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Here are some news highlights from Ethiopia this week. I’ve included a summary of each piece. You can click on the title of each story to go read the full story. As always, links are only good for a few weeks, unless you subscribe to the news service.
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Ethiopia: U.S. to Build Largest Embassy Structure in Addis
Adoptive families may soon have a more comfortable and accommodating U.S. embassy building to visit when they apply for their adopted children’s visas in Addis. The United States government is planning the construction of a new four-story embassy building in its current location in Addis. When completed, the building could be the largest building built by the U.S. government in Africa and is projected to cost 140 million dollars. Ground is already being cleared within the compound, and a construction contract is expected to be awarded to an American contractor in October, 2007.
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Ethiopia: Uniquely African Millenium
The East African in Nairobi reported on July 10, 2007 that the celebration of the Ethiopian millenium is a time for Ethiopia to celebrate its rich heritage. The country of Kenya will be joining Ethiopia’s celebration in a variety of planned activities, including a procession and parade through the streets of Nairobi, an exhibition of Ethiopian and African traditional artifacts, and presentations by scholars on Ethiopia-Kenya relations. Some critics of the Ethiopian government claim that the government wants to use the year-long festivities to divert attention from the human-rights abuses in Ethiopia since the May 2005 elections. But Ajabe Ligabe Wolde, a counsellor at the Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi, says the celebration is an opportunity for Ethiopians to reflect on how they can improve Ethiopia.
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Ethiopia: State Constructs 405 Million Birr Worth Dam
The Reporter in Addis Ababa reported on July 7, 2007 that after two years of construction, a dam has been completed in Amhara State at a cost of 405 million birr. It is expected to be up and running by April 2008, at which time it will be used to water crops for over 30,000 household farmers.
