Let us unite with love; surpass in forgiveness!

Vol. LXXVI No 223 28 May 2020 - Ginbot 20, 2012 Price Birr 5.75

Page 8Page 6

See MoFA, competing. .. page 4

Page 5

Tana: Ethiopia’s largest lake, source of Blue Nile

in danger

Protecting the rights of women and girls duringthe COVID-19 pandemic

How coronavirus dashed Ethiopia’s dream of hosting Africa’s first major AI conference

See Deputy State ... page 2

on public to renew covenant, transform country

ADDIS ABABA - A high level national conference, which has brought together the country’s competing political party leaders to discuss the issues of the Grand Ethiopian Reminiscence Dam (GERD) was undertaken at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

MoFA, competing political parties

undertake national conference on GERD

Four billion tree seedlings were planted last year in Ethiopia-setting an unprecedented world record of planting 300 million in just 12 hours. Of these seedlings 84% are confirmed prolific. Preparation has been finalized to plant

5 billion seedlings for the upcoming rainy season as well. With diligence and preparation, we will register unparalleled result.

5 bln. seedlings for the upcoming rainy season

PM calls

BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW

ADDIS ABABA - Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed yesterday called on the public to renew covenant to engage in practical actions to achieve

heightened results and transform the country.

In his message forwarded to fellow Ethiopians in connection with May 28 Victory Day yesterday, Abiy said that the day is among the many important days that changed the history of modern Ethiopia.

Recalling that many people sacrificed their lives for democracy, justice and lasting peace, he said what

initiated strugglers to sacrifice their lives is to circumvent oppression and dishonor and ensure equality, diversity, equity and mutual benefits.

“We have to celebrate May 28 taking all these objectives into consideration. The Day has to be celebrated by evaluating our past journey to shape a better future,” Abiy said.

He also said that the major objectives of the freedom fighters that brought May 28 was transforming Ethiopia to the next level rather than returning it to the erstwhile situation, he added.

“We can achieve their objectives by transforming the country,” Abiy said. “The purpose of the Prosperity Party is not only to be proud of the victory recorded in the past but also to transform the country and achieve a better future.”

BY STAFF REPORTER

ADDIS ABABA - Somali State Deputy President Mustafa Mohammed Omer said the severe human rights violation on the people of Somali and security problems from May 28, 1991, onwards outweighed the benefits secured concerning self-rule and the exercise of own language to education.

Speaking to Addis Zemen in connection with May 28, the Deputy President said despite the self-rule and exercise of own

Deputy State Chief says May 28 brings more harm than good to Somali people

language to instructional purposes, the people of Somali had been exposed to pseudo-federalism, human rights' abuse and the looting of the public treasure.

Describing that the people benefited out of the few nation-wide changes, he said the psychological burden and human rights abuses inflicted on the people, by a Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)-led system, had been far wider than the benefits.

Citing as the system employed divide and

PAGE 2THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

NATIONAL

BY TEWODROS KASSA

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopian is converting its passenger airplanes into cargo service providers to withstand COVID-19 impact.

Ethiopian Chief Operating Officer Mesfin Tassew told The Ethiopian Herald that currently Ethiopian has some 120 airliners. Twelve of these are cargo and the rest are passenger airliners.

Following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Airlines was forced to halt most of its passenger services, he added.

Some 90 destinations are temporarily closed due to the pandemic and as a result, the number of flights has also been significantly reduced, according to him.

“Currently, there is a high demand for cargo services globally than passenger services. As a result, we are using some of the passenger planes for cargo

Ethiopian passenger airplanes offer cargo services amid COVID-19

transport. We are keeping some of the airliners with or without seats for cargo services”, he stressed.

The overall economic impact of COVID-19 has forced the airline to stop its daily flights to its worldwide

destinations. “As a result, we have been forced to stop over 90 percent of our passenger services in the last three months,” Mesfin added.

The Chief Operating Officer this budget year, the Airlines is planning to earn

five billion dollars in revenue, adding that, the revenue has shown a significant reduction since the start of the pandemic.

While 85 percent of the Airlines’ annual revenue comes from passenger service, now it is forced to be dependent on cargo services only, he indicated. Thus, the current flight of the Airlines is only about 15 percent of its total capacity.

The Airlines has approximately 127 international and 22 national destinations.

Accordingly, properly implementing its plans regularly has allowed it to grow from time to time. In particular, the development of infrastructure, the availability of trained human resources, the implementation of modern aircraft, and the adoption of technology are the key factors in its success.

Currently, the Covid-19 pandemic is hugely affecting the airline transportation sector. Many airlines are experiencing liquidation. Following this, the airlines are taking different measures to recover.

BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

ADDIS ABABA –The Ministry of Agriculture announced a plan to cover an additional 1.2 million hectares of land with major crops to ensure food security.

Isaias Lemma, Crop Development Director at the Ministry told The Ethiopian Herald that the Ministry has planned to cover an additional 1.2 million hectares of land with major in a bid to ensure food security and withstand the impact of COVID-19 on food security.

Besides the plan to withstand the impact of COVID-19 on domestic agricultural productivity and food security, the plan also aims at substituting imports.

Following the plan, the ministry is

planning to harvest over 40 million quintals of crop.

“The impact of COVID-19 on the agriculture sector will be felt in the next production year as this year’s harvest has already been collected before the occurrence of the pandemic.”

Previously, over 1.8 million hectares of land has been transferred for investors. Out of this, only 664,000 hectares of land is actually covered with crops. Around 300 to 400, 000 hectares of land is covered with other agricultural products. The remaining land is yet to develop and the Ministry has devised a plan to do so, he noted.

As to him, the discussion is underway with local communities, investors, unions, and others on alternative ways to cultivate undeveloped land. “If these

groups fail to develop the land, there is a plan to transfer the land to others.”

“Basically, we have reached an agreement on the plan. The government is committed to providing technical supports to these groups, especially to those groups that hold the land through bank agreement and others.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry is working to support agricultural development especially through contract farming and others.

Besides, the Ministry has sufficient supply of inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and chemicals as additional land is prepared for development and planned to utilize other alternatives.

However, while 80 percent of Ethiopia’s population is agrarian, only 20 percent of them have access to improved seeds.

Ethiopia to cover 1.2 million hectares of land to withstand COVID-19 impact

BY MULATU BELACHEW

ADDIS ABABA - Minister of Agriculture said it is supporting private sector actors that are conducting research to fill the supply-demand gap in relation to improved seeds.It is also noted that despite this initiative, the contribution of the private sector remains unsatisfactory. Esayas Lemma, Crop Development Directorate Director at the ministry told The Ethiopian Herald that while 80 percent of Ethiopia’s population is agrarian, only 20 percent of them have access to improved seeds. This shows a lack of commitment from the side of stakeholders in producing and making available improved seeds to farmers at the right time.“The government is supporting private actors who are conducting research on improved seed,” he added. The ministry plans to improve farmers’ productivity at a lower cost. The agricultural productivity has shown a six percent increment from the previous year, though it has not yet reached the desired level. Improved seeds play a key role in improving farming systems and productivity and easing nutrition challenges. Investors, research centers and experts need to work closely with the Ministry to play their part in modernizing the agriculture sector and introducing mechanized agriculture to feed the rapidly growing population and support economic growth.

Ministry says working to narrow

improved seed supply-demand gap

rule and the politics of hatred nation-wide, he said: "The inhumane treatment on the people of Somali were unprecedented in the entire history of the people, and the actions of dishonoring the people were perpetrated in an organized fashion"

The Deputy President unveiled the public's satisfaction over the current change indicating the presence of destructive actions by some contrabandists and those benefiting from it; however, the reform undertakings on the State's institutions created a reliable capacity to counter the ill efforts.

Speaking on the State's development

efforts, Mustafa said the infrastructural developments being undertaken following the reform exceed that of the 27 years’ ones. Seven secondary schools were built during the preceding five years of the reform, but 50 secondary schools have taken shape in just only a year and half time since the reform has begun.

The state is carrying out development efforts worth over six billion Birr while potable water projects have been ongoing with an outlay of over two billion Birr in the towns of Gode, Kebri Dehar, Degehabur.

Regarding road infrastructure, he

said 1,011 kms. all-weather and 24 kms. asphalt road constructions are taking shape in the state. The President also indicated that job opportunities have been created to 200 thousand youths, of which 35 thousand are employed in the state's public offices.

The wide-ranging development undertakings would benefit the people of Somali, he said, adding such undertakings would continue with more vigor both at state and federal levels. Mentioning that every system has both strengths and weaknesses, he noted the need for rectifying the weakness.

Deputy State...

The Ethiopian Herald

Established in 1943Published daily except MondaysBy The Ethiopian Press Agency

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Fax. 251-011-156-98-62Advertisement and Dist.

Department email:epapromotion@press.et

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EditorialPAGE 3 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

Lakachew AtinafuGirmachew Gashaw

Tewodros KassaTsegaye Tilahun

Mulatu Belachew

Deputy-Editor-in-Chief Abiy Hailu

Email- abiyhailu156@gmail.com

Editors/Reporters

The youths of Ethiopia ardently fought, tooth and nail, for decades to undo injustices and encumbrances that led the peasantry masses to backwardness and poverty. During the 60s and early 70s, the Ethiopian students’ movement under the banner of ‘Land to the Tiller’, gave a shockwave to the Emperor Haileselassie I reign, and finally, the edifice of the era turn to dust.

The subsequent military government that hijacked the students’ struggle reformed the landholding system and abolished the age-old landlord-tenant relations but still it shuttered the curtain on democracy and democratic system.

Hence, another wave of struggle had become inevitable. Rallying behind self-rule and constitutional system, and the like, various armed resistance brought the military regime to test and took it to its demise - today marks the 29th anniversary of the collapse of the military regime, or in you like, the administration of then Peoples Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

But its demise was to no avail. The nearly three decades of the administration of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front robbed of the people’s and the youths’ hopes and sacrifices paid to democracy and democratic system. It only installed a pseudo-democracy that puppets rose to the helm of regional and city administrative echelons, and the country was led by oligarchs. Silencing political dissents, repressing the media, and brutal handling of prisoners and whatnot took the throne. Economically, Ethiopia gets enlisted under the high risk of debt distress owing to failure to execute projects and unable to repay debts.

The latest round of youths’ struggle together with the emerging of a reformist team from within the inner circle of the ruling disbanded the oligarchs. Political parties that had previously been

banned to operate in the country have returned home from years of exiles, a number of websites have been unblocked, thousands of political prisoners including top officials of political parties have been set free and what have you.

Without a shred of doubt, democracy and democratic system cannot be achieved overnight. Now we are at a decisive time. We have myriads of problems ahead of us, and to make matters worse, the threat of COVID-19 has bought an unprecedented challenge both to our country and the entire world.

What is more, the delayed projects including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam incubate additional problems, both security, and financial ones. Bulging youth populations with rising unemployment, environmental and natural emergencies including the current swarms of locusts that destroy farm and pasture lands are piling up than ever before.

These and other problems can only get resolved with the exercise of democracy and democratic systems. And now we have witnessed the light at the end of the tunnel. As we are a population of over a hundred million, it is true that there is a diverse interest that should be handled carefully and with utmost wisdom. This calls for patience from all sides. The catch-all phrase of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Medemer, throws light on our path. And senior political elites, activists, religious fathers, and other opinion leaders must continue joining hands to chart out a better future to themselves and to the youths today and the posterity. There should not be any reason for the youths to militate against another round of struggle for democracy and democratic system. The youths of today and tomorrow, must be armed with a vision of prosperity-their knowledge, skills, talents, and energy have to properly be channeled to improving themselves and that of the country.

The next struggle

This year is giving Ethiopians yet another milestone opportunity to contribute something for a better and green future. The country is preparing itself to undertake a massive tree plantation campaign to rehabilitate its environment which is severely degraded because of years of uncontrolled and unplanned human activities and interventions.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has initiated a green legacy campaign during last year’s Ethiopian rainy season. Accordingly, four billion tree seedlings were planted in the country – setting an unprecedented world record of planning 300 million trees within 12 hours. Of these seedlings, 84 percent are confirmed prolific.

A preparation has been finalized to plant five billion trees for the upcoming rainy season as well. Last year’s success is an encouragement for all Ethiopians to take part actively in the campaign and register a better record.

But it should be noted here that this year’s tree plantation will be conducted in a very different and challenging context. This is due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic which restricts the movement of people and social gathering. It will definitely make it harder to even repeat last year’s success, let alone surpass it.

Joining hands for ‘green legacy’Editorial

But every problem brings with it solution if one is innovative and use it as an opportunity. Hence, it is imperative that the concerned bodies come up with different mechanisms and strategies to sustain the massive tree plantation in the coming rainy season.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the green initiative and tree plantation campaign has a similar meaning and status for Ethiopians as that of finalizing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

In the past several years, Ethiopia has lost a significant amount of its forest coverage. At the beginning of the twentieth century 35 percent of Ethiopia’s land was covered by trees but recent research indicates that forest cover is now less than 14.2 percent. This was even made possible through various tree reforestation programs.

Population growth, the rising demand for fuel, grazing land and additional agricultural land, urbanization and poor environmental policy and management strategies among others have resulted in grave environmental degradation and deforestation.

In addition, because of the global climate change and global warming, agricultural

production and productivity have significantly declined. The country is also prone to recurrent drought. On the other hand, some areas of the country also suffer from unexpected flooding.

Due to the massive deforestation, Ethiopia has also been severely affected by soil erosion as forests play a big role in protecting erosion and tree roots protect against washouts. Trees also help to keep water in the soil and reduce global warming by uptake of carbon dioxide.

Besides the terrifying loss of biodiversity, the sustainability of ecosystem services is also under threat. Hence, the massive reforestation and tree plantation campaign is needed to reverse this situation.

Hence, the tree plantation and the green initiative campaigns are instrumental in laying the foundation for the development of the current and future generation of Ethiopians. Building on the green initiative momentum, Ethiopia can accelerate progress towards the global goal of sustainable development and poverty reduction. Hence, the concerned institutions should come up with an effective mechanism to conduct at the time of COVID-19 minimizing exposure while the people should be ready more than ever to make it a success.

The tree plantation and the green initiative campaigns

are instrumental in laying the foundation for the development of the current and future generation

of Ethiopians. Building on the green initiative momentum,

Ethiopia can accelerate progress towards the global goal of

sustainable development and poverty reduction

PAGE 4THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

NATIONAL

The conference was embarked on under the maxim “Our Dam is the Symbol of Unity and Sovereignty”.

Speaking at the opening session, Foreign Minister, Gedu Andargachew briefed leaders of the political parties on the ongoing negotiation and Ethiopia’s diplomatic efforts towards GERD.

The Dam is an emblematic manifestation that would help Ethiopia to take out its people from the quagmire of poverty using its water resources, Gedu said.

Ethiopia has passed in very reasonable and moderate tripartite negotiations during the past eight consecutive years to make clear that the construction of the Dam has no significance harm on the downstream countries as it generates hydropower.

However, Egypt has continued to undermine and create diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia, he said adding that “they are trying to maintain

the hydropower hegemony and colonialist treaties which is unfair and unacceptable.”

“It is time for us to come together and stand for our sovereignty” Gedu said, adding that all political parties have to make concession leaving aside their political differences as the GERD is an issue of sovereignty.

Chairman of Ethiopian Parties Joint Council, Adem Musa said for his part that political parties are ready to support the efforts of the government at national and international level by mobilizing the entire public for the finalization of the dam.

He called on the parties to reinforce unity and avoid political polarization as the country is struggling to resolve issues related to the flagship project of the Grand Ethiopian Reminiscence Dam.

Source: ENA

MoFA, competing ...

BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia and the Republic of Korea South Korea are advancing and strengthening their bilateral ties in different fields said KIM DONG HO, Country Director of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Ethiopia Office. The Country Director told The Ethiopian Herald that KOICA has carried out various development cooperation programs in Ethiopia. “Every year, the Korean government funds 30 million USD to support Ethiopia’s development in agriculture, rural development, public health, income generation and others.”In Ethiopia, KOICA has been working focusing on income generation and job creation activities. It has been offering training and other supports in various fields such as technology, technical training for farmers, job creation and other fields, he added. According to him, now all these sectors will contribute to the job creation and income generation as COVID-19 will affect such kind of job opportunities. “So we are going to prevent such kinds

of job losses on employment through future cooperation.” "Nowadays we are trying to contribute to the fight against COVID-19. KOICA continues to donate personal protective equipment to charity organizations and hospitals," he said.As to Director, Ethiopian government dispatched troops to Korea during the Korean War in 1959. "We always keep such kinds of good cooperation with Ethiopia. Two countries seem like brothers." Now, the bilateral cooperation between Korean and Ethiopia has been strengthening and reached a level of strategic partnership, he noted. Last year (2019), Ethiopia and South Korea have signed a framework arrangement amounting to 300 million USD in the form of highly concessional resource that will be allocated to the priority sectors from 2019 to 2020. It will specifically be used for the construction of Adama Center of Excellence and construction of Addis Ababa expressways as well as other development projects.

ADDIS ABABA - Religious leaders have called on the government to complete the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam alongside conducting fair negotiations with the riparian countries for the benefit of citizens. At a press conference it held on Tuesday, the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, an umbrella of seven member institutions, stressed Ethiopia’s natural right to develop the Nile River and recommended the continuation of the tripartite negotiations.Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Patriarch, Abune Mathias said the government needs to complete the dam based on mutual understanding with the downstream countries and without interference of outsiders.He noted that Ethiopians have contributed a lot in terms of finance and human force for the construction of the dam with the hope of improving their livelihood and the development of the country.The government should, therefore, continue with its commitment to build and complete the dam for the public good, without significantly harming the riparian countries, Abune Mathias underscored.Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council Secretary and representative of the President, Sheik Kasim Sheik Mohammed Tajudin also said the government should complete the dam alongside fair negotiations with Egypt

and Sudan to benefit its citizens without electricity.“With regard to the dam, we need to stand in unison and even pay sacrifice for its completion,” he stressed. Ethiopian Catholic Church Head, Cardinal Berhaneyesus Suraphel noted that Ethiopia has the right to develop its rivers in order to provide electricity for its million of citizens like Egypt.“The Egyptians have better access to electricity than Ethiopia. In our case, students and households have no electricity,” he stated, adding that the downstream countries “do know that Ethiopians have no intention whatsoever of harming Egypt or Sudan.”Cardinal Berhaneyesus commended the agreement to resume the tripartite negotiations and underscored the need for African solutions to disputes.Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia Head, Pastor Tsadiku Abdo said Egyptians and even Ethiopians need to cooperate and uphold principles of mutual benefit, mentioning the golden rule principle of “treating others as you want to be treated.”He called on all Ethiopians to stand united to defend their rights as the Egyptians are pushing a controversial agenda with respect to the dam and provoking internal strife to effect the disintegration of Ethiopia.

Source: ENA

Religious leaders urge gov’t to complete dam

Ethiopia, South Korea advancing bilateral ties: KOICA Country Director

BY STAFF REPORTER

ADDIS ABABA - The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that the Ethiopian-Russian bilateral cooperation would continue to develop constructively.

In his congratulatory message on the National Day (May 28) to President Sahlework Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, he cited that the rich history of the two-side that rests on good traditions meet the interests of the respective peoples, indicated

a press release The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Addissent to The Ethiopian Herald.

Putin also wished good health and success, and peace and prosperity to all Ethiopian citizens.

Ethiopia-Russian ties continue to thrive says Pres. Putin

PAGE 5 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

VIEWPOINT

Protecting the rights of women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic

BY MARIE-EVELYNE PETRUS-BARRY

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world causing untold suffering and misery. The world

has been turned upside down within a few months. Millions of people, particularly the elderly, have fallen critically ill; and thousands more, including health workers, have died after contracting the deadly virus. The world economy has literally been brought to its knees with businesses collapsing, destroying livelihoods and pushing many people into extreme poverty.

It is still unclear how the new coronavirus, also known as virus SARS-Cov-2 virus, is being transmitted in Africa. For now, the virus appears to be spreading at a much slower rate than in Europe and USA. But this may largely be due to lack of widespread testing.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the current lower rate of transmission on the continent will most likely translate into a more prolonged outbreak over several years. And as African countries start easing restrictions including lockdowns and curfews, infections rates are expected to rise sharply in the coming weeks.

From fears of contracting and dying from the infection, financial worries, to job losses, and feeling of helplessness, the

deadly disease has affected all aspects of life. Women, to a large extent, are more adversely affected than men by the crisis due to existing patriarchal norms, traditional gender roles, and deep-rooted inequalities.

They bear the heaviest burden of the outbreak because in their traditional roles as homemakers, mothers, and wives, they are responsible for ensuring that life goes even as everything around them is falling apart. In their nurturing and care giving roles, women have to take care of sick family members; and as the majority of health workers in hospitals; they are disproportionately exposed to the deadly virus.

And when all available medical resources, including midwives, are deployed towards addressing the coronavirus outbreak, women face enormous difficulties accessing essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and maternal health services, putting them at greater risk of unintended pregnancies, HIV and sexually transmitted infections, unsafe abortion and even death during childbirth. And equally distressing is the reported increase in cases of gender-based violence.

Yet the pandemic is more than a medical emergency. It is also a social and economic crisis. Over 75 percent of women in Africa eke out a living from the informal economy as street food vendors and market traders. Many can no longer provide for their

families as their small enterprises have been affected by containment measures such as quarantines, lockdowns, travel restrictions and social distancing.

In many ways, the pandemic has magnified persistent gender inequalities in society. And sadly, significant progress in advancing gender equality and women’s rights, including hard-won gains for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) over the past decades, is being reversed. This underscores an urgent need to safeguard these gains by addressing the disproportionately negative impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of women and girls.

In an effort to ensure human rights, gender equality and SRHR for all are not neglected during this crisis and in its aftermath, three international NGOs committed to advancing the enjoyment of human rights for all without discrimination – International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR), Amnesty International, and Women's Link Worldwide –developed guidelines to help national and local government authorities and agencies, as well as sub-regional and regional organizations, better understand the obligations they must fulfil with regard to women and girls' rights during the pandemic.

The “Guidelines for African States to Protect the Rights of Women and Girls during the COVID 19 Pandemic,” launched

on 7 May 2020, provide a roadmap for governments and regional organisations for taking the necessary measures to protect the rights of women and girls, who are often disproportionately affected in crisis situations.

They also highlight states’ obligations to guarantee the right to live free from discrimination and violence and calls on governments to ensure access to essential sexual and reproductive health services, commodities and information during the pandemic.

The guidelines revolve around five key pillars: The rights to live free from violence and to be free from torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment; access to sexual and reproductive health services, commodities and information; access to justice; women and girls in the context of migration and human mobility; and women and informal economy.

Clearly, collective and coordinated mitigation and recovery interventions will only succeed if women’s voices are included; and their fundamental rights are respected and guaranteed. This is a prerequisite for building a healthier, more equitable, fairer post COVID-19 future for all.

The writer is the Regional Director, IPPF Africa Regionbased in Nairobi.

E-mail: me.petrus.barry@ippfaro.org

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – “It feels good to help others, especially children,” says Tirusew Getachew, a social worker based in Ethiopia’s capital. “But there aren’t many of us [social workers], and it’s challenging work.”Tirusew is one of three social workers currently attached to five quarantine centres for Ethiopian migrants who have been deported from other countries. An uptick in the number of migrants returning home amid the COVID-19 pandemic – many of them unaccompanied children below the age of 18 – has left the quarantine centres struggling to ensure that returnees are able to reintegrate safely.Tirusew, whose name means ‘good person’ in Amharic, one of Ethiopia’s main languages, knows she must tread carefully with the children arriving at the centres. Many are deeply distressed after enduring emotional and physical abuse at the hands of smugglers and traffickers.“I don’t jump straight into questions about what happened to them,” she says. “I take my time to earn their trust so that they can

talk freely.”Tirusew’s empathetic approach isn’t just a product of her training – it stems in part from her own difficult childhood. “My father died when I was 12 and I had to take care of my six siblings,” she says. “Since then, I’ve felt that protecting children is my responsibility.” After taking some time to make a child feel comfortable, Tirusew conducts a thorough vulnerability assessment including what happened before, during and after the child’s migration. Migrants who have suffered psychological, sexual and physical abuse are referred for psychosocial support and other health or care services. Upon completion of the assessment, Tirusew begins the process of tracing a child’s family. It’s easier said than done. Many of the children embarked on treacherous journeys from remote rural villages with little or no access to telephones or other means of communication. In cases where the family is traceable, Tirusew will often accompany the child to his or her village.Coming home is complicatedBut not every child wants to go home. Some children were abused by a family

member before leaving. Others feel guilty coming home because their families sold some of their belongings to try to pay the exorbitant amounts demanded by brokers and traffickers to get them out of the country in the first place.Tirusew works closely with local officials to help children reintegrate with their families and communities, when it’s considered safe to do so, and to enrol them in school. But COVID-19 poses new challenges to reintegrating children. Not only is the number of returnees growing quickly, but those returning are required to be quarantined for 14 days to ensure they don’t have the coronavirus, which has the potential to create further stigma in the community.“People don’t understand the purpose of the quarantine,” says Kidist Gebrehanna, a manager at the centre where Tirusew has been working. “These migrants and returnees aren’t here because they are sick. It’s just a precaution.”Site management and day-to-day operations at the quarantine centres are supported by the International Organization for Migration, while UNICEF – working closely with the

Addis Ababa Bureau of Women, Children and Youth – has supported the recruitment, training and deployment of social workers. UNICEF has also provided soap, hygiene materials, and dignity and recreation kits, among other items. Karin Heissler, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Ethiopia, says the country is facing a shortage of social workers. “[They] are critical to identifying risks, facilitating access to protection services and ensuring that children are protected from violence, exploitation, neglect, and family separation.” Tirusew hopes to reunite the first group of unaccompanied quarantined children with their families in the next few days*, a major child protection milestone. But despite the importance of her work, Tirusew says she doesn’t think people understand what an integral part social workers are playing in keeping children safe.“Social workers are like doctors and nurses. We need encouragement from everyone.”*Since Tirusew was interviewed, 544 child migrants have been reunified with their families.

Source: unicef.org

As migrants return to Ethiopia, social workers show they’re essential to COVID-19 response

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many migrants, including children, to return home. Social workers are helping them do so safely.

BY DEMISSEW BIZUWERK

Commentary

Tana: Ethiopia’s largest lake, source of Blue Nile in danger

Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald.

PAGE 6THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

BY ENDALE ASSEFA

I remember back in the late 80s, Lake Haromaya had been one of the splendours of Haromaya town. The

fresh breeze you inhale in the vicinity located off the main road to the city of Harar was a food for the soul. The fauna and flora you could see just standing near the marsh shore of the lake that was covered with tall savannah grasses used to give inner peace and tranquillity to the mind. Though the lake was quite small nearly covering five square kilometres and a depth of about eight meters, it was immensely important for the conservation of nature and biodiversity in the region, in addition to its glamour. Today, it is a dry land with no trace of its existence.

I also do remember that there were repeated concerns and warnings from local research groups about the dangers facing the lake during those days. As Harar, in the bigger picture, was in a chronic shortage of water for many years in those days, there was excessive use of water from the lake for irrigation and drinking purposes.

In actual fact, Ethiopia has painful experience regarding the total loss of Lake Haromaya and other less popular ponds/lakes, streams and wetlands. The “death” of Lake Haromaya was as a result of unbalanced misuse of the freshwater as stated above. The freshwater was overused mainly for drinking and irrigation but also for fishing, recreation, washing, etc.

The local community had even suffered from a shortage of freshwater subsequent to the collapse of the lake. Attempts to resurrect Lake Haromaya have recently been reported to fail.

Enclosed within the Abiajata-Shala Park, the other endangered lakes of the country are Lakes Shala and Abijata. Warnings have been heard from local scholars about their endangered scenario due to population pressure and consequent human factors like deforestation. There are large numbers of households living in the Park who have a large number of domestic animals. Deforestation in the park is pervasive. Today, the water level of Lake Abijata has significantly diminished and has withered. The fishery has totally disappeared, and birds such as Lesser Flamingo and Pelican have reported having migrated to other places. The environmental conditions in the Park are worsening and the lake is shrinking eventually facing imminent collapse with all its services and benefits unless appropriate measures are immediately taken. Making the long story short, Lake Abijata and Lake Shala is already “dying” under the eyes of concerned people and decision makers.

The other one and perhaps the main focus of this short article is the precarious situation facing Lake Tana in the last decade. Unlike other endangered lakes of the rift valley region, Tana is not mainly challenged by human factors. There has been a strange infestation of the lake by a dangerous weed called Water hyacinth. Studies indicate that the weed is an exotic free-floating invasive plant that is native to South America. People who keep aquariums and gardens are believed to have spread the plant inadvertently across the Atlantic to Africa and Asia.

The weed restricts water flow, blocks sunlight from reaching native water plants and depletes the oxygen in the water - often choking aquatic animals like fish. It also has an economic impact by interfering with navigation, irrigation, power generation and fishery.

Before trying to see the possible ways of mitigating the problem as proposed by researchers, it would be vital to overview of the economic and natural conservation benefits of the lake to Ethiopia and the East African region.

To begin with, Tana is said to hold fifty percent of the country’s fresh water. It is also the source of the Blue Nile, which contributes up to 60% of the Nile’s water. Not only is the lake important as a water source for over 123 million people in the Nile Basin, it is also a source of food in the form of fish. The lake has been listed in the top 250 lake regions of Global Importance for Biodiversity. Studies show that Tana is blessed with 28 species of fish, of which 21 are endemic. Commercially, the Lake’s most important fishes include the large African barbs, Nile tilapia and African catfish. The annual commercial value of fish production at Lake Tana is about USD 1.1 million, as some reports indicate. The potential fish production of the lake is estimated to be 13 000 tons yearly. But its current fish production is less than 1000 tons a year, even reported to be far lesser in 2018/19.

In addition to its ecological and economic values, Tana is a very important tourist destination which dictates Ancient Ethiopia to modern times. Blessed with amazing historical and traditional virtues of the traditional schools of the country, and at the same time holding thirteen very old monasteries at the heart of the great lake, it is one of the most important holy sites to millions of followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.

It was in 2011 that the regional Environmental Bureau named water hyacinth as the most dangerous weed affecting Lake Tana. By then, about 20,000 hectares of the north-eastern shore of the lake was reported to have been infested. In the subsequent three or four years, local researchers disclosed that about one-third of the Lake’s shoreline, around 128km, was invaded by water hyacinth. Only God knows how much of the Lake is coved with the weed today; taking into account its amazing propagation to cover a huge mass of the lake within days.

To make matters worse, according to some studies, inflowing rivers carry heavy loads of soil and suspended sediment into the lake, which affects the water quality and creates favourable conditions for the spread of the weed.

A water hyacinth infestation is hard to get rid of. But there are three ways to do this as proposed by experts. These are removal, chemical spraying (using herbicides) and biological control. Removing the weed, either manually or using machines, could reduce coverage and slow its spread. But it’s expensive and takes time.

Some mention experiences in Lake Victoria, lying in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, as a lesson for dealing with the water hyacinth problem. Literature indicates that an estimated 60,000 hectares are covered by the weed in Kenya alone. A weed harvesting machine can clear only 10 hectares a

day, so it would take 6 000 days (more than 16 years) to remove the weed entirely. Methods like biological control have been shown to be more effective. Herbicides have been widely used to reduce the spread of the weed, but they may harm the environment. They can kill native plants that are necessary for the healthy functioning of the lake’s ecosystem. This control method is expensive for developing countries and requires highly skilled people. In Sudan, the costs of chemical treatment for water hyacinth control were estimated to be One million Euro every year.

With all these premises in mind, it is not difficult to comprehend the precarious problem the country is facing regarding Lake Tana. The mitigation endeavour is also exorbitant. And it might not be that difficult to comprehend that the rescue business might have become beyond the capacity of the regional government. Yet, it can never be beyond the capacity of the people of this great nation. Despite the current impediments challenging us today like the covid19 and the subsequent economic downturn, we can arrest the weed through determination and perseverance. The great leadership and the acumen of our Excellency Prime Minister Dr.Abiy Ahmed to mobilizing the whole people towards saving Lake Tana, if not limited to it, we can do it. First and foremost, however, the regional government must show the same commitment. Many show resentment regarding the effort of the regional state to mitigate the problem so far. Be it as it may, Lake Tana is a huge resource; which is too big to be a concern of just a regional government. To sum up, the lake is in a precarious situation to the extent that the rescue effort cannot be scheduled for months. It is now or never!

Economy in Focus THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020 PAGE 7

BY TEWODROS KASSA

Cu r r e n t l y, t h e C O V I D - v i d - 1 9 pandemic is hugely affecting the airline industry. Many airlines are

experiencing bankruptcy. Following this, the airlines are taking different measures to achieve quick recovery.

Ethiopian is among the leading sector service providers that have been struggling with COVID-19’s impact. People’s movement is almost curtailed as the virus massively affects the general socio-economic activities.

Recently, the Airline announced successive measures to cope with the pandemic season. Among its measures are prioritizing the expansion of its cargo services worldwide. Moreover, different African and other countries have been awarding cargo services for Ethiopian following their respective airlines’ capacity limitations to cope with this challenging time on their income.

Ethiopian Airlines Chief Operating Officer Mesfin Tassew told The Ethiopian Herald that the Airline has about 120 aircrafts in total. Out of this, 12 are cargo service providers and the rest are passenger planes. Following the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the passenger planes have largely ceased their activities. However, the Airlines is doing its best to utilize its cargo planes. Ethiopian has approximately 127 international and 22 international destinations. Out of these, 90 destinations are closed temporarily due to the pandemic, and the number of flights has also been reduced. Thus, the Airlines are utilizing only 15 per cent of total capacity.

As the Airline has been providing uninterrupted services in the sector for over 70 years, it has gained international reputation and records consecutive successes. It also plays a leading role in Africa today. The secrets of its reputation and success are its visionary leaders who have been leading the organization at different times and the presence of competent and dedicated staff.

Properly plan implementation has also allowed it to grow year after year. In particular, the development of infrastructure, the availability of trained human resources, the implementation of modern aircraft, and the adoption of technology are the key factors for its success.

Ethiopian Airlines is effective because there is no government intervention in its activities and decision-making procedures, according to him.

The Boeing 737 Max plane crash was a tragic event in the history of Ethiopian Airlines. It killed the lives of passengers and crew on board. “It broke the heart of all of us. This disaster is likely to have an impact not only in Ethiopia but globally.”

As it has been reported, the problem is related to the design of the aircraft, and many airlines have lost confidence in the model of the aircraft and put it out of operation. Since then, the Ethiopian Airlines has been forced to stop its Boeing 737 Max models. “But somehow we continued without interrupting the rest of the flights. Flight has not been cancelled since the accident. The accident is not caused by Airlines crew rather it was caused by Boeing. That is why it put tangible pressure on the international airlines industry,” he stressed.

However, the Airlines didn’t experience a reduction in the number of passengers. When selecting an Airline, travellers can study the company's flight and safety history carefully. That is why the number of customers has not decreased because of the alleged Boeing 737 Max aircraft,” he indicated.

Currently, the airline has four Boeing 737 Max aircraft on the ground. These model planes are not flying in the world today. The Boeing Company has been conducting various studies to solve their technical problems.

It's true, Ethiopian Airlines, along with the aircraft carrier Boeing Company, has pledged

to build some memorial and community service facilities in the area where the accident occurred. The construction of the statue will begin later this month. An infrastructural building like a school and health facilities are also part of the memorial to serve the local community.

He said that some individuals criticize the fact that the airline should have immediately stopped flight into China when the COVID-19 took place in China fearing the disease would enter Ethiopia. Indicating that Airliners are regulated by the International Aviation Association principles, Ethiopian operates according to the guidelines issued by the Association. At that time, neither the World Health Organization nor the Aviation Association recommended that stopping flights to China would be effective in preventing the disease. Ethiopian Airlines has been working on this. Later, when the disease spread, airlines in Europe, the US, and some African countries stopped flying to China. However, although the European airline cancelled flights to China, the disease was initially introduced and spread; the most damaging thing is happening in Europe and the United States. At the African level, it is the other African countries that stopped flight before being severely affected by the virus than Ethiopia. This shows that stopping flights might not be the right decision.

As to Mesfin, the economic pressure the Ethiopian airline suffers from due to the pandemic would have been worse if it stopped flight immediately. Thus, the comments and criticisms that were made at the time were not based on evidence. “It is important to remember that the first person identified in Ethiopia was a Japanese citizen who came from West Africa. So the disease is not imported from China by Ethiopian. This shows that the decision was appropriate.”

After the occurrence of Covid-19, the Ethiopian has taken several precautions wherever it flies so that the virus does not

expand in the country.

“We have raised awareness among the company’s staff to take precautionary measures. Flight crews were also equipped to use all protective equipment they could use to protect themselves.”

The overall economic impact of COVID-19 forces the airline to stop its daily flights to its worldwide destinations. As a result, we have ceased over 90 per cent of our passenger services in the last three months.”

Currently, regular passenger service has almost been terminated. The airline changed most of its passengers' planes into cargo services.

This budget year, the airline plans to earn five billion dollars in revenue. But, the revenue declined significantly following the outbreak of the virus. The airline is massively working on a cargo service to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic impact on its income. Its current income is limited to cargo services.

Some 85 per cent of the airline's annual revenue comes from passenger service; “imagine how much it would hurt to stop this service”, Mesfin said.

Currently, the airline is doing two-way transport to African countries, China, Europe, North, and South America. First, Ethiopian Airlines is assisting heavily in the fight against COVID-19 and saving lives. It is playing a global role by delivering essential goods as quickly as possible. It has received a lot of praise and appreciation from the international community.

“Currently, there is a high demand for cargo services globally than the passengers’ service. As a result, we are using some of the passenger planes for cargo transport. We are keeping some of the passenger planes with seats and others without seats used for cargo services.”

Recently, the Jackma and the World Health Organization chose Ethiopian to distribute medical support to African countries. The cargo terminal in Addis Ababa can handle a million tons a year. It has also a capacity to promote its current cargo services to address the continent’s cargo services demand.

Ethiopian Airlines has about 17,000 employees, including the employees of airports across the country. Of these, 6,400 are currently in operation. Others have taken their paid annual leave to reduce congestion in the workplace and limit the COVID-19 impact. During this challenging time, the Airline focused on cost reduction like any other airline. But, reducing staff or taking a pay cut is not the first option of the Airlines. The staff is the biggest asset to airlines. The administration and staff are directed to pass this challenging time together, he underlined.

Currently, the initiative to partially privatize the Airlines is well underway. So far, the state continues to own 100 per cent of the share. Or, to some extent, it is possible to have partnerships with other investors. “I don't think it will make much of a difference. There is a need for strong management and continuous mobilization to sustain the company’s success, he noted.

Cargo services: Ethiopian’s plan for quick recovery

A meeting planned for Addis Ababa in April was meant to diversify artificial-intelligence conferences, but the push for greater participation continues.

Computer scientists from around the world had planned to converge in Addis Ababa in late April for the first major artificial-intelligence (AI) conference to be held in an African country. But like most other scientific gatherings, the conference was virtual, depriving Ethiopia of a powerful opportunity to boost its research environment.

Organizers had had high hopes for this year’s International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), an annual event focusing on the AI technique of deep learning. Holding it in Ethiopia was meant to make it more accessible to researchers who cannot readily get visas to Western countries, where these meetings are often held.

“It was sad for everybody,” says Esube Bekele, an Ethiopian-born computer-vision architect at In-Q-Tel, Arlington, Virginia. After two years of preparations, the ICLR board was “super eager” to travel to Ethiopia, he says.

“Africans and the institutions in Africa missed a chance to make connections and secure important collaborations,” says computer scientist Meareg Hailemariam at Addis Ababa University.

The meeting would also have had enormous symbolic meaning for those who have been pushing for AI to become more diverse in terms of geography, race, gender, sexual orientation and physical accessibility - while inspiring the region’s youth to pursue studies in machine learning and data science.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen this great growth in awareness, both in how representation is lacking in AI and also in terms of AI bias itself,” says Animashree Anandkumar, head of machine-learning research at the technology company NVIDIA in Los Angeles, California.

Silver lining

The virtual venue that took Addis Ababa’s place did have its advantages. At least in places with a fast-enough internet connection, online workshops can be easier to take part in for people who cannot afford travel, or for those with children or disabilities, Anandkumar points out.

“It’s a broader kind of inclusion,” says Shakir Mohamed, a South African-born computer scientist at the AI powerhouse DeepMind in London who was the meeting’s senior programme chair. Part of the ICLR’s mission, he says, is “to break that barrier, to engage different communities”. And participants in the

PAGE 8 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

WEEKLY READ

developing countries, from attending AI meetings. The Canadian government was criticized in 2018 for turning down visa applications for NeurIPS, another major AI meeting, which was held in Toronto. That spurred a push to hold a meeting in an African city, spearheaded by a group of researchers called Black in AI.

Addis Ababa seemed like a natural candidate. The city has experience in welcoming large international delegations: it is the seat of the continental organization, the African Union. And it has hosted important scientific conferences, including one on HIV/AIDS in 2011 and an International Astronomical Union symposium in 2019.

Hassle-free visas

Bekele, who is part of Black in AI, says that the idea of hosting ICLR there encountered some resistance at first. “People were pushing back and saying, ‘They don’t have the infrastructure or Internet connection.’”

Others were looking forward to attending. “Addis Ababa is one of the best places to organize a conference in Africa,” says El Mahdi El Mhamdi, a computer scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, who has travelled to meetings in the city and several others on the continent. El Mhamdi, who is a Moroccan national, says he has long had to endure the hassle and the uncertainty of visa-application procedures — and has often given up altogether trying to fly to conferences in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ethiopia is one of the countries where he could have received a visa with relative ease, he says.

virtual conference generally praised the organizers for running a productive meeting.

The first ICLR took place seven years ago as the deep-learning revolution was beginning to take off. The technique, which trains artificial neural networks with vast amounts of data, now powers technologies ranging from surveillance cameras to automated translation.

But in recent years, visa issues have blocked many participants, often from

How coronavirus dashed Ethiopia’s dream of hosting Africa’s first major AI conference

“Had the conference happened physically in Addis Ababa, it would have demonstrated the capacity of the city to host such events and also would encourage such conferences to come to Africa as frequently as possible,” Hailemariam says.

But holding the conference in the city could have had significant local impact as well, Hailemariam adds. Many Ethiopian students are enthusiastic about working in machine learning, he says. And the technology start-up scene in the capital, although growing, is still too small to make use of that potential.

Talented Ethiopian students are often forced to emigrate because of a lack of local opportunities, says Kommy Weldemariam, an Ethiopian national who is chief scientist for IBM’s Africa Labs in Nairobi. But having a meeting in town - and being face to face with leading researchers - could help in establishing connections and finding external thesis advisers, for example, says Weldemariam.

And a high-profile conference can attract the attention of political leaders, he says. “The hope I had was that local political leaders, including the ministry of education and all the research-based ministries, could have seen how science works in the world,” Weldemariam says.

The dream of hosting an ICLR meeting in Addis Ababa lives on. “Once big conferences are in-person again, we’ll push for 2022,” Bekele says.

Source: Nature.com

Caption: The Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa was meant to host the International Conference on Learning Representations in April.Credit: Yannick Tylle/Getty

BY DAVIDE CASTELVECCHI

Many Ethiopian students are enthusiastic about working in machine

learning, he says. And the technology start-up scene in the capital, although

growing, is still too small to make use of that

potential

PAGE 9 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

Environment and Sustainability

Have you ever heard of experts talking about water bodies that dried out because of human activities and intervention? This may seem difficult to accept for the people who have no connection with lakes. However, those who rely on lakes for their livelihoods could witness this scenario unfolding.

Lake Hawassa is among the water bodies in the country that are under threat due to human activities. The people residing around the Lake are experiencing and witnessing the threats on the lakes. The Lake, which is a sanctuary for fascinating birds and habitat and diversified aquatic floras and faunas, is now severely threatened and its water level has been dropping alarmingly due to human activities. Experts, stakeholders and residents are talking of the ecological threat that the Lake has encountered with great concern.

Lake Hawassa, which is located in the main Rift Valley, about 275km southwards from the capital with a surface elevation of 1,686m above sea level and a maximum depth of 21m, is in a real threat. The ecological threat on the Lake has become an issue of concern for environmentalists, experts, lake admirers and residents whose lives are directly or indirectly interconnected with it.

“The Lake is everything for us. We live and work here. Our income is entirely dependent on fishing and boat rentals. The Lake is the reason for our existence,” said Emush Wolansa, Hawassa Lake Boat Recreation PLC Chairman.

The ecological threat of the Lake is catastrophic not only for members of the Association but also for residents, he added.

“We have already established a strong bond with the Lake. Our Association generates income through serving fried fish for tourists and it is also a means of living for hundreds of people,” said Temesgen Wolka Andinet, Youth Recreational Association Chairman on his part.

The Lake is home for various kinds of fish, aqua plants and bird species including pelicans, storks, herons, hammertoes, sea eagles, kingfishers, hippo colonies and other water animals.

However, since recently, it is encountering challenges that endanger its future existence. The water is polluted severely; the number of aquatic animals and plants has appeared to be declining day in day out. This would risk those people whose lives are established on the Lake. Besides, the threat would cause undesirable impacts in the country’s ecological and economic benefits, he said.

Underscoring that he has been conducting various studies on rift-valley lakes, Hawassa University Biology Department Head Dr. Girma Tilahun said Lake Hawassa is a symbol of the Hawassa town. It is unthinkable to picture without the Lake. However, the rapid expansion of the township, industry and tourism development is the driving force that is threatening the Lake.

Dr. Girma agreed on the importance of various economic sectors. He says “expansion of industries, township and

Protecting Lake Hawassa, its biodiversity BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW

tourism unquestionably brings substantial economic growth that cannot be put aside, but there is a need to design a mechanism that could execute both without inflicting any harm to the Lake.”

The Lake is home to various species of plants, aquatic animals dominated by bird sanctuary. Especially the ‘Qorosso’- a fish adored by visitors- is one of the endowments of the Lake. The drying up of the Lake means losing all these natural resources, he added.

The Lake which is serving as a source of income for many is now shrinking rapidly due to wastes thrown into it and expansion of the town; it is experiencing facing, as to him.

“Grasses and shrubberies are grown around the Lake. For instance, ‘Cheleleke Lake’ which was 14.5 square kilometers deep some 40 years ago, has now shown a great decline in 100-meter square - almost it is drying out,” he elucidated.

Noticing that enormous people have no idea about Lake ‘Cheleleke’, Dr. Girma said the Lake has been a tributary to Hawassa Lake. These days, it has become invisible to take its picture from satellites. “The depletion of Lake ‘Cheleleke’ is an ecological threat to Lake Hawassa,” he further said.

The Hawassa University is conducting research of various kinds in search of development opportunities to withstand the challenges that the Lake is facing. Considering that the problems should be addressed carefully, studies have been conducted in an organized manner at the grassroots level. For this to happen, coordination is imperative. Supervision and follow-up works should also be sustained steadily. “The threat is already there and we have to work relentlessly. Unless we work on the issue in a sustainable manner, we would not be able to prevent the huge damage on our water bodies,” Dr. Girma

stressed.

Hawassa Lake Lovers Association President Professor Zenabu Gebremariam said that the protection and conservation tasks of the Lake should not be left to the government alone; the society should take part in the matter. For this to happen, the Association is serving as a bridge between the government and the public at large through mobilizing them and urging the government to give due emphasis to the Lake.

Equally, it has planned to discuss with investors on ways in designing factories’ waste management and disposal strategies. It also intends to conduct research on the issue and present findings to the state government, Prof. Zenabu said.

The Association has a vision to restore the Lake to its previous state, the President said adding that however protecting ecological threat and making it conducive shelter for biodiversity is largely the responsibility of all.

According to documents from the state Environment Protection Authority, various tasks have been carried out to prevent the Lake from siltation and over-exploitation of fish and dumping of wastes, and rescue biodiversity.

Underscoring that efforts have been exerted in collaboration with Rift Valley Lakes Irrigation Authority and the Oromia State Government to prevent land degradation, the document indicated that implementation of the solution requires coordinated efforts of all stockholders.

Sura Takele, an employee at Haile Resort on his part said the resort is working to protect the Lake from pollution. Besides making every day follow up and supervision, it has been conducting permanent rescuing works every two weeks.

The resort has conducted various activities on the shore of the Lake to protect it from

various wastes and siltation. However, as he uttered, the effort is not enough. Rather, it requires concerted efforts of all. It is also essential to work in collaboration with the Association of Hotels found around the lake.

As it is well known, Lake Hawassa is found in a lowland catchment area. Because of this, it is highly exposed to pollution. The grass at the shore of the Lake is now expanding and narrowing its width. The siltation that came to the lake assisted with the flood is also influencing the lake negatively.

Lake Hawassa, as all agreed, is a blessing for the people whose daily lives are attached to. What is more, the Lake is one of the tourist destinations that generate significant economic benefit to the country. The investment activities (hotels and resorts constructed around the Lake) generate a significant amount of income.

Various stakeholders such as the recently established Hawassa Lake Lovers Assoc iation, Haile Resort and other public and private organizations, concerned individuals have been conducting considerable activities to protect the Lake but it is insufficient compared to the magnitude of the problem. There is a need to strengthen efforts in a more concerted manner so as to effectively protect the Lake and restore it to its previous state.

In this regard, the society has an indisp ensable role. For this, it is imperative to engage in extensive public awareness-raising campaigns. As the plastic bags and bottles that are piled up around the Lake have potential to bedraggle the place and pollute the water, ways of managing wastes should also be considered and explained thoroughly. Most importantly, creating a sense of ownership within the public is decisive. To this effect, it is mandatory to work on the attitude of the generation at grassroots level.

The water is polluted severely; the number of aquatic animals and plants has appeared to be declining day in day out. This would

risk those people whose lives are established on the Lake. Besides, the threat would

cause undesirable impacts in the country’s ecological and economic benefits

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020 PAGE 10

States in Brief

ADDIS ABABA- Oromia Regional State announced that it is working to produce wheat in the region to save a staggering amount of foreign currency financed to import it.

Launching cluster farming program in Etosa Woreda of Arsi Zone in the presence of federal and state senior officials, Daba Debele, State’s Agriculture and Natural Resource Head said that efforts are underway to produce import substitute wheat in the region.

Indicating that wheat is being harvested in clusters in Bale, Arsi, Shewa, and Horo Gudru, he said that the state has devised and implemented new techniques and motivation. Leaving the prior model farmer reinforcement, the state now envisaged

State aspires to meet Ethiopia’s demand for wheat

ADDIS ABABA -Gambela Regional State announced that it has commenced examining COVID-19 cases at a capacity of testing 180 samples a day.

The region’s Chief Administrator, Oumode Oujulu said that since the cases confirmed in the country, various activities have been undertaken to prevent and control the virus spread.

The state government is working to prevent the virus spread he said adding that the people undergo diagnosis and get tested avoiding fear and pessimism.

The region Health Bureau Head on his part said that deliberating with Ethiopian Public Health Institute, uploading new software the machine which was used to taste HIV cases is now being served for testing COVID-19.

Commencing COVID-19 test in the region save time, cost and facilitate testing service the suspects that found in the region’s various quarantine centers according to the region’s Press Secretariat Office .

The government is dealing with none-government organization to deliver service for the refugee and infiltrates to the state and curb possible risk since the state is a pass way gate and exit of the country

State commences

tasting COVID-19

ADDIS ABABA-Harere State Agriculture Bureau said that it is working to address food insecurity which is likely to come about due to deceleration of agriculture following COVID-19.

Shami Abdi Ahmed, Bureau Deputy Head told The Ethiopian Press Agency the state is deliberating mechanisms as to how to avert the likelihood of food shortage in the region involving various segments of the state who have remarkable stake, financiers, non-governmental organizations and farmers.

Indicating that the global pandemic’s adversities on the agrarian community, he insisted that the sector urges immediate reaction through widening opportunities to produce more yields as the time to come would bring a potential disaster to the region.

Hence the state has set to develop additional farms coupled with the

Bureau striving to avert possible food insecurity

BY LAKACHEW ATINAFUdelivering selected seed, loan, fertilizers, and other inputs for organized farmers in cluster.

This year the state is vigorously working to avert possible shortages of food resulting from the impact of COVID-19. Hence, delivering inputs and using all capacities at disposal and effectively utilizing irrigation schemes, the state has set to harvest 13, million Quintals wheat, he said.

He further said that Ethiopia’s demand for wheat is about 20 million quintals. Thus, it is set to harvest more than 20 million quintals in the second phase of irrigation development.

Abebe Diriba, Agriculture Transformation Agency Director on his part said that the implementation of cluster farming will have a key role in substituting wheat imported

ADDIS ABABA ( F B C ) - G r a n i t e deposit amounting more than 23 million tons has been discovered in three districts of east Gojam zone, Amhara State.

The deposit was found in Baso Liben, Gozamin and Debre Elias districts, according to the regional state’s mines development and promotion agency.

Granite is a common type of felsic intrusive igneous rock that is granular and

Amhara state discovers 23 million tons of

granite deposit

phaneritic in texture. It is used in buildings, bridges, paving, monuments, and many other exterior projects

BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU existing 904 hectares which was exploited for agriculture in the state.

Shielding the farmer from the pandemic is an integral part of sustaining development and ensuring food security. The state has launched a comprehensive intervention to boost agriculture along with devising preventive strategies against the current catastrophe from the bureau down to lower administrative units.

Having benefited 40 thousand people in Harere regularly, the state’s Risk Disaster Prevention and Safety net has identified 62,000 in rural and 87,000 in urban areas that need food security intervention.

The state has formed a committee drawn from the society, NGOs, businessmen, and donors to react to food shortages that might occur in relation to COVID-19.

According to the deputy head, the state has envisaged swift shipment of fertilizers and striving to address shortage of selected seeds

BY MULATU BELACHEW

from oversea markets.

Cluster farming is an integral part of agriculture mechanization. It is a key component to increase product and productivity, utilize similar technology, widen Knowledge transfer and ease delivering supports, he added.

Derese Tilahun , resident of Arsi Zone Etosa Woreda Guchi Habi Kbele said that this year, he is determined to produce more yield using updated technology.

He also said that after farmers engage in mechanized agriculture they began to reap 40 to 50 quintal which is about twofold compared to yields harvested traditionally.

PAGE 11THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

Horn News

GENEVA - The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR warns hundreds of thousands of urban refugees across the East, Horn and Great Lakes region of Africa are resorting to desperate measures to survive as the economic impact of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, takes hold.

Government-imposed lockdowns and curfews aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus are restricting everyone’s freedom of movement and ability to earn a living. The U.N. refugee agency says urban refugees are most seriously affected by the measures and unable to meet their most basic needs.

UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley says many urban refugees are at risk of exploitation and falling into debt. He warns many may be forced to take desperate measures to survive, such as engaging in transactional sex or child labor.

“Urban refugees are facing job losses

as businesses are forced to downsize or close due to COVID-19 restrictions. Many were daily wage workers or worked in the informal economy and were already living hand-to-mouth before the pandemic struck. Many urban refugees are also living in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions and are particularly vulnerable to the spread of the virus,” he said.

Yaxley says thousands of refugees in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are crammed into squalid districts with little access to clean water, making hand washing nearly impossible.

He says governments across the East, Horn and Great Lakes region so far have included refugees in COVID-19 response plans. He told VOA refugees have the same access to testing and treatment as members of the local communities.

“So, our call today is for governments to

also ensure that refugees are included in social safety nets. So that they are able to access welfare support payments, so that they are able to get assistance with meeting their basic needs. So, they are able to pay rent, have shelters, so they are able to afford food,” he said.

The UNHCR says food imports have become more challenging because of the pandemic, causing prices to rise. Additionally, it says swarms of locusts, especially in Kenya,

Ethiopia and Somalia, are ravaging crops and threatening to increase hunger and poverty.

The agency is urging the international community to support its emergency response plan. It says $126 million is required to provide life-saving assistance before the rapidly deteriorating situation in the region reaches a breaking point.

Source: VOA

Women carry firewood on their heads outside the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana county, northeast of Nairobi, Kenya, Feb.1, 2018

KANERE is on a mission to raise awareness about pandemic in Kakuma, one of world’s largest camps for displaced people.

For more than a decade, KANERE, the world’s first fully independent refugee camp news outlet, has defied funding shortages and other challenges to publish investigations and reports about life in Kenya’s remote Kakuma camp.

Now, with the vast settlement registering its first COVID-19 case, the publication arguably faces its biggest challenge yet.

“KANERE’s work is more important than ever,” Tolossa Asrat, managing editor at KANERE, told Al Jazeera via WhatsApp.

In vast Kenya camp, refugee journalists on coronavirus front line“Journalists are always on the front line next to health professionals in providing clear information to society to combat the pandemic, [and] KANERE is the only media which can provide information about the COVID-19 situation on the ground.”

Asrat’s team of refugee journalists is on a mission to keep residents informed about the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic amid increasing concerns that a potential outbreak could devastate the camp’s vulnerable population.

Accommodation for the nearly 200,000 people living in Kakuma, one of the world’s largest camps for displaced

Flooding and Covid-19 restrictions create perfect conditions for locusts to multiply

Oxfam warned today that millions of people in East and Central Africa, already suffering due to flooding and the impact of coronavirus, are at risk of increased hunger and poverty as the region braces for the latest generation of locusts which are due to hatch in June – just when crops are to be harvested.

The highest rainfall in 40 years in parts of the region has caused severe flooding which has killed over 400 people, forced half a million people from their homes and destroyed crops and livelihoods.

The heavy rains, exacerbated by climate change, have also created the perfect conditions for the breeding of locusts, raising fears that the swarms could be 400 times larger than the original swarms. The locust outbreak, already the biggest in 70 years, has decimated thousands of hectares of crops throughout larger swathes of the region, especially Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Restrictions imposed by governments to contain coronavirus are also hampering efforts to stop the spread of locusts. Stocks of pesticides are dwindling as border closures have strangled the supply chain and overnight curfews restrict the ability of pilots to spray insecticide in key breeding areas.

The floods and the new wave of locust infestation will lead to increased food shortages in a region where over 33 million people are already severely food insecure. At the same time, the economic fallout from governments’ efforts to contain the pandemic is likely to push millions of people further into poverty as there are few or no social safety nets to protect them.

Lydia Zigomo, Oxfam’s Regional Director in the Horn, East and Central Africa said: “The region is facing multiple concurrent crises – each compounding the other and making it more difficult to tackle and contain. Together they form a lethal combination that threatens to increase hunger, poverty and suffering for

New swarms of locusts threaten to increase hunger in East Africa reeling from floods and

coronavirus – Oxfam

millions of the most vulnerable people.

“In a grim coincidence, the recent rains have created the perfect breeding conditions for locusts while restrictions introduced to contain coronavirus have hampered efforts to control their spread.”

Last week, The World Bank announced $500 million in grants and low-interest loans to help countries in Africa and the Middle East combat the impact of locusts. Kenya and Uganda have received large loans from the International Monetary Fund to support their responses to Covid-19, including the expansion of social protection programmes.

Oxfam is calling on more international donors to support governments in the region in providing immediate assistance, including increased cash grants, to help the poorest and most vulnerable people survive the multiple crises.

Frudusa Mali Muhamed, a Somali famer living in Ethiopia, whose entire onion crop was devasted by locusts, said: “All my three hectares of onion are now gone. After the locust attack, the farm soon turned into a breeding ground for swarms that later killed all the onion buds and roots.”

Despite the lockdown restrictions, Frudusa

has been forced to sell tea on the street to support her family and recover the money she lost.

Oxfam is working closely with local partners in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Somalia, to provide cash assistance to more than 6000 households to buy food. Oxfam is also distributing soap, hygiene kits and clean water to hospitals and communities. Oxfam staff have been increasing public awareness to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, including broadcasting messages in local languages with megaphones in rural villages.

To overcome some of the lockdown challenges, Oxfam is working with mobile phone operators to supply e-vouchers for soap and water through “water ATMs” - pre-paid machines that dispense water to the most vulnerable communities.

Oxfam also developed a mobile GPS app that allows community volunteers to record data on local locust infestations which are then shared with government response teams.

Oxfam is calling for almost $46 million to help almost three million people with lifesaving aid in the region.

Source: Reliefweb

people, is typically squalid and cramped. Water is limited to public pumps, meaning physical distancing and good hygiene - the cornerstones of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) coronavirus guidelines - are near impossible.

For more than two months now, KANERE’s 10 reporters and editors have been working long hours to provide news and updates about new restrictions and hygiene advice, posting information on social media as well as printing copies and attaching them to notice boards around the camp.

This week, a man in his early 30s tested positive for the novel coronavirus after

being placed at a quarantine facility at Kakuma upon his return from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, despite a decision by Kenya’s interior ministry to prohibit all exit and entry to the camp in late April. The patient has since been moved to an isolation centre while the test results of people who had come in contact with him came back negative.

“In this case, he was found in a quarantine facility, meaning that hopefully there is no local transmission,” Eujin Byun, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, told Al Jazeera.

Urban refugees in East Africa resort to desperate measures as COVID-19 takes hold

PAGE 12THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020

INTERNATIONAL

According to United Nations’ World Food Programme, the world faces “mega-famines”

if enough actions are not taken to combat the ripple effects of coronavirus pandemic on the economically poor countries which are already grappling with food insecurity.

According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley, the world is on the brink of hunger pandemic and if immediate actions are not taken, millions of people could lose their lives due to hunger. In a video shared via the official Facebook account of WFP, Mr. Beasley said that in addition to the threat posed by COVID-19, the world faces multiple famines of huge proportions and over 30 million people would die in a few months due to hunger.

Mr. Beasley said that famines induced by the ripple effects of coronavirus pandemic can occur in anywhere from 10-36 countries.

Global Report on Food Crisis, released by WFP last month shows that 821 million all over the world people suffer chronic hunger and are forced to go to bed hungry every night. In addition to this, 135 million people on the planet are on the brink of starvation. Mr. Beasely in a statement to the United Nations Security Council highlighted that the WFP analysis shows that an additional 130 million people could be pushed to the brink of starvation by the end of 2020. Thus, a total of 265 million people in the world would be suffering from starvation by the end of this year.

While talking about the impact of COVID-19 on hunger, Dr. S. P. Singh, Professor, Department of Humanities

and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee said that if the economically poor people, especially those who earn livelihood on daily basis, lose employment, their access to food will decline because of the decline in their purchasing power.

Giving an example of India, he said : The last two months have been extremely difficult for daily wagers. The government of India has said that 8 crore migrant workers are facing difficulty in feeding themselves which is why the government will provide them foodgrain for three months. Apart from the migrant workers, there is a large proportion of the rural population that has lost livelihood or has suffered huge losses in farming. With no cash, they cannot buy food. So malnutrition will increase and they may be pushed even deeper into poverty. Thus poverty is likely to be increased in future to the pandemic.

He further added that, key for saving people from hunger lies in increasing their purchasing power. There may be enough foodgrain available in a country but its people will still suffer starvation because of lack of purchasing power, explained Dr. Singh.

He said “if money is not given to them and they don’t have the purchasing power, they may not be able to survive. Earlier in 1942, the Bengal famine was also a result of lack of purchasing power which led to hunger. Many people died because of this and not because of non-availability of food. Purchasing power is directly related to livelihood. Thus employment guarantee programmers like NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) needs to be given

importance.”

Dr. Singh highlighted that in India, on an average, a person needs 10 kilograms of cereal in a month for sufficient food consumption. However, under the Public Distribution System (PDS), the government is providing only 5 kgs cereal per person per month to the poorest of the poor which will cater to only half of their consumption needs.

The ‘Hunger Map’ devised by the WFP to map hunger, says that at present in India, 272.3 million people are living with insufficient food consumption, which is about 24.46 million more than three months ago.

According to Dr. Singh, people in many developing countries who have been facing economic hardships due to the ripple effect of COVID-19 pandemic will not be able to get a decent livelihood in the near future. He asserted that this will lead to hunger and hunger deaths. He said that if extra support in terms of money is not given to the people of developing countries, they may get into the quagmire of poverty and hunger.

Basanta Kumar Kar, Recipient Of Global Nutrition Leadership Award, also known as the ‘Nutrition Man’, on the other hand, says more than hunger, the lack of nutrition will push more people towards micronutrient deficiencies causing multiple comorbidities and thus pushing them further into poverty. He said that as far as hunger is concerned, people, especially in rural areas may not suffer hunger deaths due to the following four reasons: First, this year, the country had a bumper crop of wheat and the Food Corporation of India also has ample foodgrains so there will be no lack of

food; second, farming is the primary occupation of a major proportion of the population and so to an extent they are self-reliant as they grow their own food; third, a food security system is in place in the country under which the government is obliged to provide food to those who are needy, fourth, the country has a culture of self-help community coping or in other words, helping each other. Mr. Kar said,

In the past three months, the government could hardly help the people in rural areas but they have been able to survive on their own. Countries like India and others in South Asia will be able to survive the aftermath of COVID-19 because, historically, the people in these countries do not depend on the state.

Mr. Kar, however, highlighted that in the country, pregnant women will face a lack of access to nutritious food and there may be a shortage of complimentary meals that are provided to them to address nutrient deficiencies. Poor nutrition and lack of nutritious food for mothers would mean malnourished children with weak immunity for life.

He said that many western countries that are highly dependent on imports are visibly in peril. He said,Supermarkets in Europe and America are drying as the import of food items and cereals is halted. Such countries need to focus on growing their own food and put in place a food and nutrition security system. People in African countries that are economically poor are most vulnerable to hunger deaths amidst COVID-19 because of the lack of food security system and sources of livelihood.

Source: WFP

Coronavirus Outbreak: World Food Programme Chief Warns Of ‘Hunger

Pandemic’ As COVID-19 Spreads

BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU

Before the emergence of modern society and scientific innovation, human beings used to adopt their

own calendar following spatial variation around them, thoroughly investigating periodical difference and position of heavenly entities direction of winds and phenomenon associated within.

Indeed thanks to great thinkers and the emergence of science and technology, the world celebrates new-year after the earth makes a full circle around the sun. Leaving the deep explanation to geographers and scientists exploring the cosmos, the concept of time and space and insight of chronology is an intrinsic shared cognitive domain of humanity.

To this end, history tells us that diverse societies of the world adopt their calendar and celebrate new-year attributing to the dynamism of heavenly bodies, religious beliefs, and customizing situations to the cultural set up of a given society.

Be it as it may, in Ethiopia, apart from being the interchange of time, some cultural calendars appeared to be of paramount importance for their virtuous contribution and values to humanity. Hence, they grab due concern of UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Fichee-Chambalaalla is one of the five Ethiopian heritages registered as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Fichee-Chambalaalla is a New Year festival amassed and colorfully celebrated among the Sidama people on May 21 and 22.

However, due to the risk of COVID-19 the clan’s leaders decided to mark this year’s celebration at home. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and state’s men have applauded the decision of the elders to celebrate the day at home.

In his congratulate message, the Premier said the festival mainly teaches the essence of sharing, demands good governance, strengthens cooperation, and encourages unity.

Above all, Fichee-Chambalaalla has a special place for children and knowledge transfer. The festival is a key moment to pass down existing knowledge from a parent to a child through the narration of elders, he said.

Accordingly, the festival “is a wonderful asset that we should always apply in our home,” the Prime Minister stated.

“We pray with the Sidama people unto God to leave the coronavirus, which

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 28 MAY 2020 PAGE 16

BERHANENA SELAM PRINTING ENTERPRISE

Fichee-Chambalaalla, the Sidama’s new-year festival

threatens our world and our country, behind us, and to lead us into the path of prosperity in the New Year,” he said.

“We were all eager to celebrate this year’s Fichee-Chambalaalla colorfully. However, due to the pandemic, we are not able to hold the celebration at the Gudumale square of Hawassa in its original procedure,” he said.

The Prime Minister appreciated the Sidama elders for the timely message they delivered calling for the celebration to take place at home by taking into account the current global situation.

He finally urged the people to celebrate the festival at their home, taking all measures required to curb COVID-19, including washing their hands and maintaining physical distancing.

Hirut Kasaw (PhD), Culture and Tourism Minister, on a good wish statement, said that glory for fathers and forefathers of the Sidama, Fichee Chamballaala has not only become the glorious value of the Sidama People but also a heritage of all humanity.

She further said that the decision to celebrate Fichee at home shows the maturity and determination of the community leaders in a bid to combat the global pandemic and what the time demands.

So what is Fichee and its significance underlying elements which make the day the most glorious and blessed among the Sidama leaving aside the fundamentals of the formula that science clearly shows that the concept of rotation and revolution is an objective reality nobody could go to make it the title of best arguments?

Fichee-Chambalaalla is a New Year festival celebrated by the Sidama people. It is one of the socio-cultural heritage handed down by forefathers to descendants and has been

According to the Sideman’s oral tradition, Fichee commemorates a Sidama woman who visited her parents and relatives once a year after her marriage, bringing buurisame, a meal prepared from false banana, milk, and butter, which was shared with neighbors.

Fichee has since become a unifying symbol of the Sidama people. Each year, astrologers determine the correct date for the festival, which is then announced to the clans. Communal events take place throughout the festival, including traditional songs and dances. Every member participates irrespective of age, gender, and social status.

On the first day, children go from house to house to greet their neighbors, who serve them buurisame. During the festival, clan leaders advise the Sidama people to work hard, respect and support the elders, and abstain from cutting down indigenous trees, begging, indolence, false testimony, and theft.

The festival therefore enhances equity, good governance, social cohesion,

peaceful co-existence, and integration among Sidama clans and the diverse ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Parents transmit the tradition to their children orally and through participation in events during the celebration. Women in particular, transfer knowledge and skills associated with hairdressing and preparation of buurisame to their daughters and other girls in their respective villages.

Ficha was one of the 23 elements inscribed out of a total of 35 that were proposed at the 10th session of the committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage meeting in Windhoek, Namibia.

Fiche Chamballaala is Ethiopia’s second Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to be inscribed by UNESCO, next to the Masqel festival, the finding of the True Cross.

Moreover being home to diverse nation and nationalities, Ethiopia owns numerous tangible and intangible heritages which are registered and waiting to be inscribed in UNESCO list. Thus it seems sound to dub the country as the land of origin.