Day: May 2, 2023

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Zambian SME Minister Describes Ethiopia’s Wheat, Avocado Production as Impressive

Zambian Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Elias Mubanga said he was impressed by the wheat and avocado production in Ethiopia and urged African countries to come and visit the initiatives.

A total of 14 delegations comprising ministers and officials from Zambia, Niger, Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire paid a visit to Ethiopia since last Sunday to look at the experiences of the Ethiopian agricultural development activities.

The visit is aimed at exchanging the best practices and experiences of Ethiopia in transforming agriculture, particularly wheat, avocado, and coffee developments in Ethiopia.

Zambian Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development and member of the delegation visiting the wheat and avocado in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, Elias Mubanga told ENA that he was impressed by the wheat and avocado development activities being carried out in the country.

He said he was impressed on how the unemployed youth who have just graduated from universities have come together to form up cooperatives and get into producing avocado.

“These have really impressed me and how they started creating jobs through this agricultural sector, particularly avocado production. I want to see if I can take it with me and duplicate it with the youth, especially the youth that just finished university,” according to the minister.

Most of the youth in Africa and globally when they finish university level, they want to be employed, he said, adding “this is a beautiful initiative by the Oromia region of Ethiopia.”

He emphasized that the young people came together to form up cooperative, form up companies and get into producing things like avocado and wheat production.

“We also looked at how farmers get into wheat production through irrigation and creating so much employment because that is my area of concentration of job creation through small and medium businesses,” Mubanga noted.

He applauded this success story of Ethiopia.

The Minister stressed that creating much job requires serious attention in all African countries, including my county Zambia.

“I think these initiatives [wheat and avocado production] are beautiful. If all African countries would have these initiatives, there would have no shortage of food in Africa. Africa should be a basket for food and then we will be able to export to Europe and other countries,” he added.

He urged African countries to come and visit the initiatives so that we can grow our food basket.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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AU Chair Stresses Need for Respect, Extension of Recent Ceasefire in Sudan

The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for respect and extension of the ceasefire agreed upon on April 30, 2023, by the conflicting parties in Sudan.

The African Union, IGAD, and UN have discussed today about ways of developing a joint de-escalation plan to the conflict in Sudan.

During the occasion, the chairperson said the objective of the meeting is to have a collective action in Sudan and to avoid incoherence that would bring dispersed action.

“Our priority today is to have the ceasefire respected and extended; and then ensure humanitarian assistance,” Faki Mahamat stressed.

According to him, the health system is completely broken and there is no water and electricity.

The chairperson appealed to the international organizations and neighboring countries of Sudan to help the Sudanese people who are in distress.

He emphasized the need to intensify efforts for the resumption of political process, saying that “our conviction is that there is no military solution to this type of crisis.”

Faki Mahamat, therefore, urged the international community to work in unison in order to attain result in the peace process.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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UNHCHR Expresses Appreciation for Pretoria Peace Agreement, Supports Efforts to Sustain Peace

Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen received at his office today United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), Volker Turk.

The two officials conferred on how to collaborate and coordinate efforts on matters pertaining to transitional justice, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke explained the various measures undertaken by the Government of Ethiopia to consolidate peace and stability.

He said that an interim administration has been established in Tigray region and that that rehabilitation efforts have already begun.

Demeke added that Ethiopia’s hosting of the recognition event last week by itself was a message that steps are being taken to advance peace and that efforts are being made to build trust between conflict-affected regions.

He also reaffirmed the Government’s efforts towards ensuring accountability and transitional justice and thus established an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce.

The High Commissioner expressed his appreciation for the Pretoria peace agreement and underscored that his office is ready to work in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia and will support efforts to sustain peace.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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UN Supports Reconstruction, Rehabilitation Projects to Sustain Peace: Deputy Secretary General

The United Nations Deputy Secretary General (UNDSG) Amina J. Mohammed, said, the United Nations is committed to support the full implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

Amina, who paid courtesy call on the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, earlier today said the UN supports the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects to sustain and consolidate the peace.

UN is encouraged by the progress so far and commended all actors for their contributions which is beacon of peace in Africa, she noted.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, on his part, said the government is committed to peace and underscored the fact that Ethiopia has embarked on new peace trajectory.

He also called upon the international community to scale up its support.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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Investors Impressed by Vast Market, Untapped Potential in Ethiopia

Foreign investors, who attended the recent Invest Ethiopia 2023 Forum in Addis Ababa, said the country’s vast market and untapped investment potential has impressed them.

PowerLink Company CEO, Nur Hussien told ENA that Ethiopia is a country with lots of resources in energy, manpower, land and water. “That is why it will be the best destination for investment.”

According to the CEO, “all countries have their own positive and negative things. But in terms of investment, it is time now to invest in Ethiopia because there are 120 million people —consumers, and at the same time producers. This market is only enough for you, even if you are not exporting. Only the market of Ethiopia will make you to grow and double size your profit.”

Hussien believes that millions of investors will flood this country in the next two years. “When you come to this country, you are not coming only for investment. The life is very nice, the enjoyment, the tourism, the culture and the people, everything. That is why I think it will be the best destination.”

He, however, points out that a country always needs to have open policy. “If you see countries around Ethiopia, like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, all have open policy in terms of foreign currency, land and everything.

“So, if we go in that direction I think we will triple the economic growth of this country and easily make 20-30 billion USD in a short period of time from the current 4 billion USD Foreign Direct Investment.”

Hussien stated that his company is willing to have an office here and come to invest in this country. This is decided by the Board also; and we are coming in the energy sector and agricultural technology, he added.

Novafrica Developments General Manager, Marc Schneider said that he knows Ethiopia quite well and organized many conferences to explain about Ethiopia’s investment, market, and potential to French companies.

“We have already organized last year many conferences just to explain to our French companies that the potential is there and market is very large. I think Ethiopia is the second most populace country in Africa and growth is in double digit. I am sure that many things will happen here in the coming years,” he elaborated.

Energy China Representative, Sun Jinlong said his company has been in Ethiopia for over 20 years since the construction of Tekezze Hydro Power Station.

We have taken a lot of projects like hydropower and water supply in the country; and still want expand our projects in construction and other investment areas, Jinlong stated.

“Ethiopia is a big country. We have industry in Ethiopia in areas of renewable energy and hydro power station, and some rural projects and cement as well as building materials.”

The representative said that he hopes more Chinese companies will come to Ethiopia “as we recommended friends and partners to invest in Ethiopia.”

According to him, the Invest Ethiopia 2023 Forum was very important as it helps to know Ethiopia more in terms of investment opportunity in the country.

The forum, which concluded last week, was held with the aim of enabling the participants explore and unlock investment opportunities in Ethiopia. It brought together investors, business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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Nigerian Delegation Visiting Ethiopia to Share Wheat Production Successes

A Nigerian delegation led by Vice President-Elect, Kahim Sheltima has discussed with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture on ways to sharing the successful achievements that Ethiopia has been registering in wheat production.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia has become wheat exporter shifting from being wheat importer.

Officials of the Ministry briefed the Nigerian delegation about Ethiopia’s wheat and other agricultural development successes.

The delegation was also briefed about Ethiopia’s endeavor to improve productivity based on its own varieties of wheat seedlings with a view to ensuring self-sufficient.

It was indicated during the occasion that Ethiopia has now managed to fulfill its domestic demand and even started to export the bumper harvest of wheat.

Speaking with ENA, Nigeria’s Vice President-Elect, Kashim Sheltima, said he came to learn from Ethiopia’s success in wheat production.

The discussion with officials of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture, has enabled the Nigerian delegation to understand that what Ethiopia is doing in the field is admirable, he said adding Nigeria wants to emulate Ethiopia’s success in wheat production.

He said that Ethiopia used to import wheat from abroad; however he added that due to the political commitment demonstrated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government to strengthen domestic wheat development, the country has currently become wheat self-sufficient.

Nigeria, which has a population of over 220 million, spends over two billion USD per annum on importing wheat, according to the vice president elect.

Therefore, he said, his delegation came to learn from Ethiopia on ways to increase Nigeria’s wheat production.

“Ethiopia, a couple of years ago was importer of wheat, due to the high level of political commitment by PM Abiy Ahmed and his team Ethiopia has become independent of wheat importation. With over 220 million people the Nigerian Nation spending two billion USD every year to importing wheat and we are here to learn from African brothers from Ethiopian brothers on how to scale up the cultivation of wheat in Nigeria.”

According to him, Ethiopia’s success in wheat production is a good experience not only for Africans but also for developing countries across the globe.

“Ethiopia is a success story on wheat production not only in Africa but is the whole of the developing world. We learn from you. We will get back home and replicate your success story in the next two, three years we also get out of ourselves from dependency of wheat importation.”

Africans should work in cooperation and coordination to become self-sufficient in food production, he pointed out.

The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Girma Amente, on his part, said the improvement that Ethiopia has achieved over the last five years in the agricultural sector can be a good example to the rest of Africa.

For us, it is a great success that African brothers are coming to Ethiopia to share our experience rather than from other developed countries, he added.

He further said that Ethiopia is ready to provide professional, training and other support to brotherly countries from its experience.

“Previously, we Africans mostly visit Asia to share experiences. The idea of ‘African Solution to African Problems could be applied to all areas including agriculture. Therefore, for those who believe to emulate our experience and success it will work for them too.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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