Ethiopian PM aims to raise 3 billion birr for three Tourism projects in different parts of Ethiopia
borkena
August 16, 2020
The Coronavirus pandemic has essentially killed the tourism sector and Ethiopia is not an exception. Dozens of guest houses and hotels were transferred to the government on a temporary basis to be used as a quarantine place for people who are suspected of contracting COVID 19.
Not much is changed in the country as far as the pandemic concerned. In fact, the number of people confirmed to have contracted the virus has reached 29,876 as of August 16, 2020.
However, Ethiopia seems to be thinking in terms of a possible post-coronavirus tourism sector. Days after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s documentary on the riverside recreation development was released, he has introduced three more projects focused on the tourism sector.
Prime Minister Abiy disclosed the projects during a meeting with the national committee on Sunday.
These ones are to be launched outside of the capital in three regional states: Amhara region, Oromo Region and Southern Ethiopian Nations and Nationalities People’s Region (SNNPR).
Gorgora, a town located south of Gondar on the north shore of Lake Tana, is selected from the Amhara region. In the Oromo region, Wonchi is selected. It is a district located South-Western Shawa Zone with a feature chain mountain and a small lake. The third project will be in Koyasha district where there is a dam that generates a hydro-electric power.
A 10 million birr dinner
As was the case with the Addis Ababa riverside projects, the three projects are starting with a fundraiser. A big component of it is “Gebeta Lesheger.’
A VVIP and VIP dinner fundraiser is planned for early October 2020. The former will cost 10 million birr per person and the latter costs 5 million birr per person. The prime minister intends to raise about 3 billion Ethiopian Birr, according to a report by the state media, Fana Broadcasting Corporate.
Apart from the dinner fundraising, Ethio Telecom will be launching fundraising for the mass via text message so that people could donate whatever they could afford.
Abiy Ahmed’s government also aims at mobilizing the Ethiopian Diaspora community to support the project but the details of it are yet to be announced.
It is to be recalled that during the Addis Ababa Project, Gebeta lesheger cost five million birr per person.
Criticism
When Prime Minister Abiy released his documentary of the Addis Ababa projects, the reactions were mixed. There are those who were elated with the project and with the timely completion of it.
Yet, there are those who tend to be critical of Abiy Ahmed in view of the latest ethnic cleansing in the Oromo region of Ethiopia where at least 240 people were killed because of their ethnic or religious identity. For this group, the safety, security of citizens and the rule of law is a priority on its own and as a precondition for development.
Join the conversation. Like borkena on Facebook and get Ethiopian News updates regularly. As well, you may get Ethiopia News by following us on twitter @zborkena
The post Ethiopian PM announces a 10-million-birr dinner to fund a Tourism project appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.