Nipate
Forum => Kenya Discussion => Topic started by: RVtitem on December 05, 2014, 04:02:16 AM
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While kamwana is busy driving mungiki buses to statehouse to launch some private mpesa ticketing, Ethiopia are close to opening one of their ambitious urban transport systems. The biggest absurdity of all to a kenyan is that it costs just 15% per km more expensive than Thika road.
The Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC) has signed a four year, $116 million agreement with two Chinese companies for the maintenance and operations of the Addis Ababa Light Rail system.
The firms are Shenzen Metro Company Limited and China Railway Group Limited Company (CREC).
The signing ceremony which was held at Sheraton Addis hotel last night, will cover the 34.25 kilometre rail system which is expected to start operation in January 2015.
It is constructed at a cost of $470 million (Ksh42billion) with financial input from Ethiopian government and Chinese sources.
MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY
Speaking at the event, Mr Qin Jian Charge d’Affaires, at the Embassy of China in Ethiopia, stated that China has made considerable progress over the past 30 years, lifting millions out of poverty, and Ethiopia is trying the same with China being the partner.
“The Chinese side will continue supporting Ethiopia in realising the goal of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) II, and encourage more Chinese companies to make more investment in Ethiopia” Jian said, adding that he hopes his side’s contribution will make Ethiopia’s goal of achieving middle income country status by 2025 be fulfilled.
President Dr Mulatu Teshome during a visit to the Chinese capital Beijing last June had requested china to boost its investments particularly in Manufacturing as well as support Ethiopia to become a regional transportation centre.
http://www.nation.co.ke/news/africa/Chinese-firms-to-manage-Addis-new-rail-system/-/1066/2543814/-/oi40kp/-/index.html
http://www.busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=2338&pLv=3&srI=58&spI=24
http://www.busiweek.com/img2/dec1-addis.jpg
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To meet demand, the government redesigned the programme a few years ago, making it mandatory for house owners to save for the houses of their choice.
Under the new programme, one has to register for the house of his/ her choice and start saving at the state-owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, which has a 50 per cent share of the market.
The government is currently constructing 65,000 low-cost houses in the capital and plans to build a total of 960,000 houses in the coming 10 years by engaging foreign real-estate developers, according to Diriba Kuma, Mayor of Addis Ababa.
The programme has three different packages: 10/90, 20/80 and 40/60. The numbers refer to the financial contribution of the prospective house owner and the government, respectively.
Under the 10/90 and 20/80 programmes that target the urban poor, the house owner is expected to contribute 10 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, of the total cost of the house constructed by the government then pay the remaining while living in the house.
The 40/60 programme targets the middle income urban population.
Big government
In 2011, Ethiopia had the third highest public investment rate in the world, but the sixth lowest private investment rate, according to the recently released “Second Economic Update Report Laying the Foundations of Middle Income Status.”
“We believe in big government ownership of the country should not be left to the market because there are market failures,” said Foreign Minister Dr Tedros Adhanom at a recent development partners’ meeting in Addis Ababa.
“The government should not be like a night watchman… Our investment not only enhances development and makes the economy competent but also improves the social services,” Dr Tedros said.
This is a view shared by the World Bank’s Mr Moller.
“Large-scale public investments in the provision of basic services such as education and health have contributed to poverty reduction both by contributing to growth and by preferentially increasing the welfare of the poor,” said Mr Moller.
The World Bank, which is involved in 25 projects in Ethiopia with $6 billion in commitments, making it the largest country programme in Africa.
“Tremendous investment in infrastructure and market development, especially in road networks, has reduced remoteness, integrated markets and reduced marketing margins,” he added......
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ethiopia-under-construction/-/2558/2541166/-/item/1/-/e1w3jf/-/index.html
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Ethiopia will build a middle class while Kenya builds a two class system. One for muthaigas and the rest is kibera
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Ethiopia has truly transformed from basket case most 80s and 90s--a poster child of famine--into a country that has grown at double digit..more than 10% for nearly a generation.
They are following china model..and getting on with less corruption unlike us.
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Ethiopia has truly transformed from basket case most 80s and 90s--a poster child of famine--into a country that has grown at double digit..more than 10% for nearly a generation.
They are following china model..and getting on with less corruption unlike us.
And just now, this (Oct 2015):
7.5m Ethiopians need food aid:
Minister for Information Redwan Hussein told reporters at a recent press conference that Ethiopia is doing what it can.
“The support from donor agencies has not yet arrived in time to let us cope with the increasing number of the needy population,” he said.
http://www.nation.co.ke/news/africa/7m-Ethiopians-need-food-aid/-/1066/2896228/-/tnxofq/-/index.html
Why is it so hard to get Africans to first focus on the most basic of things, such as feeding themselves and securing their food supply. Always donor, donor, donor. (But, of course, sovereign and independent and equal and must be respected.) And lately it is also Kung Fu is building this infrastructure and Kung Fu is building that infrastructure ... all on borrowed money. But the people don't even have enough food! Light rail's probably a tough chew ...