Category: General

The Ministry of Finance and Ethiopia’s key development partners group heads of the agency have discussed on climate change, food security and resilience-building efforts in the country.

State Minister of Finance Semereta Sewasew who chaired the meeting said the government is responding with humanitarian assistance in times of crisis, has been working on resilience-building programs and continued investment to expand agricultural productivity.

Accordingly, the government has been working to achieving substantially higher productivity using climate-resilient, sustainable practices, developing better economic linkages, and supporting household capacities to deal shocks through programs such as the productive safety nets.

Commissioner of the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission Ambassador Shiferaw Teklemariam made a short presentation on the current humanitarian needs and the departures of the new Disaster Risk Management policy, according to ministry of Finance.

He underlined that though there are e
fforts from development partners to address humanitarian responses, there is a significant resource gap and a shocking declining trend in humanitarian assistance.

The meeting focused on how to address current food shortages, particularly in northern Ethiopia, the continued assistance for drought-affected areas in the southern and southeastern regions as well as flood-affected areas in the country.

The declining trend of humanitarian assistance, challenges related to addressing humanitarian issues, and the options to fill these gaps were deliberated.

The development partners also emphasized that addressing the current humanitarian crisis with concerted efforts is needed in tandem with the efforts to build and strengthen resilience.

To this end, further coordination, alignment, and working towards a stronger humanitarian-peace-development nexus is the keyway forward, it was indicated.

The Meeting was Co-chaired by Ramiz Alkabarov, United Nations Resident Coordinator, and Paul Walters, UK Development Direct
or.

The meeting was attended by ambassadors of the various countries and bilateral and multilateral development partners.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Rift Valley’s fastest Speed-Cuber Larry Kiprop from Highlands Primary in Kericho Town has stood out against the odds to beat all the best-ranked Cubers in the region by solving a six-by-six version of Rubik’s Cubes in 7 minutes.

According to the Last Mile Cube Association Founder Mr Samuel Kamau, the 12-year-old grade 8 pupil also emerged the fastest in Rift Valley to solve the five-by-five version of Rubik’s cube at a speed of 4 minutes and 50 seconds.

Mr Kamau revealed that in the region, only Kiprop was able to solve the five by five and six by six Rubik’s cube in under ten minutes admitting that solving the cubes was a complex sport that requires practice, experience and mental strength to coordinate the 3-D combination puzzle.

‘We run the cubing programs across the country and we are yet to come across anyone else who can solve five by five in four minutes,’ said Kamau, who pointed out that Kiprop can sometimes solve the cubes in three minutes.

Surprisingly, Kamau disclosed that Kiprop trained himsel
f since the school does not offer the program.

The teenage champion who spoke to KNA said his passion was ignited in the year 2021 when he started watching tutorials on YouTube and started practicing daily and gradually attaining perfection.

Kiprop disclosed that apart from the YouTube tutorials, he has been engaged in other online tutorials such as studying CFOP which stands for Cross, F2L (First Two Layers), OLL (Orienting the Last Layer), and PLL (Permuting the Last Layer), a method that is popular among speed-cubers and offers more efficient algorithms for solving the cube.

‘I am very passionate about cubing and it’s fun as well. I am still learning, and now I can solve very complex puzzles and I hope to become the fastest in the country.’ Kiprop said

Kiprop says it took him three months to be able to solve the Rubik’s cube three-by-three version which is the beginner’s stage, then he gradually graduated to higher levels of cubing.

‘I am now preparing to participate in the upcoming Creative Integrate
d Talent Show and Competition next month where I will showcase my prowess in solving Rubik’s cube and I am confident that I will emerge the best in the region as I have always been but I want my personal best to be 3 minutes in solving the five-by-five cube.’ Explained Kiprop

Indoor gaming activities such as Rubik’s cubes, Chess, and Scrabble which Kiprop actively participates in, are deemed to boost cognitive power, patience, and perseverance, and also help in developing problem-solving skills and have significantly contributed to his good academic performance.

Maureen Marylyn, a mathematics teacher at Highlands Primary School attributed Kiprop’s overall good performance to his passion in solving Rubik’s cubes puzzles during break time and lunchtime and has been teaching his fellow pupils to play the game.

‘He is always carrying around his cubes and his academics have improved especially mathematics and sciences; he is one of the best students in the school. At least five other students in the school can
now play the game all thanks to Kiprop who passionately trains them,’ added Ms. Marylyn.

Speed-cubing also referred to as speed-solving is a competitive sport centered around the rapid solving of various combination puzzles prominently referred to as Rubik’s cube according to the World Cube Association (WCA).

According to the Last Mile Cube Association Founder Mr Samuel Kamau, the essential aspect of solving these puzzles typically involves executing a series of predefined algorithms in a particular sequence.

‘Other benefits of cubing include brain-hand-eye coordination and reflexes since players in speed solving watch the colors as they move very fast and change patterns based on the colors they moved before; therefore, the player’s hands will be moving in response to the colors they are visualising before they appear,’ added Mr Kamau.

Kamau has trained teachers in over ten schools within Kericho County who have already trained students to play indoor games during their leisure time.

‘We have started tr
aining students at Kericho Teachers Training College every Saturday and we believe the knowledge and skills they acquire will add value to the schools they will teach in the future,’ said Mr Kamau

He said his organization will continue supporting Kiprop who is the fastest Speed-Cuber in Rift Valley to hone his skills and talents further.

‘We have awarded Kiprop with several Rubik’s cubes, a chess board, and a Scrabble board game so that he can continue practicing even from home. We also hope to guide him in the future to start a YouTube channel so that he can offer tutorials to many other people online,’ said Mr. Kamau.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The 5th Ministerial Forum on Migration stressed the need for policy prioritization on skills, youth employment, and job creation as well as harmonization of a regular migration regulatory framework.

The Regional Ministerial Forum on Migration (RMFM) on harmonizing labor migration policies under the theme: ‘Harnessing the power of regular migration pathways for youth employment, skills development, and green economy’ concluded today.

On the occasion, Labor and Skills State Minister Teshale Berecha said that we the RMFM has blossomed into a vital space for consultation and collaboration in the realm of labor migration.

Education is at the heart of addressing the root causes of irregular migration and is a catalytic force to accelerate skill-based, dignified and regular mobility of labor in our region, across the continent and beyond, he added.

According to him, the theme not only aligns with the well-known issue of Africa’s booming youth population but also echoes policymakers’ concerns about harnessing Afr
ica’s demographic dividend for a sustainable future.

One-fifth of the world’s youth resides in our continent, and by 2030, its working-age population will balloon to 600 million, with nearly 40 percent being young people, Teshale said, and added that this presents a golden opportunity, for it would mean over half a billion trained, and empowered individuals can potentially drive development in our continent.

Meanwhile, the State Minister underscored ‘the harsh reality, however, is the alarming unemployment, especially among youth (11.2%) compared to adults (6.7%).

‘Such a challenge can partly be addressed if we focus, for example, on transforming our Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems to boost our capacities in implementing various capacity building programs toward promoting skill-based mobility,’ he elaborated.

IOM Ethiopia Chief of Mission, Abibatou Wane Fall said on her part that the breadth and scope of the reforms undertaken, and progress made individually as well as colle
ctively demonstrate the importance of labor migration and its corollary for all the Member States.

Skills, youth employment and jobs creation are at the center of the policy priorities of the East and Horn of Africa countries, she pointed out, and added ‘For instance, in Ethiopia the labor market must absorb approximately 2 million new entrants each year.’

‘Sustainable job creation and youth employment is a priority, and the Government of Ethiopia has embarked in ambitious reforms promoting skills development, improving job creation, promoting the business environment, expanding labor migration and none the least engaging diaspora for knowledge, skills and technology transfer,’ the Chief of Mission lauded.

According to her, the RMFM provides an effective platform for interstate cooperation, a model for African multilateral cooperation on migration, and a vehicle for advancing innovative solutions based on shared experience and priorities as well as agreed upon goals.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Ethiopia and Pakistan have expressed keenness to cooperate in the spheres of maritime and regional security.

Ethiopian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan, Jemal Beker, discussed with Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf in Islamabad.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the matters of mutual interests including bilateral cooperation in the area of maritime and regional security.

On the occasion, Ambassador Jemal briefed the Naval Chief on the major role being played by Ethiopia in promoting pan-Africanism in the region to foster the spirit of brotherhood, fraternity and collaboration among the people of Africa.

The Ambassador also informed the Naval Chief about the successful conduct of the 37th African Union (AU) Summit by the government of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa which witnessed the presence of more than 49 heads of state from African countries and senior officials of international organizations.

In its press release sent to ENA, the Ethiopian
Embassy in Islamabad said that Ambassador Jemal highlighted the role of Ethiopia in ensuring regional security by immensely contributing to the fight against terrorism.

The regional integration initiatives by Ethiopia including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), port diversification and energy export to the neighboring countries also came under discussion during the meeting.

Moreover, the ambassador mentioned that Ethiopia had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland that completely aligned with the international rules.

Jemal added Ethiopia had been striving to connect the whole region by sharing its resources with brotherly countries in order to ensure just and equitable development across the region.

On his part, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf acknowledged the role played by Ethiopia in regional integration through multiple initiatives.

He congratulated the Government of Ethiopia on holding the 37th AU summit successfully.

The Naval Chief also ackno
wledged the historical significance of Ethiopia as well as the great importance attached by the government of Pakistan to its bilateral relations with an heir of one of the oldest civilizations.

He said both the countries were heirs of the centuries’ old civilizations and had huge potential for bilateral cooperation including the area of maritime.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed a troubling trend in

global estimates of child labour where it has increased for the first

time in 20 years from 152 million in 2016 to 160 million in 2020.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 8.5 per cent

of Kenya’s children (1.3 million) are in child labour especially in

the agricultural sector.

It is for this reason that Kisii County has unveiled a Child labour

committee to spearhead activities geared towards ending child labour in

critical value chains in the Coffee and tea sectors in the area.

This move is in line with ILO strategy dubbed Accelerating action for

elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa).

Speaking during the first committee meeting in Kisii town, Kisii

South Deputy County Commissioner Ms Grace Ouma said the team will

assist in designing interventions and implement the project.

Ms. Ouma noted that the multispectral committee will be in

identified areas like Meru, Kir
inyaga, and Kericho counties where

child labour has been found to be rampant in the tea and coffee

industries.

County Child labour Committee (CCLC) is defined as a committee

comprising of stakeholders who can contribute towards elimination of

child labour in the devolved unit through a robust work plan.

The main objective of the CCLC is to facilitate and implement the

process of elimination of child labour at the county level and its

core functions are coordination, planning, resource mobilization and

implementation of projects on child labour elimination in the devolved

unit.

According to ACCEL- Africa project secretary who is also the County

Labour officer, Charles Muniko, the ILO project is in its second

phase which also targets Uganda and Malawi.

Muniko explained that the project will enable Kenya to build an extensive

network of participating countries in active engagement towards ending

violence against children during the second phase of the project which

will be launched in April this
year and culminate in the year 2028.

Muniko noted that the Kenya tea industry with an export value of Sh.

143 billion in 2019 and which supports 5 million people directly and

indirectly needed to be jealously guarded from going against the

international laws which could lead to diminishing gains.

He expressed optimism that the committee members drawn from state

and non-state entities will pull their efforts towards eliminating the

vice in the tea sector in which at least 650,000 small-scale farmers

depended, and the coffee sector which he termed as a major export for

Kenya.

‘Tea and Coffee from Kenya are included in the U.S. Department of

Labour list of goods produced with child labour, and we must reverse

the trend fast especially now that Kenya is the world’s leading exporter

of tea and third largest producer, after China and India,’ Muniko

implored.

Other agricultural goods listed in the USDOL’s list from various parts

of the world include Sugarcane, cotton, tobacco, rice, cattle and

fish.

In the manufacturing sector, bricks, garments, textiles, footwear and

carpets top the list while under mining or quarry industry goods,

gold, coal and diamonds are included.

‘We will also look into ways of incorporating soapstone mining in our

activities to ensure the industry is adhering to set regulations so

that it is not enlisted among those defaulting,’ Muniko announced.

Mr Eric Ongeri, the County Chief Executive Committee Member for

Youth, Sports, Culture, Arts and Special Services said the County

government was ready to work with all stakeholders for the benefit of

the youth in the region.

Ongeri also cited other vices against children including drug abuse,

defilement, teenage pregnancy and FGM saying the county government

will not relent in engaging stakeholders to stamp out the menace.

ACCEL Africa project’s goal is to accelerate the elimination of child

labour in Africa through targeted actions in selected supply chains

through innovative approach by strengthening the existing systems

that are geared towards eliminating the root causes.

The project’s first phase was done in 2019-2023 and proved successful

in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda in

the cocoa, gold, cotton, tea, and coffee supply chains.

Kenya is therefore poised to extremely benefit from successful

practices established during the first phase of the project’s work on

specifically coffee and tea supply chains in Uganda and Malawi.

Source: Kenya News Agency

WINDHOEK: Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has announced an Independence special offering a 60 per cent discount on all its accommodation locations for the month of March.

The special is aimed at encouraging Namibians to explore the beauty of their own country by providing significant discounts on accommodation at all Namibia Wildlife Resorts locations, NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said in a press release on Wednesday.

He noted that the programme addresses Namibians’ concerns about the high cost of recreational travel within the country.

‘Starting 01 March, all lodges under NWR’s management will be discounted by 60 per cent, making it easier for locals to experience the diverse landscapes and unique wildlife that Namibia has to offer,’ Ashipala said.

He further said while the special is open to all travellers, NWR hopes to see a strong uptake particularly from locals.

As part of the special, popular lodges such as Khorixas Camp in Damara Land will be available for as little as N.dollars 220 per night,
inclusive of breakfast.

However, Ashipala clarified that seasonal camps such as the Miles along the coastline are not part of the discounted offer.

The Independence Special will run throughout the month of March.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency