Somalia Conference 2013: Communiqué [United Kingdom]
May 7, 2013 The International Somalia Conference final communiqué. The Somalia Conference took place at Lancaster House on 7 May 2013, co-hosted by the UK and Somalia, and attended by fifty-four friends and partners of Somalia. We met at a pivotal moment for Somalia. Last year Somalia’s eight-year transition ended and Somalia chose a new, more legitimate … Read more
Map| Obama budgets more for Kenya, Ethiopia – less for the Sudans
Last week, the Obama administration released its international affairs budget request for fiscal 2014. Amid fiscal constraints in Washington, the budget request’s topline figure of $52 billion would maintain U.S. international affairs spending at roughly the same levels as in fiscal 2013 after sequestration. The administration’s proposed 2014 international affairs budget, which also calls for … Read more
Gibe III dam | Group warns of ‘catastrophe’ in Omo Valley
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE April 15, 2013 * Aid agencies turn blind eye to ‘catastrophe’ in Ethiopia * Three new reports predict disaster in Lower Omo Valley Three independent reports have warned that the controversial Gibe III dam, and land grabs for plantations, risk imminent ‘catastrophe’ in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley. Half a million tribal people in Ethiopia and Kenya stand to be overwhelmed by … Read more
Vilifying Ethiopia’s Villagization program: More unsubstantiated claims
Ethiopia’s villagization program has become a favorite subject for politically motivated critiques by advocacy organizations and human rights groups who appear to have the aim of trying to stop all development and humanitarian aid to Ethiopia. Over the years some of these have made it their business to criticize almost all and every development activity … Read more
Donors’ consortium praises Ethiopian poverty reduction efforts
The Co-Chair of the Donors’ Assistance Group (DAG), a consortium of donors, Geert Geut, told reporters that DAG has appreciated the Ethiopian government’s efforts to reduce poverty. Responding to questions on whether the Government’s Growth and Transformation Plan is overly ambitious, he responded that as Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world … Read more
Saudi Foreign Minister claims “relations with Ethiopia excellent”
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, has said relations between Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia are at an excellent level. In a press statement released by the Saudi’s Foreign Ministry on Monday, March 4th, the Foreign Minister "confirmed the deep-rooted and long standing relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic … Read more
Review | "The Golden Fleece" – A Book on aid instrumentalization
Following the 9/11 attacks and the launch of the Global War on Terror, many humanitarian policy wonks spoke of a new era of heightened aid instrumentalization – that is the use of humanitarian action or rhetoric as a tool to pursue political, security, development, economic, or other non-humanitarian goals, which would muddy humanitarian principles and … Read more
UK’s DFID attacked for effective aid to Ethiopia
Last week in the London Review of Books, Ben Rawlence asked “where does DFID’s money go?” In what is rather an unpleasant little piece he does appear to welcome the rise in DFID’s budget and the fact that the place of foreign aid in British politics appears assured, but he precedes this with the statement … Read more
Timeline: PM Hailemariam Desalegne’s first 100 days
Ethiopia’s newly elected Prime Minister made 100 days in office on Dec. 28, 2013.
Here is a round up of his public activities.
Pro-poor development: Ethiopia and partners’ co-operation
International institutions, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and IMF, have strongly encouraged countries to develop Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP).Indeed, these are now widely considered a precondition for the provision of sustained financial support for development whether in the form of loans or grants. The institutions have also underlined … Read more
