Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Kick-Started the Second Phase of Green Legacy Initiative
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has officially announced the beginning of the Second Phase of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative on the 8th of June 2023 under the theme “Let’s plant our future today”. The Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative was Prime Minister Abiy’s initiative launched in 2019 with the primary objective of fighting the impacts of climate change and ensuring environmental sustainability in the entire Horn of Africa region and beyond.
Launching the second phase of the Campaign, Prime Minister Abiy said in his tweets;
‘Let’s plant our future today’…this is the theme for the beginning of the second phase of the Green Legacy Initiative which we launch today Following a successful first phase in which we planted 25billion seedlings, in the second phase Ethiopia will plant another 25billion’.
Green Legacy is a legacy for generations to come. It’s our local approach to tackling climate change and environmental degradation. It is one of our means to creating job opportunities. And it is also one means of enabling food security through planting edible seedlings.
Ethiopia, through the first phase of Green Legacy Initiative has managed to plant more than 25 Billion saplings, enforcing the United Nation’s Climate Agenda and creating internal capacities to the fight against the continued cycle of drought in Horn of Africa region that has continued to threaten the lives and livelihoods of Millions of citizens in the region.
The initiatives being implemented in phases are expected to enhance Ethiopia’s and the region’s preparedness by building climate resilient communities. Ethiopia has also been providing more than a million of Seedlings to neighboring countries during the first phase of the Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative that has ended in 2022.
Prime Minister Abiy Stresses Hard Work, Unity to make Ethiopia’s Future Bright
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) said the unity of the people of Ethiopia and the promotions of hard-working habits constitute their success to take their country to the next level.
The Premier made the above remark on Sunday while inaugurating the Unity Park Botanical Center, the Unity Archive, and the Prime Minister Office (PMO) Medical Center.
He said the Unity Park Botanical Center has been developed from the barren field while the Unity Archive and the Medical Center have undergone extensive renovation and restoration works to bring them up to standard.
“We are naturally blessed people. If we calm our spirits a little and work tirelessly in unison, we will have enough to give to others after fulfilling our demands and there are many signs in this regard. All the projects are undertaken aimed at elevating Ethiopia’s status to the next level.”
The country is endowed with abundant natural resources including forest, highland, temperate, lowland and desert. The only task that awaits Ethiopia is to utilize these enormous resources for its grand aspiration of development and prosperity, the PM emphasized.
As to Abiy, adequate and productive use of spaces is essential in value creation. Previously, the area that the botanical center was built is where waste materials were dumped. The unity park botanical center has all types of natural wonders.
The botanical center consists of plants grown in all climatic conditions of Ethiopia and it is also a site where plants are preserved for research, education, environmental protection and other purposes. It consists of more than 230 indigenous and foreign species of plants. There are also types of plants that are rarely found in Ethiopia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen Conferred with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen met on 8th June 2023, his Saudi Arabian Counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh in Riyadh.
The two top diplomats reviewed the relations between the two countries and ways to further enhance them into various fields, stated Riyadh Daily newspaper.
The two ministers also discussed the latest developments in the regional and international arenas and the exerted efforts in that regard, and addressed the most prominent topic of the Global Coalition against Daesh ministerial meeting.
Recall that DPM & FM Demeke Mekonnen has arrived in Riyadh this morning to participate on the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh/ISIS. During his remarks at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke stated that Ethiopia stands firm in the global effort to eliminate terrorism.
Moreover, Demeke also called on the international community to deny ISIS, Al-Shabab and other terrorist groups, the opportunity to recruit fighters and mobilize funds.
Reform Creates Favorable Landscape for CSOs: Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia
The sweeping national reform has created a favorable environment for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), said Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia Gedion Timothiwos in an event organized under the theme “Proactive CSOs for Sustainable Peace, Human Right and Good Governance”.
Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council (ECSOC) in collaboration with Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) organized “2023 CSOs week event” exhibition and bazar that is set to be held from 9-11 June 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In his opening remark, Justice Minister Dr. Gideon Timothiwos (PhD) said that understanding the contribution of the CSOs, the government has built positive relationship among various organizations. CSOs have a significant role in building democracy, sustainable human rights protection as well as nation building, added the Minister.
It was learnt that the implementation of new 1113/2011 CSOs proclamation has created a favorable environment for CSOs to move and freely perform their tasks in Ethiopia.
Moreover, it has encouraged the motivation of to further benefit nation building.
On the other hand, the Director General of Authority for Civil Society Organizations, for his part said that after the new 1113/2011 proclamation implementation, over 2,600 new civil society organizations have been registered and contributing to the development of the country by aligning their knowledge, resource and finance.
The CSOs week would enable them to exchange experiences and reduce redundancy their engaging of work, strengthen their ties and to work together.
ECSOC Executive Director also stressed for the CSOs, development partners and the government to work in-tandem in ensuring sustainable peace, promoting human rights, accountable and transparent governance at all levels. Furthermore emphasis was given for CSOs to focus in changing the lives of and livelihoods of citizens.
Currently, over 4,400 CSOs are operating in the country.
Ethiopian, Djiboutian construction companies agree to work together
Ethiopian Construction Works Corporation (ECWC) and Djibouti’s Enterprise Dawaleh Construction (EDC) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster strategic collaboration.
ECWC on its official page stated that the MoU aims to promote collaboration in the construction sector in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and other Central and East African nations. The agreement also highlights the importance of regional alliances and homegrown companies in driving major construction initiatives across Africa. The ceremony was held on Sunday at the Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti.
BerhanuTsegaye, Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti and ECWC’s CEO, Yonas Ayalew (Eng.) attended the signing ceremony and emphasized the importance of the shared vision of enhancing regional integration and mutual prosperity.
The corporation specializes in various construction projects, including highways, bridges, airfields, dams, irrigation systems, water supplies, buildings, and manufacturing of building supplies, it was learnt.
In addition to advancing the construction industry in Central and East Africa, this partnership between ECWC and Djibouti’s EDC would enhances the ties between Ethiopia and Djibouti. The collaboration also reflects a dedication to regional integration, sustainable growth, and economic advancement.
ECWC is already making significant contributions in Djibouti with its ongoing construction project for the Galamo and Moloud 35 KM road within the Molude- Dikhil-Galamo road project.
Ethiopian Airlines Eyes Significant Fleet Expansion
Ethiopian Airlines Group has fully recovered to pre- pandemic operational levels, the company’s CEO said, and is now looking to further expand its fleet and network map.
“Now we are operating around 140 aircraft, but this number continuously varies. By 2035, we forecast 271 aircraft in our operations. That means we need at least 130 additional aircraft,” Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew told Aviation Daily on the sidelines of the IATA AGM in Istanbul.
“My estimation is to make the next round of aircraft orders by the end of the year. Then we should be able to do it. It will be a mix of narrow- body and wide-body aircraft,” the CEO added.
The CEO further stated that the Embraer E2, Airbus-A220, Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, Boeing 777X and A350-1000 are being considered for the narrow and wide-body options of the Airline.
As of June 5, Ethiopian Airlines’ order book comprises 29 aircraft: 17 737 MAXs, five 777Fs, one 787-9 and six Airbus A350-1000s, Tasew said.
In the current financial year, which ends June 30, the airline received 12 new aircraft.
Regarding network growth, in a year or two the Star Alliance member may expand to Australia, last continent which it is not flying to, via Singapore. More services to the Americas are also being planned.
“We want to increase flights to Toronto, and for Montreal we have applied for traffic rights,” he said. In the US, Ethiopian operates to New York JFK, Newark, Chicago O´Hare, Atlanta and Washington Dulles.
Besides serving 63 international destinations in Africa, Ethiopian’s current domestic network of 20 airports will increase to 27, as five new airports are planned in the nation.
For the current Ethiopian fiscal year ending in June, the airline will be reporting higher passenger numbers of 13 million compared to previous highest of 12.2 million in 2019 (Pre COVID-19 levels).
“Our revenue met our target,” Tasew said. “It will be about 50% higher compared to pre-COVID levels and partly contributed by cargo. Cargo still has a big contribution to our overall revenue.”
EMBASSY WARNS AGAINST FRAUDULENT WEBSITES OFFERING ONLINE VISA SERVICES
The Ethiopian Government has launched an online visa application system to simplify and expedite the process of obtaining a visa for Ethiopia. However, the Embassy has recently become aware of some fraudulent websites that mimic the official e-Visa website and mislead applicants into believing that they are applying through the official channels.
The Ethiopian Government has not entered into any agreement with the owners of these websites, and therefore visa applications submitted or payments made through these websites will not be accepted.
The official website for the Ethiopian Online Visa service is https:/ www.evisa.gov.et/ and no other website should be used for visa applications. Applicants are urged to submit their visa applications through the official e- Visa website only.
Please note that the following websites are not affiliated with the Ethiopian Government and should not be used for visa applications:
