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News
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Column
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First Lady Makes it to EFFORT's Helm |
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Azeb Mesfin, the wife of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi,
has been appointed as deputy head of the Endowment
Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray, also known as
EFFORT. She will serve under Abadi Zemu, the chief
executive officer (CEO) of EFFORT, replacing Sebhat
Nega, the most senior leader of the TPLF.
This appointment is yet another public role Azeb
assumes following the split within the leadership of
the TPLF in early 2000. Not only was Azeb elected to
the Federal Parliament in 2005 by a constituency in
Welkait, she is also a chairperson of its Standing
Committee on Social Affairs. She was also elected as
a member of the Central Committee of the TPLF, a
place she first got four years ago.
Azeb, a mother of three, is head of Ethiopian
Coalition of Women against HIV/AIDS, and vice
president of Organization of African First Ladies
against HIV/AIDS.
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First Lady
Azeb Mesfin |
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Azeb is not new to EFFORT; she has been in charge of
one of its subsidiaries, Mega Publishing, whose
office and printing facility is inside Mega
Building, on Africa Avenue (Bole Road). It is the
printing arm of Mega Net Corporation, an umbrella of
several subsidiaries, which was first registered in
March 1993 as Mega Net Printing & Distribution Share
Company, with an initial capital of one million
Birr. It was restructured to Mega Net Corporation
and increased its capital to 10 million Br, with
EFFORT controlling the largest share. |
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EEFORT was first established in 1995 as a
non-governmental foundation. Its leaders often argue
that it got its seed money from the TPLF that
acquired assets during the period of armed struggle
against the Derg. Although this argument has
been directed to fierce criticisms from those
opposing the administration of the Revolutionary
Democrats, its supporters claim EFFORT was created
to invest in areas where the public or private
sectors are not interested or capable of
involvement.
Its first Board of Directors of seven were all
senior leaders of the TPLF/EPRDF; EFFORT's first
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
was Seyee Abraha, a politburo member of the TPLF
from the late 1970s, until he was flushed out of the
party in early 2000. His chairmanship position was
filled by Seyoum Mesfin, who is also minister of
Foreign Affairs.
Sebhat took over the chief executive position and
served up until this year, before he handed over to
Abadi, who has always served as a director of the
council. The latter transferred to the board and
head of the industrial wing of EFFORT.
The conglomerate has over 25 companies that it
controls in the industry, finance, trade, mining,
construction, transport and agricultural sectors.
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By
PAWLOS BELETE
FORTUNE STAFF WRITER |
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