The East African Diaspora Media Watch (EADM)

By Samuel Muwanguzi

Some members of the EACC board and other regulars with the representative from the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC, Mr. Reta Alemu at the Year of Ethipoa Celebration at UT Dallas.

In Summary: The strong presence of the East African Chamber of Commerce (EACC) at the Year of Ethiopia Celebration at the University of Texas, Dallas (UTD) was clearly noticeable. The event was a climax of activities that highlighted a faculty-led trip to Ethiopia by a group of 19 students under their Global Business Organization (GBO) honor society, who show-cased their impressions in the second most populated country in Africa. From the chairwoman Elsa Juko McDowell, board members Sylvia Karuga, Jolly Kahunde Amooti, and Benson Kasue who doubles as the acting treasurer, through Secretary Robert Mururi, to regulars such as Sam Ole Mtete, and others in the house, the solidarity with fellow African brothers from Ethiopia would never have been any stronger. Beyond the symbolism, the EACC executive demonstrated that it could stand shoulder to shoulder with UTD, its multi-culturally diverse students, and their long standing ally Prof. Habte Woldu, advisor to the GBO honor society. (Selected photos by Joseph Kamugisha).

Members of the GBO honor society at the welcome desk during the Year of Ethiopia Celebration at UTD.

Richardson, Texas—The East African Chamber of Commerce (EACC)  of Dallas recently joined the community at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) to mark the “Year of Ethiopia Celebration” at which a group of 19 students under the Global Business Organization (GBO) show-cased the outcome of their impressions during their trip to Ethiopia last March. The celebration was a climax of activities that highlighted a faculty-led-7-day trip to the second most populated country in the horn of Africa.

Flag of Ethiopia

The high-profile event, presided over by the Minister of Political Affairs at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC, Mr. Reta Alemu Nega delivered the keynote address to the over 300 guests. He represented Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Girma Birru. The event was held in the staff cafeteria in the Student Union on Saturday April 2, 2016.

Prof. Habte Woldu led the GBO students on the 7-day trip to Ethiopia.

Prof. Habte Woldu, a longtime ally of the EACC, and program Director for the Master in International Management Studies degree, and an advisor to the GBO, led the trip to Ethiopia, his native country between March 13 and 20, 2016. The faculty-led team included 4 faculty members and 19 students.

Dean of the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas

Ms. Susan Philips,  program coordinator, MS International Management Studies & BS Global Business, Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas said that after they had sent a team of students to Japan last year, they selected Ethiopia, a developing country in Africa,  because it offered a different context from that of the more industrialized and developed Japan. And, considering its economy, now growing at an average rate of 11 percent annually with modern infrastructure under construction across the country, Ethiopia, evidently, became an attractive choice and destination for the faculty-led trip this year. With a population of over 90 million, Ethiopia is the second most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria. These and many other considerations provided the background that informed the selection of Ethiopia as the destination where the School of Management focused its study abroad program this year, Susan Philips told the EADM in an interview.

The Addis Ababa City light railway, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To demonstrate its solidarity, nearly the entire board and executive of the East Africa Chamber of Commerce (EACC) attended the Year of Ethiopia Celebration, a climax of activities during the trip. The strong presence of the EACC at UTD that Saturday evening was neither accidental nor superficial. Rather, it was a deliberate demonstration of the EACC policy  that views educational institutions, faculty, staff, and students as strategic partners in creating and promoting opportunities and networks for individual and business growth and development. From the chairwoman Elsa Juko McDowell, board members Sylvia Karuga, Jolly Kahunde Amooti, and Benson Kasue who doubles as acting treasurer, through Secretary Robert Mururi, to regulars such as Sam Ole Mtete and others in the house, the solidarity with fellow African brothers from Ethiopia would never have been any stronger.

Some of the members of EACC during the celebration at UT Dallas

Beyond the symbolism, the EACC executive demonstrated that it stands shoulder to shoulder with UTD, its multi-culturally diverse students, and their long standing ally Prof. Habte Woldu, the advisor to the GBO student honor society. To further demonstrate their support, the EACC sponsored a table and also made individual contributions through the silent auction.

Elsa Juko McDowell, EACC chairwoman said that since academia is imperative to the growth of business in the USA and East Africa, the EACC is committed to supporting higher education to cooperate and work with business entities.

Elsa Juko-McDowell

“We intend to not only further build our relationship with UTD but other major universities in Texas and globally,” she said in an interview. Elsa Juko McDowell has consistently expressed passion toward engaging EACC and the community in joint activities as a strategy to harness synergies for mutual development.

Benson Kasue, a member of the EACC board and acting treasurer said that AACC has had a mutually beneficial relationship with UT Dallas and Prof. Habte Woldu, the host of the event has been a great supporter of the chamber. “He attends all our events, makes sure that UTD is properly represented—we are business partners—EACC reciprocated by buying a table as our contribution to the event,” he revealed.

Benson Kasue, a board member and acting EACC treasurer

Benson Kasue told the EADM that individually, some of the EACC members made donations and also bought items during the silent auction. “It was such a highly organized and well-attended event with a lot of energy in the building from young students who are always refreshing company,” Benson Kasue said. “EACC will continue to partner with UT Dallas as we are expecting them to play a major role during our forthcoming conference this October,” he said.

“Highlights of the event have demonstrated that UTD is now opening to the East African Community (EAC) region as a whole and we must congratulate and support them,” Sylvia Karuga, a board member of EACC later told the EADM in a phone interview. She noted UTD is endowed with receptive people who are now ready to make a change not only in Ethiopia but also in Africa as a whole.

Board member and ever good-humored Sylvia Karuga

“I am very impressed with what Prof. Habte Woldu is doing for UTD, the EAC region and Africa in general,” she said.  She saluted the faculty and students who made the successful trip to Ethiopia, describing it as a good start that should continue . “The event showcased what UTD can offer to the community, to Africa, the endowments of Ethiopia; previously hidden treasures of Africa that are now being placed in the limelight,” the ever jovial Sylvia Karuga said.

Sylvia Karuga, board member of EACC with the representative from the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC during the celebration.

Robert Muruli, secretary to the chamber, commended the students for forging partnerships with different organizations to accomplish such a great job of showcasing Ethiopia’s unique and attractive features, opening up the country to more foreign visitors, and boosting its economic profile on the international stage.

EACC Secretary Robert Muruli

“But from a chamber perspective, it would be even more beneficial to provide more specific information on how to optimize opportunities for investments in various sectors in the country,” the thoughtful Muruli observed.

Benson Kasue, Sam Ole Mtete, Sylvia Karuga, and Elsa Juko-McDowell having a great moment at the celebration.

The elegant board member Jolly Kahunde Amooti with Sylvia Karuga and Elsa Juko-McDowell at the event.

Jolly Kahunde recommended that the GBO should diversify its outreach and send students to other countries in future to assist in promoting their tourist attractions and other opportunities in those countries. “I have been most impressed by how they presented the ancient temples and how they encouraged people to travel to Ethiopia to tour them and learn more about the history of Ethiopia and its association with Orthodox and Christianity,” she said.

Sam Ole Ntete, a very active member of the chamber and an IT professional with training in marketing, said the event was very informative, impressive, and great for networking.

EACC luminary Sam Ole Mtete, now more enlightened about Ethiopia than before

“I learned a lot about Ethiopia; an extremely educative and insightful forum that also enabled me to meet people I had never met before, and offered me opportunities to network with other professionals,” he said.

Unmistakably a man from Masai, Kenya, Sam Mtete, in his traditional attire, was a sensation and a center of attraction.

Standing at over 6ft and clad in a traditional Masai outfit with all its ornaments, Sam Ole Mtete, evidently elated by the experience, said: “I am now thoroughly enlightened about Ethiopia and my lack of knowledge about the country, a neighbor to my native Kenya is now effectively eradicated,” he said with discernible contentment in his voice.