Day: June 16, 2023

Every Namibian child’s rights should be protected online, especially given the inherent threats of the digital environment.

These were the remarks of Heather Harker, children’s advocate in the Ombudsman’s Office, in honour of Day of the African Child, which was observed on Friday under the theme ‘Rights of the Child in the Digital Environment.’

Harker in a statement said one of the good outcomes of the COVID-19 epidemic is the efficiency and benefits of using the internet to work, educate, and interact with loved ones.

The internet provides numerous advantages for youngsters but can, however, provide a remote environment that exposes youngsters to several threats.

“Educators and caretakers/parents have the added responsibility to protect children in the invisible world that is the internet,” she said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The outstanding performance Ethiopian Airlines Group has laid the foundation for achieving Vision 2035 strategy, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mesfin Tasew said.

Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mesfin Tasew announced on Thursday that the group has earned 6.1 billion USD in the current Ethiopian fiscal year.

According to the CEO, the revenue has shown a 20 percent increase to same period last year amidst the global economic shocks.

The CEO also said Ethiopian for the first time in the history has graduated over 170 pilots over the year. He added the airline has plans to produce 200 pilots effective from next year.

In this regard, the pilot training school recently inaugurated in Hawassa will play greater role, he said.

Despite tremendous difficulties resulted from internal and domestic challenges, Mesfin underlined that the Ethiopian Airlines Group has ensured its competitiveness in the fiscal year.

Moreover, the outstanding performance of the airlines has laid the foundation for achieving its Vision 2035 strategy, he said.

To this end, Ethiopian Airlines Group aims to double its fleet and destination network in line with its ambitious ‘Vision 2035’ strategy. The airline already operates the largest fleet and destination network in Africa.

The airline is evaluating new aircraft models that suit its future operation needs, it was learned.

Although the global economic slowdown, the Russia-Ukrainian war and the increase in oil and gas prices are posing challenges to the aviation sector, the CEO said adding it was a good opportunity for Ethiopian for some countries including China have allowed flights which had closed their doors due to COVID-19 pandemic.

While most airlines this year are focusing on resuming flight routes that have been suspended due to COVID-19, Ethiopian Airlines Group has achieved better results by opening seven new international flight destinations including to Copenhagen, Atlanta and Karachi, he indicated.

The airline has also transported 13.7 million passengers and 723,000 tons of cargo, in the fiscal year.

The growth of passenger has shown a 20 percent increase compared to same period last year, according to Mesfin.

He added the airlines received 11 new passenger planes in the fiscal year, thus bringing the total number of passenger planes to more than 140.

Mesfin indicated that the Airlines is also working hard not only to make further milestones by opening new destinations, but also to support other African airlines, through working in partnerships, among others, Sky Airlines in Togo, Malawian and Zambia Airways, the CEO said.

Speaking on human resource development of the airlines, some 170 airline captains have graduated from the Ethiopian Airlines University, and it plans to graduate 200 aviation captains annually.

Therefore, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO reaffirmed the airlines will continue committing to Africa’s pride by increasing its international competitiveness and expanding destinations.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Safaricom Ethiopia has expressed appreciation to the Government of Ethiopia for its support in undertaking telecom and financial services in the country.

Safaricom Ethiopia Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Chris Lazarus told ENA that “the first message we continue to give to the outside investment is the support that we are receiving from the government, first for the launch of the telecommunication services, and now for this investment in the area of financial services.”

It is to be recalled that the state-owned ethio telecom has been operating as a sole telecommunication services operator in Ethiopia since 1894, until the government allowed the private company Safaricom Ethiopia to start telecom operations last year.

It’s almost a year since we launched the core telecommunications services in the country, the chief business officer said, adding that the company will continue to invest in building infrastructures and rolling out the services for customers, businesses, and the government.

The National Bank of Ethiopia has also recently issued a license for Safaricom to start its Mpesa mobile payment instrument.

He further assured: “We are proud now to bring Mpesa very shortly. We’ll be launching that particular service here in Ethiopia to help the country drive the topics like financial inclusion and digital inclusion; and that’s what we are currently busy with and we will continue to invest in.”

The company is confident that they can build an even better product than what was previously offered in Kenya.

“In fact, inside the company, we say that we’re going to build a product that’s even better than what our colleagues first started to have in places like Kenya, which is where this was born.”

According to him, the company plans to create a complete ecosystem by connecting people through telecommunication and combining distribution, branding, and the new ecosystem.

“Our aim is to make sure that we put our connectivity in all parts of the country, including rural areas. Obviously, we had to start in the cities first, but our plan now is to expand that to cover all. So yes, our plan is to not leave anybody behind. And that’s why we talk about being purpose-led; that this is a digital society not for people only living in cities, but this is a digital society for people living with a digital inclusive strategy for people living in all areas of the country.”

The engagement of Safaricom in addition to ethio telecom and the expected third telecom operator is going to stir further competition and benefit their customers from affordable and meaningful connectivity which also aligns with the United Nations ITU target.

The chief enterprise business officer commented that Ethiopia is already experiencing the benefits of competition, with many changes taking place in the country.

“Ethiopia has already started to experience the benefit of what competition is. There are many changes that have happened already in the country.”

Although he didn’t want to pinpoint specific examples, he believed that further competition would arise when a third operator arrives. He thinks that it will happen and is already starting to happen in many regards.

Yet, Lazarus pointed out that our partner, the incumbent ethio telecom, is not seen as competitor but rather an ally. “With our investments and efforts, we have already made a positive change and created an ecosystem that goes beyond what it was before.”

The chief enterprise business officer finally stated that “if you think about digital Ethiopia, that’s what Digital Ethiopia 2025 is. It’s not one person or one company driving it. This is a country with 120 million people and growing. So, we need many areas of the economy to think in this way. Partnership, and ecosystem for a better Ethiopian.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency