Ethiopia refugees’ clean stoves scheme wins international green energy award (06/19/08)

Milkyas Debebe (L) of Gaia Association in Ethiopia and Kenyan Nobel Prize laureate Wangari Maathai at the award ceremory

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London -- On June 19, 2008, the world’s leading green energy prize awarded £20,000 for a pioneering sustainable energy project to the Gaia Association, an organisation working with the UNHCR in the Kebribeyah refugee camp near Ethiopia’s border with Somalia. The Ashden Awards prize was presented to Milkyas Debebe, Managing Director of the Gaia Association, by Kenyan Nobel Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.

The Gaia Association in Ethiopia is transforming the lives of refugees by distributing stoves that use ethanol fuel, a by-product of the sugar industry. The area around the Kebribiyah camp, home to 17,000 Somalian refugees, has suffered severe deforestation and women were always in danger of attack when they went out to collect fuel wood. The new stoves are healthier and more efficient – and families can avoid using wood altogether. Now Ethiopian manufacturers are producing the stoves locally. (more)

USAID Provides $70 million in Humanitarian Aid (06/10/08)

USAID’s Glenn Anders (far left) introduces Ambassador Yamamoto, Mohammed Diab and Ato Simon Mechale at a press conference held on June 10, 2008 to announce the U.S. assistance.

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The United States Embassy and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on June 10, 2008 that the American people, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided approximately $70 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia in the last two months. 

United States Ambassador Donald Yamamoto joined Mohammed Diab, WFP Representative and Country Director in Ethiopia, USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director Glenn Anders and Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) Director Ato Simon Mechale to highlight the donations. (more)

Ethiopian and American Partners to Share Progress Report at Global HIV/AIDS Implementers Meeting in Kampala, June 3-7, 2008

Partial view of the Implementers Meeting participants at the Sheraton Addis.

Ethiopia’s State Minister of Health Dr. Kebede Worku and U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Deborah Malac opened a meeting of President’s Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) implementing partners at the Addis Ababa Sheraton on May 29, 2008.  At the meeting, Ethiopian and American partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS reviewed their progress to date, discussed future plans, and prepared for a global meeting of PEPFAR partners next week in Uganda. (more)  

Ambassador Joins CJTF-HOA Team to Promote Ethiopian Livestock Health (05/14/08)

Ambassador Yamamoto vaccinating one of the animals assisted by veterinarians.

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On May 14, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Yamamoto visited a Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) veterinary civil action project (VETCAP) providing treatment and care to livestock at seven locations in Eastern Ethiopia.  The Ambassador joined visiting U.S. military specialists and Ethiopian veterinarians at Jeldessa, an hour’s drive outside of Dire Dawa.  At the site, he worked with the team to vaccinate several animals, and greeted the community members who had gathered with their goats, sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels. (more)

U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, Ethiopia Commemorate World Malaria Day (04/25/08)

USAID/Ethiopia helped support World Malaria Day in Ethiopia through a mobile van that traveled to communities to raise awareness of malaria.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008 Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – Today marks World Malaria Day and a renewed commitment between the United States and Ethiopia to raise global awareness of malaria, to celebrate progress, and to reaffirm their commitment to fighting the disease. 

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) participated in a three-day annual review meeting in Awassa this week where government leaders, health experts, and development partners joined together to share knowledge and increase understanding of malaria.  USAID helped support the meeting by providing thousands of T-shirts and caps, as well as a mobile van that traveled to surrounding communities to raise awareness of malaria. (more)  

U.S. Equipment Donation Supports Ethiopian Peacekeepers' Deployment to Darfur (04/17/08)

Ambassador Yamamoto (right) signs agreement on the donated equipment with Major-General Gezae Abera, Head of the Logistics main department of the Ethiopian Ministry of National Defense

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On Thursday, United States Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Yamamoto officially handed over equipment and supplies worth USD 2.1 million to Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) troops preparing to deploy to Darfur as peacekeepers.  This donation is part of a broad United States initiative to support African partners' participation in the United Nations-African Union Mission to Darfur (UNAMID).

At the handover ceremony, Ambassador Yamamoto said, "The United States remains committed to helping the people of Darfur.  We are proud to support the Ethiopian contribution to peacekeeping operations there.  Ethiopian troops have played a critical role in the success of recent peacekeeping operations in Burundi, Ivory Coast, and Liberia, and we commend their pledge to UNAMID." (more)

United States Support Improves Primary-School Education (04/16/08)
More Than One and a Half Million Textbooks Donated Through African Education Initiative

Ambassador Yamamoto officially handed over new English language textbooks to H.E. Dr. Sintayahu Woldemichael, Minister of Education.

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As part of its ongoing commitment to support Ethiopia’s educational system, and an example of the extraordinary collaboration between educators in the United States and Ethiopia, the American people donated today over one and half million English language textbooks to Ethiopia.  The donation is part of President George W. Bush’s Africa Education Initiative, which increases access to quality basic educational opportunities in Africa. The English language textbooks were developed specifically for Ethiopia and are for use in primary schools for grade 5, 6, 7 and 8.  (more)  

Education in a Changing World: From Vision to Action (04/14/08)
United States Holds Africa Regional Education Workshop in Addis Ababa

(L-R) Dr. Thomas Corts, U.S. Coordinator of Basic Education, Dr. Sarah E. Moten, USAID Chief of the Education Division, USAU Ambassador Cindy L. Courville, Dr. Sintayehu Worldemichael, Minister of Education, FDRE President Girma Worldegiorgis and U.S. Ambassador Donald Yamamoto

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The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Africa Regional Education Workshop entitled ‘Education in a Changing World: From Vision to Action’ will take place in Addis Ababa from April 13 – 18, 2008.  The Honorable President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, President Girma Woldegiorgis, will address over 200 participants at the opening of the workshop. He will be joined by Dr. Sintayehu Woldemichael, the Minister of Education, Ambassador Cindy L. Courville, the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union, and Ambassador Donald Yamamoto, the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia.

The USAID Africa Regional Education Workshop provides a unique opportunity for educators and policy makers to share knowledge and to create a collective agenda for future education programs in Africa with the shared goal of creating education systems that produce results in, and for, Africa.  Twenty Sub-Saharan African countries will be represented at the workshop by well over 200 participants.  Additional invited guests include leaders and experts of education sector development in Africa. (more)

Education Advisor and Consular Section host media roundtable on student visas (04/03/08)

Press and Information Officer Darragh Paradiso (far right) introduces Consular Chief Paul Cantrell (C ), Consular Officer Scott Driskel (L), and Education Advisor Yoseph Shiferaw (R) to journalist

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As part of our ongoing public outreach to explain our visa procedures, the U.S. Embassy invited Ethiopian journalists to a roundtable discussion.  Consular Section Chief Paul Cantrell explained that to qualify for a student visa, a person must demonstrate that he or she is a legitimate student and is able to fund tuition and other expenses associated with studying abroad.  He noted that the number of student visas issued by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa has been increasing steadily over the past few years. 

Consular Officer Scott Driskel outlined the documents needed for a student visa interview at the Embassy.  These documents included an "I-20" form from the school where the student has applied and been accepted, a SEVIS fee receipt, and the Electronic Visa Application Form found on our Embassy Website (http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov/how_to_apply_for_niv.html).  Mr. Driskel, who interviews student visa applicants every day, said, "One of the best parts of my job is being able to issue student visas to qualified applicants." (more)