When It Comes To Low-Cost Labor, Is Ethiopia The New China? by [email protected]

Ethiopia continues to post healthy economic growth, attracting global investments particularly for large-scale, light manufacturing, says Zemedeneh Negatu, the managing partner of EY Ethiopia. The country’s low-cost labor pool could make it the new China – even beating out Vietnam and Bangladesh. Boasting double-digit average GDP growth over the past decade, Negatu says Ethiopia is an oasis of stability in an area with unstable pockets. It is also building the largest hydroelectric power dam in Africa to supply much needed electricity to a region with uneven access. “That’s why I say fundamentals will continue to drive growth,” Negatu notes.

An edited version of the interview follows.

[email protected]: We just heard at the Wharton Club of Africa Summit the minister of finance describe Ethiopia as a land in a hurry to attract investment.

Why don’t we start by taking stock of how things stand in Ethiopia in terms of the potential for investment and how this is part of the larger story of Africa as you see it from your perspective.

Zemedeneh Negatu: Ethiopia is a country in a rush and trying to accomplish a lot of things in a very compressed timeframe. There’s good reason. If you go back, say, 12 years, it was an economy that was just muddling along. But since 2002 to 2003, it has almost like it has been supercharged. According to the World Bank, it has grown on average about 10.6%, 10 years in a row. The first few years, we started from a low base. But today, it has the fourth-largest GDP in Africa. Adding 10.6% to a GDP of $70 billion on a nominal basis — or $156 billion on a PPP (purchasing power parity) basis — it starts to become substantial.

I think that gives you a perspective of where it came from. But what’s more important for investors and others is where is it going and how is it going to get there. I think that is probably the more interesting aspect of the discussion. In my view, if it continues to focus on where it has both competitive and comparative advantages (for example, light manufacturing), on transformation of the agricultural sector, and on investment in infrastructure, then the growth forward is sustainable.

“Ethiopia is starting to become the destination of choice for large-scale, light manufacturing, in particular garments and textiles.”

Why manufacturing? This is a country of about 100 million people, a very young population, median age under 20. So you have deployable, available labor. But at the same time affordable. I think that’s the very important component. So, for example, the average monthly cost of manufacturing in Ethiopia is a third of what it is in China. In China, in the coastal areas, it’s up to $600 a month. In Ethiopia, it’s still around $80, maybe $100.

That will give Ethiopia a competitive and comparative advantage. For growth to be sustained, it has to be driven by fundamentals, not piggybacking on the commodity price supercycle because, when commodity prices collapse, what do you do? But if you’re driven by investments in agriculture and manufacturing, you build the infrastructure that is the engine block for the transformation. I’m very confident that the growth can be sustained [even though] there will be bumps along the way.

[email protected]: Can I dive a little deeper into a question you just raised about manufacturing? What happened with Tommy Hilfiger setting up a manufacturing facility in Ethiopia?

Negatu: Well, I’d rather not specifically talk about transactions that are underway. But I can tell you for a fact that a number of large, western garment manufacturers are setting up facilities, entire industrial parks actually, dedicated to global brands. I can mention [clothing chain] HM because the information is already in the public domain. They’re starting to source from Ethiopia. So are many others.

Currently, one of the major Italian brands is building a factory in Ethiopia. The global industrialization transformation which moved large-scale textiles and garments from the U.S. to China in the past 25 to 30 years is now looking for the next China. And Ethiopia is one of them. In southeast Asia you have Vietnam, you have Bangladesh, but Ethiopia is starting to become the destination of choice for large-scale, light manufacturing, in particular garments and textiles, which even the Chinese are offloading, and shoe manufacturing.

This is the trend that we see and this is why we are encouraged, because Ethiopia has positioned itself to take advantage of it. To go back to a point I made earlier about the need for infrastructure for all of these things to happen, you cannot have industrialization in Africa without energy, without power. The Achilles heel of Africa from an industrialization perspective is the lack of power. We can talk about other infrastructure — railways, roads — they’re important. But if the factories don’t have electricity, you can’t industrialize. This is most basic.

In this case, look at what the Ethiopians have done. They’re building the largest hydroelectric power dam in Africa on the Nile river — the Grand [Ethiopian] Renaissance Dam which will contribute 6,000 MW. Investors look at these things. Global investors are looking at our competitive advantages. They see that power is starting to become more available and affordable. Electricity in Ethiopia is the cheapest on earth — four cents per kilowatt hour. Across our border in neighboring countries, electricity costs four times as much. And it’s not as readily available. That’s why I say fundamentals will continue to drive growth. There will be bumps along the way but the fact of the matter is we think this will be sustainable. China is looking for the next China. This is a fact. One of the main countries they’ve identified is Ethiopia.

“Ethiopia has done a very good job of creating a stable environment in a very unstable neighborhood.”

The second part of this whole thing is per capita GDP. To me, that’s a very important measure. You can have a big GDP in aggregate, but is it really being filtered down? In the case of Ethiopia, while its per capita GDP is still low, we’re seeing a 10% to 12% increase per year. Then you can start to see why Unilever is opening a new factory in Ethiopia in July. A lot of these smart investors are starting to come in.

We just did a study in our office. Until three or four years ago, the U.S. relationship with Ethiopia was always looked at through one prism: security. The rest of the Horn of Africa is unstable, they said. There wasn’t much American economic interest. Guess what happened? We just released our study. Between 2013 and 2015, the last two years we have data for, announced American deals in Ethiopia topped $4 billion. And these are blue chip American companies.

The first and only investment KKR has made in Africa is right here. They spent $200 million, which is a lot of money for a non-resource investment for PE funds in Africa. Two years ago, KKR bought the world’s largest producer of cut roses.

Blackstone is now in the process of building the first-of-its-kind oil pipeline. There are lots of pipelines in Africa, but this

Republished with permission from Knowledge , the online research and business analysis journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.”

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The horn of Africa wing, Ethiopia embeds cross-cultural civilizations from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East offering you exclusivity you cannot find anywhere in the world. Jovago, Africa’s leading online hotel booking company introduces you to popular spots of this gifted land with unique historical wonders and one of its kind hospitality.

Ethiopia’s landscape and admirable weather conditions makes it an exceptional destination in the world.  The four streams of the Blue Nile creates a magnificent wonder. Lake Tana, the source of Blue Nile River which meets the White Nile River in neighboring Sudan forms an attractive spectacle in the land of Ethiopia. The view of the river’s powerful waterfalls leaves travelers with a timeless experience.

Its northeastern part is one of the few places on earth where a volcano becomes a fire seafloor. The hottest Danakil depression is 125 meters below sea level. This active volcano named Erta Ale bubbles up to the surface creating Fire Lake. The view of this fire lake makes you feel like you are standing on another planet. Among the extreme destinations, Dallol, one of the lowest points on African continent at 116 meters below sea level. Dallol features an extreme version of hot desert climate overheating all year round. The white and yellow color sparkling salt peaks of the place generates bright escaped.

Simien and Bale Mountains constitutes 70% of African mountains being one of the finest places on earth for climbers. The mountains as high as 4,620 meters above sea level are full of life, with indigenous people and wild animals living on top,far from the rest of the world. The mountains provide a fresh cold breath giving a sensation that you are on top of the world.

The ancient skillful architectures of the country portrayed at Lalibela, Gondar castles and churches hewn from gigantic rocks tells a lot about the Ethiopian ancient civilization and society. Lalibela is one of the registered global heritages with eleven rock hewn churches carved from within the earth. The rock cut architecture was built in early 13th century during the regime of King Lalibela. It’s constructed from a single rock without any stone or cement input. Aksum, another world heritage of monolithic monuments dates back to 300-500 AD. It is made from a single piece of granite stone standing as high as 82 feet. The obelisks resemble buildings with intricately carved cross-shaped windows, and rows of long ends dividing each story. It also has a door although it does not lead to inside of the monuments.

On the southern parts of the country, Omo Valley offers rich cultural and magnificent natural features. These people are mostly nomadic pastoralists with their own language and unique lifestyle. Their public ceremonies, dances, traditionally designed leather clothing’s can give anyone an exceptional and unforgettable adventure. The southern and south-western regions also encompass quite a lot of national parks with numerous endemic species of animals. In such parks, you will be given rare access to see wild animals such as lions, zebras, and giraffes up-close.

Source: Jovago.com

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According to a press release by the Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson John Kirby of Bureau of Public Affairs, the United States government concerned by the decision of Ethiopian officials file on political leaders a terrorism charges.

You can read The U.S. Department of States full press release below.

On Ethiopia’s Charges of Terrorism Against Political Leaders
Press Statement

John Kirby

Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs

Washington, DC April 29, 2016
The United States is deeply concerned by the Government of Ethiopia’s recent decision to file terrorism charges against Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) First Vice-Chairman Bekele Gerba and others in the Oromia region who were arrested in late 2015.
We again urge the Ethiopian government to discontinue its reliance on the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation law to prosecute journalists, political party members, and activists, as this practice silences independent voices that enhance, rather than hinder, Ethiopia’s democratic development.
We commend Ethiopian officials for pledging to address legitimate grievances from their citizens and acknowledging that security forces were responsible for some of the violence that took place during the protests in Oromia; however, the government continues to detain an unknown number of people for allegedly taking part in these protests and has not yet held accountable any security forces responsible for alleged abuses. This undermines the trust and confidence needed to produce lasting solutions.
We urge the Ethiopian government to respect due process of those detained by investigating allegations of mistreatment, by publicly presenting the evidence it possesses against them, and by distinguishing between political opposition to the government and the use or incitement of violence. We reaffirm our call on the government to protect the constitutionally enshrined rights of its citizens, including the right to participate in political parties, and we urge the Government to promptly release those imprisoned for exercising these rights.

Source: U.S. Department of State

(Photo by Daniel Reiter)

I-D Fashion Culture Mag

A decade ago, there were only a handful of skateboards in the whole of Ethiopia. Today, with the help of non-profit organisation Ethiopia Skate the scene is growing from strength to strength, creating a community and providing access to skate equipment for young Ethiopians. Daniel Reiter, who is a photographer based in Berlin and ambassador for Ethiopia Skate has been following the project for over a year, documenting the passionate youth learning to skate and sharing their talent with the world through exhibitions held in Berlin, Vienna and London. We spoke to Reiter to find out more about the scene in Ethiopia and his experience working with those that skate there.

(Photo by Daniel Reiter)

How did you first get involved with Ethiopia Skate?

In January 2015 I had to travel to Ethiopia to document a friend meeting her mother for the first time after 33 years and support her emotionally. Ahead of the trip I was researching for a second story to document and came across their great website ethiopiaskate.org and immediately got in contact. Several emails later I was confident that these kids were for real and decided to get them as much skate gear and apparel as possible, which I brought with me and then tried to document the few skaters I met on two different occasions.

Read the full article at I-D.vice.com »

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia –  A court in Ethiopia has charged a social media activist for inciting violence and other terror-related offenses citing Facebook posts as evidence.

Yonathan Tesfaye, a former spokesman for the opposition Blue Party, was charged Wednesday by Ethiopia’s Federal High Court. If convicted, he could face a death sentence.

Yonathan was detained by Ethiopian security forces in December at the height of violent protests in the Oromo community over an alleged plan by the government to grab their land.

Rights groups say the Ethiopian government is using sweeping anti-terror laws to crack down on those critical of the regime.

Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty’s regional chief, said Yonathan spoke against a possible land grab in Oromia, which is not a crime and is certainly not terrorism.

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Ethiopia’s Electric Utility Agreed to Pay Back $6.5 Million for The US Securities and Exchange Commission after SEC found out the Ethiopian Electric sold unregistered bonds for Nile Dam construction.

SEC Press Release : Washington D.C., June 8, 2016 —

• Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) conducted the unregistered bond offering to help finance the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Abay River in Ethiopia.
• EEP held a series of public road shows in major cities across the U.S. and marketed the bonds on the website of the U.S. Embassy of Ethiopia as well as through radio and television advertising aimed at Ethiopians living in the U.S.
• EEP raised approximately $5.8 million from more than 3,100 U.S. residents from 2011 to 2014 without ever registering the bond offering with the SEC.

Following the recent clash between Ethiopian and Eritrean forces Kenyan TV KTN talk to Ethiopian and Eritrean ambassadors in Kenya on allegations and claims after the clash.

Historian Richard Pankhurst’s mother, Sylvia Pankhurst, was one of Ethiopia’s most vocal supporters during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War writing to newspapers in defence of its sovereignty. (Getty Images)

BBC News

By James Jeffrey

How Sylvia Pankhurst Became An ‘Honorary Ethiopian’

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Just inside the entrance of the Addis Ababa home of British historian Richard Pankhurst hangs a black and white photo of his suffragette mother, Sylvia Pankhurst.

She is pictured wearing a long and elaborate Edwardian dress with sleeves to her wrists, beneath a heading: “Votes for Women.”

She was one of the women whose campaigns, which included going on hunger-strike, led to British women being allowed to vote in the early 19th Century.

In the nearby sitting room, a tapestry hanging on a wall testifies to a less well known side of his mother.

It depicts Ms Pankhurst in June 1935 walking down a gravel path through a garden in the English city of Bath, accompanied by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

The image comes from a photo taken during his exile in England after Ethiopia was subsumed into the short-lived African empire of fascist Italy, Africa Orientale Italiana.

In previous years, Ms Pankhurst had gone to study art in Venice, where she witnessed the brutality of the fascist regime. Afterwards in the later 1920s and 30s she had become a vocal pacifist, anti-fascist and anti-colonialist activist.

So when Italy began building up its military presence in East Africa she proved to be one of Ethiopia’s most vocal supporters, writing to newspapers in defence of its sovereignty.

—

Read more at BBC.com »

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AerCap Holdings N.V. (“AerCap”) (NYSE: AER) today announced the delivery
of a new Airbus A350-900 to Ethiopian Airlines, the first of two new
A350-900 aircraft deliveries on long-term lease to Ethiopian Airlines
from AerCap’s order book with Airbus. The aircraft was transferred to
Ethiopian Airlines at a ceremony in the Airbus Delivery Centre in
Toulouse, and is the first A350 XWB aircraft to be delivered to an
African carrier. A second new A350-900 aircraft is scheduled for
delivery to Ethiopian Airlines in August 2016.

AerCap has one of the largest Airbus A350 XWB portfolios with a total of
four owned and another 25 on order aircraft – one of the most in-demand
aircraft in the world.

AerCap President and Chief Commercial Officer Philip Scruggs said,
“Ethiopian Airlines is a longstanding customer and we are delighted to
support its fleet renewal program by delivering their first A350-900
aircraft. The Airbus A350-900 will offer Ethiopian Airlines greater
capacity and increased range for its growing network, as well as greater
operational efficiency. We look forward to continuing our successful
relationship with our friends and partners at Ethiopian Airlines as the
airline optimizes its fleet.”

Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked,
“Ethiopian has been a pioneer leader in owning and operating cutting
edge aviation technologies in the African continent and the delivery of
the A350 XWB is a continuation of that tradition. Moreover, fleet
expansion being one of the four pillars of our 15 years strategic
roadmap dubbed Vision 2025, we are continually modernizing our fleet
capability to support our ever expanding network and for the extra
comfort and satisfaction of our customers. We would like to thank AerCap
for their trust and confidence to partner with us and for supporting us
to introduce the extra excitement of the

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Ethiopia: Four Killed in Addis Clashes Between Citizens, Police

Allafrica.com By Mahlet Fasil

Two police officers, one civil servant and one local resident were killed yesterday in Addis Abeba in an area known to the locals as Hanna Furi, several eyewitnesses said. Administratively designated as Nefas Silk Lafto Kifle Ketema, the area is located in western Addis Abeba.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke to Addis Standard the two police officers and the civil servant were killed by local residents when more than 200 special police task force started demolishing houses which city authorities claim were built illegally since 2005. There are more than 30, 000 houses in and around the area.

In a statement given to state media late last night, government communication affairs office confirmed the death of the two police officers and identified the civil servant as the administrator of Nefas Silk Lafto Kifle Ketema. The statement claimed they were killed by “organized criminals.” However, eyewitnesses say the police officers were mob-attacked by residents who refused to be forcibly evicted from their houses. One eye witnesses also said at least one resident was killed by the police and several others were injured during the confrontation which continued throughout the day.

Pictures circulating yesterday on social media show hundreds of local residents, mostly women and children, queuing at the Addis Abeba Women and Children Affairs bureau, some visibly shocked as they learned their houses were being demolished by local authorities in their absence.

A similar incident on May 18 in an area known as Woreda 12 in Bole Sub city resulted in a harsh confrontation between city officials and local residents. Although early reports claimed about several deaths no confirmation was obtained.

Source: Allafrica.com

AddisNews: በጎንደር ከተማ የወልቃይትን ሕዝብ የማንነት ጥያቄ በኮሚቴ አባልነት የሚመሩትን ግለሰቦች በቁጥጥር ስር ለማዋል በሚል የተንቀሳቀሱ የደህንነት አባላት እና የከተማው ህዝብ መካከል በተፈጠረው ግጭት በሁለቱም ወገን የተገደሉ እና የቆሰሉ መኖራቸው እየተዘገበ ነው::

ይህ ዘገባ እስከተጻፈበት ጊዜ ድረስ ከሃያ የማያንሱ ሰዎች በግጭቱ መገደላቸው እየተነገረ ነው::

ከሰው ህይወት በተጨማሪም የከተማው ህዝብ በስልጣን ላይ ላለው የገዢው ፓርቲ ቅርብ እና ደጋፊ ናቸው ያላቸውን ሰላም ባስን ጨምሮ የንግድ መደብሮችን: ሆቴሎችን እና ተሽከርካሪዎችን በእሳት በማቃጠል እና በመሰባበር ተቃውሞውን እየገለጸ ነው::

ይህ ኮሎኔል ደመቀ ዘውዴ የተባሉ የማንነት ኮሚቴ አባል ለማሰር በሚሞክሩበት ወቅት የአካባቢው ህዝብ ተቃውሞ በማስነሳቱ  ተፈጠረ በተባለው በዚህ እንቅስቃሴ ከትላንት ጀምሮ ተባብሶ አብዛኛው የጎንደር ከተማ ወጣት የተቃውሞ ድምጹን እያሰማ ይገኛል::

ለጉዳዩ ቅርብ የሆኑ ግለሰቦች የማንነት ኮሚቴ አባላቱን ለማፈን የተንቀሳቀሱት የጸጥታ ሃይሎች ከትግራይ ክልል የመጡ እንደሆነ እየገለጹ ነው::

በኢሳት ቴሌቭዥን እና በማህበራዊ ድረ-ገጾች በተለጠፉ ምስሎች እንደሚታየው የጸጥታ ሃይሎች ጥይት እየተኮሱም የከተማው ነዋሪ በብዛት ወጥቶ ገዢውን መንግስት በሰላማዊ ሰልፍ በመቃወም ላይ እንደነበር ያሳያል::

ፋናን ጨምሮ የመንግስት መገናኛ ብዙሃን ግጭቱን በኤርትራ የሚታገዙ ሃይሎች እንደፈጠሩት እና በቁጥጥር ስር ለማዋል የሞከሩትም በትግራይ ሰዎችን የገደሉ ግለሰቦችን እንደሆነ ዘግበዋል

በተያያዘ ዜና የእስራኤል መንግስት የግጭቱን መቀስቀስ በማየት በጎንደር የሚገኙ 23 የስራ አጋዥ ወጣቶችን ወደ አቅራቢያው አየር ማረፊያ እንደወሰደ ጄፖስት የተሰኘው የሃገሪቱ ድረ ገጽ ዘግቧል:: በዚህ ዘገባውም ከማክሰኞ ጠዋት ጀምሮ በአማራ እና ትግሬ ብሄሮች መካከል ግጭት መቀስቀሱን እና ከትግራይ ክልል የመጡ የትግራይ ነጻ አውጪ የጦር አባላት በከተማው በመግባት ግጭት አስነስተዋል ያላቸውን የፖለቲካ መሪዎች እንዳሰሩ በግጭቱም  10 የሚሆኑ ሰዎች መገደላቸውን ጨምሮ ጠቅሷል::በጎንደር እና አካባቢው ሌሎች 6ሺ የሚሆኑ ፈላሻዎች ወደ እስራኤል ለመሄድ በመጠባብቅ ላይ ናቸው::

ግጭቱን አስመልክቶ የአሜሪካ ድምጽ ነዋሪዎችን አነጋግሮ ያዘጋጀውን ዘገባ ያዳምጡ

ይህን የተቃውሞ እንቅስቃሴ እና ግጭት በተመለከተ የሚደረሰንን ተጨማሪ መረጃ እናቀርባለን::

The Foreign Ministry and Jewish Agency moved a group of 23 Israeli youth volunteering in Gondar to the local airport on Wednesday, awaiting a decision whether the volatile ethnic tension there merited flying the group out of the region.

Violence between the Amhara and Tigray ethnic groups there led to 10 deaths on Tuesday, and – as a result – the group was moved to a secure building in the city, and from there to the airport.

Some 6,000 Jews waiting to immigrate to Israel live in Gondar. Foreign spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said that at this time there was no decision to move them out as well. He said that the Jews there were not in immediate danger, nor the focus of the tension

In addition there are an undetermined number of Israeli tourists believed to be in the region, but – as the situation on Wednesday started to calm down – there was no decision taken to attempt to locate or evacuate them
Ethnic fighting recently broke out between the Amhara and Tigray groups when armed forces from the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) entered Gondar, a city with a majority Amhara population, early Tuesday morning.

The forces have since arrested prominent local political lobbyists and have been accused of committing massacres, increasing violence.

Regarding the 23 volunteers, Nachshon said they were moved to the airport “to be on the safe side.” Afterward, he said, there will be a reassessment.

The volunteers are part of a Jewish Agency program called Project Ten, in which Israelis and young Jewish adults from the Diaspora work in a number of countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, Mexico, and South Africa and Israel – in various agricultural, educational and health projects.

The Jews in Gondar have been stuck in limbo in Ethiopia. Their situation is compounded by the fact that living conditions in the city are harsh. Not only is there abject poverty and extremely high unemployment, but, because these people are identified as Falash Mura, they are also largely ostracized from mainstream community life.

The group has also been troubled by issues with immigrating to Israel. Around 9,000 people have been waiting in Addis Ababa and Gondar transit camps for the past several years in the hopes of making their way to the Jewish state. However, Jerusalem closed its doors in 2013 following a ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport at which officials declared the “end” of Ethiopian aliya.

The fate of the prospective immigrants has been a matter of some debate, with Ethiopian- Israeli activists protesting what they portray as the breaking up of families.

According to a cabinet decision, any Ethiopian who moved to Gondar or Addis Ababa after January 2013, is willing to convert to Judaism, and has relatives here who can apply for his acceptance, will be eligible to move.

Netanyahu’s administration has been accused of “looking for an excuse” not to bring the rest of the Jews of Ethiopia to Israel.

Latest reports reflect that the Jewish Agency emissaries are safe and sound in the Gondar airport, waiting for flight out.

Source: JPost.com

Gonder – Ethiopia: More than half a million protesters have flooded the streets of Gonder in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia on Sunday against the ruling government demanding a the release of jailed public leaders and to return the annexed Wolkait area by the Tigray region to the rightful owner of Amhara.

The protest, reported to have been staged in defiance of a government order, is also in solidarity with the Oromia protests held between November last year to March 2016 in opposition to a government development plan in the region which could affect poor farmers.

Images posted by protesters and other eye witnesses on social media show hundreds of thousands of people carrying Ethiopian flags without the start sign which believed by many the true and original Ethiopian flag and placards singing and chanting against the government’s regime.

Deaths and detentions in Ethiopia as protests flare – Aljazeera.com

At least six people have been reported killed over two days of protests in Ethiopia while dozens were arrested in the capital, Addis Ababa.

A source told Al Jazeera that four people were killed on Saturday in the northern Gondar region, in addition to two people killed in the area on Friday. Located 700km north of Addis Ababa, Gondar is a region dominated by the ethnic Amharas.

Ethiopian authorities would not confirm the death toll.

The reported deaths come as dozens of ethnic Oromo protesters were arrested in Addis Ababa on Saturday.

At least 500 Oromo people – protesting against alleged economic inequality and discrimination – gathered amid a heavy police presence on the capital’s main Meskel Square.

The protesters, who shouted slogans such as “we want our freedom” and “free our political prisoners”, were dispersed by police using batons. Dozens were arrested.

A Reuters news agency video of the confrontation showed unarmed protesters being beaten and kicked by police officers, as protesters ran to evade arrest.

Prime Minister Haile Mariam Dessalegn on Friday announced a ban on demonstrations, which “threaten national unity” and called on police to use all means at their disposal to prevent them.

The rally was organised by opposition groups from the Oromo, Ethiopia’s biggest ethnic group, who have held protests for months against what they say is government discrimination. They have been joined recently by ethnic Amharas, and protests have been reported in other parts of the country.

The Oromo and Amhara together make up some 80 percent of Ethiopia’s population and claim they suffer discrimination in favour of ethnic Tigrayans, who they say occupy the key jobs in the government and security forces.

Ethiopian authorities told the AFP news agency that at least a dozen people have been killed in clashes with police over territorial disputes in recent weeks.

Local people told AFP there had been rallies and clashes with police in the city of Ambo and Nemekte, in the Oromo region, as well as a calls for protests in Baher Dar in the Amhara region.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Ethiopia Africa Human Rights

United State Issues Travel Alert on Ethiopia Over Anti-Government Protests

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling in certain regions of Ethiopia due to anti-government protests, some of which have involved violence.

 Associated disruptions in telephone and internet services have hampered the U.S. Embassy’s ability to communicate with U.S. citizens in Ethiopia. This Travel Alert expires on February 18, 2017.

Since November 2015, anti-government protests, mainly in the regional states of Amhara and Oromia, have resulted in violent clashes between demonstrators and government security forces. Internet, cellular data, and phone service have been sporadically restricted or completely cut off prior to and during some of the protests, impeding the U.S. Embassy’s ability to communicate with U.S. citizens.

Protests are likely to continue, and could spread to other parts of the country, including the capital, Addis Ababa. U.S. citizens in Ethiopia should increase their level of situational awareness, continuously assess their surroundings, evaluate their personal level of safety, and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings.

Source: travel.state.gov

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — After going through its worst drought in 50 years, Ethiopia is again seeing rain. In fact, in some places, it’s falling too hard and has set off floods.

So while the number of people requiring food aid has dropped slightly from 10.2 million in January to 9.7 million, according to the latest figures, there is a new threat of disease in a population weakened by drought.

Measles, meningitis, malaria and scabies are on the rise. And most seriously, there has been an outbreak of something mysteriously called “AWD,” according to the Humanitarian Requirements Document, issued by the government and humanitarian agencies on Aug. 13.

“There is a high risk that AWD can spread to all regions with high speed as there is a frequent population movement between Addis Ababa and other regions,” it warned.

The letters stand for acute watery diarrhea. It is a potentially fatal condition caused by water infected with the vibrio cholera bacterium. Everywhere else in the world it is simply called cholera.

But not in Ethiopia, where international humanitarian organizations privately admit that they are only allowed to call it AWD and are not permitted to publish the number of people affected.

The government is apparently concerned about the international impact if news of a significant cholera outbreak were to get out, even though the disease is not unusual in East Africa.

This means that, hypothetically, when refugees from South Sudan with cholera flee across the border into Ethiopia, they suddenly have AWD instead.

In a similar manner, exactly one year ago, when aid organizations started sounding the alarm bells over the failed rains, government officials were divided over whether they would call it a drought and appeal for international aid.

The narrative for Ethiopia in 2015 was a successful nation with double-digit growth, and the government did not want to bring

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With the eyes of the world upon him, Ethiopian marathoner Feyisa Lilesa used the stage of Sunday’s Olympic marathon to daringly protest his own government back home.

As he neared the finish line and a silver medal, Lilesa raised his arms to form an “X.” The gesture is a peaceful protest made by the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and one that is facing a brutal response to widespread protests that began late last year

Human Rights Watch estimated in June that 400 people have been killed and thousands more injured as the government attempted to stop the estimated 500 protests that the Oromo people staged to draw attention to systemic persecution by the government.

Lilesa is from Oromia, which is home to a large majority of the country’s 35 million Oromo. He didn’t back down from the protest after the race either, flashing the sign for cameras at a press conference and pledging to do it again during Sunday night’s closing ceremony.

Rule 50 of the Olympic charter bans political displays or protests, and the American duo of Tommie Smith and John Carlos was famously suspended by the USOC after the pair flashed the black power salute on the medal stand at the 1968 Summer Games.

Lilesa, however, has bigger things to worry about than the IOC response as such dissent puts his life in real danger if he returns to Ethiopia. He told reporters afterward that he would seek a visa to stay in Brazil or possibly come to the United States. He also said that his wife and two children are still back in Ethiopia.

Lilesa says that if he goes back to Ethiopia, they could kill him, they could put him in prison or keep him in the airport. #Rio2016

— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavezSI) August 21, 2016

Lilesa’s stance drew admiration from people on Twitter:

Lilesa just signed his death sentence with that Oromo protest gesture. Props to him tho

— Miki (@TIKUR_SEW_) August 21, 2016

Still marvelling Lelisa’s bold #OromoProtest statement. He may have won marathon silver but I think Ethiopians have given him gold.

— Tez Lore (@tezira) August 21, 2016

Lilesa is 26 and a veteran of the marathon scene. The 2:04.52 that he ran at the 2012 Chicago Marathon ranks among the top 10 fastest marathons ever.

Source: Yahoo.sport

After showing a political protest on the finishing line Ethiopian athlete Feyisa Lilesa speaks about what it means and why he is supporting the struggle of Oromo people against repression by the current ruling party in Ethiopia.

Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia made headlines last Sunday when he finished second in the men’s marathon at the Olympics with his arms crossed above his head. The gesture, which was done in solidarity with the Oromo people’s anti-government protests in his home region, led Lilesa to say “If I go back to Ethiopia, they will kill me.”
On Sunday, the winner of the Quebec City Marathon crossed the finish line in an almost-identical fashion as Lilesa did one week earlier in Brazil. Ebisa Ejigu, who is from Addis Ababa, ran 2:30:40 to win the SSQ Quebec City Marathon and formed an “X” with his arms across the line and into the finisher’s zone.

Forming an “X” with their arms is a sign of protest against the government’s treatment of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. The protests were sparked after the government began extending the municipal boundary of the country’s capital, threatening parts of Oromia and the people’s land rights.
The protests began in a small town named Ginchi, approximately 80 kilometres outside of the capital. Both Lilesa and Ejigu are from Addis Ababa or the surrounding area.

Ejigu is a regular on the Canadian running scene having run the Toronto Waterfront 10K in June and winning the Mississauga Marathon in May. According to Sportstats, Ejigu has listed his place of residence as Toronto since June 25. In Quebec City, he was wearing a Toronto Olympic Club singlet. He has a lifetime marathon best of 2:12:03.
Since November 2015, Human Rights Watch reports that 400 people have been killed by the government’s security forces as part of the protests. An additional 100 people are believed to have been killed in August, according to BBC News.

(Photos: Reuters)

Foreign Affairs Magazine

Will Ethiopia’s Experiment With Ethnic Federalism Work?

When U.S. President Barack Obama visited Africa a year ago, he ended his five-day tour by visiting Ethiopia, the continent’s second-most-populous country. He ­enthusiastically praised Addis Ababa for its role in regional peacemaking, most visibly in and between Sudan and South Sudan, as well for as its careful management of its diverse population; the country is home to tens of millions of Muslims and Christians, who, for the most part, live together peacefully. Obama also highlighted Ethiopia’s track record as a developmental state. In the last quarter century, it has lifted millions of people out of extreme poverty, cut child mortality rates for those under five by more than two-thirds, and overseen a decline in HIV/AIDS-related deaths by more than 50 percent. With Somalia haunted by the jihadist group al Shabab, South Sudan facing an all-out civil war, and Eritrea hemorrhaging thousands of young people fleeing to Europe via the Mediterranean, Ethiopia stood out as a bastion of progress and stability.

Yet today, Western diplomats and intelligence services are scrambling to assess a series of alarming protests in Ethiopia—what activists have labeled #ethiopianprotests—that are raising questions about whether Africa’s brightest growth story of the last decade is about to unravel. There have been months of demonstrations in Addis Ababa and the surrounding region of Oromia, where more than 35 percent of the Ethiopian population lives. Thousands of Oromo are contesting the unequal gains of the country’s developmental programs, even in the face of live bullets. But what has really instilled a sense of crisis is the violence that has rocked the Amhara region, where long-standing tensions boiled over into the ambush of a senior federal police commander and Amhara protesters, armed with guns, fighting street battles with

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