Ethiopia news - Other Columnists

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa - Where the Old Fiat Rules

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:51:36 -0700

Publication date:
Thu, 2000-07-20 10:00

Author Name:
by David Muwanga

Article:

It is very rare now in Uganda to see an Italian made vehicle traversing the roads unless it is a new model but not those Fiat cars that were mostly used by thieves and smugglers during Idi Amin's regime in the 1970's.

Experts Scrutinize US Role in African Security-Analysis

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:13:00 -0700

Publication date:
Fri, 2000-03-17 14:00

Author Name:
Nico Colombant

Source:
VOA

Photo:

Article:

Concerns over the extent of U.S. military aid in war-torn Somalia as well as challenges for the U.S. military command structure in Africa are leading American experts to scrutinize the U.S. security role on the continent.

Building a better world – beyond blueprints and infrastructure projects

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:00:08 -0800

Publication date:
Tue, 2000-03-07 01:00

Author Name:
By Allan Marshall and Ralph Watt

Article:

The completion of the Tekeze hydro-power project in Ethiopia ushers in a new source of renewable energy, educational opportunities and economic development for the people of Ethiopia

Somalia’s chaos spreading far beyond its frontier and coastline

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:38:42 -0800

Publication date:
Tue, 2009-12-22 01:00

Author Name:
Tristan McConnell

Source:
Times

Article:

On the first Thursday in December a young Danish-Somali man in women’s clothes blew himself up in a suicide attack in Mogadishu. Four days earlier, Somali pirates had hijacked a 300,000-tonne supertanker 800 miles out to sea. Somalia’s abject failure does not end at its own borders: the chaos is spreading far across its frontiers and beyond its coastline.

China happy with climate deal, image dented

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:29:47 -0800

Publication date:
Sat, 2009-12-19 13:00

Author Name:
By Emma Graham-Harrison

Article:

China flexed its growing political muscle to seal a compromise climate deal that protected its national sovereignty, but did little for global warming or Beijing's international image.

Solutions to global hunger are within our reach - report

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:35:06 -0800

Publication date:
Thu, 2009-11-12 17:00

Author Name:
by Katherine Baldwin

Article:

Technological advances in rice production have enabled China to feed an additional 60 million people per year since 1978, while investments in agriculture by farmers in Niger have revitalised an estimated 5 million hectares of land and improved access to food for at least 1 million people.

DDS Officials Visit to Europe and the Diaspora Reception-Analysis

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:18:40 -0700

Publication date:
Wed, 2009-08-26 11:00

Author Name:
Farhan Mohamud

Article:

Its historic visit or is it? The current visit of DDS officials in Europe has created quite some excitement in the Somali State Diaspora community, both the pro-government and the Opposition. Whether they are in Europe, in the Scandinavian, or in North America, the Diaspora community was engaged in a lively heated debate since the first day the DDS officials led by Abdifatax Sheikh Abdullahi, head of the ruling party SPDP, landed in Stockholm, Sweden. Before the DDS officials left the country, they were not sure what to expect from the Diaspora community. They had some serious reservation and some were even fearful of the encounter. The Diaspora community was also divided: the opposition was up in arms and even went as far as calling for their heads, while the majority was confused and didn’t know what to do. They were absorbed in self debate; whether to meet or not to meet with these officials. The majority were willing to listen but didn’t want to give the impression of supporting what some believed were irresponsible and deficient leaders. Both sides were hopeful of the encounter but didn’t have any clue how it will play out or the outcome. On the other side, were the Ethiopian embassies in Stockholm, Sweden and London, working tirelessly to host conferences and meetings between the communities and the officials without any embarrassments. The goal of the trip was first and foremost, to expose the DDS officials to both their critics and supporters. The second goal was to engage, inform and win the hearts and souls of the Diaspora community which has significant impact on the Somali regional government-socially and politically. The third goal was to open and create a doubt in the minds of the Diaspora community about the ONLF, an armed group currently engaged in the region.

Grading the Da'ud administration, and the federal government policies toward the region- A Rejoinder

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:41:52 -0700

Publication date:
Sat, 2009-07-18 03:00

Author Name:
by Mahad Ganey

Article:

It is a good read out on the political situation of the Somali region but there are some corrections I would like to make, based on my reading of the situation. I also want to raise a few questions that may incite a further discussion.

Lessons of the G-8 Summit: Eight Isn't Enough

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:39:52 -0700

Publication date:
Sat, 2009-07-11 09:00

Author Name:
By MICHAEL SCHERER AND JEFF ISRAELY

Article:

By MICHAEL SCHERER AND JEFF ISRAELY, L'AQUILA

Time Magazine.

There was a time when eight was enough: the annual meetings of the leaders of the world's eight most industrialized nations (well, seven, plus Russia, which while lagging well behind in the economic stakes was deemed a politically wise addition back in the mid-1990s) were once the unquestioned epicenter of global economic and military might. The G-8 summits staged in scenic spots around the world offered opportunities for the key leaders of the northern hemisphere to chart the direction of the world economy, and for thousands of protesters to gather and quixotically challenge that direction amid clouds of tear gas.

Al-Shabaab is Somalia’s headache, not Kenya’s

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:10:12 -0700

Publication date:
Wed, 2009-07-01 11:00

Author Name:
By COLLINS WANDERI

Article:

By COLLINS WANDERI

MANY JOURNALISTS SEEM to support the idea of Kenya sending its armed forces to Somalia to fight the Al-Shabaab.

An opportunity for Kenya in Ethiopia’s landlocked economy

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:22:06 -0700

Publication date:
Sat, 2009-06-13 19:00

Author Name:
By GITAU WARIGI,

Article:

If only we could get our politics right, there are rich opportunities that beckon quite simply because of the strategic position Kenya occupies. Uganda and Rwanda are already captive markets, judging from the volume of trade we do with them.

Political space in Ethiopia: A historical perspective

Fri, 29 May 2009 07:28:07 -0700

Publication date:
Fri, 2009-05-29 14:00

Author Name:
By Fanowedy Samara

Article:

Political space is a realm in which opinions are exchanged between persons and persons, person and the public or the public and the government. According to Jurgan Habermess, it is a space where citizens could participate politically in their community through rational critical discourse. Moreover, political space is a sphere where people come together to form a public whose reason would work as a check to the state. Generally speaking, political space is a sphere where citizens, individually or in group, participate in all affairs of their country that directly or in-directly affect/influence them.

Ethiopia: Big dam, bigger problems

Thu, 14 May 2009 05:12:48 -0700

Publication date:
Fri, 2009-05-15 00:00

Author Name:
By Lori Pottinger

Photo:

Article:

Right now, the Obama administration is participating in its first annual meeting of the African Development Bank, which is mandated to fund critical infrastructure for poor African nations. On the agenda is financing one of the biggest projects ever considered by the bank, the $2.1-billion Gilgel Gibe III dam in Ethiopia.

Reviewing the Damaging Effects of Ethiopian Diaspora - Part III

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:52:56 -0700

Publication date:
Fri, 2009-04-10 10:00

Author Name:
By Maru Gubena

Article:

The title below, “Can Democracy take Root in a Country where Family, Group Orientation and Regionalism are entrenched and Political Culture is lacking?” is a sub-topic of a larger paper titled “Reviewing the Damaging Effects of Ethiopian Diaspora Politics on the Wider Community and its Future Initiatives: The Search for Alternative Mechanisms,” of which the first and second parts have already been published on various Ethiopian and friends of Ethiopia websites some weeks ago. It is in fact the final part of the larger paper, and was meant to be discussed and posted later, so I am clearly aware that some of you among my readers may be surprised, and see this short presentation as “putting the cart before the horse,” since I am posting this short text before writing up and publishing all of the related sub-topics. Yes, while admitting the applicability of the saying “putting the cart before the horse,” I would, however, say that this is not without a reason – a reason that somehow compelled me to produce this brief summary. More clearly, the reason for me to skip the two other important sub-topics for the moment and give a short review of the final sub-title is that, though many readers’ comments were based on emotions and far remote from the socio-cultural and political realities facing Ethiopia and its people today, a substantial number of the comments expressed and questions raised focused exclusively on issues related to this subject matter – the absence of a mature political culture in Ethiopian society.

Why Foreign Aid Is Hurting Africa

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:47:25 -0700

Publication date:
Sat, 2009-03-21 23:00

Author Name:
By DAMBISA MOYO

Article:

Money from rich countries has trapped many African nations in a cycle of corruption, slower economic growth and poverty. Cutting off the flow would be far more beneficial, says Dambisa Moyo.