Tewolde G. Mariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, has announced his resignation

Tewolde G. Mariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, has announced his resignation Early Retirement of Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Ethiopian Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam has been under medical treatment in the USA for the last six months. As he needs to focus on his personal health issues, he is unable to continue leading the airline as a Group CEO, a duty which demands closer presence and full attention round the clock. Accordingly, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam requested the Board of Management of Ethiopian Airlines Group(the “Board”), for early retirement in order for him to focus his full attention to his medical treatment. The Board, in its ordinary meeting held on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, has accepted Mr. Tewolde’s request for early retirement. Mr. Tewolde led the Airline for over a decade with remarkable success reflected in its exceptional performance in all parameters including but not limited to exponential growth from one Billion USD annual turn-over to 4.5 Billion, from 33 airplanes to 130 airplanes and from 3 million passengers to 12 million passengers (pre-COVID). Under his leadership, the airline group has grown by four fold in all measurements building more than USD 700 million worth of vital infrastructure like Africa’s biggest hotel, Cargo terminal, MRO hangars and shops, Aviation Academy and Full Flight Simulators. The Board, the Senior Management, employees and the whole Ethiopian Airlines family express their gratefulness for his contribution and wish him full recovery soon. The Board will announce the new Group CEO and successor to Ato Tewolde GebreMariam shortly. Mr. Girma Wake, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, has been appointed recently as a new Chairman of the Board of Management of Ethiopian Airlines Group by the Ethiopian Public Enterprises Holding & Administration Agency. Mr. Girma Wake is a highly experienced, successful and well-regarded business leader and a well-known figure in the aviation industry who previously led Ethiopian Airlines for 7 years as a CEO and laid the foundation for the fast and profitable growth of the airline. The combination of his experience, work-culture and drive makes him capable of chairing the board and take the airline to the next level. Mr. Girma’s decision-making skills are tested and well proved.

The Renaissance Dam,will officially start generating electricity on Sunday

The Renaissance Dam,will officially start generating electricity on Sunday The Renaissance Dam, which has been successfully tested for the past few weeks, will officially start generating electricity on Sunday, February 19, 2022. As reported a few days ago, water testing of two power turbines has been successfully completed and now the date of the first phase of the dam will be a new chapter in the dam’s history. The government is preparing to unveil this historic chapter of the dam tomorrow. It was also learned that there will be various programs at the dam site. The construction and storage of the dam will continue in the coming years, and negotiations with the lower riparian countries are expected to take on a new dimension. Negotiations between various negotiators have stalled for years. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has been flooded for two consecutive seasons in 2020 and 2021. In the winter of 2021, the dam reached a height of 565 meters above sea level and 4.9 billion cubic meters. Last year, the dam is expected to reach a height of 595 meters above sea level and the additional capacity of the dam will be 13.5 billion cubic meters. However, given the current state of affairs in the country, there are some doubts about the success of the project, but it has been confirmed that the Renaissance Dam will be able to generate electricity with two turbines. Negotiations in the lower riparian countries about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is just 11 years away from construction, have been held by the African Union, but Ethiopia and Sudan have said they will sign a binding agreement on water management and decommissioning, but Ethiopia has said it will hurt its interests.

Ethiopia earns $645m from coffee export in 7 months

Ethiopia earns $645m from coffee export in 7 months Addis Ababa – Ethiopia has earned over $645 million (R9. billion) from the export of coffee in the first seven months of the country’s current budget year, which began on July 8, 2021. The revenue came from the export of 162 818 tonnes of coffee, showing a $299 million increase, as against the same period last year, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority said in a statement on Wednesday. According to the statement, the major importers of Ethiopia’s coffee Arabica are Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. The data from the Authority also shows that Germany continues to be the top market for Ethiopian coffee export. The East African nation exported 39 579.8 tonnes of coffee to the European nation in the past seven months, earning $137.86 million (or 21% of the total revenue). Saudi Arabia and Japan also take the second and third spots in the top 10 destinations for Ethiopian coffee. Over 24 563 tonnes of coffee valued at $86.14 million have been exported to Saudi Arabia, while Japan imported 17 239.25 tonnes of Ethiopian coffee worth $65.79 million in the same period. Belgium, the United States, South Korea, Italy, China, France, and Taiwan, respectively, make up the remaining top 10 destinations for Ethiopian coffee. The 10 countries accounted for 82% of the total coffee export, and the revenue put at 81% of the total revenue generated in the past seven months. Tags ethiopia coffee ethiopian news

Interesting facts about Commercial Bank of Ethiopia new headquarter

Interesting facts about Commercial Bank of Ethiopia new headquarter Information about the huge Commercial Bank of Ethiopia headquarters building: The foundation stone of the building was laid on June 20, 2007 by Bereket Simon, a policy advisor and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. A long study has been done to carry out the construction and it has taken its own time to find the site; After 18,308 square meters of land was given to the building, a design competition was held with the participation of many, making it the current winner. It took 7 years to identify the building design and construction facility. The building is state-of-the-art and incorporates an unusual structure in Ethiopia. Construction of the building was carried out under the supervision of Addis Ababa University Institute of Technology (AAiT) by the Chinese Government Construction Engineering Corporation. 4 underground and 49 above ground with a total of 53 floors with a total height of 209.15 meters and two large buildings with 11 and 13 floors. It has a total area of over 165,000 square meters. The 11-storey building has a conference hall; It has a modern Assembly Hall that can accommodate 2,500 people at a time, 5 small meeting halls with a capacity of 300 people and 200 seats (all can be connected to each other); It has staff cafeterias and a bank branch. The 13-story building is also used as a commercial center. Includes state-of-the-art cinema with 5 rooms, malls, gymnasium, beauty parlor, children’s amusement park, game zone, restaurants, and food court. The first floor of the main building is a permanent exhibition hall, from the 2nd to the 46th floor holding the office of the head office of the Bank. The 47th and 48th floors are cafeteria and recreation areas. It has 24 elevators, 26 scaffolders. The 4 floors have a range of up to 1,500 cars, including a state-of-the-art mechanical parking, as well as a variety of other services. The entire building has modern fire protection and CCTV cameras, media facilities, and 3 high-rise refurbished floors in the tallest building. It is built for modern security systems. It is equipped with a special technology called IBM to save water and electricity. The building is the tallest building in Addis Ababa, the tallest building in East Africa and across Africa. Construction cost $ 303.5 million. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Headquarters @tikvahethiopia Tags commercial bank of Ethiopia commercial bank of ethiopia new building

Safaricom Is Set To Launch M-PESA Services In Ethiopia

Safaricom Is Set To Launch M-PESA Services In Ethiopia M-PESA is making its way to Ethiopia, the State Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance has confirmed. Safaricom received its first license of operation in Ethiopia last year, but it did not allow for the setting up of the M-PESA mobile financial service. The government of Ethiopia suspended bids for a second license of operations in the same year, stalling the launch of M-PESA. However, the Ministry of Finance in Ethiopia has said it will delink the M-PESA permit from the second license. This will happen by May, allowing Safaricom to continue with initial launch plans. “They have been very active and I think they are planning for a launch sometimes in April and so far have kept their momentum in attaining the critical milestones,” Dr Eyob Tolina, the State Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance in an interview. Ethio Telecom, a monopoly in that market, is the only other which is operating a mobile financial service. Telebirr by Ethio telecom allows cashless transactions in a country with no bank-to-bank transfers. Safaricom will introduce M-PESA into a market of 110 million people with a great niche. The growth potential is huge here, considering their robust infrastructure. MPESA services are not just available on sim cards, eSims, my Safaricom app, and M-PESA super App. They are also available in feature phones and through USSD codes. Furthermore, several utilities and bank services are easily accessible to all M-PESA users. It will be interesting to see how Safaricom’s operation will affect the telco market in Ethiopia. Tags ethiopia news ethiopian news today mpesa Safaricom

East Africa focused EdTech company, Ha Hu AG acquired angel investment from César Hidalgo, author of ‘Why Information Grows’.

East Africa focused EdTech company, Ha Hu AG acquired angel investment from César Hidalgo, author of ‘Why Information Grows’. Date: Zurich, Switzerland, 24 January 2022. Ha Hu AG, a gamified Edtech platform, announced César Hidalgo as their angel investor. Founded in 2021 by a young mother, who saw the need for simplified and gamified early education tools for African languages, the company was self-funded before accepting outside financing. Their app, HaHu Scripts debuted its products in Amharic and now is in their next phase to launch two languages: Amharic and Tigrigna. These are languages spoken in East Africa, one of the regions in Africa with the lowest literacy rates. According to the World Bank, literacy rate in 2018 Ethiopia was just 51.8% and 70% of school children and youth did not finish primary education. César A. Hidalgo is a Chilean-Spanish-American scholar known for his contributions to economic complexity, data visualization, and applied artificial intelligence. After spending 9 years as a professor at MIT, he moved to Toulouse, France, where he leads the Center for Collective Learning at the Artificial and Natural Intelligence Institute (ANITI) of the University of Toulouse. He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester and a Visiting Professor at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. When asked about Ha Hu AG, Hidalgo commented: “I met Nigist in Zurich on 2021, and I was immediately impressed by her entrepreneurial spirit and vision. As a father of a young daughter, I understand the need for quality online education brought by the pandemic. While there are many resources available in English, the supply is not the same for other languages. Nigist had the vision and the courage to develop an educational product with the potential to support the basic literacy needs of millions of families in East Africa.” Nigist Goytom, Founder & CEO of HaHu Scripts commented: “When the planet went on global lockdown and schools were closed at the outset of COVID-19, the world recognized the demand for digital educational tools. Digital tools enabled remote education and therefore are invaluable for families, educators, refugees, and displaced communities who wouldn’t have access to traditional schooling. As an African migrant tasked with the education of her children, I realized way before the pandemic how little – beginner friendly – educational resources and materials were available for east African languages like Amharic and Tigrigna.  HaHu Scripts makes it now possible for everyone, children, and adults alike, to have education at their convenience in their native language. Our project is a Pan-African project that works on curbing digital inequality and illiteracy one African language at a time. Our partnership with Cesar is one step forward to achieving our goal.” HaHu Scripts is available on all app stores for Android and IOS devices. For additional information: Visit Hahu Scripts platforms and connect with us as below: Website: https://hahugames.com   Twitter: @hahuScripts    Facebook: @hahuscripts Instagram: hahuscripts Tags hahuscripts

Ethiopian Airlines To Get a World Class Lounge

Ethiopian Airlines To Get a World Class Lounge NEWS RELEASE Plaza Premium Group partners with NHY Group to Elevate Lounge Experience in Ethiopia (GLOBAL, 03 February 2022) Plaza Premium Group (PPG), the world’s leading airport hospitality service provider, today announces partnership with NHY Group, Ethiopia’s leading distributor in travel retail and hospitality, to elevate the lounge experience in Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD), one of the major transport hubs in Africa. Plaza Premium Lounge Ethiopia is set to open in March this year at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport Terminal 2 (Departure). As one of the major airport hubs within the African continent and the largest airport in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) records more than 12 million passengers per year. The new partnership aims to elevate ADD’s lounge experience by combining PPG’s 24 years of award-winning expertise and NHY’s extensive understanding in local travel and hospitality landscape. Spanning 1,000 square metres, Plaza Premium Lounge in Ethiopia is designed to deliver world-class services to accommodate up to 325 guests. The Plaza Premium Lounge Ethiopia features a wide range of facilities that cater to different types of travellers. A well-equipped business centre, shower rooms, resting and sleeping rooms as well as a cigar lounge, and an open café/restaurant concept are available for global travelers to relax and unwind, and enjoy an array of dining delights before departing for their destinations. The lounge is designed to provide a distinctive experience for passengers with its culture-inspired design and authentic Ethiopian culinary experience. The owner and CEO Mr. Nur Hussein Yassin of Nur Hussein Yassin (NHY) shared: “This strategic partnership with Plaza Premium Group, the pioneers in airport hospitality services, will further enhance the African travel experience! I look forward to the innovative and premium lounge service for all our passengers at the newly expanded Bole International Airport.” Bora Isbulan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Plaza Premium Group said: “Our ambitions to extend our 360-degree world-class airport hospitality services & facilities in Africa are on track. We are excited to be partnering with NHY Group, the leader of travel retail and hospitality in Ethiopia, to further expand our footprint in Africa in this strategic region. Our entry into Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) is a testament to our strategy and vision to expand our global airport hospitality services & facilities across the world.” “International tourism has been blooming in Ethiopia over the years, combining PPG’s 24 years of award-winning experience, with NHY’s local expertise and knowledge, we are confident that we can deliver diversified, exquisite, and innovative travel experiences to global travellers arriving in and departing from the airport. The partnership aligns with our vision to be in the global airport hospitality industry.” The new Plaza Premium Lounge Ethiopia is Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)’s only pay-per-use lounge and it is set to open for sale in the coming weeks via Plaza Premium Lounge’s official website (www.plazapremiumlounge.com) and designated distribution outlets. -END- About Nur Hussein Yassin (NHY) NHY – NUR HUSSEIN YASSIN NHY was established over 20 years ago by the owner and CEO Ato Nur Hussein Yassin and has grown to prominence in the Ethiopian market by forging strong partnership with global brands and becoming officially recognized import and distribution partner for these well-known brands and top rated companies. Building on its extensive experience in the sector, NHY focuses on FMCG wholesale & retail, Hospitality, Beauty and Skincare retail, Spirits and wine Travel retail that adds real value to customers and long-term engagement with our suppliers. We are currently engaged in the sourcing and distribution of high quality imported goods in Ethiopia and this has taken us closer to the hearts and minds of every consumer’s and household in the country. We apply our extensive experience in key commodity markets and help secure a steady supply of essential commodities for producers and end-users in Ethiopia. With an annual turnover of more than USD 40 million, our vision is to continue to expand our portfolio and become the preferred local distributor/partner for international companies whose intent are entering the Ethiopian market. As a platinum level tax payer award winner, NHY also contributes to the overall national economic development of our country. About Plaza Premium Group With a mission to Make Travel Better, Plaza Premium Group is the pioneer and industry leader in innovating global airport hospitality services and facilities in over 250 locations of more than 70 international airports across the world. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Hong Kong, the group comprises four core business segments – airport lounges Plaza Premium First and Plaza Premium Lounge; airport terminal hotels Aerotel; airport meet & greet services ALLWAYS and a range of Airport Dining concepts. The Group has also developed Smart Traveller, a mobile-app based global airport membership programme that is designed for air travellers, offering uniquely-curated perks, benefits and rewards experience through points earning and redemption. In addition to its own brands, Plaza Premium Group provides airport hospitality solutions to leading airlines, alliances and corporates around the world, including but not limited to Cathay Pacific Airways, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Star Alliance, SkyTeam, American Express, Capital One and many more. The Group has won more than 60 accolades in the last five years, including “World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge” for four consecutive years from 2016 to 2021 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, the global benchmark of aviation excellence, and “Best Airport Lounge Operator” for 2018 & 2019 by TTG Asia magazine. In 2020, the Group has successfully been awarded ISO 9001:2015 for Hong Kong Headquarters, proving the quality management in providing airport lounge services. In addition, the group’s Founder and CEO Mr. Song Hoi-see was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year and Master Entrepreneur of The Year 2018 Malaysia. Plaza Premium Group currently employs over 5,000 staff and serves more than 20 million global passengers annually. By continuously innovating and striving to surpass travellers’ expectations of airport experiences, the group is growing exponentially across major international airports globally. To learn more: www.plazapremiumgroup.com Connect with us: LinkedIn @plazapremiumgroup, Twitter @PPG_worldleader and WeChat @PlazaPremiumGroup Media Contacts: Eva Lui, Senior Manager, PR & Corporate Communications, Plaza Premium Group T: +852 3960 1456 E: [email protected]

Ethio Telecom earns 28 billion birr in six months

Ethio Telecom earns 28 billion birr in six months Ethio Telecom earns 28 billion birr in six months Addis Ababa: January 30, 2014 (FBC) Ethio Telecom announced that it has earned 28 billion birr in the last six months. Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamiru briefing journalists on the company’s six-month performance According to the CEO, the institution has earned 28 billion birr in the last six months. According to the report, the performance is 86.4 percent of the plan.

Ethiopian launches successful test flight of Boeing 737 Max

Ethiopian launches successful test flight of Boeing 737 Max Ethiopian Airlines announced that it has successfully launched its first test flight of Boeing 737 Max in three years. The airline conducted the test flight on its return flight from Addis Ababa to Kenya. The airline also mentioned that the Boeing 737 ET-AVI ET 9201 was one of the planes that was banned from operating after the crash due to technical problems with the Boeing flight control unit in 2018. The flight was returned from Bole International Airport to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya, Kenya, according to the report. The test is the first of its kind since a Boeing plane crash caused technical problems, resulting in the loss of many lives and property. ENA reports that such a test flight could be used as an eye-opener to bring Boeing back to normal.