Ethiopia announce growth project during New Year celebrations
Monday September 14, 2015
Ethiopia has launched its second five-year growth and transformation plan (GTP II) during the country’s New Year celebrations. Ethiopians on Saturday celebrated their New Year with different activities.
Being about seven years and seven months behind the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia’s calendar counts 2008 now.
On the eve of its New Year, the East African country launched its second growth and transformation plan (GTP II) during a ceremony held at the grand hall known by Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.
In his address during the event, which was televised live on the state TV, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, underlined the need to intensify the on-going efforts to build on the development successes achieved so far and towards realizing the country’s renaissance.
To this end, the Premier called for well organized and collaborative effort by and active participation of the public in the country’s development endeavor.
He noted that the 2008 Ethiopian New Year would be a period of further commitment whereby efforts would be intensified to build on the successes and address the challenges observed in the implementation of GTP I over the past five years.
Ethiopia, which is targeting to achieve a middle-income economy by 2025, is one of the fastest economies in Africa.
On the occasion of New Year celebrations in Ethiopia, among many other activities, girls dressed up in white traditional costumes, holding flowers in hands, are going from houses to houses to reach residences with their happy New Year wishes and singing special song of the holiday.
And boys visit neighboring residences, relatives, and others with presents of special cards which convey best wishes of the New Year.
The Ethiopian New Year falls on Sept. 11 (on Sept. 12 during leap year), at a time when the heavy rainfall starts to cease and the bright sun shines on the green and wet land in the country.
And to mark the shining of the sun and the cease of the heavy rainfall after three months, Ethiopians also lit wooden-torch at household level on the eve of the New Year.
