Day: May 5, 2023

The efforts carried out over the past three years to ensure food security, import substitution and job creation by expediting the development of agricultural sector is encouraging, Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amante said.

The Minister made the remark at the 2nd Oromia Agricultural Transformation Council meeting held today in the presence of Oromia Regional State Chief Administrator Shimelis Abdissa, Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amante, university presidents and researchers among others.

During the occasion, the minister said the success registered in various agriculture sectors in Oromia regional state need to be further strengthened and expended in all parts of the country.

He added that the success we have achieved so far is due to the strong leadership and feasible systems developed at the federal and regional levels.

He noted that recently ministers of four African countries visited Ethiopia to see the progress made in agriculture sector and share best experience.

This success should continue well, he said, adding that the work done in the past three years to ensure mass production, food security, imports substitution and job creation for youth in the agricultural sector is encouraging.

“If we work together with our strength and knowledge, we can make our agricultural work successful, Girma added.

Shimilis Abdissa on his part said although positive results have been obtained in agriculture sectors over the past years, agricultural mechanization, rural finance, supply of inputs and commercialization among others are need due attention.

To bring about the desired results in the sector, scientific research must also be consistent with the farmer’s knowledge, he said.

He further explained that if we cannot bring the scientific research that our agriculture needs, it is impossible to get out of the trap of poverty with the usual way of farming.

This will require us to coordinate the knowledge and experience of higher educational institutions and agricultural research centers to achieve greater success in the future, he added.

Shimelis stressed that all concerned bodies should exert maximum efforts to strengthen the achievement obtained so far and work on issues that need attention for agricultural transition.

The Oromia Agricultural Transformation Council was established last year with a view to promoting productivity by modernizing the sector through cluster farming.

Among the initiatives thus far carried out by council includes the production of wheat malt barley, dairy, rice ,tea, coffee, banana, and avocado as well as cattle breeding and poultry through cluster farming system.

The meeting examined the performance of the transformation council and put direction for the implementation of agricultural initiatives and implement new initiatives.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The opening of the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel phase two is a testament of the “success of Ethiopian Airlines and its continued growth not just in Africa but globally,” Fairfax Africa Fund Global Chairperson Zemedeneh Negatu said.

The second phase of the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, built at a cost of over 155 million USD, was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

With the completion of the second phase, Ethiopian Skylight Hotel has a total of 1,024 rooms.

Fairfax Africa Fund Global Chairman Zemedeneh Negatu told ENA that hotel has a world class facility, the kind of hotels you normally see someplace like in Dubai, Singapore, and China. “It is really world class five star quality place.”

“Not only is the hotel big, but it also has the capacity to attract and accommodate large number of visitors,” he added.

Noting that Addis Ababa lacked big hotel quality facility in the past, Zemedeneh said that this is a reflection of the fact that Addis Ababa and Ethiopia can now accommodate a very large group of visitors with high quality.”

According to the chairperson, Ethiopia’s economy is going forward for the next 10 years and one of the priorities for growth is tourism that needs the development of infrastructure.

“For tourism to grow, you need infrastructures like hotels, places to stay, and of course Ethiopian Airlines that is connecting the domestic to the global. This hotel, I think is a reflection of that strategy. Hotel and tourism growth strategy coming together. It’s a real testament.”

He further noted that there are a few countries, certainly not in Africa, that have such a hotel. “I think this is (therefore) a big celebration for Ethiopian Airlines and Ethiopians as well as for the tourism sector in this country.”

Although this hotel has multiple purposes, one is providing service for transit passengers. And Ethiopian Airlines will transport about 14 million passengers around the world this year.

Zemedeneh pointed out that Ethiopian is the biggest airline in Africa and also one of the biggest in the world. So, of those 14 million who fly with Ethiopian Airlines, imagine that 20 percent transit through Addis Ababa. In this scenario, Addis will end up with over two million passengers.

He believes that the country “actually needs a lot more of these hotels. There are hotels being built, but Addis actually needs a lot more hotels like this, because if we look at the growth of Ethiopian Airlines vision 2035 it could double the number of aircrafts.”

For that to really be accommodated efficiently you need facilities, infrastructures, airports, of course, the chairperson stated, adding that the Bole International Airport was expanded to accommodate 22 million passengers last year.

“There is also a decision to build a new 100 million passengers airport just outside of Addis. All these things need to be looked at in an integrated way. It’s not just the hotel, it is also the airline, the hotels or the service. When you start dealing with this business like this, the service providers or the ecosystem or service providers from catering to drinks and other things will grow as well together.”

Zemedeneh stated that such hotels will have a multiplier effect on the economy and will certainly help strengthen Ethiopia’s desire to become a major tourist destination.

The world-class five Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, is owned by Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest and one of the most profitable in the world.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

President Sahlework Zewde said “Patriotism is our value to shape generation”.

Ethiopia today marked the 82nd Patriots Victory Day under the theme “Togetherness for Perseverance and Victory”.

The Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day is a national holiday in Ethiopia celebrating on 5 May in commemoration of the Ethiopian resistance movement over Italian five year occupation of Ethiopia.

An event was underway in connection with the day in Addis Ababa around the Victory Monument in the presence President Sahlework, other senior government officials, Patriots and representatives of different countries.

During the occasion, President Sahlework paid tribute to all the patriots who safeguarded the nation’s sovereignty through their scarification.

Sahlework stressed that patriotism is the value that Ethiopia will shape its next generation.

Furthermore, the President stressed that the Patriots Victory Day is an exemplary that the current generation can bring change if united.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stressed in his statement on the 82nd Patriots Victory Day, the need for creating national wealth and getting rid of poverty in Ethiopia.

Patriots Victory Day is a national public holiday that marks the end of the Italian occupation and commemorates those who died during the occupation by honoring veterans of the resistance movement.

Ethiopians have celebrated the 82nd Patriots Victory Day today around the Victory Monument at Arat Kilo vicinity, in the capital in the presence of President Sahle-Work, patriots and various segments of the community.

Accordingly, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in his statement in connection with 82nd Patriots Victory Day underscored that Ethiopians should work hard to create national wealth and end poverty.

Abiy believed the freedom that has been secured by the forefathers must be supported by enhanced national wealth, unity and hardworking.

“In the economic sector, if we do not create national wealth and get rid of subsidies, freedom alone will not take us farther. … Unless we are able to defeat division and disintegration by creating wealth, freedom alone cannot serve us as strength.”

Noting that Ethiopia is a country that has its own victory day but not Independence Day, the prime minister said that it is because of our mothers and fathers who refused to compromise their freedom for anything and paid the ultimate price for it.

However, the premier argued that if Ethiopians don’t decide to serve their country and the people with sincerity and hard work, freedom alone will not bring progress.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopian Airlines is not only transporting customers but also availing comfortable accommodation with adequate facilities for its passengers, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said at the inauguration of the second phase of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel built at a cost of over 155 million USD today.

The premier noted at the ceremony that the grand opening of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel is a testimony that Addis Ababa is a key continental hub for travel with adequate facilities to cater to a global audience.

According to him, Ethiopian Airline has become the pride of Africa for the growth it has achieved through the generations.

“We can learn from Ethiopian Airlines about institutional continuity,” he added.

Abiy appreciated members of Board and Management as well as employees of Ethiopian for their role to be a model and pride of Ethiopians.

Noting that various activities have been underway to develop the tourism sector across the country, the PM said Ethiopian Airlines should play active role by connecting itself with this tourism development to transforming the sector.

Ethiopian Airlines CEO, Mesfin Tasew said on his part that the phase two hotel is equipped with modern recreational facilities.

The Ethiopian Skylight Hotel has 651 rooms, two presidential suits, a gym, a heated indoor swimming pool, modern massage rooms, several meeting rooms equipped with modern audio visual facilities and a meeting room with a seating capacity of over 600 guests.

It has also two underground floors with a capacity of parking over 400 vehicles, it was learned.

According to the CEO, Ethiopian built the hotel to meet the needs of its transit passengers who layover in Addis Ababa.

The hotel will also play a vital role in promoting tourism conferences, trade and investment in Ethiopia, which is part of the mission of the Ethiopian Airlines, Mesfin added.

“Ethiopian Airlines is the leading airline group in Africa and it is expanding its network throughout the world using the server as a hub and a gateway to Africa,” the CEO stated.

Furthermore, he stated that the expansion of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel is consistent with Ethiopian Airlines’ strategy of pursuing a diversified aviation business model.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Otjozondjupa police have launched an investigation into a poaching incident of a black rhino bull which was allegedly shot and killed on a private game farm near Otjituuo in the Grootfontein district.

Namibian Police Force Unit Commander for Community Affairs in the region, Inspector Maureen Mbeha in an interview with Nampa on Friday said the poaching is suspected to have happened on the farm between 01 April 2023 and 01 May 2023, as the crime scene is old, and was only discovered this week.

The police preliminary investigations indicate that the animal was shot twice in the head with a heavy hunting rifle.

“The suspects sawed and removed the horns of the animal,” Mbeha said.

Its carcass was found in a decomposed state, she added.

A case of hunting specially protected game valued at N.dollars 500 000 has been opened at the Otjituuo Police Station situated less than 100 kilometres east of Grootfontein.

No arrest has been made in connection with the matter, and police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency