Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Warring Ethiopian govt, Oromo Liberation Army to start negotiations in Tanzania
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said over the weekend that negotiations between his government and the Oromo Liberation Army will kick start on April 25, 2023, in Tanzania.
The Addis Standard reported that Mr Ahmed made the remarks during a live broadcast at an event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, recognising stakeholders who played roles in ending the two years war between the federal government and Tigrayan forces with a cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Pretoria in November 2022.
The event in Tanzania is part of two major events that PM Abiy said would happen in the coming week, including the other one in Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia.
The Mekelle event will include “all regional states presidents” who will travel to the city to help cement the peace agreement, Mr Abiy said
The second is the “negotiation that will be held with OLF/Shene will start in Tanzania the day after tomorrow,” he said. OLF/Shene is the term the government uses to refer to the OLA.
Mr Abiy said that both his government and the people of Ethiopia “greatly want this negotiation,” appealing to “all parties” to “think of today” as an example and to consider that “no benefit” will come out of war.
He also said to provide the people of Wollega with the “respite” they deserve, all should discharge roles to consolidate peace.
The war in Ethiopia has been ongoing for almost three years since the Ethiopian government began military operations in the Tigray region against the region’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, in November 2020.
According to Human Rights Watch, civilian structures in towns in Tigray, including hospitals, schools, factories, and businesses, were shelled, looted and destroyed by Ethiopian federal forces and regional militias and Eritrean armed forces.
The rights group says the fighting and continued restrictions on humanitarian access forced more than two million people to flee their homes. It adds that thousands fled into Sudan, leaving at least 2.3 million needing assistance.
Tanzania, India to partner in developing research in strategic minerals
Tanzania and India will work together in developing research in strategic minerals thanks to the deal inked in Dar es Salaam between the two over the weekend.
The deal was reached during a meeting attended by experts from both countries held at the Ministry of Minerals in Dar es Salaam including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Minerals Kheri Mahimbali and Indian High Commissioner to Tanzania, Binaya Pradhan.
Besides research, the two countries will collaborate in the mining sector and develop geophysics research through high-resolution surveys by collaborating with the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST).
Other agreements include cooperation in training for small-scale mining in value addition, especially in gemstones and developing human resources in value-addition activities.
Both sides also agreed to complete all procedures related to the agreements made to pave the way for the execution of the activities.
The deal is part of Tanzania’s efforts to develop and encourage value-addition activities to be carried out in the country.
The government has been taking measures to empower locals with necessary skills in value addition, including training organised by the Tanzania Gemmological Centre (TGC).
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