Siye Abreha, formerly one of the top TPLF people and defense minister, and for sometime an opposition voice who had resisted the temptation to formally join any party; along with Negasso Gidada, once president of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, and then an independent MP with an opposition inclination, have both decided to end their individuality by joining the Unity for Democracy and Justice, the party whose official chairman is the imprisoned Birtukan Mideksa. Siye said he made the UDJ his choice because he wanted a party without any ethnic partisanship, while Negasso said that the UDJ was his choice because his struggles as member of opposition Oromo groups and even as member of the OPDO, one of the founders of the ruling EPRDF, had not brought about any results either for the Oromo people or for other ethnic groups.  In his speech announcing his decision, he said of his new leader, Birtukan Mideksa, “The fact that she has remained steadfast in favour of truth and love and that she is ready to pay the sacrifice for the purpose she believes in truly makes her a disciple of Jesus Christ.” Shown here from left to right are Siye Abreha, Gizachew Shiferaw (Eng.), deputy leader of the UDJ; Negasso and Asrat Tassie, UDJ secretary.

The 10 prominent Ethiopian women, who are the founders of the women's bank, have applied to the National Bank of Ethiopia for the use of the name "Mother's Bank" as the official name of the bank currently under formation.

The initiators have also submitted their proposal to open blocked accounts and start floating public shares not more than three weeks ago.

Of the 10 initiators are Meaza Ashenafi, founder and former executive director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association; Nigest Haile, executive director of Centre for African Women Economic Empowerment; Rahel Zewde, wife of Gunther Sleeuwangen, Belgian Ambassador to Ethiopia; and Amelework Gedey, owner and manager of Techno Style.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) is working on the establishment of an independent organ that supervises the operation of large-scale commercial farms in Ethiopia.

The new body will have the responsibility of selecting new investors with the skills and capacity to engage in the cultivation of mechanised farms while supervising those who are already in the business.

According to Tefera Derbew, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development the establishment of the new organ was initiated with the interest of having traceable data about all commercial farms across the country.

The organ will perform a follow-up function on the performance of private farmers to make sure they are on track to meet shared objectives and will help them make the best use of their resources.

The new body will also have the authority to detect the inappropriate use of commercial farms.

It will also work to correct wrong-doings and confiscate land under improper use.

The National Tsetse Fly Eradication Project in Ethiopia is making its second attempt to eradicate the tsetse fly that spreads disease in many areas of the country.

The fly, that carries a parasite, causes sleeping sickness and makes many lands in Ethiopia unfit for cattle. Tsetse flies are found in many parts of Ethiopia. In western Ethiopia alone, they cover about 240,000sqkm.

The new mission aims at eradicating up to 95pc of tsetse flies from the southern rift valley in one year's time, according to Junedin Saddo minister of Science and Technology.  

This second attempt comes under the new Science and Technology Ministry after the 13 year mission proved unsuccessful in achieving its target. Junedin said the new project is now starting various programmes to raise awareness among farmers and pastoralists living in 326 localities in Southern Ethiopia.

The first attempt was made when a project jointly undertaken by the Ethiopian government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was launched in Ethiopia in 2002. It was then planned to eradicate tsetse fly by releasing flies that had been sterilised with gamma radiation to disturb the normal reproduction of the flies.

The Clinton Foundation proposed the Fentale integrated irrigation project to serve as a model for pastoralists in other countries, an official at the Ministry of Water Resources told Fortune.

The project has been designed to settle the pastoralists of Fentale Wereda in the East Shewa Zone of the Oromia Regional State.

The irrigation project was carried out at a cost of 360 million Br to resolve the water shortage problem of the Kereyu Oromo people in the area. Officials of the Foundation paid a visit to the area after meeting Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The irrigation project helps the pastoralist community of the zone to lead a settled life by carrying out irrigation and cattle breeding at the same time. With the construction of the dam, people can now get access to water for their cattle and are growing their own food as well.

It was the result of the project that so impressed Officials at the Foundation leading them to propose it as a model for other pastoralist communities in other countries, said the official.

The Addis Abeba Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA) is to revise its surface water development feasibility study and preliminary design for the supply of drinking water to Addis Abeba from Sibilu and Gerbi rivers, about 30km from the city. These were first done in 1991.

The plan came after the Japanese aid institution- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - showed an interest in helping the Authority with the revision of the study.

The revision of the study was fundamentally needed because of the 10 years that elapsed without any implementation.

JICA has already brought water experts from Japan, last week, for discussion and further cooperation with AAWSA for the revision of the study and the design.

The study was conducted to collect water from the two rivers in a dam that AAWSA would use to meet the city's demand until 2020. The city then anticipates a cost of seven billion Birr.

Abebe Biqila Stadium is to have its football field renovated at a cost of seven million Birr. The renovation began Saturday, November 28, 2009 with the covering of the field using artificial grass, an official of the Addis Abeba Youth and Sport Bureau said.

The project, to be completed in four months, is funded by a grant bestowed by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).

The stadium, currently, administered by the Addis Abeba Youth and Sports Bureau, will be renovated to meet international standards. The revitalization involves improvements to the infrastructure and amenities not the least of which include parking space expansion and water supply improvement.

The latter are to be financed by an additional four million Birr from the Addis Abeba Youth and Sports Bureau.

Meaza Ashenafi (left), founder and former executive director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, is now the chairperson of the committee which initiated the idea of starting a women's bank, currently under formation. Last Friday evening, November 13, 2009, the initiators invited prominent businesswomen to a consultation meeting held at the Belgium Embassy. Rahel Zewde, wife of Gunther Sleeuwangen, Belgian Ambassador to Ethiopia, is one of the ten women initiators who are involved in different business sectors. The initiators, who submitted their application to the National Bank of Ethiopia more than a week ago, are waiting for its approval to open a blocked account and start selling shares to the public. They expect the approval to come within a week or two.

The Ethio Poultry Expo was held at the Addis Abeba Exhibition Centre from November 4 to 6, 2009. The expo was organized by a Sudanese company, Expo Team Services Co. with an Ethiopian partner Prana Promotion. The organizers expressed their hope that the expo would be a springboard to attract international companies to enter the poultry markets in Ethiopia and other African countries. Culture and Tourism State Minister, Mahmoud Ahmed Gass, visited the expo where various poultry technologies were displayed.

The construction of the condominium houses of the Gergi site were completed six months ago. Since then, residents have started moving in. Nonetheless, the houses have no electricity and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) was only able to provide power to some of the residents. Consequently, residents with no access to power are sharing with those who have power by using cables which they have extended themselves. Some of the cables extend for 400 metres, Abebe Daneo, a resident, told Fortune. The cables cost about one Birr per metre and the selling residents could charge the buyers up to 50 Br for a month's share of electricity.