Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing

China

Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing

2024-09-15 17:21 Last Updated At：21:57

Ethiopia is promoting coffee and tourism -- its two pillar industries -- at the ongoing 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing.

At the Ethiopian national pavilion, where the rich aroma of coffee fills the air, Munteha Jemal, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China, made and served authentic Ethiopian coffee as part of the country's traditional ceremony.

"In Ethiopia, when we have a coffee ceremony, the house owner not drink the coffee by himself. He's gathering all his neighbors around sitting here," she said.

The process involves roasting, grinding, and boiling the coffee beans before brewing.

As the birthplace of coffee plant, Ethiopia boasts a variety of coffee types grown at different altitudes, each with its unique aroma.

"According to the places where these coffees grew, they have their own special aroma," said Jemal.

Another important sector Ethiopia is trying to promote at the CIFTIS is tourism.

"The tourist attraction places are placed in different parts of Ethiopia, the north, south, east, west, center. For example, if you go to the north you can get this one, to the east you can get this one. These are all registered in UNESCO," said Jemal while showcasing the country's tourism map.

Themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity", the 2024 CIFTIS, which opened on Thursday and will run till Monday, has attracted attendees from 85 countries and international organizations, as well as over 450 Fortune 500 enterprises and companies taking the lead in their respective industries.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.