Category: General

Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has today inaugurated ‘Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubark’ boarding school built in Addis Ababa by the Office of the First Lady for visually impaired persons.

The boarding school was built with the support obtained from Sheikha Fatima, the mother of Sheihk Mohammed bin Zayed, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The school, that will receive students of grade 9 to 12, encompasses vital services convenient for visually impaired students including classrooms, cafeteria, library and other state of the art facilities.

Prime Minister Abiy said on the occasion that Office of The First Lady has previously built 34 schools across the country that are mainly rendering services to people with low income.

‘On the occasion of the inauguration of the Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak School for the Blind I would like to extend my congratulations to First Lady Zinash Tayachew for the fruition of a citizen centered establishment putting the vulnerable at heart, following the success o
f the schools built throughout the nation through the Office of the First Lady,’ the premier stated.

Abiy said learning from the success of this school for the blind, stressing the need to make sure that city infrastructure we build needs to pay attention to the needs of those with disabilities.

The newly inaugurated state of the art and very unique boarding school will receive more than 300 blind students from across the country, the premier said.

Noting that the government’s development projects focus on citizens with low income, Abiy affirmed that development projects being carried out in Ethiopia aimed at benefiting citizens with low income will continue to intensify.

He also extended gratitude to Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak for the support extended to this noble cause,

First Lady Zinash Tayachew for her part said the development projects being undertaken by the office of the first lady aim at easing the burden of low income segment of the society.

She extended gratitude to all that contribute to the
successful implementation of the project including Sheikha Ftima.

Kelifa Mubarek, Humanity Department Chancellor at the University of Sheihk Mohammed bin Zayed said representing Sheikha Fatima that UAE and Ethiopia are enjoying strong bilateral relations and the newly inaugurated boarding school is the manifestation of this cordial partnership.

The bilateral relations of the two countries have been strengthening particularly following the official visit made by President Sheihk Mohammed bin Zayed in 2018 to Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Norway has announced that it will continue its assistance for the government of Ethiopia’s efforts to fight climate change through green development.

Mari Martinsen, adviser of Climate, Environment and Forest at the Norwegian Embassy told ENA that Ethiopia and Norway have maintained a robust relationship in the battle against the effects of climate change, ever since the launch of Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy in Durban in 2011.

The government of Norway has also been providing supports to civic society organizations and research institutions that are engaged in the protection of climate change and biodiversity in Ethiopia the adviser noted.

The adviser has also commended the efforts being carried out in the protection of biodiversity citing the Green Legacy Initiative.

According to her, the Green Legacy Initiative demonstrates the commitment of Ethiopian government to ensuring green development.

“Green Legacy demonstrates the commitment of Ethiopian government towards green develo
pment manifesting the importance of forestry sector as trees are important instruments in helping to tackle the impacts of climate change.”

Since climate change poses a threat to biodiversity and future generation’s wellbeing, it must receive adequate support from all corners, the adviser underlined.

The adviser also stated that Norway’s climate and environment minister made a commitment to fortify its cooperation with the Ethiopian government on climate-related matters until 2030.

” As per this partnership agreement the government of Norway will continue providing support to Ethiopia’s efforts to mitigate impacts of climate change, forestry development, and food security,” she stated.

The agreement will also allow Ethiopia to tap the financial market of carbon credit and other resources.

She affirmed that Norway’s government will continue to assist the development of forests in Ethiopia, pointing out that two of the 36 areas with notable successes in biodiversity protection worldwide are in Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Senior government officials expressed their commitment to carry out a concerted effort to bring the Tendaho irrigation dam into full operation.

The officials visited Afar Region of Ethiopia to see development projects including drinking water and sanitation schemes, summer wheat cultivation activities and irrigation development projects.

Minister of Water and Energy Engineer Habtamu Itefa, Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amente , Minister of Irrigation and Lowlands, Engineer Aisha Mohammed and other regional age federal government officials were among members of the delegation.

Minister of Lowlands and Irrigation, Aisha Mohammed stated during the event that the Awash River has enormous potential for developing vast tracts of farmland in the region noting the efforts being exerted to make the Tendaho Irrigation Dam, which is built on the Awash River to develop 60,000 hectares of land, fully operational.

The Tendaho Irrigation Dam is a massive infrastructure development project, according to Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa, who also promised to expeditiously finish the remaining operations surrounding the dam.

Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amente underlined the dam’s significance in terms of its ability to harvest agricultural products all year round in all kinds of weather and stated that the region has enormous agricultural potential that would make beneficial not only the region but the entire nation.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today inaugurated Defense Specialized Referral Hospital in Bishoftu town of Oromia region.

“The Defense Specialized Referral Hospital we inaugurated is a state-of-the-art facility located in Bishoftu, featuring a molecular laboratory, bone densitometry center, biomedical engineering department, and various essential medical services such as dialysis, neurology, and pulmonology,” Abiy wrote on his social media page.

He added it is one of the leading hospitals in our nation, serving as an emblem of the ability of generations to bring visionary projects to life for the benefit of citizens.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the ‘STRIDE Ethiopia’ Expo 2024 at ICT Park today.

During the occasion, the prime minister said that achieving technology and innovation requires collaboration.

‘The launch of the ‘Stride Ethiopia’ Expo marks a significant and hopeful beginning for our ICT sector, a promise that was clearly evident during my recent visit to the ICT Park,’ he added.

Abiy added that this event underscored our commitment to technological innovation and growth, reflecting the potential and ambition that characterize Ethiopia’s journey into the digital age.

Moreover, he elaborated they have observed innovative projects at ICT Park to modernize the agricultural sector.

It is also a great advantage for the country to have world-class data centers that accelerate the construction of smart cities and startups which will provide proper power distribution to the user and reduce wastage, he added.

The prime minister pointed out that both government and private institutions should use
the data centers to store information and use it properly for the development of the country.

He also stressed it is important to recognize the fact that the world is investing most of the resources on technology and innovation.

To this end, exerting concerted effort in coordinated manner to benefit from it is essential, the premier said.

The government will launch an initiative that will provide trainings to 5 million Ethiopian technology and computer programme developers and to students who have talents in Mathematics and science, the premier pointed out.

Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Molla said on his part that STRIDE Ethiopia is a big step towards achieving the country’s goals in science, technology and innovation.

STRIDE Ethiopia, initiated by the ministry, is a pioneer annual event aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation in Science, Technology, Research, Innovation, Digitalization, and Entrepreneurship.

The STRIDE Ethiopia Expo brings together stakeholders from startups, ec
osystem builders, corporations, government offices, academia, and development partners.

It is organized under the theme ‘Science Unlocks, Technology Connects, Innovation Drives’.

The expo will be open for the public at the Science Museum, from 19- 26 May, 2024.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh has urged the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) to continue strengthening its activities to enhance the cybersecurity capacity of institutions.

Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh visited the institution’s various operational units, including the Cyber Talent Development Center, the administration’s digital exhibition, and the public key infrastructure.

He also observed efforts being made by INSA to ensure the country’s cybersecurity.

Temesgen commended the activities being carried out by the security administration and stated that it should be further encouraged and reinforced.

He noted that INSA is one of the institutions that have undergone its reform, which is efficiently implemented.

He also stated that the efforts in supporting other agencies, such as the Ministry of Revenue and Ethio-Telecom, in building systems towards the realization of Digital Ethiopia 2025, are noteworthy.

The deputy prime minister also expressed his encourageme
nt for the institution’s assistance in helping key financial institutions build their own cybersecurity capabilities.

He also commended the activities being undertaken to develop a cyber-army.

He acknowledged the progress made in building the government’s secure communication system, urging it to further develop capacity and combat the ever growing cyber-attacks.

Director General of the Information Network Security Administration, Tigist Hamid on her part stated that the administration is working to ensure the national cybersecurity.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Developing collective strategies and initiatives for addressing the impact of climate change is a priority among BRICS countries, Head of the School of World Economy at HSE University, Russia, Makarov Igor said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Makarov Igor said that climate change has become one of the top priorities and areas of cooperation for BRICS member countries.

He added that over the last few years, BRICS countries have increasingly strengthened collaboration on various climate-related initiatives, including renewable energy development, carbon emissions reduction, and adaptation strategies.

BRICS founding nations, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa have recognized the urgent need for collective action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and transition to sustainable development pathways.

These countries are among the world’s largest economies and major emitters of greenhouse gases, making their cooperation crucial in global efforts to combat climate change, he a
dded.

Each nation within the BRICS bloc brings its unique set of challenges, resources, and opportunities to the table, making it essential to tailor strategies to their specific contexts while fostering collaboration.

Russia continues this priority and looks climate change as an issue of very intense cooperation within BRICS, he said, adding that member countries are responsible for about half of global emissions, accordingly in the future, the impact of climate change will be mitigated by BRICS countries.

To this effect, BRICS countries should provide their own mechanisms to deal with the reduction of carbon emission, he said.

Makarov Igor who is also Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics at the university said each nation within the BRICS bloc must contribute its unique approach to mitigate emissions, emphasizing the importance of a unified effort towards this goal.

Russia proposed a compact group on climates with participation of ministers and responsible agencies to provide some common
framework on climate change, including both mitigation and adaptation, he said.

He also said Russia thinks that BRICS should provide its common strategies to deal with climate change, which should be different from the responses provided by the developed countries.

According to him, the national circumstances in BRICS countries are very diverse and different from the west, he said.

He noted that different BRICS countries have very different objectives related to climate change, on the other hand, and they have the similar priorities, on the other.

They linked climate change with broader contexts of sustainable development, for instance, climate change and decarbonisation work to energy, he said,

He added that all the BRICS countries understand that they should transform the energy systems, which are very diverse.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency