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ADDIS ABABA- Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates held bilateral discussions yesterday on issues of mutual interest, the Office of Prime Minister announced.

Upon arrival at Al Bateen Airport, the premier was warmly received by the Crown Prince who is also Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported.

The leaders then went to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre to visit some of the athletes competing in the Special Olympic World Games, according to ENA.

On Wednesday, the premier also visited Qatar, where he met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and

PM Abiy Visits Abu DhabiBY STAFF REPORTER

discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual

concern, it added.ENA also wrote as the

two sides agreed to further

consolidate economic ties, particularly investment, tourism and infrastructural developments.

Ethiopia has been applying Eurocentric knowledge across its political, social and economic spectrum, a trend which has had its fair share of ramification mainly due to incompatibility.

And rethinking the neglected yet precious indigenous knowledge and challenging the imposed western values according to experts is a must to do and timely task.

The mental attitude to solely depend on Eurocentric values almost annihilates African indigenous knowledge production system. However, according to experts, indigenous knowledge would rather resonate to the cultural and other internal aspects of the Continent. Ethiopia is no exception.

Having enormous and unexploited potential, the country’s indigenous knowledge has increasingly been over the shadow of Eurocentric values for quite long time now.

Mainly misfit and unsynchronized, western values have arguably been less effective due to incompatibility and copy and paste trend. These were the very facts reflected on the recently held discussion forum organized by the African Studies Professional Association.

Western knowledge system is

Back to the roots Challenging Eurocentric hegemony

BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT

considered to be incomplete and often distorted when it comes to problematizing others’ phenomenon, says Biruk Shewadeg in his paper presentation entitled ‘Rethinking Knowledge Production in Africa:‘Afrocentric Epistemology’ as an Emancipatory Discourse’.

Biruk signals that the Western

monopoly in knowledge production which unmasks the undeclared assumption that only the West is legitimate in producing and disseminating its produced knowledge.

“In fact, our modern education system has been problematic. It almost ignores indigenous knowledge while embracing Eurocentric values whose impact has been

little.” Biruk tells The Ethiopian Herald in an exclusive interview.

“This does not mean western values are irrelevant but to completely abandon local values is irrational. These knowledge is approached and applied are compatible with local contexts”.

The fact that the country had not been colonized enables the country to preserve its indigenous knowledge but new version of mental colonization has barred the country to exploit its potential. “One of the greatest mistakes was to fully discredit local values and revolutionize it with western ones.”

“It is time to challenge the western imposed values; in fact it behooves us to enrich them with Ethiopian ones. There are Ethiopian values almost in all sectors but need through study. We just cannot label our values as backward without examining them. It would be absurd judgment to do so.”

“We need to move to a more Afrocentric epistemology whose ultimate aim is to liberate. Afrocentric knowledge production system generates a knowledge that will free and empower the Africans in the course of mental decolonization.”

That it is an alternative, non-exclusionary, and non-hegemonic system

ADDIS ABABA (FBC) – The House of People’s Representatives (HPR) yesterday approved Ethiopia’s membership to the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

The AfCFTA, one of the biggest trade agreements since the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), aims to create a single market in Africa.

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was endorsed by leaders of more than 40 countries in March last year. Since then more countries have joined the agreement, including Ethiopia.

The AfCFTA is meant to create a tariff-free continent that can grow local businesses, boost intra-African

Parliament ratifies Ethiopia’s membership

to AfCFTA

BY YESUF ENDRIS

Psychologists suggest that children’s mind can easily acquire knowledge. This would usher us in the path of Lockean buzzword, tabula raza, which compares children’s mind with white paper.

Children living in urban areas of the developing world like, Africa, have exposure to the digital world— which has brought both opportunities

Bridging digital rift

See Back to... Page 2

BY MISGANAW ASNAKE

ADDIS ABABA- Ambassadors of Russian Federation and Vatican City State to Ethiopia yesterday took leave of President Sahlework Zewde.

The president stressed as both dip-lomatic heads played pivotal role in strengthening the historic and long standing ties with Ethiopia in various areas.

The outgoing Russian ambassador Vsevolod Tkachenko told journalists

Russian, Vatican ambassadors took leave of President

STEM centers are believed to create opportunities to primary school learners to access technology

(Pho

to: G

oogl

e)

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed with Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019

NATIONAL PAGE 2

ADDIS ABABA (FBC)- Locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II have been officially handed over to Ethiopia by the British National Army Museum.

Ethiopian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Hirut Kassaw, received the hair at a ceremony held in London yesterday.

The Minister also requested the Museum to return 11 replica Arks of the Covenant, which are currently in storage at the Museum, emphasizing that the Arks were more than just artifacts.

The locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II were removed by a member of the British expeditionary force led by Field Marshal Robert Cornelius Napier after the Emperor chose to commit suicide rather than surrender at the battle of Maqdala in 1868.

UK returns locks of hair belonging to Emperor Tewodros II

The Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency (ENALA) and the British Library in London yesterday also signed a Memorandum of Understanding

(MoU) to collaborate in various sectors.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Hirut Kassaw, signed the MoU on behalf of

ENALA.The agreement will see

the institutions foster greater collaboration, research, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

Official handing over ceremony of the locks of hair held in London

BY MISGANAW ANAKE

ADDIS ABABA- Ministry of Health (MoH) said improved links between health centers and hospitals have shrunken maternal death by 72 percent.

Excessive bleeding and hypertension are said to take the larger slice of mothers’ death during delivery, Ministry of Health Maternal and Children Director Dr. Meseret Zelalem told The Ethiopian Herald.

Services expecting mothers get at each and every health center and improvement in the information exchange channel among health centers and respective hospitals as well as the use of up to date equipment at all levels have contributed for the declining of mothers’ death, according to her.

“The previous figure was 1,400 deaths per 100,000 births. Now it declines to 419 per 100,000 births.”

Mothers get uninterrupted one stop pre-pregnancy, delivery, post pregnancy services, she said.

Health extension workers also offer various services ranging from personal hygiene, family planning, among others, in both rural and urban

Improved health services reduces maternal mortality nation-wide

areas of the country which contributed greatly to the improvement, she added.

The ministry has been working to expand ambulance services targeting maternal services in all areas of the country, she said, adding the number of health professionals is also growing from time to time.

To further trim maternal death, the

Ministry has focused on the provision of major services—compassionate maternal care, electronic community healthcare system and accessible and quality services at health.

“We’re training a number of midwives to further expand maternal healthcare services across the length and breadth of the country.”

On the other hand, Dr. Shimels

Solomon, Menelik II Hospital Medical Director added that no single mother has lost her life during delivery in their Hospital over the last one year.

“All health professionals have been working hand-in-glove to ensure safe delivery.”

He did not, however, shy away from mentioning that the deficit of midwives and other health professionals.

Maternal health receives increasing attention in Ethiopia resulting in the reduction of the rate of death at delivery significantly

BY MISGANAW ASNAKE

ADDIS ABABA- Despite the production of knowledge in almost all of Ethiopia’s universities, the translation of research findings to practice is still far from enough, according to scholars.

Universities are mushrooming in the country. Diametrically opposite to this, research findings of both students and seasoned faculty members usually decorate shelves of academic institutions.

Shortage of funding, digital plagiarism and limitation in research skills are among the major challenges facing academic institutions effort of generating problem solving researches. Yet, authentic research findings that could bring positive impacts on the society remain unnoticed.

In an interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Prof. Zerihun Woldu, Research Director at Addis Ababa University, told The Ethiopian Herald scientific findings that may help to narrow gaps in many areas are usually shelved at universities.

Absence of institutions that may bridge university and industry could partly be ascribable to the problem, according to him.

To him, researches that could improve the lives of the people remain idle due to limitation in mobilizing financial sources.

In one hand, as Abera Wondoson,

Scholars called for feasible academic researches

Lecturer at Dilla University Department of Journalism and Communication argues, quality constraints in the education sector contributed to the bad appetite the industry developed to research works of universities.

As students fathom to modern research skills is questionable which is exacerbated by digital plagiarism has led to less reliable findings, according to him.

To Abera, limitation in language skills, the fact that English is medium of instruction at higher education, are no less important in hampering research quality.

Enhancing quality education and ensuring strong university-industry linkage are ways to counter the problem, he said.

Prof. Zerihun for his part indicated that Addis Ababa University (AAU) embarked up on collaborative research method to get adequate funding to researches and to put findings to practice.

Also, university-industry linkage has brought about shift in the research trend in which students have been attempting to conduct researches to fill gaps in the industries, he noted.

There are various researches the university has been conducting in areas like health improvement, malaria control, traditional medicine, crop productivity and nutrition, solar energy, quality of education, human health and HIV/AIDS in the 13 research faculties of the University.

and constraints to this part of the globe. Underage children, if unchecked, waste

their time on digital world, at the expense of their social and cognitive development.

Primary schools seem to have ignored their roles in shaping kids in both online and offline use of digital technology. In the case of Ethiopia, the issue is ignored in the curriculum hence children are far from developing skills at an early level.

STEM power, an international NGO registered in the USA is said to have mainly focuses in promoting and facilitating hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education across Ethiopia, an effort that may help the generation to shake hands with the future by emulating the best out of the digital world.

It signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with seven Universities.

At the event, Prof. Hirut W/Mariam, Minister of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE), stressed that universities are vested with responsibilities of cultivating children’s skills of innovation. Hence, such cooperation helps higher education institution to expand their capacity.

Children can get measured exposure with technology. Put it another way, children can use technology for the good of the society.

STEM power president Kidist Gebreamlak, explaining about the benefits,

said their intervention make technology accessible in all areas of the country.

“The project intends to foster coordination between universities and surrounding communities on building youth’s innovative skills.”

Selected primary school students will get opportunities to access labs including IT and other science equipment.

As MoSHE State Minister Prof. Afework Kasu, indicated this is one mechanism to bridge technological constraints.

Students, particularly during their long vaccination of Ethiopian major rainy season can utilize their time efficiently in the STEM centers, Bahir Dar University President Dr. Frew Tegegne noted.

As a research conducted last year by Ministry of Education indicated, despite some promising opportunities, technological use in primary schools of Ethiopia face challenges of low quality education and budgetary constraints.

The study revealed that primary schools lack educational facilities which in turn affect students to link their studies with relevant technological outputs.

On the other hand, Ministry of Education has designed new education roadmap which aims, among others, to enhance science and mathematics so as to create productive citizens, its implementation is expected to inspire youths’ technology use and innovation.

Bridging...

trade, revamp industrialization and create jobs.

The agreement creates a single continental market for goods and services as well as a customs union with free movement of capital and business travelers.

Countries joining AfCFTA must commit to removing tariffs on at least 90 percent of the goods they produce.

If all 55 African countries join a free trade area, it will be the world’s largest by number of countries, covering more than 1.2 billion people and a combined GDP of USD 2.5 trillion.

Parliament...

areas of sharing experiences to Ethiopia in the energy and education sectors.

He also lauded Ethioia’s ongoing reform particularly in ensuring freedom of expression.

Also, the outgoing Vatican Ambassador Luigi Bianco said the two sides have been collaborating in education and health sectors, he also vowed to expand the experience to other areas.

Russian, Vatican...

of knowledge based up on the African experience.

Scholars shoulder the biggest slice of responsibility in bringing the values into the spotlight and enriching them with improved application ways.

The main fault line rests on countries ability to synchronize the western adopted values with their indigenous one, states Fisha Moreda who also presented a paper in rethinking peace in Africa. Adding, he said that the copy and paste trend brought almost the unique values to their knees. The methodology and application was also incompatible with local contexts.

There is this ill-perception that western values are justified and all fit is wrong. Indigenous knowledge particularly conflict management systems are unfairly treated and labeled as backward.

“Unlike the negative perception, we saw Afrocentric values making difference in restoring peace and fostering reconciliation as it is the case in South Africa and Rwanda. Ethiopia is also home to democratic and effective conflict managements systems.”

It proves null to carbon copy western values without properly examining Ethiopian values. Indigenous knowledge if utilized correctly would make a better alternative in all aspects particularly in ensuring peace and building internal cohesion. “We need to bring the values from the dust and reassess them.”

Now that prescribing western values to internal issues proves unfit and less effective, it requires the country to go back to the drawing board and try to integrate local values with the social system.

There have been little attempt to study the indigenous knowledge of the country. Books are published particularly in alternative justice system. But the main duty lies on the shoulder of universities and state tourism bureaus to explore the potential of different communities, Alemayew Getachew Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport Common Cultural Values Development Director.

Indigenous knowledge particularly conflict management systems are more lasting and cost effective. That is way they are officially recognized by the government though a lot remains to be done in further developing and integrating the system to modern justice system.

By fostering reconciliation and forgiveness, indigenous conflict management system appears to effectively settle problems.

Preserving indigenous knowledge requires collaboration among scholars, respective government bodies and others. First the country needs to identify the values and their significance before applying them. This knowledge should be studied across various disciplines. In fact identification is not an end; the values should be applied and used. Preserving indigenous values should aim more on mainstreaming them.

Back to....

PAGE 3 FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019

The Ethiopian HeraldEstablished in 1943

Published daily except MondaysBy The Ethiopian Press Agency

General Manager Tel. 011-126-42-22 Fax. 251-011-156-98-62

Advertisement and Dist. Department email:epapromotion@press.et

Tel. 011-157-02-70 Website: www.press.et

email: ethiopianherald@press.etFacebook /Ethiopian Press Agency

Editor-in-Chief Kifle Worku email- kifle.worku@press.et Address- Kolfe Keranio Sub-city Woreda - 03 House No- --- Tel- +251 111 26 41 98

Recklessness, fake news and rushes to incite violence can partly explain the social media use of current time. But self-restraint, honesty and efforts to success the ongoing wide-array reform must substitute the rhetoric on the social media platforms.

Doing so might ring in our mind the saying: ‘easier said than done.’ It seems tough to regulate the social media sector, particularly for countries that lack homegrown platforms.

Another factor that exacerbates the problem is the lack of gray line between what is called open web, freedom of speech and dangerous speech. Most circulate their venomous perspectives under the pretext of the former. Yet, a great extent of individuals masked themselves behind pseudonyms or fake accounts.

What must be clear to all is, however, the ill-intent messages that goes viral on the web is likely to get hundreds of thousands of buyers. We should not forget the fact that Ethiopia is one of the countries with bulging youth population that could make up over 60 percent of the population, almost half of them unemployed.

No doubt, not few of those who post hate and dangerous speeches are far from understanding the impact of their actions; they only do that to buy fame and get wide circulation or followers.

However, one should not downplay the deliberate actions of the rest majority who are after political gains.

Hence, the state must respond appropriately and legally. It is high time to open series of debates at policy makers’ level on ways and means of taming the platform. Its proper use, no doubt, can help democracy to send roots and branches. The cyber world brings enormous benefits to communities by shaping

Rational social media usethe way they live. But unregulated cyber media also poses grave dangers.

Policy makers should not stand on the fence on this dearly important matter. The cyber and social worlds have to complement one another. But when the cyber world flexes its muscles to the devastation of law and order, it must be checked with proper measures.

There is no intention to criminalize the social media, but when it starts to bring more harms than good, pertinent bodies have to sit and discuss the issue, if not raise red flag.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed in his statement earlier this week made government’s stance clear.

The statement denounced social media use that goes astray. It has also called on citizens to exercise informed social media use. While contributing to democratization through genuine dialogue, citizens ought to counter activities on the web that undermine the reform effort, it adds.

The clear stance of the government is sure to send message to wrong doers. Yet, to bring the reform to fruition, the platform plays a huge role. Messages could go viral at a click of a button. And studies show that wrong and negative information has a tendency to go 70 percent faster than the constructive ones.

Apart from doing activities, the government has to communicate with the public, in various ways, to enable them understand what has been achieved on the ground.

Thus, far-sighted citizens and friends of Ethiopia must join hands, if not minds, to counter narratives that tarnish works accomplished. And it should be clear to all that this has nothing to do with being critical of the government.

This being the case, policy makers are shouldered with huge responsibility of clearly delineating the buffer zone of freedom of expression.

2018-19, A Year of unprecedented reforms in Ethiopia BY SOLOMON DIBABA

A year has just elapsed since the election and coming to power of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and his government. Following four years of protest and unrest, on 15 February 2018 the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, announced his resignation. Hailemariam’s resignation triggered a leadership election among EPRDF coalition members to replace him. On 1 March 2018, the 180 EPRDF executive committee members started their meeting to elect the leader of the Front. On 2 April 2018, Abiy was elected as Prime Minister of Ethiopia by the House of Representatives and sworn in.

On April 2, 2018, Abiy was confirmed and sworn in by the HPR as Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Right after the confirmation of his premiership, Abiy made a historical speech in which he promised sweeping political reforms; to promote the unity of Ethiopia and the unity among the peoples of the country; to reach out to the Eritrean government to resolve the ongoing Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict after the Eritrean–Ethiopian War and to also reach out to the political opposition organizations inside and outside of Ethiopia.

His speech triggered a nationwide optimism and received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from all sectors of the Ethiopian society including the opposition groups inside and in the Diaspora.

Since taking office in April 2018, Prime Minister Abiy’s government has presided over the release of thousands of political prisoners from Ethiopian jails including leaders of opposition parties and journalists paving the way for the expansion of country’s political landscape

On 30 May 2018, it was announced the ruling party would amend the countries

infamous anti-terrorism law, widely perceived as a tool of political repression. The reform on this law is currently under review. On 1 June 2018, Prime Minister Abiy announced the government would seek to end the state of emergency two months in advance of the expiration its six-month tenure, citing an improved domestic situation. On 4 June 2018, HPR approved the necessary legislation, ending the state of emergency.

Pragmatic Economic reforms at the later part of the year including partial or whole privatization of state-owned enterprises such as Ethiopian Airlines, Ethio-telecom, Ethiopian Maritime and Logistics Corporation were announced.

The government resolved that state ownership in the telecommunications, aviation, electricity, and logistics sectors are to be ended and those industries opened up to private sector competition. Furthermore, state-owned enterprises in sectors deemed less critical, including railway operators, sugar, industrial parks, hotels and various manufacturing firms, may be fully privatized.

As part of the government’s foreign policy reforms, In May 2018, Prime Minister Abiy visited Saudi Arabia, receiving guarantees for the release of Ethiopian prisoners including Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, who was detained on alleged corruption and recently released by the Saudi government.

In June 2018, he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo and, separately, brokered a meeting in Addis Ababa between the South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Rieck Machar in an attempt to encourage peace talks.

Prime Minister Dr. Abiy was also engaged in a cunning diplomatic move in facilitating the release of hundreds of Ethiopians detained in Djibouti, Sudan, Egypt and a number of Ethiopians detained in

other African countries.Prime Minister Dr. Abiy’s government

was also actively engaged in a policy of facilitating Ethiopia’s access to the seas through ports in the Horn of Africa region. Shortly before his assumption of office it was announced that the Ethiopian government would take a 19% stake in Berbera Port in the unrecognized Republic of Somaliland as part of a joint venture with DP World.

In May 2018 Ethiopia signed an agreement with the government of Djibouti to take an equity stake in the Port of Djibouti, enabling Ethiopia to have a say in the port’s development and the setting of port handling fees.

Similar agreement was signed with the Sudanese government granting Ethiopia an ownership stake in the Port of Port Sudan. The Ethio-Djibouti agreement grants the Djiboutian government the option of taking stakes in state-owned Ethiopian firms in return, such as the Ethiopian Airlines and Ethio Telecom. This in turn was followed shortly thereafter by an announcement that Abiy and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta had reached an agreement for the construction of an Ethiopian logistics facility at Lamu Port as part of the Lamu Port and Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project.

The potential normalization of Ethiopia-Eritrea relations opened the possibility for Ethiopia to resume using the Ports of Massawa and Asseb, which, prior to the Ethio-Eritrean conflict, were its main ports, which would be of particular benefit to the northern region of Tigray. All these developments would reduce Ethiopian reliance on Djibouti’s port, through which approximately 85% of Ethiopia’s foreign trade currently transits.

In few months after taking office, Prime Minister Abiy over saw Ethiopia’s acceptance of the Algiers Agreement. In June 2018, it was announced that the government

had agreed to abide with the Algiers Accord, complying with the terms of the 2000 agreement to bring an end to the state of tension between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

On 8 July 2018, Prime Minister Abiy became the first Ethiopian leader to meet with an Eritrean counterpart, President Isaayas Afeworki in Asmera in over two decades. In the 2018 Eritrea–Ethiopia summit. The very next day, the two signed a “Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship” declaring an end to tensions and agreeing, amongst other matters, to re-establish diplomatic relations; reopen direct telecommunication, road, and aviation links; and facilitate Ethiopian use of the ports of Massawa and Asseb.

Speaking to senior commanders of the Ethiopian National Defense Force declared his intention to carry out reforms of the military to strengthen its effectiveness and professionalism, with the view of limiting its role in politics. Notably, he has also called for the eventual reconstitution of the Ethiopian Navy, dissolved in 1996 in the aftermath of Eritrea’s secession after an extraterritorial sojourn in Djibouti, saying that “we should build our naval force capacity in the future, was reported that this move would appeal to nationalists still smarting from the country’s loss of its coastline 25 years prior. Ethiopia already has a maritime training institute on Lake Tana as well as a national shipping line.

On 7 June 2018, Prime Minister Abiy carried out a wide-ranging reshuffle of top security officials, replacing ENDF Chief of Staff General Samora Yunis with Lieutenant General Se’are Makonnen, National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) director Getachew Assefa with Lieutenant General Adem Mohammed.

On 23 June 2018, a large peaceful demonstration was organized in Addis Ababa at Meskel Square to show support for the new prime minister. Just after he had finished

addressing the crowd a grenade was thrown just 17 meters from where he and other top officials were sitting. Two people were killed and over 165 were injured. Following the attack, 9 police officials were detained, including the deputy police commissioner, who was fired immediately. After the attack the prime minister addressed the nation on national TV unhurt by the blast and describing it as an “unsuccessful attempt by forces who do not want to see Ethiopia united”.

On the HPR session held on 16 October 2018, Prime Minister Abiy proposed a draft that reduces the number of ministries from 28 to 20, where half of the cabinets are female ministers. The new cabinet restructure included giving high ministerial positions for women, including the first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde; the first female minister of Ministry of Defense, Aisha Mohammed Musa the first female Minister of the new Ministry of Peace, Muferiat Kamil and head of National Election Board – Birtukan Medekssa.The proposal included the introduction of Ministry of Peace, which commands the Ethiopian Federal Police and the intelligence agencies. These were all approved by the HPR.

However, all these multifaceted reforms were not conducted on a red carpet. Anti- reform forces conducted systematic and sporadic unrests in parts of Oromia, Amhara, the SNNPR and Somalia region under the guise of public demands and outright opposition to the measures the government was taking.

Legal reforms pertaining the operation of charities and societies agency were also made over the year and as the reform is still unfolding in process the peoples of Ethiopia are expecting and supporting more reforms. The road is indeed challenging but the future is bright for united Ethiopia.

Friday’s TeamWorku Belachew (Tel. 011-1-26-42-01)Dirriba TeshomeDesta GebrehiwotMisganaw Asnake Yesuf Endris Abdurezak MohammedBethlehem Asfaw

PAGE 5 THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019

‘Similarities’ intensify doubt on Boeing 737 MAX 8 BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT

Fortnights into the deadly Ethiopian Aircraft crash that united many countries in grief with causalities of 35 nations, preliminary findings and experts ar casting their concern on mechanical fitness of the model.

This concern further strengthened as the recent Ethiopian aircraft shares similarities with the Lion Air plane crash, the same model that plunged into the sea though full results are yet to be released.

Concerns have intensified over the Aircraft model as Ethiopian and Lion aircrafts’ accident share similarities in many ways. From the unstable vertical speed to the flight time after takeoff, the two doomed aircrafts displayed various resemblances.

It was reported that satellite data and physical evidence from the sites of crashes have shown similarities between the two fleets. Full findings from the black box are yet to be released, as was described by the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport.

Last Sunday Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told journalists that an initial analysis of the black boxes recovered from the site pointed clear similarities between the two crashes. But she said further investigations are needed for specificity, saying preliminary findings would be public in 30 days. She also said data are successfully retrieved from the uncovered black

box by French experts. The two aircraft crashed soon

after takeoff with the Lion Air plane plunging into the sea after 15 minutes while Ethiopian Aircraft crashed after six minutes. Based on these assumptions, some are casting doubts on the mechanical efficiency of the aircraft mode until further assessments are made.

This concern led to many countries grounding the model with some suspending the aircraft not to fly in their airspace including UK.

It was also reported that the pilots who flew the aircraft were seniors with good flying record. In such way, the cause of the accident though premature to pass judgment, more inclines to mechanical issues of the aircraft.

To strengthen further concern on the model, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US Department of Transportation is also investigating Boeing’s development of the 737 Max, with a grand jury in Washington DC issuing a subpoena

for documents related to the commercial aircraft.

Experts last week in their interview with The Ethiopian Herald also weighed their concern on the mechanical issues of the plane. The massive grounding moves, according to the experts, seem to justify their concern with the aircraft.

Capt. Abera Lemi - Owner of National Airways for his part said countries are not only halting their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft but

banning it from their airspace, this points the concern that hangs over the model, though it is impossible to tell what caused Sunday’s crash. The pilots were said to report some technical problems.

The fact that more countries are joining Ethiopian Airlines in banning the aircraft with some other also suspending the model to fly in their airspace implicates concern on the model, said a Brigd. Gen Mesfin Haile who also trained the deceased pilot of the doomed ET 302 Boeign737-MAX 8 Aircraft.

Countries could not make the decision to ground the aircraft out of the blue. Not only governments’ but public trusts have already been eroded on the model and for countries to regain confidence they must assess the safety of the model.

“I hope an independent international investigation will uncover the cause of the crash. Airline Safety Boards involve credible experts from Ethiopian Aviation Authority and others and the result is most of the time considered to be factual.

Ethiopian Airlines is leading airliner in the continent with latest and most modern fleets with good safety records. While many media outlets continue to reporting on the efficiency of the airliner, many passengers are also still showing their solidarity.

Not few peoples are taking pictures and selfies to show their trust on the biggest Airliner in Africa with myriads of flight destinations.

BY YESUF ENDRIS

The government has announced plan to launch a formal capital market by 2020, the time in between serving to install the required infrastructure.

Scholars also suggest that the decision is significant to escalate the growing economy of the country while allowing business persons to make secure capital transaction.

A World Bank Overview 2018, states that Ethiopia’s economy experiences fast and holistic speed growing at a rate of 10.3 percent on average a year. Despite this, Ethiopia is among the nations that have no formal capital market.

Last week [March 14/2019] Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations discussed the issue with representatives of public authorities and the business community.

At the event, State Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation Dr. Eyob Tekalign remarked the commencement of preparation to provide legal framework to regulate stock market.

Countries even with less financial infrastructure and economic power than Ethiopia are better positioned in the stock market world.

Zafu Eyesuswork, CEO and founder of United Bank, indicated that stock market is the pre existent tool to exploit the citizen’s economic power for fair engagement in economic ownership. Absence of stock market, therefore, deprives of citizens’ access to the capital market.

“Even with no stock market, stockholders run many companies

Launching stock market business

in Ethiopia,” he said. As to him, the market that goes without supervision exposed individuals or shareholders to suffer unnecessary cost.

Due to lack of trust in the prevailing market, people would rather prefer to deposit their money at banks.

As to Zafu, the absence of capital market causes most individuals to

develop little confidence towards share companies.

Banks, Insurances and other business have stirred the public’s interest to involve in the capital market, but few people have already dominated the sector, according to him.

“Most of share companies are controlled by small number of

tycoons. Hence, the larger public has nothing to do other than depositing their money at banks.”

Shareholders are being exploited by informal agents and cajolers in buying and selling shares, said Tesfaye Hailemichaeal, who presented paper on Stock Market in Ethiopia: Challenges and Prospects.

Adding, he also reiterated that the

capital market here is maneuvered by few business persons which rather is unhealthy.

He has also rung cautionary call to the government as professional and experienced IT experts, economists and secured administration ought to be considered in the effort of launching the stock market business here.

Ethiopia aims to formalize stock market business by 2020

A grand jury in Washington DC issuing a subpoena for documents related to the commercial aircraft.

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PAGE 8THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2019

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Institutionalization of Pan Africanism: The Establishment of Adwa Pan-African University

“I can see no security for African states unless African leaders, like ourselves, have realized beyond all doubt that salvation for Africa lies in unity, Kwame Nkrumah,” — a quote from first President of the Republic of Ghana, one of the founders of the Organization of African Union in 1963 and notable for leading ably the Pan-African Movement in Africa, in addition to authoring several books, including Africa Must Unite.

EstablishmentIt’s been close to two years since a

foundation stone was laid to establish Adwa Pan-African University (APAU) at Adwa by the-then Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President Yoweri Musevini of Uganda. The University is going to be built in a 150-hectare of hilly land, located in the north east section of the town of Adwa.

The University will occupy a prime real estate, not far from the majestic and historic mountains of Adwa and not far from the first site of the battlefield, now called Mindibdib. Gesasso, Inda Kidane Mehret, Abune Aregawi and Semayata Mountains are visible and close to the University site.

Soloda Mountain is also nearby dominating the landscape of Adwa and far beyond, one is able to see Maryam Shewito, another battlefield site in which the Ethiopian cavalry took the battle to the highest level, giving no chance for the enemy to gain any new ground. The University’s site provides an excellent panoramic view of the entire town and its magnificent mountain-rich surroundings.

The purpose of this essay is to provide a general overview of APAU, including a short narrative on Pan-Africanism.

It was also almost one year ago that the APAU Coordinating Committee, in collaboration with the Ministry of Affairs, successfully convened the first international conference in Adwa. The theme of the conference was “Institutionalizing Pan-Africanism.” It was at this conference that we are able to organize task forces, namely Curriculum, Architecture, Funding and Archives and Documentation. These taskforces have prepared and submitted reports pertaining to prior academic issues.

To this date, with regard to the task of fund raising or mobilizing resources, the Committee has managed to obtain pledges of 460 million Birr (200 million Birr from the Federal Government, 250 million Birr from the Tigray Regional Government and 10 million Birr from the Addis Ababa City Administration) for the initial phase of the construction of the University. We are hopeful that the other regional governments will follow suit. We are also confident that the Federal Government continues to support the project.

For the City of Addis Ababa, the Vice Mayor travelled to Mekelle to donate the 10 million Birr at a special ceremony at the Martyrs’ Park. The Vice Mayor has also promised to make additional donations for the realization of APAU. The Committee members are grateful to this gesture and sense of ownership. Adwa belongs to all Ethiopians, for that matter to all Africans and people of the world.

Dr. Debretsion Gebremikael, the Chief Administrator of the Tigray Regional Government, announced a pledge of 250 million Birr in a speech he gave at the 123rd anniversary of the victory at the Battle of Adwa in Adwa. Dr. Debretsion also met with two of the members of the Coordinating Committee on March 2nd. He was briefed on the activities of the Committee, including the issue of compensation that ought to be paid to the farmers and residents, on the University-designated premise, who need to be relocated.

He was also briefed on the state of curriculum preparation to begin academic program. Dr. Debretsion, who has shown

keen interest in the establishment of the University and who is consistently involved in making sure that the University becomes a reality, wants the academic program to begin immediately. Since the program begins with graduate studies, it is possible to start the program with one MA program. There is enough material to conduct classes. There are also qualified scholars to begin a program.

Dr. Debretsion suggests that we request facilities at Aksum University to begin the academic program. Aksum University is only 25 minutes away from Adwa. The Committee may also lease homes in Adwa that may be used for office, classes and student-housing. The Committee is hopeful that other regional governments follow the examples set by Addis Ababa City Administration and the Tigray Regional Government thereby affirming their ownership of the project. It is also the hope of the Committee to meet with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed soon.

What is Pan-Africanism? The Pan-African Movement that began

with the African Diaspora in Europe and the Americas achieved its institutional anchor with the founding of the OAU in May 1963 in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. African leaders similarly met decades later, at the Lusaka summit, to unanimously decide to replace the OAU, having fulfilled its original mandate, with the African Union (AU). As we approach the Africa Day, which is on May 25, 2018, it is important to reflect on the steps taken to transform Pan-Africanism.

The OAU/AU, a Pan-African institution created with the principal purpose of advancing the interests of African people both on the continent and in the Diaspora, locates its roots in the concept of Pan-Africanism.

According to W. Ofuatey-Kodjoe, Pan-Africanism reveals itself as an ideology with a cognitive component that recognizes all African Peoples, both on the continent and in the Diaspora, as being one folk, or nation as a result of a shared cultural identity, common historical experience and indivisible future destiny.

Ofuatey- Kodjoe’s definition of Pan- Africanism is perhaps one of the most concise definitions given so far. W.E.B Du Bois, the great African American thinker and widely acknowledged father of the Pan-African Movement stated its aims and objectives as follows:

“Pan-Africa will seek to preserve its own history, and write the present, erasing from its literature the lies and distortions about black folks which have disgraced the last centuries of European and American literatures; …Pan-Africa seeks the end of making Africans not simply profitable workers for industry nor stool pigeons for propaganda, but for making them modern, intelligent, responsible men

(and women) of vision and character.” While old school Pan-Africanists, such

as George Padmore of Trinidad and Tobago, viewed the movement “as a revolt of people of African descent against oppression and humiliation imposed upon them because of their African origin”, the new school, such as Kwame Tourè (formerly Stockley Carmichael) believed the fundamental goal of Pan-Africanism to be “the empowerment of all African people wherever they are.”

Sid Lamelle identified seven major points as the strategy by which to fully comprehend the idea and praxis of Pan-Africanism. His idea included ‘Africa as Homeland’, ‘Solidarity’, ‘Historical Restoration’, ‘Cultural Heritage’, ‘Africa for Africans’, and ‘Unity’. Consequently, Lamelles’s seven salient points of Pan-Africanism were as follows:1. Africans and persons of African origin

recognize Africa as their homeland;2. Solidarity among men and women of

African descent;3. Belief in a distinct ‘African personality;4. Restoration of African’s History;5. Pride in African cultural heritage;6. Africa for Africans in material and

spiritual pursuit; and7. Hope for a United Future of Africa.

To Lamelle, the conditions that gave rise to the Pan-African idea include: the humiliation and exploitation of the African diaspora, racism, and white supremacist arguments about the inferiority of African descent, and colonialism and imperialism in Africa and in the Diaspora.

Although Nkrumah’s vision of a United States of Africa is yet unrealized, Pan-Africanism has registered a number of historical accomplishments. As a political movement, it has substantially contributed to the struggle against colonialism and apartheid in Africa and against white supremacy in the United States. Pan-African principles were behind the formation of Marcus Garvey’s the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the United States in the 1920s.

UNIA became one of the largest people-centered Pan-African organizations in the diaspora with over 5 million members. UNIA was described as such due to its objective of addressing the social, cultural, and economic issues facing Africans globally.

When one reflects on the history of the Pan-African Movement, it is extraordinary to note how ordinary men and women transcending their confined identities at great personal cost to their lives in order to advance the cause of Africans. In fact, the Movement has produced some of the most principled and influential freedom fighters and thinkers in history.

From the first Pan-African Conference

in 1900 in London initiated by Henry Sylvester Williams to the fifth Congress in Manchester, England in 1945, Pan-African aims and objectives underwent fundamental transformations. It made a qualitative shift from an appeal to “well-meaning” colonial masters to improve the conditions of their colonial subjects to an explicit demand for self-determination, freedom and independence of African peoples and countries.

Institutionalizing Pan-Africanism: Political Dimension

The Pan-African Movement reached its zenith when the leading actors of the African political realm, Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haileselassie I came together to play their leading roles in the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1963.

The establishment of the OAU, in fact, is one of the great milestones in the history of African people. With this, it was hoped that the OAU would become instrumental in promoting political, cultural, and economic cooperation and unity in Africa. The OAU/AU has yet to achieve those lofty goals, and has in the process faced numerous challenges in the wake of the pervasive neocolonial blocks, boundaries, and identities prevalent on the continent. Nkrumah recognized these neo colonial schemes in Africa at its earliest stage and cautioned African states to seek African-centered development.

In an editorial entitled “What Mandela Means to Our Future”, the editor of the Michigan Chronicle wrote: “Nelson Mandela, a universal symbol of freedom, has also exposed a major challenge for Africans on the continent and abroad. The world’s nations are clustering themselves around political ideologies, religious, ethnic groupings and geographical location…Africans throughout the world must recognize that their place has not been reserved in any of these alliances.

To move forward in the next century and eventually cooperate meaningfully with other groups – Africans must first coalesce with each other. The time is here when Africans facing environmental, development and health crisis in both Africa and abroad must pull their resources, skills and talents for their very survival.

The African Union must continuously strive to provide a platform for Africans to play a significant role in world affairs. It must be a source of strength for us to relate to ourselves and the rest of the world with dignity, self-confidence and self-respect. We should be actively involved in the shaping of the new Union so that it would become a bastion of human rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, women’s rights and rights of all our people on the continent and in the

Diaspora. The African union must strive to be self-reliant. The resources needed to run our institutions ought to be generated from within, thus avoiding the neocolonial strings attached to resources from abroad.

Institutionalizing Pan-Africanism: Cultural Dimension

At a conference held in Adwa at the end of February 2016 in conjunction with the 120th anniversary of the victory at the Battle of Adwa, a citizens’ group publicly announced a plan to establish a Pan-African University in Adwa. The symbolic and historical significance of Adwa, particularly in the context of the African World, were taken into consideration in making the announcement.

In 1896, eleven years after the Berlin Conference, the Ethiopian army defeated the invading Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa. It was a decisive battle because it aborted Italy’s ambition to establish a colonial foothold in Ethiopia. The victory at the Battle of Adwa set the stage for the beginning of the end of colonialism in Africa.

Adwa, therefore, is significant because it disturbed the colonial order in the world. Colonial subjects interpreted Adwa as a call to resist and defeat colonialism and racial oppressions throughout the world. With Adwa, they have a permanent symbol and a constant reminder that colonialism was wrong and it ought to be defeated. No system is just as long as it treats human beings as objects and fodders to exploitative and profitable economic systems. Citizenship is a right that cannot be denied and that should be exercised if at all freedom is a universal right of peoples and communities.

Adwa, to many, was not simply an Ethiopian victory, but an African victory as well. The 1884/85 Berlin Conference was convened to divide up the entire continent of Africa and assign colonial territories to European powers. The Europeans allocated the Horn of Africa to Italy. Italy’s military push in Ethiopia is a part of the European colonial design in Africa. Adwa inspired resistance and anti-colonial movements in the African world.

In 1963, the first step was taken to institute continental Pan-Africanism by founding the Organization of African Unity (OAU). At its 50th anniversary, the Organization was strengthened by transforming itself into the African Union (AU). AU has crafted Agenda 2063 and, at present, efforts are being exerted to put into practice. As another step to continue the institutionalization of Pan-Africanism, Ethiopian citizens, in 2016, took the initiative to establish a university in Adwa for the primary purpose of advancing Pan-African causes. Establishing a Pan-African institution of higher learning is viewed as a way of implementing Agenda 2063.

Adwa Pan-African University (APAU) commits itself to address and advance Pan-African issues in line with Agenda 2063 of the African Union and the Africa Decade Program of the United Nations. With the establishment of APAU, Adwa will become a major hub and center of excellence for Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.

Fifty-five years ago, at the founding summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, Emperor Haileselassie I had proposed the founding of an African University where the continent’s youth and future leaders would be nurtured together at one site in Africa. His dream was not realized until AU has begun to open Pan-African Universities in five regions of the continent. Adwa Pan-African University is intended to compliment the AU’s Universities. While the AU Pan-African Universities are established on the basis of equity and geography, APAU is going to be a standalone University with Pan-African center of excellence. As Addis Ababa is the political capital of the AU, Adwa will become the center of historical knowledge and archives about the African World.

BY DR. AYELE BEKERIE

One Of the proposed architectural design APAU

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