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Tsehaye Debalkew, October 27,, 2011 - Washington DC
Ethiopians and foreign nationals of Ethiopian Origin domiciling in Boston
and Ohio states and their environs here in the US have established The Grand
Renaissance Dam Diaspora Participation and Coordination Councils that would
ensure the bolstering and further boost the mobilization effort and
contributions toward the successful completion of the historic gigantic
project currently in full gear in Ethiopia.
In a keynote address at the inaugural Council meeting in Boston, Ambassador
Girma Birru, Special Envoy, Ambassador Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the US, hailed the unstinting
endeavor by the members of the Ethiopian Community and their unshrinking
resolve to enlist themselves alongside the Ethiopian people who are
presently poised to bury poverty and backwardness and elevate the nation to
the level of middle income countries in the not too distant future.
Ambassador Girma on the occasion apprised the audience that at present the
construction effort is moving on schedule with an impressive headway being
registered to realize the success of the Five Year Growth and Transformation
Plan. The dam, he underscored, epitomizes Ethiopia’s present and future is
decided by its hard working and peace loving people who are fully engaged in
the overall effort of transforming the nation.
Pertaining to the formation of the Council the Ambassador expressed his
belief that it would enable the Diaspora community to streamline its
activities and all the more enhance its participation and involvement in
other timely and topical national tasks with multiple ramifications
benefitting themselves and their kith and kin at home.
Ambassador MulieTarekegn, Deputy Head of Mission and Chief of the Community
Affairs at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC.on his part, made an
informative power-point presentation concerning multiple features of the,
Grand Renaissance Dam and the purchase and sale of bonds, to the audience of
Ethiopian Diaspora Community in Boston and Ohio last weekend.
Ambassador Mulie, in his power point presentation he demonstrated the
requirements for the purchase of the bond for the Grand Renaissance Dam,
interest rates, procedures and options for the purchase of bonds and the
short and long term benefits that accrue from such an enterprise. After the
briefing, participants at the meeting discussed in detail about the statute
and legislation before establishing The Grand Renaissance Dam Diaspora
Participation and Coordination Councils in both places.
In both Boston and Ohio Diaspora Members of the newly formed Councils in the
respective venues were actively engaged in the sale of bonds procuring over
$130,000 or close to Birr.Two Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand. The
Councils, it was learnt are broad based, constituting Diaspora Ethiopians
from an array of civic and development associations, religious groups,
artists, professional associations, business organizations and enterprises,
renowned personalities, academics, youth and women associations and other
pertinent entities. |
