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Who will take over power in Ethiopia after EPRDF?

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Who will take over, if and when the ruling party relinquish power, willingly or unwillingly in Ethiopia? Lessons from the past for future ‘General Elections’: By Samuel Ayele Bekalo Part I (of II) I am cognisant that [‘who will assume power, if and when the ruling party relinquish power, willingly or unwillingly ?’] could be viewed by some as a million dollar hypothetical question, but at the same time it is a critical issue? It is critical, for a number of reasons, not least a large nation such as Ethiopia needs a viable alternative political entity. There is a wider consensus on this amongst politicians and the wider public. Even the current Ethiopian ruling party says there is a need for and supports the idea of viable opposition party in principle; although there is little or no evidence I came across of genuine practical support rendered to realise such alternative political force within the country. Why is this not the case outside the county is one of the intriguing ques

The Government of Ethiopia announced a remarkable achievement in the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector; is it true in Sidama?

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The Government of Ethiopia announced a remarkable achievement in the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector as it met Target 10 of the MDG 7c  for access to drinking water supply.Yet,  d ue to less access for improved water sources and sanitation facilities, the people of Sidama Zone suffered a lot and faced different water born diseases. The Government of Ethiopia announced a remarkable achievement in the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector as it met Target 10 of the MDG 7c  for access to drinking water supply. And also, t he 2015 assessment report by the UNICEF/WHO Global Joint Monitoring Programme for Water and Sanitation (JMP) indicates that Ethiopia has met the target of 57 per cent[1] of the population using safe drinking water and has attained the target by halving the number of people without access to safe water since 1990. Yet the truth on the ground is different specially in case of Sidama.   According to IRC baseline KPC survey conduct

GFH plans to expand its cervical cancer prevention service to four additional coffee growing districts in Sidama: Aleta Wondo, Dale, Shebedino and Dara

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Grounds for Health is a non-profit organization, developed in partnership with the coffee industry with the mission of reducing cervical cancer among low-income women. Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among women in low resource settings, yet it is easily preventable through screening and treatment of precancerous lesions. Worldwide, an estimated 317,000 women will die from cervical cancer in 2015, with this number expected to increase to 443,000 deaths in 2030. Our programs provide cervical cancer prevention services to women in coffee growing communities in Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and Peru. Because coffee is often cultivated in rural, low-resource settings, few women in coffee growing communities have access to cervical cancer screening and preventive treatment. To address this problem, Grounds for Health works in partnership with health authorities and coffee cooperatives in developing countries to train local doctors, nurses and community health promoters, and coordin

'Declaration of Principles' signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia

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File photo: A general view shows construction activity on the Grand Renaissance dam in Guba Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz region March 16, 2014 (Photo: Reuters) Full text of 'Declaration of Principles' signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia  In an important step towards resolving a long-running dispute over the Grand Renaissance Dam, the leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have signed in Khartoum a declaration of principles as follows Ahram Online publishes a translated version of the "Declaration of Principles" signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia in a step to put an end to a four-year dispute over Nile water sharing arrangements among Nile Basin countries. Ten principles are outlined in the document signed by the three countries. Introduction Valuing the increasing need of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of the Sudan for their over-border water sources, and realising the importance of the Nile Rive

Faces of women with trachoma

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Trachoma affects overwhelmingly more women than men because it is often carried by young children, who reinfect their mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers. Dr Wondu Alemayehu, a world-renowned Ethiopian eye surgeon, is working with international development NGO The Fred Hollows Foundation to eradicate blinding trachoma in Ethiopia. "It’s heartbreaking. Mothers, who are the pillars of their families in Ethiopia, are shouldering the burden of this crisis," Dr Wondu told Al Jazeera. "We must urgently provide more antibiotics, more mobile surgical teams, and better access to clean water and sanitation. I’ve spent 30 years fighting trachoma and I hate this disease so much." Brian Doolan, chief executive of The Fred Hollows Foundation, said trachoma is known as the "quiet disease" because it destroys eyesight very slowly. "This is not a typical emergency, it's not a war or a natural disaster, but it could still have a devastating impact