The novel coronavirus has infected 15,200 people in the Horn of Africa country including 6,526 recoveries and caused the demise of 239 others.
In the July 24 report, the Ethiopian Cardinal said that the Church in Ethiopia has partnered with local musicians in a campaign against domestic violence.
“A very active group of artists turned to us and we wanted to stand alongside the initiative ‘Zim Alilim’ (I will not keep silent), launched by them, in order to turn on a constant spotlight on the phenomenon and prevent and protect those affected,” the Cardinal said.
He added in reference to the Zim Alilim initiative, “We have made available our commitment to protect our people from abuses and we are working with our own department dedicated to promoting the campaign and helping the victims.”
The Archbishop of Addis Ababa who doubles as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia also highlighted the controversy over the control of the giant dam under construction on the river Nile.
“One of the most complex concerns is the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Ethiopia is trying to build the great dam on the river which guarantees 85% of the water to Sudan and Egypt,” the Ethiopian Cardinal said.
He explained, “Ethiopia has a great need for these waters due to the shortage of electricity. About 65% of the country has great difficulties in obtaining energy and in some remote areas, the population cuts trees to produce fuel energy. If this continues, one will soon come to worrying desertification; we cannot afford it; the dam is the tool to get out of poverty, to guarantee school accessible to everyone - especially in the lockdown period when it was not possible for many children to connect from home.”
“As a Catholic Church, we have expressed a clear position that aims at a just solution for fair use of these international waters,” Cardinal Souraphiel said in reference to the Church’s intervention in the conflict that has arisen from the proposed Grand Renaissance Dam.
On Ethiopia’s relationship with neighboring Eritrea, the Cardinal noted, “We are very confident in the steps forward made to break the historic difficulties in relations and we hope for useful developments for the two Countries.”
On July 19, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali met with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in Asmara. The two leaders discussed further consolidation of the warm bilateral ties between the two countries as well as enhancement of regional cooperation, Africanews reported.
