newsletter of october 2014.pdf

DIPLOMATIC AGENDA----------------------NEWSLETTER October 2014EMBASSY OF ISRAEL to Ethiopia, Rwanda & Burundi

Addis Ababa, Kigali – Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia has been

involved in the preparation of Israel’s Knesset (House of Representatives of the State of Israel) official visit to the Ethiopian and Rwandan parliaments. Led by Knesset Director General Ronen Plot, the delegation from Israel discussed with their Ethiopian and Rwandan counterparts on respective legislative and parliamentary systems, including judiciary and executive authorities in a democratic system of government. From the Ethiopian

House of Peoples’ Representatives, they met with Ato Nigusu Lemma, Secretary General of Ethiopian Parliament Office along with some members of the Parliament’s coordinating committee. From Rwandan side, they met with Senate Vice President, Hon. Bernard Makuza along with the Parliament Protocol members.

The Israeli delegation team consisted of: Mr. Ronen Plot, Director General of the Knesset; Mrs. Shoshana Plot; Dr. Shirly Avrami, Director of the Knesset Research and Information Center; Dr. Samuel Chayen, Sustainability Coordinator of the Knesset; Dr. Rubi Sandamn, CIO - Green Knesset project; Mrs. Netta Inbar from Foreign Affairs Department; Mr. Shmuel Tzabari, Commander of M.K. Protection Force.

Farmers’ training hall construction underway

Knesset delegation visits Ethiopia & Rwanda

Bahir Dar – A foundation stone has been laid for the construction of

a new MASHAV training center for farmers at Picolo nursery site, in Bahir Dar town of Amhara Regional State. The foundation stone was laid

by guests of honor Ato Asmamaw, Head Administrator of Mecha woreda and Dr. Workafes W/Tsadik, Smallholder Horticulture Program (SHHP) coordinator representing the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture-MASHAV cooperation division accompanied by Ato Dessalegn Hailu, Assistant Coordinator of the SHHP representing MASHAV from our Embassy.

The new training center, under the supervision of Mr. Ofer Kahani (MASHAV Agriculture Attaché), is established with the objective of building capacity of all concerned actors namely the farmers, subject matter specialists, and the Development Agents known as DAs.

Amb. Belaynesh here with Knesset DG Ronen Plot (center) and the Israeli delegation

Construction very well on progress

(Left picture) Knesset DG, Ronen Plot with Rwandan Senate Vice President, Hon. Bernard Makuza; (Right picture) Ambassador with Rwandan Parliament Protocol


American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provides technical & humanitarian assistance; proposes medical cooperation

Shaare Zedek Medical Center doctors on JDC medical exchange program, working with Dr. Rick Hodes (JDC’s Medical Director in Ethiopia)

Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia and DCM Leo Vinovezky with the doctors during the dinner at Ambassador’s residence

Gonder – On the third year of a fruitful medical exchange

coordinated by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) between Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center (SZMC) and Gondar University Hospital (GUH), four senior SZMC physicians, Professor Jonathan Halevy, Director General of SZMC, Dr. Ofer Merin, Deputy

Director General of SZMC, Professor Yechiel Schlesinger, Director of Pediatrics, and Dr. Daniel Fink Head of Pediatric Cardiology visited Gonder Hospital in order to both deepen the Israeli physicians’ understanding of the medical resources and needs in Ethiopia with the goal of determining new strategic directions for continued partnership and exchange, as well as foster the spirit of scientific, technical, and medical cooperation and humanitarian assistance between the countries of Ethiopia and Israel.

Launching MASHAV-UNDP partnership to assist Ethiopia’s development

(Right to left) Belaynesh Zevadia (Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia); Ilan Fluss (MASHAV Deputy Head); Samuel Bwalya (UNDP Coun-try Director to Ethiopia ); Bettina Woll (UNDP Deputy Country Director); Leo Vinovezky (Deputy Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia)


Addis Ababa – Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia and Deputy

Leo Vinovezky accompanied the signing event of MASHAV-UNDP partnership, an agreement signed by Ilan Fluss, Deputy Head of MASHAV and Dr. Samuel M. Bwalya, Country Director of UNDP

in Ethiopia at the UNDP Headquarters exploring a bilateral cooperation to help Ethiopia access technical knowledge and innovation in the fields of agriculture, entrepreneurship, private sector development, and gender mainstreaming. Our Embassy has been working for the last year together with UNDP in the process that led to this signing.


MASHAV representative meets with Agencies of Dev’t

Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar – During his visit to Ethiopia, Mr. Ilan

Fluss (Deputy Head of MASHAV) participated in the 3rd phase of SHHP SC Steering Committee meeting with the USAID and Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia, chaired by State Minister Wondirad Mandefro and Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia.

At this juncture, a discussion was held on the last nine months’ performance and future plan (six months) of the project. All partners reached consensus on general

The above two missions in more detail:http://mfa.gov.il/mfa/mashav/latest_news/pages/mashav-and-undp-ethiopia-sign-cooperation- agreement.aspx

http://www.et.undp.org/content/ethiopia/en/home/presscenter/articles/2014/10/29/undp-and-israel-partner-to-enhance-knowledge-transfer-for-ethiopia-s-development-/#.VFEhnPXFsvc.gmail

Here is an interview of Ilan Fluss with The Reporter newspaper:h t t p : / / w w w. t h e r e p o r t e r e t h i o p i a . co m / i n d e x .php/interview/item/2727-sharing-agricultural- experiences

major points by the committee and emphasized the importance and quality of the partnership.

During that week, Mr. Ilan Fluss met also with representatives of the development and cooperation agencies of USA, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy. He also visited the project sites in Bahir Dar. Special emphasis was put in the meeting with Ambassador of Germany, Amb. Joachim Schmidt, and the representatives of BMZ-GIZ mainly concerning a special and ambitious project in Afar Region.

Mr. Eldad Dolev from CINADCO, DCM Leo Vinovezky, and MASHAV Agriculture Attaché in Ethiopia, Ofer Kahani joined Mr. Fluss to the different meetings.

Here with Israeli businessmen who deal with Agriculture in Ethiopia, while addressing the Public- Private Partnership (PPP) opportunities

Visiting MASHAV agricultural training site in Barhir Dar


Addis Ababa – An Israeli company keen to invest in multi sector

had a successful visit. The embassy, whose mission is to be part of Ethiopia economic development plan, had setup these important meetings and accompanied the Israeli company.

The Israeli company met and discussed with decision making high government officials, ministers, and director generals. The company representatives

had also discussion with private companies for joint venture.

All meetings held were with higher officials, Ministers, & General Directors which are the decision makers of the governmental projects. Ethiopian Minister of Transportation, H.E. Mr. Workneh Gebeyehu; Minister of Industry, H.E. Mr. Ahmed Abtew; Ethiopian Investment Agency Director General, Mr. Fitsum Arega welcomed the Israeli company representatives and presented the projects in order of urgency and which are open to the public, in that the Ethiopian government is keen to partner with Israeli companies in joint ventures through PPP (Public- Private-Partnership).

Embassy facilitates business ventures of Israeli company in Ethiopia

DCM Leo and Monica here with H.E Frenesh Mekuria

Extending invitation for workshop in Israel

Addisa Ababa – Our Deputy Chief of Mission Leo Vinovezky and Cultural Director Monica

Manaker met with the Ethiopian State Minister of Youth & Women’s Affairs, H.E Frenesh Mekuria. They extended invitation for her to visit Israel for a MASHAV International Workshop on Women’s Leadership. The further discussed on ways to deepen Ethio-Israeli bilateral relations. Her Excellency as well congratulated them on the active engagement of our embassy in the fields of social and gender issues.


Israeli laughter therapist honors Laughter Day in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa – Alex Sternick, Israeli certified international

trainer of Laughter Therapy & world renowned practitioner in ART OF NONSENSE, co-founder of Laughter Clubs in Israel, came to Ethiopia volunteering at charity institutions, offering workshops on art of nonsense & laughter energizer topics, besides co-presenting a professional laughter

workshop with the Ethiopian World Laughter Master Belachew Girma at Ghion Hotel on October 31st in commemoration of the National Laugher Day.

Alex takes a major passion in volunteering vis-à-vis helping out Master Belachew Girma with public relations and international relations to promote the Ethiopian National Laughter Day and Ethiopian Laughter School among fellow international professionals who practice Laughter Therapy, Laughter Yoga, and Positive Psychology.

An article on Alex’s work on The Reporter newspaper: The art of meaningless laughter:http://www.thereporterethiopia.com/index.php/living-and-the-arts/lifestyle/item/2729-the-art-of- meaningless-laughter

Alex giving a workshop session on Laughter Therapy to our Embassy staff members

Alex’s activities here were supported by our Embassy.


Bilateral cooperation conferred with Rwandan partners

Kigali – DCM Leo Vinovezky traveled to Rwanda to

participate in the Diplomatic Excursion to the Southern and Western provinces of Rwanda organized by the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation for members of the diplomatic corps. He also coordinated bilateral cooperation with Rwandan Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Culture, and officials concerned with development cooperation at large.

Here is the interview with Collins Mwai of The New Times in Kigali, Rwanda: http://w w w. n e w t i m e s. co. r w / s e c t i o n /article/2014-11-05/182722/

IGIHE newspaper also made exclusive interview with Leo:• (in English) http://en.igihe.com/news/exclusive-israeli-deputy-ambassador-to- rwanda.html• (in Kinyarwanda) http://www.igihe.com/amakuru/u-rwanda/article/isiraheli-n-u- rwanda-

bigiye

Copyright: (Timothy Kisambira) The New Times, Rwanda

Copyright: IGIHE, Rwanda


Visiting Jewish heritage in Ethiopia

Shire – Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia paid tribute to her

Jewish roots on her trip to Shire

(Left)Ambassador Belaynesh on her way inside the synagogue; (Right) taking a look at the books

town of Tigray region, visiting the ancient synagogue, its books written in Hebrew. She also visited the cemetery where her Jewish ancestors were laid to rest.

newsletter of october 2014.pdf

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