The Monthly Publication from the Ethiopian Embassy in London Ethiopian November 2010 Issue News Inside this Issue: Ethiopia tops HDI improvement in Africa ---------------------------------------------------------------------- page 3 Ethiopia promotes mineral exploration------------------------------------------------------------------------- page 6 Primary enrolment rises in Somali state------------------------------------------------------------------- page 7 Gebreselassie puts 2012 Olympics back on schedule ------------------------------------------------------- page 10 Season’s Greetings From Everyone at the Ethiopian Embassy The Economist - Ethiopia 3rd fastest growing accounts in shape and the economy will grow by economy in 2011 10%". Ethiopia is predicted to be “Strong agricultural economies” like Ethiopia will, it the third fastest growing said, “benefit from rising demand”. Ethiopia and economy in 2011, other sub-Saharan countries will gain not just from according to The their abundant commodities but from “the arrival Economist's "The World of new sub-marine fibre-optic cables [which] will in 2011" Publication, boost bandwidth, cut costs and stimulate which says Ethiopia is businesses that rely on technology... With recovery expected to grow by 10% in Western economies still looking fragile, there will in the coming year, be a growing appetite to invest in Africa”, it ranking it third behind concluded. Qatar and Ghana. Ethiopia Travel Evening at the Royal Geographical The report said that the new five-year economic Society (with IBG) plan “will emphasize infrastructure development, th industrialization, large-scale commercial farming, On November 10 , the Ethiopian Embassy and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), jointly and small private enterprise. Donor support and worker remittances will help to keep the national organised an event where presentations were given by veteran broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby and renowned cultural historian Gus Casely-Hayford on Ethiopian News the BBC documentaries on Ethiopia that they the construction boom in the Ethiopian capital, produced this year. Addis Ababa. Though Ethiopia faces challenges that all African countries face, he recognised that On arrival, guests were greeted with a coffee Ethiopia had made huge progress especially in ceremony and its wafts of incense and could attaining “eight, nine even ten per cent growth wander around exhibitions. rate”. Ambassador Berhanu Kebede opened the evening An exhibition and an illustrated talk were also held event to an audience of more than 650. In his on the RGS premises in the afternoon, promoting speech, he praised Jonathan Dimbleby, “whose the natural resources and wildlife in the Gambella name has been associated with Ethiopia for more Regional State. than a generation” and Gus Casely-Hayford, whose recent BBC programme played an important role in informing the British public of Ethiopia’s rich history and culture. Celebrated travel writer Frances Linzee Gordon, who wrote the first two editions of the Lonely Planet’s travel guide to Ethiopia, chaired the evening. On the day, guests had access to the RGS collection of historical maps and books from Ethiopia Collections and there were Ethiopian dancers and a photo exhibition. The evening debate was followed by a reception at the Embassy. The Ethiopian Embassy would like to thank the event sponsors – the Christensen Fund, Ethiopian (l-r) Jonathan Dimbleby, Frances Linzee Gordon and Gus Airlines, Pittards Leather, South West Energy, Altau Casely-Hayford Gold, Journeys by Design and Flowerworld, who Gus kicked off the evening with an illustrated talk supplied the stunning exotic flower displays. based on his hugely acclaimed Lost Kingdoms of Congratulations to Tony and Eleanor Redshaw, who Africa BBC TV series (BBC 4, repeated on BBC2) won a return flight ticket in the Ethiopian Airlines saying “If you are in any way interested in culture, competition on the night. history or living archaeology, you will find Ethiopia enormously satisfying.” The Ambassador’s speech and press release from the event are available on demand. Please send an email to Jonathan said Ethiopia is changing and that it has a [email protected]. positive future. He appreciated the resilience, the “grit” of Ethiopians and showed footage from his highly successful BBC TV series Jonathan Dimbleby: an African Journey, depicting thriving markets and 2 November 2010 Issue Ethiopian News PM Meles attends G20 Summit in South Korea Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and Engineer Mahboub Maalim, the Executive Secretary of IGAD. Leaders of the world’s major developed and developing countries, as well as institutions, The communiqué commended the efforts of the AU wrapped up the 2-day G20 Seoul Summit on 12th High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) in November with a joint communiqué. facilitating the Parties’ agreement on the implementation of outstanding issues in the CPA Attending the Seoul Summit were leaders from the and Post-Referendum Arrangements. G20 member countries, the European Union, the IMF, the World Bank, the UN, the World Trade The communiqué is available on request; please send an Organisation, the OECD, the African Union, the email to [email protected] ASEAN and the International Labour Organisation, Ethiopia tops HDI improvement in Africa as well as from five non-G20 countries - Ethiopia, Malawi, Singapore, Spain and Vietnam. Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in the non- income dimensions of human development, ranking The G20 Summit deliberated extensively on the as the 11th best performer in the world and 1st in global economic crisis and climate change. Africa, according to the annual global Human Development Index (HDI) Report, which measures Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that the progress in health, education, income, gender understanding reached among G20 countries equality and other areas. embraced the position of Africa. He said that even though Africa did not participate in the G20 Summit Compiled by the UN Development Programme that was held in Washington DC, it presented its (UNDP), Ethiopia was singled out for the remarkable own alternatives in the London and Pittsburg progress it made in health care and education. The Summits. report said that “primary school enrolment in Ethiopia rose from 33% in 1991 to 95% in 2007, IGAD holds its 16th Extra-Ordinary Session astounding for a country with a per capita income The 16th Extra-Ordinary Session of the of less than $1,000. Since 1990, Ethiopia has the th Intergovernmental Authority on Development 14 highest rate of progress in improving health th (IGAD) was concluded on the 23rd of November with and education and the 11 fastest upward move a communiqué expressing the progress made in the overall.” This came about from 1991 when the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front Agreement (CPA) in the Sudan, as well as current overthrew the Marxist government. “The new political, security and humanitarian situations in government focused on ethnic federalism and Somalia. socioeconomic development to consolidate its base of support. Education became a national priority in The Summit was chaired by Prime Minister Meles, an effort to boost enrolment,” the report said. the current Chairperson of IGAD, and present were th President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President This year’s report, its 20 anniversary edition since Omar El Bashir of the Sudan, President Ismael Omar its inception in 1990, introduced three new indices Guelleh of Djibouti, and President Mwai Kibaki of to measure countries’ status of wellbeing. It Kenya, the Chairperson of the IGAD sub-committee covered data for 169 countries for which complete on the Sudan, as well as Mr. Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim, data is available for the past 40 years. representing the President of the Transitional November 2010 Issue 3 Ethiopian News IMF: Ethiopia’s macroeconomic outlook favourable month arrangement under the high-access in 2010-11 component of the ESF in August 2009, which was extended in October 2010 to allow for completion Ethiopia’s macroeconomic outlook is “broadly of this second and final review and allow for the favourable” for 2010-11, the International final disbursement. Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. Ethiopia announces plans for wind energy The real GDP growth will continue to rise, reflecting an anticipated bumper harvest and on-going strong The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) goods and services exports, particularly gold. signed agreements for the creation of two large wind farms that will significantly change Ethiopia’s According to the IMF, Ethiopia has successfully power generating capacity. implemented policies to reduce inflation and rebuild external reserves under the Exogenous Ethiopia’s first ever wind power plant is being built Shocks Facility (ESF)-supported programme. in Ashegoda, near Mekelle, the capital of Tigray. The first phase of the project, which is being Based on a much stronger performance than overseen by France’s Vergnet Groupe, is expected anticipated in 2009/10, the medium term export to be completed by June 2011 and will have a outlook has been raised on higher gold and service capacity of 30MW. When the plant is fully exports. operational, in 2013, its total capacity will be Ethiopia is determined to focus on sustaining 120MW. macroeconomic stability, enhancing domestic resource mobilisation, promoting broad-based and pro-poor growth, and increasing investment in infrastructure,