Abraham Ayalew, head of the national cooperation secretariat at the Ministry, spoke about the lack of progress on the victim rehabilitation fund established by Parliament during an event this week marking the launch of an International Organization for Migration (IOM) initiative.

Although the Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Persons Proclamation established a fund for the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking and smuggling in 2020, the absence of regulations and directives outlining how the fund will function means it exists only in name, according to Abraham.

The fund is meant to cover medical, legal, and health costs for trafficking victims, as well as pay for material support, technical training, reintegration, and the construction of shelters. It would also serve to “pay compensation determined by the court in accordance with Regulations to be issued by the Council of Ministers.”

However, no regulations have been ratified by the Council yet.

The proclamation envisions the fund being pooled from the government budget, confiscated properties and fines collected from convicted traffickers, and grants and donations, but no money is flowing in due to the absence of a supporting legal framework.

“So far, we haven’t put any money seized from human trafficking into the government’s coffers. Of course, fines have been collected, but this money is not going into the fund either,” said Abraham.

Trafficking has become increasingly entrenched in Ethiopia as shrinking work opportunities and worsening economic conditions push citizens, mostly youth, to emigrate in search of a better life. Although there are efforts being made to send Ethiopians abroad for work through formal channels, the vast majority of emigrants leave the country through a large trafficking network consisting of brokers and smugglers.

This often leads to serious rights violations, abuses, and deaths.

In August, more than 160 Ethiopian migrants were presumed dead after a boat capsized off the coast of Yemen. Seventy-six of them have since been confirmed dead, while the rest are still missing. This week, the bodies of 10 migrants (most of whom are Ethiopian) washed up on the coast of Djibouti.

The IOM estimates that up to 300,000 Ethiopians migrate each year, with the vast majority doing so through dangerous smuggling routes.

This week, the organization unveiled a five-year strategic plan aiming to provide sustainable solutions to displacement and find safe migration routes.

During the launch ceremony, Houria Ali, a state minister for Women and Social Affairs, noted that conflict, drought, and climate change are fueling illegal migration and human trafficking.

The strategic plan is a roadmap focused on preventing irregular migration by providing protection and life-saving support to displaced persons, rehabilitating and repatriating displaced people, and promoting a regular migration system, according to IOM Ethiopia chief Abibatou Wane.

Lack of traceability has prevented abattoirs involved in the export of meat from shipping to European and Chinese markets.

Businesses willing to export meat to Europe and China must pass through stringent quality-check procedures, including traceability, including the requirements for animal identification information, supply of food chain information, supplier declarations and veterinary certificates, among others.

“Though our factory has the capacity to satisfy the international market, doing so has never been easy because the livestock we slaughter are not up to standards,” said Saleamlak Abinew (PhD), director of Bishoftu Abattoir, which has exported 125.8 tons of beef in the last six months.

The beef market saw over a dozen of slaughterhouses join in the last decade, even though they are still utilizing only a third of their installed capacity, particularly due to insufficient supply of cattle. It is a problem that has prevented the country benefit from the huge cattle population it has.

Despite being home to over 70 million cattle, Ethiopia exported 10,000 tons of processed meat and 800 tons of feed over the past six months, generating USD 50 million, accounting for less than three percent of the export proceeds generated during the same period.

Exporters say the lack of appetite for beef produced in Ethiopia is the reason for the lower export performances. “Since there is no standard governing quality of beef produced here, we have limited markets, exporting only to the Middle East,” said Saleamlak.

“This has forced us exporters to cut price just to get the forex, though the central bank prohibits exporting beef for a price lower than USD 5,800 per ton,” he added.

It is a sentiment shared by a lobby group representing industry players.

“The Ministry of Agriculture must introduce standards to boost the quality of livestock that we buy from suppliers and eventually increase meat exports,” said Abebaw Mekonnen, office manager of the Ethiopian Meat Producers and Exporters Association.

Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture said they do not have the financial capacity to undertake a study and introduce a standard that could make beef products of Ethiopia traceable.

“That is why we are focusing on improving the health of animals, which is the best way to a quality beef,” said Yohannes Girma (DVM), advisor to the State Minister of Agriculture.

Diversification is also another issue that prevents businesses from capitalizing on the international market.

“Over 90 percent of beef exported to Ethiopia constitutes goats’ meat, while the share of cattle is insignificant,” added Yohannes.

The British mining firm, NewAge has pulled-out of Ethiopia after the Ministry of Mines rejected the company’s request to extend its license. 

The company’s license, acquired in 2007 to develop the natural gas and petroleum found in the Ogaden Basin in Somali region, expired in August 2021. 

The British mining firm repeatedly asked the Ministry of for an extension of the license, citing COVID 19 pandemic as Force Majeure. Officials of the Ministry rejected its request. 

“We are disappointed by the decision of the Ministry of Mines not to extend the Block 8 PPSA beyond August 5, 2021 given the longstanding positive relationship we have developed with you over the years,” vice president of the company, David Peel, said in his letter sent to the Ministry on January 28, 2022.

In a letter sent to the company, the Minister of Mines, Takele Uma said that the Ministry has reviewed NewAge’s performance and based on the evaluation, the company has shown little to no effort to develop and produce the block it acquired in 2007.

 “The overall evaluation has shown that the oil and gas resources have remained under developed for far too long under your license agreement. Therefore, after serious considerations, the Ministry has decided to respectfully decline your request to extend the Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement (PPSA) that was signed in July 2007,” the letter seen by The Reporter reads.

Although the company insisted to extend the application of the Force Majeure due to COVID 19 for an unlimited period, the Ministry is not convinced and hence, declined the company’s request for another round of extension, Takele said in his letter sent to the company on January 4, 2022.  

According to his letter, the PPSA license granted to the company, expired on August 5, 2021, after it exhausted the one-year Force Majeure granted to the company.

NewAge however, contends that the COVID 19 pandemic is still a Force Majeure event that has hindered the gas production in its block in Somali Region of Ethiopia.    

“As we have set out in our previous communications, it is our understanding that the continuance of a force majeure event shall not result in the termination or expiry of the PPSA for so long as the Force Majeure continues,” David Peel said in a letter sent to the Ministry on January 28, 2022.

The company accepted the decision and agreed to surrender the license and decided to entirely pull out of Ethiopia.    

“We concluded the petroleum operation in Ethiopia and the office in Addis Ababa and our associated bank accounts will be closed. Accordingly, NewAge will have no obligations in Ethiopia and under the Block 8 PPSA,” David Peel said in his letter to the Ministry.

The Ministry also revoked a potash mining license granted to Africa Mining and Energy, an Australian based mining company operating in Ethiopia.

In a letter sent to the company on February 1, 2022, the Ministry revoked the license due to lack of progress in the company’s mining operations.

The report found-out that regional security forces have linked the Aba Gadas with the OLF/Shene, a group designated as terrorists by the House of Peoples’ Representatives.

On December 2, 2022, security forces comprised of regional police, Special Forces, and militia took 39 Aba Gadas to a forest off the Adama-Metehara road, in eastern Shewa zone of Oromia, the report said. Of these, fourteen were killed on the spot by the security forces, according to the report. One of the Aba Gadas died after being beaten in prison and the fourteen were killed a day after eleven security forces were killed by unidentified forces in Fentale woreda of eastern Shewa zone. All of the Aba Gadas abducted by the security forces were men, according to the EHRC.

In days following the incident, the Oromia regional state linked the killings of the Aba Gadas with the OLF/Shene group. However, after the EHRC’s report surfaced, the regional government denied its previous statement.

“We are investigating who is responsible for the killings. We have found various leads and already placed two individuals linked to the cases under custody,” Girma Gelan, deputy commissioner of the Oromia Police Commission, told state television.

“There were many security officials from the regional and zonal government, gathered in the area and communicating via phones, before the Aba Gadas were killed,” stated one of the eyewitnesses the EHRC talked to.

According to legal experts, while it shed light on the depth of insecurity and a weakening justice system in the region, the report has cemented EHRC’s integrity once again.

“The mandate of investigating the killings and serving justice is completely given to the regional government. The federal government cannot involve in the case. We believe the regional Attorney General can pursue the case,” said a legal expert at the Federal Ministry of Justice.

As has been the case for the past two years, this year’s African Leaders’ Summit was originally scheduled to take place online. But under pressure from Ethiopia, which headquarters the AU, the previous plans were altered and member states decided to convene the summit in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa.

In a statement issued on January 17, 2022, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) praised member states of the AU for their decision to convene the 35th AU Summit in person in Addis Ababa.

In his January 17 statement, Abiy praised the current leaders of Africa for acknowledging Ethiopia’s historic and unwavering stance to advance African and Pan African agendas.

“The implications of hosting the AU Summit in Addis Ababa are immense. It would demonstrate the peace and stability in Ethiopia. It would also create opportunities for us to restate our stance on African agendas and practically exhibit Ethiopia’s good status to our African allies,” Abiy said.

Since then, Addis Ababa has been preparing to host the Summit and receive its African guests in the spirit of Pan African.

Streets, roundabouts and squares are decorated with lights and greeneries while abandoned places and sites under construction are adorned with banners hailing African unity and solidarity.

China’s touch, which built the AU headquarters, is visible in this beautification of the capital Addis Ababa.

Though beautifying Addis for AU summit is a common practice and Abiy, who has the heart for aesthetics has tried to scale-up more over the past couple of years.

 Looking at the messages on the banners, the color use, and the decorations, it is easier to tell that Ethiopia is trying its best to take Pan-Africanism to a different level.

“Proud to be African”, “Africa deserves a permanent representation at the United Nations Security Council”, “We aspire for a continent united” are some of the messages contained on the banners in various parts of the city..

Ethiopia has always been at the core of Pan-Africanism. However, it seems the pressure from Western countries, due to the war in Tigray, has pushed the country not only to take refuge in Pan-Africanism but will do what it takes to take Pan-Africanism to a whole new level.

The recent call for the need for Africa to have a seat in the UNSC by Abiy, and other African and non-African leaders including the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan might be a case in point.

Although Ethiopia seems to be upholding Pan-Africanism, the war and the ethnic animosity and religious tensions are shaking the country to its core.
 

The 35th AU Summit

The AU leader’s summit will kick off on Saturday with an opening statement from Mhammet Mousa Faki, chairperson of the AU Commission, followed by Abiy and other dignitaries including the outgoing chairman of the AU, DRC’s President, Antoine Tshisekedi and UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

The two-day session of the African Leaders Summit will convene under the theme, “Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development.”

The Summit will also discuss a host of issues including the financing of the Union and the Scale of Assessment and Contributions for member states; African Candidatures within the International System including the UNSC, the Implementation of Agenda 2063; the Institutional Reforms and others.

The state of Peace and Security in Africa, the report and follow-up discussion on the need to reform the UNSC, the election of the 15 members of the Peace and Security Council, and the debate on the need for granting Israel an observer status to the AU, will be on the agenda, according to diplomatic sources.

The Summit will also elect the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, as the new chairperson of the AU, replacing the outgoing Tshisekedi.

Several Presidents from various African countries, including the Presidents from Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, Ivory Coast, Mauritania and South Sudan have already arrived in Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian Media Council has set a tribunal aimed at looking into ethical and operational issues concerning journalists and media outlets in the country. The regulation governing the tribunal was approved by members of the Council on Tuesday, January 1, 2022, at Inter Luxury Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Apart from setting up the tribunal, the regulation also forms an ombudsman body.

According to a report by the council covering activities over the past two years, the regulation was prepared by a consultant. The Ministry of Justice agreed to take issues pertaining to journalists and media houses to the tribunal when it starts running in full swing.

To lead the arbitral tribunal, the Council has chosen 18 people from various sectors. Among the 18 people, they chose Philipos Aynalem, president of the Ethiopian Bar Association, to chair the tribunal, while Negusse Tefera (PhD) will lead the Ombudsman.

The other members include Million Mohammed, Zerihun Degu, Agaredech Jemaneh (PhD), Debebe Abebe, Ruth Getnet, Hawa Ali, Beza Negussie, Mesud Gebeyehu, Basazen Derebe, Kidist Kifleyohannes, Destaye Tadesse, Fiteheawek Yewondwosen, Setegn Abhai, Melaku Tadesse, Tamerat Astatke and Eskinder Kebede.

Commenting on the establishment of the tribunal, Amare Aregawi, the chairperson of the Council’s executive, said this would avoid maltreatment of journalists and media houses and save the time of both the accused and the defendants. As is customary in other countries that Presidents and Prime Ministers come to such tribunals to settle issues with journalists and media houses, Amare hopes the same would happen in Ethiopia.

The council also added 13 new associations and media outlets to the list of its members. Currently, the Council has 60 members from media houses and professional associations.

The Council discussed challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic, which has delayed the Council Assembly by two years. Lack of commitment to membership fees was also at the center of discussions because it hindered the secretariat activities, chairperson of the Council Assembly said in her opening speech. However, the Council was able to provide trainings to journalists in peace journalism and promoting the works of the Council.

Presenting this year’s plan to the members, Tamerat Hailu stated that the Council will work to increase the number of members, conduct project activities, provide trainings, prepare reporting manuals, as well as increase membership contributions. The Council is said to require 1.638 million birr budget to conduct these activities and 941,545 birr has already been secured from the International Media Support (IMS) for project activities.

Officials at the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) rejected the pleas of hospitality establishments to extend the loans borrowed from commercial banks in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is a decision taken a few weeks after Yinager Dessie (PhD), the governor of the central bank, announced the regulatory body’s firm position to reject the proposals made by businesses requesting an extension of their loans, citing conflict and the pandemic.

Hotels and other businesses involved in the hospitality sector have received 3.3 billion birr in the form of a stimulus package, with an interest rate of five percent, but struggled to repay their loans due to the pandemic, which has brought the sector to a standstill.

The interest rate was later adjusted to 5.5 percent, with 0.5 percent going to commercial banks, while the remaining is to be paid to the central bank, which has provided the money to the financial institutions.

Some banks, considering their business relations with the hospitality sector, extended the repayment period for the loan for some period of time. But that was not enough for industry players.

“We wanted to get the extension, since we are severely impacted by the instability in the Northern part of the country and the pandemic,” said Fith Woldesenbet (PhD), president of the Federation of Hotels and similar services employers, which requested a five-year extension period for the loans their members took.

Officials at the central bank are not convinced by the Federation’s justification.

“We have assessed the capacity of the hotels and concluded they have the capacity to repay their loans,” said Fikadu Digafe, vice governor and chief economist of the regulatory body.

Following the introduction of the diaspora-home coming initiative and the opening of the AU Summit, hotels are witnessing an increase in the number of guests. In the capital city, starred hotels are reporting an occupancy rate of above 40 percent, the highest since the pandemic came into the picture.

The chamber is currently waiting for the board to give the green light to commence resource mobilization. The stations will need 200 square meter floor, which will be inside the chamber’s current premise around Mexico square, or its headquarters under-construction around Megenagna. There is also a consideration to install each of the stations at different places.

The organization allocates 30 percent of the projects cost, while the rest comes from bank loans.

“It is a highly bankable plan. It will return the investment cost in a few years. There is no business television in Ethiopia, according to our study on the media landscape,” Kassahun Mamo, Communication and Promotion manager at the Chamber, told The Reporter.

The broadcast aims to serve the private sector, with a business TV station on par with Bloomberg. The stations will have international broadcasting formats to enable the Ethiopian private sector catch international audiences and market their products.

The chamber has so far been renting airtime from other television and radio stations, which Kassahun says is not sufficient with the new ambitions of the Chamber.

The new investment is part of efforts underway to reform the organization. The Addis Ababa Chamber and Sectoral Association currently rolled out targets across 23 pillars identified to reform the organization. The new objectives mainly focus on advancing the interest of the private sector, and working with the government.

Currently, the chamber is working with the government on PPP, especially with the Addis Ababa city government, in terms of managing and operating major venues such as the Meskel square.

Currently without a secretary general after Getachew Regasa resigned a month ago, the Chamber also plans to reform itself internally. In its five years strategic plan recently initiated, it envisages creating a stronger private sector in Ethiopia.

“So far, the chamber has been shadowed by individuals. Even though there are many capable experts in the organization, it could not contribute to the private sectors development. Now everybody in the organization is ready to reverse that reality,” added Kassahun.

Political parties in the country ratified a directive governing discussions among them under the auspices of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). This was done at a consultative meeting held with the Board on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at Radison Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa.

The parties had previously identified draft agendas for their discussions through the platform established by the directive. The identified agendas include issues concerning political parties such as support and formation, NEBE’s organization, civic and voter education, election 2020 and local elections, the constitution and the federal system, democratic institutions such as mass media, and national consensus including reconciliation and census, foreign policy, as well as nation building.

The directive signed by more than a score of political parties aims to “Construct a common vision among political parties by eliminating distrust among them except for healthy competitions,” “enriching ideas to respond to national issues by bringing problems created during the ongoing reforms in the country” and “create a conducive environment for the improvement of political culture in the country.”

The directive, which was a continuation of the 2019 discussions by political parties, also stipulates that, similar platforms could be formed at regional levels.

The Board is to form a committee of experts to support the discussions by placing agendas in order of importance and should come from the parties in writing. The lead of the discussions would decide how long each speaker should take depending on the issue for the party, as well as the level of the debate the issue requires.

The NEBE also took the responsibility of following up on political party members detained in relation to the State of Emergency declared in the country. Except for the Benshangul Gumuz region, there were a total of 23 detainees in various detention centers two weeks ago.

As reported by the deputy chairperson of the Board, Woubshet Ayele, there are only three detainees left, namely Natnael Mewcha, Atekelt Negese, and Alamerew Yirga.

In Benshangul Gumuz, a team of investigators sent out by the Board, found out that, 492 detainees were held in nine woredas. Although 256 had already been released, 236 still remain in prisons.

The investigators sent to Benshangul indicated that the lack of proper data on the detainees, reluctance in organizing files to charge the detainees or take other legal measures, considering the Benshangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement (BPLM) as an illegal party and preventing its members from wearing party emblem bearing T-shirts. This is despite its registration as a legal party and discrepancies in measures in all woredas.

However, after the Board’s discussions with the regional administration and regional and federal security apparatus, the regional government promised it would release 192 prisoners.