mathias met and held discussion with Russian Foreign Affairs minister, Sergey Lavrov. The latter is cited by Ethiopian government affiliated media as saying that Moscow sees the historical relation between Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox church in a positive light, and that the two churches could play their part for the effort to bring about tolerance and peace in the world. Servey Lavrov was in Ethiopia in early March of this year.
In a twitter message, The Russian Embassy in Ethiopia described the patriarch’s trip as “historic” and that it intends “to revive ties between two sisterly churches.”
Foreign Minister (Acting) Sergey #Lavrov meets Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch Abune Mathias who is on historic visit to #Russia to revive ties between two sisterly churches 🇷🇺 🇪🇹 pic.twitter.com/3WZGSPL7Oh
— Russia in Ethiopia (@RusEmbEthiopia) May 15, 2018
Ethiopian Orthodox Church used to have more than 45 million followers in the country but is reportedly loosing membership fast as Protestantism is expanding fast in the country along with western cultural influence in the country. In fact, the church was rattled as Tehadiso sect, a form of protestant faith, disguised as a reformer, took contest to win followers and to alter the Orthodox faith from within the church.
In addition, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo church, which is one of the oldest churches on earth, is divided into two on political grounds. The former patriarch is in exile and there is a patriarchate based in the United States. The new prime minister,Abiy Ahmed recently met with Abune Mathias and reportedly discussed on ways to resolve the division within the church.
A week after failure of another round of tripartite meeting over the grand dam project,the talks resumed today at the intercontinental hotel in Addis Ababa, announced the ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
Ministers of foreign affairs from Egypt,Ethiopia and Sudan are in attendance. Authorities from water and natural resources ministries and other stake holders are also attending the meeting.
The three countries have hired private firms from France to undertake impact assessment study on Ethiopia’s grand dam project over the Nile but the firms have not started the study. While Ethiopia is committed for equitable and fair use of the the Nile water, it is not accepting Egypt’s stand that the impact assessment study should be based on the 1959 agreement to which Ethiopia was not a party.
