Atlanta and Georgia Look to Strengthen Ties with Africa

[bayarea-girl]

This is a cool spa. They were building this one when I was last in Ethiopia. This spa is located right outside of Addis Ababa. You'll have to look throughout the site for pictures. But I hear that it is always booked. Funny that some people on this thread want to believe that these are doctored pictures. Where do they think they are taken from, NY or CA?

Kuriftu Resort and Spa

[bayarea-girl]

Ethiopia Plans to Build New Hydropower Plant to Generate 5,250 Megawatts

Ethiopia Plans to Build New Hydropower Plant to Generate 5,250 Megawatts - Bloomberg
Ethiopia will build a new hydropower plant in the Nile River basin that will generate 5,250 megawatts of electricity, Water and Energy Minister Alemayehu Tegenu said.
The facility, known as the Grand Millennium Dam of Ethiopia, will be built at a cost of 80 billion birr ($4.76 billion), Alemayehu told reporters today in Addis Ababa, the capital. The plant will be situated in the Benishangul-Gumuz region near the border with Sudan, he said.
The project will be funded by Ethiopia, partly through the sale of government bonds, and the Horn of Africa nation’s international partners, Alemayehu said.
“The Ethiopian government is ready and determined to complete the project with or without foreign grants or loans,” he said. No further details on financing or who will build the plant were provided.

[tigers84]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

[b]Ethiopia Plans to Build New Hydropower Plant to Generate 5,250 Megawattsed

....project with or without foreign grants or loans,” he said. No further details on financing or who will build the plant were provided.

Most likely China is building it. They are doing tons of these projects in Africa to ensure their access to various natual resouce deposits, including oil and so- called rare earth (which really arent so rare, just difficult to mine). This is most likely about oil.

The Chinese are definitely not altruistic or concerned with things like environmental impact. See reports of the aftermath of the now highly controversial Three Gorges Dam.

[bayarea-girl]

Ethiopia plans on building the plant to supply electricity to other countries with its own resources. Can see how you equate the Chinese with this project but the Ethiopians stand to benefit from this development. The Chinese and Ethiopians share a long standing history. The main projects the Chinese are focusing on in Ethiopia are the roads, bridges and healthcare. Not to mention that the Chinese are right here doing plenty of business in the United States, wonder why they are here?

[tigers84]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

Ethiopia plans on building the plant to supply electricity to other countries with its own resources. Can see how you equate the Chinese with this project but the Ethiopians stand to benefit from this development. The Chinese and Ethiopians share a long standing history. The main projects the Chinese are focusing on in Ethiopia are the roads, bridges and healthcare. Not to mention that the Chinese are right here doing plenty of business in the United States, wonder why they are here?

Ethiopia is building nothing. Outside entities, most likely Chinese, are building it FOR THEM. Ethiopia does not have the engineering prowess. They are trading access to oil for a power plant.

The Chinese are in the US because we are the largest single economy in the world, and therefore an important business partner for any global trader.

The Chinese have been here for centuries seeking economic and political freedom and opportunity. We are also in China in a big way. With over 1 billion people, even with their paltry per capita GDP (~$4500), they are still an attractive market for US companies. They love KFC, for example. There are many other US tech and industrial and engineering and construction firms with operations there, too.

[bayarea-girl]

tigers84 or really northwinds, the Chinese are EVERY where in the world. Not just the US or Africa. They are in Africa to make money just like everyone else. So not exactly sure what your point is. Ethiopia does have highly skilled Engineers and they have partnered with China to assist in building the plant. What is your point? The Chinese are not the ones that will benefit from the plant nor are they funding the project. There is oil in Ethiopia but not a lot. It is not unusual for other countries to contract out services. The US does this all of the time.

Other countries are offering Ethiopia money to supply them with electricity and not China. Again, what is your point?

France offers Ethiopia $590 mln for power, water projects | Reuters

Also, wanted to make another point in that during H.I.M. regin Ethiopia was seen as the bread basket of Africa, this is a fact. Ethiopia was a strong country for many years with a strong and rich history. Sadly to say during the Derg regim they purposely made money from others suffering and unfortunately this has given a negative image to others of that country. Ethiopia and Africa is not as bad as people would want you to belive.

Also, wanted to point out that there are many medical facilities currently being built in Ethiopia at this time. The late Elizabeth Edwards was assisting in the development of a large cancer unit, and through the efforts of several Atlanta based firms many Pediatric hospitals are being developed, and as I have previously posted there are many Indian firms building state of the art hospitals. There are already several high quality hospitals already there. Hopefully, the people will take advantage of them.

[Beretta]

Thread closed pending Moderator review.