Archive for October, 2010
Ethiopia is in the bottom 5 in Global hunger index
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide, released its annual 2010 Global Hunger Index. The report notes; whereas some strides have been made to curb global hunger, “the index for hunger in the world remains at a level characterized as “serious.””
With over “one billion hungry people” around the world, the report offers an interesting look at the “Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which include a goal of reducing the proportion of hungry people by half” by the 2015 deadline (i.e. in five more years). “Low government effectiveness, conflict, political instability, and high rates of HIV and AIDS” are cited as “among the major factors” perpetuating the problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. Whereas Burundi, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea exhibit an extremely alarming level of hunger, another 21 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have an alarming hunger level.
The report credits Ethiopia, along with Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Nicaragua and Vietnam, for making the largest improvements between 1990 and 2010. IFPRI has a regional office based in Ethiopia. Ranked 80th out of 84 countries included in the report, Ethiopia’s Global Hunger Index (GHI) dropped from 43.7 to 29.8 in two decade’s time (it is an open question whether that is supposed to be a noteworthy progress for TPLF’s ironfisted rule in the last 20 years).According to the report, 51% of children in Ethiopia are stunted (a measure of child undernourishment that is characterized by low height for one’s age). Ethiopia is also noted as a recipient of USAID’s, Feed the Future, a U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative that aims to spend “$3.5 billion” on developing country’s investment plans to reduce poverty, improve nutrition and agriculture.
The 2010 GHI report earns yet another ignoble distinction for Ethiopia in addition to already being named;
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In the “bottom five based on access to basic education, teacher-student ratio, and educational provisions for girls” along with lawless Somalia, a disaster raven Haiti and the rogue state of Eritrea;
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And the worst place where press freedom has immensely deteriorated, if any existed.
Ethiopia is now the 5th hungriest place on Earth worse than Sierra Leone, Haiti and many other war-ravaged nations even in the sub-Saharan Africa. Zimbabwe and Sudan are tied at 58th, fared much better than Ethiopia with 20.9 GHI score.
The full Report in PDF: Click to launch the full edition in a new window.
Ethiopia defeat Madagascar 1-0
By Getachew Teklu |
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Ethiopia secured a surprise 1-0 away win over Madagascar in Group B of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Sunday. The win puts them level on three points with Nigeria and Guinea who play later on Sunday in Conakry. Ethiopia lost their opening game at home when they were beaten 4-1 by Addis Ababa last month. The win revives Ethiopia’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament to be held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Nigeria will host Ethiopia in Abuja in their next game in March next year while Guinea will travel to face Madagascar. |
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Ethiopia released Birtukan Mideksa from jail Today
Addis Ababa – Ethiopia released the country’s most prominent opposition leader from jail on Wednesday, four months after the government’s landslide win in elections criticised by Western powers.
Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge, is the leader of Ethiopia’s biggest opposition party, the Unity for Democracy and Justice.
She left a prison in the capital Addis Ababa in a car with her daughter and mother, a Reuters witness said. Supporters said she was going to her home.
Critics of the government say she was jailed because she was the main threat to the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) at the May 23 election, which gave Prime Minister Meles Zenawi another five-year mandate.
The government has denied that accusation.
Some analysts said the release could be a drive to repair some of the damage to the country’s democratic credentials following the landslide election victory – and given that Meles has since consolidated power he can afford to be magnanimous.
“This may be part of a broader campaign to reorients the political system so that it at least appears to be more democratic,” said David Shinn, a former US envoy to Ethiopia.
“In fact, it might even become more democratic. Many of the original EPRDF leaders have moved or are moving to the sidelines. Meles has stated that he will not run for prime minister in 2015 and I believe he will not,” he told Reuters.
Meles, in power since 1991, was sworn in as prime minister again on Monday after the May vote gave his EPRDF and allies 545 seats in the 547-seat parliament.
Ethiopia is a key Western ally in the Horn of Africa, where it is seen as a bulwark against the rise of militant Islamism. The country is also keen to attract foreign investment in large scale farming and oil and gas exploration. – Reuters
