Communities in Lamu corridor ask compensation – The Star


Communities in Lamu corridor ask compensation
The Star
Communities living along the proposed Lamu Port, South-Sudan and Ethiopia transport corridor have voiced their concerns after being locked out of consultation meetings that will actualise the implementation of the multi-billion project. Representatives from ...
Juba threatens to pull out of Lamu Port projectThe Standard Digital News (press release) (blog)

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Ethiopia Included On Cpj’s First Ever ‘Risk List’ – AllAfrica.com


Ethiopia Included On Cpj's First Ever 'Risk List'
AllAfrica.com
Addis Ababa — An international media advocacy group has identified 10 countries where press freedom has suffered in 2012. Risk List 2012 from Committee to Protect Journalists on Vimeo. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), on ...

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Britain, Ethiopia vow to support peace in the Sudans, Somalia – Sudan Tribune


Tadias Magazine

Britain, Ethiopia vow to support peace in the Sudans, Somalia
Sudan Tribune
February 16, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ethiopia and Britain have vowed to jointly exert more support to ensure durable peace and stability in the volatile Horn of Africa region after a meeting between the United Kingdom's deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, and ...
Economist: Ethiopia's New Leadership is Practising Hero-worshipTadias Magazine
A Bright Yellow Future for Girls in EthiopiaHuffington Post UK
Ethiopia produces first military drone aircraftMareeg
AllAfrica.com
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Saudi Arabia detains 53 Ethiopian Christians – WND.com


Saudi Arabia detains 53 Ethiopian Christians
WND.com
(BosNewsLife) Dozens of Ethiopian Christians, mostly women, have been detained in Saudi Arabia after attending a worship service in a private home, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, February 13. The Christians – 46 women and six men including three ...

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Lucy makes a final stop at California museum before returning to Ethiopia – Nazret.com (blog)


Nazret.com (blog)

Lucy makes a final stop at California museum before returning to Ethiopia
Nazret.com (blog)
You may not believe this, but the world's most famous fossil was named after a Beatles song. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was playing on a tape recorder in 1974 as scientists celebrated the discovery in Ethiopia of a remarkably intact, ancient hominid ...
Famous fossil Lucy makes a final stop at BowersOCRegister
Lucy Makes Last Stop in California, Then Off to EthiopiaTadias Magazine

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Good Day :PACCI and the Upcoming Conference (3) – Sudan Vision


Good Day :PACCI and the Upcoming Conference (3)
Sudan Vision
The Capital newspaper, based in Addis Ababa published an interview with Mr. Kebur Ghinna, the Executive Director of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry PACCA, he highlighted many issues related to the structure of the organization: ...

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Guide Megan Clifford, from Idle, will travel to Ethiopia to help children – EthioSports


EthioSports

Guide Megan Clifford, from Idle, will travel to Ethiopia to help children
EthioSports
A Girl Guide is heading to Ethiopia to develop educational projects for children in rural areas. Megan Clifford, 16, is the only Guide from the district selected for the trip, organised by Girlguiding North East England in association with Link Ethiopia. She will join ...

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La Crosse ELCA bishop grieves Ethiopian church’s severing ties – La Crosse Tribune


La Crosse ELCA bishop grieves Ethiopian church's severing ties
La Crosse Tribune
The head of the La Crosse Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America laments an Ethiopian Lutheran church body's decision to sever ties with the ELCA and other churches over the same-sex marriage issue. Bishop James Arends' sorrow ...

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Guide Megan Clifford, from Idle, will travel to Ethiopia to help children – Bradford Telegraph and Argus


Bradford Telegraph and Argus

Guide Megan Clifford, from Idle, will travel to Ethiopia to help children
Bradford Telegraph and Argus
A Girl Guide is heading to Ethiopia to develop educational projects for children in rural areas. Megan Clifford, 16, is the only Guide from the district selected for the trip, organised by Girlguiding North East England in association with Link Ethiopia. She will join ...

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Ethiopian Flower Exporters Cash In on Valentine’s Day

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — Ethiopia’s flower exporters are cashing in on Valentine’s Day, as the industry blooms.

Many of the roses that lovers give each other on Valentine’s Day happen to be grown in Ethiopia. In the last decade, the industry has grown from nothing to one of the dominant players on the international market.

Zelalem Messele, an Ethiopian flower grower and chairman of EHPEA, the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association, said Valentine’s Day is very important for the country’s flower sector.

“It’s one of the holidays the flower industry flourishes. And the production goes up by 30 to 40 percent and so the demand,” said Messele.

About 85 percent of Ethiopia’s flowers are exported to Europe. Flower exports in 2012 were valued at more than $210 million. This year, the amount is expected to be more than double, at $525 million.

Industry growth and government-provided tax breaks and loans have attracted many foreigners here to set up flower farms in Ethiopia. Of the 90 flower producers in the country, more than half are non-Ethiopians – many of them Dutch.

AQ Roses, a 40-hectare flower farm, 180 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa, employs 1,250 people. It is run by a Dutch family who came to Ethiopia in 2005. General Manager Frank Ammerlaan said there were multiple reasons for coming to Ethiopia.

“We were much more attracted by the whole atmosphere in Ethiopia. There’s a lot of sunshine. The temperatures are moderate. It’s not too hot, not too cold. That’s why we are able to produce good flowers,” said Ammerlaan.

New jobs

About 1,500 hectares in Ethiopia are used to produce flowers. The fast-growing industry has directly created about 85,000 jobs and roughly 110,000 jobs indirectly. Women take up 80 percent of these jobs.

ZK Flowers is a flower farm 50 kilometers south of Addis Ababa. There are only a few men to be spotted on the eight-hectare flower fields, as women occupy all jobs from cleaning to production management.

Birke Gormis works six days per week in the fields of ZK Flowers. She said the industry has improved her life and that of her family. She said that since she is employed, she is not dependent on her husband when she wants to buy items at the market.

Kenya is currently Africa’s biggest flower exporter and Ethiopia is second. As Ethiopia aims to surpass Kenya in the coming years, it is focusing on penetrating the North American market.