Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) – The Tigray regional state today pardoned 2,111 inmates in connection with Marty’s Day.

The regional state commemorates Marty’s Day on June 22 every year.
The regional state last month granted amnesty for 2,206 prisons in connection with Ginbot 20 (May 28), which marks the downfall of the Derg regime.
It also pardoned 957 inmates at the beginning of the 2010 Ethiopian New Year.
Translated and posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) -Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Thursday with families of people abducted by North Korea decades ago and pledged to deal directly with the North to resolve the issue.

Abe vowed to seek a summit with North Korea, but only when its leader is committed to resolving the abduction issue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he raised the issue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at their summit in Singapore on Tuesday, keeping his promise to Abe who had repeatedly sought Trump’s help.
Abe said he will make use of the momentum to pursue the effort. “I’m determined to deal with North Korea face-to-face and resolve the abduction issue,” Abe told the families.
The mother of an abductee, Sakie Yokota, said it is important for Kim to be told of the problem.
Her daughter Megumi was abducted from Japan’s northern coast when she was 13.
Yokota asked Abe to move quickly so elderly families can get their loved ones back while they are still alive.
“It’s extremely significant that the North Korean leader was clearly reminded of the abduction issue,” Yokota, 82, told reporters after meeting Abe.
“As we are all getting older and weaker, I told (Abe) that we are anxious to see our loved ones as soon as possible.”
Megumi is one of at least 17 Japanese that the government says were abducted in the 1970s and 1980s to North Korea to teach Japanese culture and language to agents.
After years of denials, North Korea acknowledged in 2002 abducting 13. It allowed five to temporarily visit Japan later that year, though they never returned.
North Korea has said eight others, including Megumi, have died, but their families and Japan’s government refuse to accept that due to a lack of proof.
Source: AP
Posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) - French grain group, Malteries Soufflet, signed a land lease agreement with the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) to build a malting plant in Ethiopia.

It will initially have a capacity of 60,000 tons and will be in service in 2020, according the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA).
The agreement was signed by Ms Lelise Leme, IPDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and the General Manager of Soufflet Malt Ethiopia, yesterday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Addis Ababa.
The land lease agreement is the culmination of a negotiation between the two organizations, facilitated by ATA and the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC).
A memorandum of understanding was signed by Soufflet, EIC, and ATA to build the barley malting plant in Bole Lemi II Industrial Park in Ethiopia’s Oromia region in January 2017.
Mr Khalid Bomba, ATA CEO said “These kinds of investments represent Ethiopia’s progression from subsistence, production-based agriculture to commercialization and agro-processing. This shift is critical for the transformation of the agriculture sector and the country’s economic development.”
Ms Lelise, said “This venture will have multiple impacts on the Ethiopian economy by creating a market for smallholder barley farmers, opening up employment opportunities for youth, and providing relief to the country’s foreign currency challenge by reducing its malt imports.”
“Ethiopia is an attractive country to invest in because of its vast, yet largely untapped potential,” stated Mr. Christophe Passelande, CEO of Malteries Soufflet,
“The country’s barley production capacity, the malt demand growth, coupled with Soufflet’s extensive international experience, promises a successful collaboration.”
“Ethiopia’s development model relies on agriculture, the most dominant sector of its economy, serving as an engine for industrialization,” said Dr. Belachew Mekuria, EIC Commissioner,
“We are pleased with Soufflet’s investment because it marks an intersection between the two and showcases the possibilities for international investment in this country.”
Posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) - Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will visit Ethiopia on Friday and Saturday.

During his visit, the Crown Prince will met President Mulatu Teshome and Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed to discuss on issues of mutual interest and other regional affairs.
He is also expected to meet Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and pay a field visit.
Prime Minister Dr Abiy recently visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 
Investors from UAE are currently engaged in various investment sectors in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia also wants to attract more investors from that country in agricultural and tourism sectors.
Translated and posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) - Ukraine will open a visa center in Ethiopia on July 16, the Foreign Ministry’s press service reports.

“On July 16, the visa center of Ukraine in Ethiopia will start operating in Ethiopia, the city of Addis Ababa, Morning Star Mall, 3rd Floor, Bole area.
The visa center will be operated by VF Worldwide Holding Ltd,” reads the report.
Nationals of Ethiopia Djibouti, Uganda, Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Comoros, Seychelles, Tanzania, stateless persons and others nationals, who has permanent residence permit in Ethiopia will be able to apply for their Ukrainian visas through the Ukrainian visa center in Addis Ababa.
“The center receive visa applications, render assistance in filling in and registering visa application forms, as well as offer additional services upon request, including taking applicants' photos, translation and making copies of supporting documents, providing medical/travel insurance options, courier services, text messaging, premium lounge services etc,” reads the report.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that the visa center will only be providing applicants with pre-decision making services on filing visa applications to Ukraine's Embassy in Ethiopia Visa decisions upon every application will be made by Ukraine's consular officers only.
Source: Ukraineform
Posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) - North Korea will not see any economic sanctions lifted until it has demonstrated "complete denuclearisation", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

Mr Pompeo was speaking at a press conference in Seoul with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.
It comes days after President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un held a historic summit in Singapore.
The leaders signed a statement pledging to establish a new relationship.
Mr Kim also reaffirmed its previous promises to work towards the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".
But there has been deep scepticism about the agreement, with observers saying it lacked detail on how North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons and how that process would be verified.
Source: BBC
Posted by Amare Asrat

Addis Ababa, June 14, 2018 (FBC) - The Ethiopian Prime Minister and current Chair of IGAD, Dr Abiy Ahmed has invited President Salva Kiir and the leader of main armed opposition group Riek Machar to meet in Addis Ababa within a week.

A statement released on Wednesday said the SPLM-IO acknowledged receipt of the invitation letter to its leader for "IGAD-led face-to-face talks with President Salva Kiir on the 20th of June, 2018 in Addis Ababa".
"The Movement welcomes this invitation and salutes the courage of IGAD for reaching this prudent and timely decision, it will go a long way in building confidence in the peace process," said Mabior Garang de Mabior, head of SPLM-IO National Committee for Information and Public Relations.
For his part, President Kiir didn’t issue a statement but sources at the presidency confirmed the receipt of the invitation.
The invitation of the Ethiopian Premier for a face-to-face meeting comes after a similar one by the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir to President Kiir and his main rival Machar.
The two rivals will meet the IGAD leaders on the sidelines of the upcoming African Union summit in Mauritania next month.
The SPLM-IO reiterated its commitment to the IGAD peace forum to revitalize the 2015 peace agreement stressing it would continue "to engage positively with IGAD and all friends of South Sudan interested in helping our people achieve peace".
The South Sudan parties will hold Intensive Interlink Consultations from 16-18 June 2018 in Addis Ababa organized by the IGAD mediation to narrow the gaps on its proposals for a deal on the governance and security arrangements.
Source:Sudan Tribune
Posted by Amare Asrat