Police arrests Melaku Fanta, his deputy, 11 others suspected in Corruption

Ethiopian police has arrested  thirteen individuals suspected in involving in corruption, according to the press statement from the Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission.

Melaku Fanta, Director General of the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority with the rank of a Minister is among the detainees. His deputy, Gebrewahed Woldegiorgis is also put in custody.

 Lists of other suspects put under custody are:

1. Eshetu Woldesemayat, Director of Legal issues in Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority

2. Asmelash Woldemariam, Head of Kality Customs

Los Angeles’ Little Ethiopia Prepares for 2013 Cultural Street Festival

The 2013 Little Ethiopia Cultural Street Festival in Los Angeles will be held. It was 11 years ago this month on August 7, 2002 that the city of Los Angeles designated through a unanimous council vote that the neighborhood on Fairfax Avenue, between Olympic and Pico Boulevard, be recognized as Little Ethiopia, making it the first street in the United States to be named after an African nation.

For the last 12 years the Little Ethiopia Business Association has been hosting a popular cultural street festival that attracts a diverse crowd from L.A. and beyond to the area.

Ethiopian reggae singer Eyob Mekonnen dies at 37

Fans of the 37-year-old singer helped raise money for his treatment after he had a stroke last Tuesday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
He was flown to Kenya on Saturday, but he died in hospital on Sunday.

"He has made such a mark on the Ethiopian music scene, bringing a unique and poetic voice with thoughtful lyrics and a beautiful reggae vibe," a posting on his Facebook fan site said.

The page was set up on the social networking site last week called Let Us Pray for Eyob Mekonnen.

Its postings kept fans up-to-date on his condition and appealed for financial help to organise his transfer from hospital in Addis Ababa to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

"He was one of a kind... humble and extremely loyal," his close friend and manager Eyob Alemayehu, from the music promoter Yisakal Entertainment, told BBC Africa.

"A man of his word, reliable, caring, a strong believer, very up front, talented and much much more," he said.

Nation observes 1st year memorial of late Meles Zenawi

Addis Ababa August 21/2013 The first year memorial of the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was observed at a national level at Gulele Botanical Center, Addis Ababa in the presence of his family, high level officials and leaders of African countries.

 Speaking on the occasion Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said Meles played fundamental role for the development of the country. Meles’ contribution in the efforts of the government to lift the country out of poverty is significant, Hailemariam said. He said the late PM's work to build climate resilient green economy in Ethiopia is also exemplary to other countries. 

የአዲስ አበባ የባቡር መስመር ግንባታ በተያዘለት ጊዜ እየተከናወነ መሆኑን ኮርፖሬሽኑ አስታወቀ

የአዲስ አበባ የባቡር መስመር ግንባታ በተያዘለት ጊዜ እየተከናወነ መሆኑን ኮርፖሬሽኑ አስታወቀ
አስሩንም የአዲስ አበባ ክፍለ ከተሞች አቋርጦ የሚያልፍ ባለሁለት መስመር ሃዲድ ግንባታ ነው በመከናወን ላይ ያለው፡፡የቀላል ባቡሩ ግንባታ ርዝመቱ ባጠቃላይ 72 ኪሎ ሜትር ይሸፍናል፡፡

በ41 ባቡሮች ስራ የሚጀምረው መስመር በሰዓት እስከ 60ሺ ሰዎችን የማመላለስ አቅም ሲኖረው በቀን ለ18 ሰዓታት አገልግሎቱን ይሰጣል ተብሎ ይጠበቃል፡፡

እያንዳንዱ ባቡር ቢያንስ 3 ፉርጎዎች የሚኖሩት ሲሆን አንዱ ፉርጎ ከ200 በላይ መቀመጫዎች ይኖሩታል፡፡

የአዲስ አበባው ቀላል ባቡር በሰአት 120 ኪሎሜትሮች የመጓዝ አቅም ሲኖረው በባቡር ማቆሚያ ጣቢያ ላይ ቢያንስ በየ5 ደቂቃው ይደርሳል፡፡

A year after long time leader’s death, Ethiopia has seen little change

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Residents in Ethiopia’s capital awoke to the sound of a 21-gun salute Tuesday to mark the first year anniversary of the death of long-time ruler Meles Zenawi.
The ritual underscores the approach Meles’ successors have employed during the last year: a continued lionization of the late prime minister, whose portrait still appears in every public office across the country.
Candlelit vigils and the launch of over two dozen parks were organized across the country for the late leader. In the capital a cornerstone for the Meles Zenawi Memorial Museum was laid in a televised ceremony.
During the ceremony, attended by regional leaders such as the presidents of Somalia and Sudan, Meles was praised as “Africa’s voice.” His successor Prime Minister Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn praised Meles as a “champion of the poor.”
“Meles did a remarkable endeavor in the green economic development. He also led a successful party and government to establish a widely defined democratic system that has recognized and observed rights of individuals and groups at the same time,” Hailemariam said in a speech.
Meles became president in 1991 after helping to oust Mengistu Haile Mariam’s Communist military junta, which was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians. Meles became prime minister in 1995, a position he held until his sudden death last year.
The United States long viewed Meles as a strong security partner and gave Ethiopia hundreds of millions of dollars in aid over the years. U.S. military drones that patrol East Africa — especially over Somalia — are stationed in Ethiopia.

Human, drugs and arms traffickers targeted in operations across Eastern and Southern Africa

KENYA/ZIMBABWE - An operation across Eastern and Southern Africa targeting a range of cross-border crimes has resulted in the rescue of human trafficking victims, the seizure of drugs, guns and stolen vehicles and the recovery of smuggled goods including ivory and diamonds.

Codenamed Usalama – which means ‘safety’ – the operation was led by the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) and the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO) with support from INTERPOL.

Among the initial results was the rescue of more than 300 victims of human trafficking and 38 suspects arrested in Ethiopia, with a further 28 human trafficking victims rescued and 15 suspects arrested in Uganda. The operation also resulted in the identification of hundreds of illegal immigrants.

AK-47s were among the guns recovered in Tanzania and Uganda with weapons also seized in Burundi and Swaziland. Thousands of checks against INTERPOL’s stolen vehicle database resulted in a series of matches for vehicles reported stolen from countries including Japan, Malaysia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Other results include the recovery of 12 elephant tusks in Mozambique and Tanzania, the arrest of a woman in possession of six kg of heroin at Nairobi’s international airport, the destruction of some 100 acres of cannabis plantations in South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, and the identification of a suspected diamond smuggler in Botswana.

Ethiopian Designer Ready to Fly

Ethiopian designer Fikirte Addis “feels like she is ready to fly.” A one-time child psychologist with a passion for design, Addis took a risk in 2009 by launching her own brand. Since that time, she has won the Origin Africa Fiber to Fashion Designer Showcase in Mauritius, has received standing ovations in New York and has joined the ethical fashion scene in Paris. In the words of fashion-focused Zen Magazine, “Designer Fikirte Addis is taking the fashion world by storm, her 2013 collection “Timeless Girl, Modern World” is shining bright this summer.”

The USAID East Africa Trade Hub discovered Fikirte in 2010, shortly after she launched her brand that offers a “cultural touch for the modern day women.” Fikirte uses local fabrics and traditional Ethiopian weavers. She’s proud of Ethiopian culture and committed to strengthening the skill set of her weavers and providing them with consistent, well-paid work. Exporting to the U.S. through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) provides the demand she needs to meet her commitment.

The Trade Hub provided Fikirte with technical assistance and helped her navigate the AGOA market. They began by introducing Fikirte to Wambui Njogu. Similar to Fikirte, Wambui is a skilled designer with her own fashion label that gives African cultural style an international twist. Wambui is also a savvy business woman who has already adapted her product to a commercial market – who better to mentor Fikirte?

Leading Ethiopians Dibaba and Defar to double up in Moscow

Two of Ethiopia’s biggest athletics stars will attempt a long-distance double at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow on 10-18 August.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba and double Olympic champion Meseret Defar have both been selected in the 5000m and 10,000m. Dibaba won gold in both events at the 2005 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games, but her attempt at the same double at last year’s Olympic Games was ruined by Defar, who triumphed in the 5000m.
Defar has attempted distance doubles at the past two World Championships, but neither bid went to plan. She took 5000m bronze on both occasions, but finished fifth in the 10,000m in 2009 and did not finish the 25-lap event in 2011.
This year, however, Defar is in much better form and leads the world season list for 10,000m with 30:08.06, and has clocked her fastest 5000m performance since 2008 with her 14:26.90 victory at Oslo.
Dibaba – whose sister Genzebe is entered in the 1500m – has missed the past two editions of the World Championships, but also heads to Moscow in top form, having posted a world-leading 14:23.68 in the 5000m in Paris.
The pair have raced against each other just four times since 2006, their last encounter being the 2012 Olympic 5000m final where Defar was victorious.
The Ethiopian entrants on the men’s side are just as strong. World junior cross-country champion Hagos Gebrhiwet and Olympic finalist Yenew Alamirew are entered for the 5000m, while World indoor champion Mohammed Aman will be a serious contender for gold in the 800m, having won his past seven races.
Olympic 5000m silver medallist Dejen Gebremeskel will step up in distance to the 10,000m, having clocked a world-leading 26:51.02 on his debut at the distance earlier this year. He will be joined in that event by reigning World champion Ibrahim Jeilan.
Ethiopia’s marathon runners will also be out in full force in Moscow. World leader Lelisa Desisa, London Marathon winner Tsegaye Kebede and 2011 World bronze medallist Feyisa Lelisa are among the men’s entrants, while the women’s team is led by Olympic champion Tiki Gelana, 2013 Paris winner Feysa Tadese and World Half-marathon champion Meseret Hailu.

Airport program helps business dreams become reality for Ethiopian woman

When the pressure to sell cigarettes at her convenience store at East Colfax Avenue and Monaco Parkway reached a tipping point, Muluye Hailemariam listened to her conscience.
"It was a hard decision because it would be good money, but I decided not to sell cigarettes," Hailemariam said. "Making money isn't everything. I have to help the next generation to be healthy."
An immigrant without a college degree, Hailemariam pushed ahead on her principles and willpower, closing her store and starting a custom Ethiopian jewelry business.
A serendipitous encounter with the commercial team from Denver International Airport then shifted her entrepreneurial focus.
The team was combing the community to recruit businesses for the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, and Hailemariam fit the description perfectly.
"It's an attempt by regulation to try and have opportunity match the makeup of the city," said John Ackerman, DIA's chief commercial officer. "There's a lot of opportunity out here, but it is a lot of work for them."

soleRebels opened its first store in Spain

The Ethiopian artisan footwear, soleRebels have recently opened its first store in Spain in Barcelona. Founded by Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu in 2004, soleRebel has become Africa’s largest footwear brand selling in 55 countries and is the first Ethiopian IFAT Fair Trade footwear firm.

The brand is now stocked by many leading retailers including Urban Outfitters, Whole Foods, Amazon and Endless, among many other web retailers. soleRebels b*knd label is for vegans and veggies and can be found at UK veg-friendly shoe retailer Veganline.

Alemu’s idea was  to create jobs in her community, Zenabwork, a small village near Addis Ababa. She has become one of Africa’s celebrated businesswomen, featured on the front of Forbes Magazine in January 202 and was selected as “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum 2011. In June 2012 Alemu also won the award for “Most Outstanding Businesswoman” at the annual African Business Awards, organised by African Business Magazine.

The shoes are made by hand from recycled materials and are designed to create a fusion between the heritage of the eco-sensitive indigenous peoples and the artisan talents typical of Ethiopia and share these with the rest of the world, according to the company. 

EBS Co-Founder; Pioneer Diaspora Business Person of the Year

Amman Fissehazion, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Services (EBS TV) is awarded Pioneer Diaspora Business Person of the Year Award. This was announced at the eighth Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum and the third Pioneer Diaspora Business Person Award held in Washington, D.C. on Friday, July 27, 2013.

The juries selected Amman among several nominees for recognizing the need for an Ethiopian Entertainment Channel globally and realizing a global broadcasting platform that services the Ethiopian community worldwide, according to the organisers.

Serving as the CEO of EBS since 2008, Amman has placed the 24/7 channel on major platforms such as Arabsat, Dish network & Nilesat. He pioneered EBS as the first African media to be placed on one of the most prestigious Subscription Platforms in the US, DishNetwork.

The 2012 Pioneer Ethiopian Diaspora Business Person award was shared by Tadiwos Getachew Belete, founder and CEO of Boston Partners PLC, and Zemedeneh Negatu, Managing Partner of Ernst & Young Ethiopia & Head of Transaction Advisory Services (Corporate Finance) Eastern Africa Ernst & Young LLP.