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Ethiopian youths resume annual festival after two-year war

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Following the end of a bloody two-year civil war between Ethiopia’s federal army and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in the Tigray region, Ethiopian youths have resumed their annual Youth Festival sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The two-day event which opened on Saturday in the capital, Addis Ababa, with the theme “Be Inspired, Own Your Future,” is coming after the government and the OLA successfully sealed a peace deal.

The colourful festival is hosting
20,000 youth from around the country who are expected to showcase different cultures of their tribes and regions.

It will also give room for entrepreneurs and creative individuals from across 17 cities in Ethiopia to showcase their work at the Addis Ababa festival.

The U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Tracey Ann Jacobson, in her keynote address while declaring open the youth festival, enumerated its importance and commended the government and the Tigray rebels for bringing the war to an end.

“The point of it is to provide job opportunities, to provide access to loans, to provide better opportunities for leadership and health care for young people throughout Ethiopia,” she said.

“And I have seen it grow from a tiny seed that we started in March to this amazing program that we have today,” she added.

Special guest of honour at the event, Ergoge Tesfaye, who is the Ethiopian Minister for Women and Social Affairs, in her speech, said the festival would help in addressing the vulnerabilities of young people.

“Government and non-governmental institutions, other members of the community, as well as the youth themselves, need to understand that they are exposed to a variety of problems along with this untapped potential and providing necessary solutions and steps is expected from all of us,” she said.

The Ethiopian Youth Festival has been supported by USAID for five years, and is expected to include participants from Tigray in the coming years, as organizers finalize a post-conflict assessment in the region.

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Culture

Obama names three African artistes in his Favorite Music list 2024

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In keeping with the tradition of naming his favourite music list of the year, former United States President, Barack Obama, has released his favorite music from 2024, which includes three African artistes.

The Obama Favorite Music list 2024, which he dropped on social media, has Nigerian stars Asake, Rema, and South African Ampiona sensation, Tyla, alongside Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, amongst other world-renowned stars.

While dropping the list, the former US President wrote:

“Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to.”

The top picks for Obama’s shortlist were Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Jordan Adetunji’s “Kehlani,” Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Bonny Light Horseman’s “Old Dutch,” Central Cee, Asake’s “Active,” Lil Baby’s “Band4band,” Rema’s “Yayo”, Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” and “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris MJ.
and more.

The Obama Favorite Music of 2024 list also showcased a vibrant mix of genres and artists, reflecting his diverse musical preferences, spanning hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and reggaeton, showcasing his appreciation for a variety of musical styles.

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Culture

Moroccan tourist arrivals hit record-breaking 16 million

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The year 2024 has seen Morocco celebrate a record-breaking 16 million tourist arrivals, surpassing the 12 million mark set in 2023, with the country continuing to see impressive growth in tourist arrivals.

Data from the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) reveals that additional indicators reveal that the sector reached remarkable numbers in just 10 months, surpassing the total number of arrivals typically seen in a full year.

According to the new details from the directorate, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Economy, the country’s tourism revenues reached MAD 96.9 billion by the end of October, an increase of 9.3% compared to the same period last year.

A statement by the Ministry said
Morocco notably reached a new record of 14.6 million tourists by the end of October, the directorate indicated, noting that this far surpassed the previous record set at the end of 2023 in just 10 months.

“The number marks a 19% increase year on year, representing 2.3 million additional arrivals by the end of October 2024,” it said.

“This remarkable growth is driven both by foreign tourists, whose numbers have increased by 22%, and Moroccans living abroad.

“This past October was an especially strong month for the Moroccan hospitality industry. Approximately 1.5 million visitors traveled to the North African country during that month, representing an increase of 30% compared to October last year,” it stated.

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated the upward trend during a meeting of the Moroccan National Tourism’s Board of Directors held on Monday, with data showing that the North African country saw a record 15.87 million visitors by the end of November, marking a 20% increase while tourism revenues soared to MAD 97 billion.

“The sector achieved a growth rate of 19%, higher than the world average of 12% and most competing destinations,” the Moroccan Tourism Office said.

Speaking at the event, Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor:

“Our tourism roadmap is bearing fruit and we can now enter the year 24 with confidence and determination.”

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