News From Ethiopea

Israeli Investment : "Israeli to invest on steel and cement factories By Andualem Sisay An Israeli company, Avornigia Technologies Ltd Ethiopia, is to invest on cement and steel factories in Ethiopia. Following the registration of the branch company in Ethiopia with 10 mln birr capital, Avornigia has secured the plot it needs for construction of the factories last week. In its early stagse, the company plans to create jobs for upto 50 employees. As construction activity in the country is increasing, the number of both local and foreign investors who are attracted to manufacturing of construction inputs is showing a tremendous increment."

"US to open military headquarters for Africa

By Andualem Sisay

The United States is to open a new US Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Africa which will be accountable to the Secretary of Defense and responsible for the US military relations with 53 countries on the continent.
According to General William E. “Kip” Ward, who was confirmed as AFRICOM’s first commander by the US Senate on September 28, the opening of this new headquarters shows sustained and committed engagement of the US with Africa and to reinforce the positive development in the continent. "

The Kids Can't Read! : "Ethiopian culture, rich in good traits as it, is through its mind boggling diversity, sadly missing that something which makes a country a population of readers. It is a telling mark of the many conflicting natures of the Ethiopian dynamic that a civilization that had developed in ancient times and still maintains the only alphabet native to Africa, should in this day and age be classified as among the least read populations on the continent. Some hard truths are in order, taken off the history shelf and also from the reports and studies complied over the years by various international organizations. The national literacy rate hovers at between 42-50% and although this rate, low as it is, is not drastically lower than most Least Developed Nations (LDC), the daily newspaper circulation averages in Ethiopia are the lowest on the continent for those countries that have allowed freedom of the press. Currently, only 0.4 newspaper(s) circulate daily for 1000 Ethiopians. Kenya (literacy 71%) is apparently a much more reading oriented populace as 8.5 newspapers are shared among 1000 citizens. The volume and print run of the few books published every year languishes in the few thousands as authors are not assured of a reading public, not to"

SIGD Jews around the world over will feast on latkes, give chocolate gelt and play with dreidels in celebration of the eight days of Chanukah. While in Israel, on the 29th day of Cheshvan, Ethiopian-Israeli Jews will fill the streets of Jerusalem in celebration of Sigd. In Ethiopia, Jews observed Sigd with a pilgrimage lasting several days. Today Sigd is marked by thousands of Ethiopian-Israeli’s joining in holy places around Israel, rejoicing in prayer, song and reading of the Torah.