Conference of Ministers of Gender and/ or Women’s Affairs scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 25 to 29 August 2008. The venue of the meeting will be the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC). It is important to take note of the following information which will assist you in the planning and logistics of your travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

CONTACT DETAILS OF ORGANISERS

Please find below the contact details of ECA and AU staff members involved in the organization of the meeting:

Ms.Litha Musyimi-Ogana, Director, AU Women, Gender and Development Directorate, African Union (AU), email: musyimiOganaL@africa-union.org

Ms. Leila Ben Ali, Head of Gender Analysis and Monitoring Division, AU, email: LeilaB@africa-union.org

Ms Thokozile Ruzvidzo, Officer in Charge, African Center for Gender and Social Development (ACGS), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), e-mail: truzvidz@uneca.org, telephone office: ++ 251 11 5 44 34 48, cell phone: ++251 9 11 20 17 89

Ms Emelang Leteane, Social Affairs Offier, ACGSD, ECA, e-mail: eleteane@uneca.org, telephone office: ++ 251 11 5 44 3403, cell phone: ++ 251 9 11683056

IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS

Visas are required for all visitors/delegates traveling to Ethiopia, except for nationals of Djibouti and Kenya. Visitors from countries that have Ethiopian diplomatic missions are required by the Ethiopian immigration authorities to secure their visas from those missions before departure. These include holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as United Nations Laissez-Passer. If your country does not have an Ethiopian diplomatic mission, the United Nations Commission for Africa office in Addis Ababa will assist you in obtaining a visa upon arrival, provided we receive the following particulars three weeks in advance.

1) Full name

2) Nationality

3) Passport details – (number, date of issue and expiry)

4) Flight details (arrival and departure)

5) . HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

* Visas on arrival will not be issued to Passport holders that have Ethiopian Diplomatic missions in their countries

It is important to note that business visas can be obtained on arrival for all participants attending meetings/seminars/workshops in Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Immigration Authority requires that you present an official letter of invitation for securing your business visa on arrival.

Please note that an Ethiopian visa costs between (US$20-60) per person depending on your nationality and payment must be made in (US Dollars)* at the time of issue. Holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as United Nations Laissez-Passer will receive visas gratis. Bank receipts for money changed at the airport must be kept securely as they may be asked for on departure.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Visitors to Ethiopia should be in possession of a valid health certificate for yellow fever.  Vaccination against cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a cholera-infected area within six days prior to arrival in the country.  As Addis Ababa is situated at an altitude of 2,400 meters, it is advisable to take precautionary measures for avoiding some health problems that might occur because of high altitude.

The United Nations Health Centre, situated on the ground floor of the Conference Centre, provides emergency medical services to participants/delegates attending meetings during working hours.

In case of a medical or dental emergency, please contact the following:
       
Dr. Matthias Lademann
Chief – United Nations Health Care Centre
Telephone:  + 251 – 115 - 51 58 28 or 51 72 00 ext. 88888 or 448888
ECA Ambulance Telephone: + 251 – 115 - 51 42 02 or 51 58 28.

AIRLINE RESERVATIONS

A number of International Airlines operate to and from Addis Ababa. It is required that participants secure their return/onward air passage prior to their arrival in Addis Ababa. Gashem Travel is the official travel agency on site at ECA to assist with re-confirmation of tickets and to provide participants with travel and tour related information. They are reachable at the following telephone numbers:

Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways have offices in the ECA compound. Please have your ticket available when visiting the travel agency to re-confirm flights.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

ECA will make hotel reservations for all participants preferably at the Hilton Hotel, at the rate of US$120 per night. In case all the required number of rooms cannot be secured, ECA will make an alternative booking for a few participants in other hotels close to ECA.

Participants will be met on arrival at Bole International Airport and will be assisted with the formalities regarding immigration and customs etc. Date and time of arrival in Addis Ababa with flight details should be clearly sent to Ms. Emelang Leteane, e-mail: eleteane@uneca.org with copy to Ms. Mekdes Faroni, e-mail: mfaroni@uneca.org.  Subsequent changes should also be similarly transmitted.

TEMPORARY IMPORTATION OF LAPTOPS AND OTHER CONFERENCE EQUIPMENT

To comply with the import customs regulations of the Government of Ethiopia, conference participants should declare conference equipment they may carry with them when entering the country. A detailed specification of the items to be brought in, together with the arrival/departure details of the participant. The items will be registered for temporary importation by the customs office and they should be taken out of the country after the conference

REGISTRATION AND IDENTIFICATION BADGES

Registration will be the responsibility of the United Nations Security and Safety Section.  All names will be communicated in advance and registration and collection of conference badges will be done from 25 August 2008.

TRANSPORT

You will arrive at Bole International Airport, which is located just 5 kilometres from the centre of Addis Ababa.   A staff member from the ECA Protocol Office will meet you at the airport.

Shuttle buses will also be available to ferry participants back and forth from hotels to the conference venue in the mornings and at the end of the daily sessions.   Unfortunately transport will not be provided during lunch breaks.  All lunch breaks will take place within the ECA compound.

If you would like transportation in Addis Ababa outside of conference time or to take you to the airport at the end of the Conference, you can book a taxi from the National Tourism Organization (NTO) by calling + 251- 115 - 51 18 22 or + 251-115 - 51 84 00. Participants are however encouraged to book the hotel airport shuttles which depart regularly for Bole International Airport.

RESTAURANTS IN ADDIS ABABA

ICT SERVICES

The United Nations Conference Centre is equipped with WAN.  Kindly contact the conference services information desk should you have problems accessing the Internet.
* Please be advised that Blackberry Services are not available in Ethiopia.

Participants are encouraged to come to Addis Ababa with their dual band mobile handsets (900/1800 MHZ).  Ethiopian Telecommunication Company offers SIM Cards with pre-charged airtime. The total package which costs US$ 50 includes US$ 12 airtime.  It takes approximately 2 to 3 days to have the Ethiopian Telecommunication Mobile Phone connected.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is as large as France and Spain combined and has an area of 1,112,000 square metres. Addis Ababa is situated at an altitude of 2,400 metres. Agriculture is the backbone of the national economy, and the principal exports from this sector include coffee, oil seeds, pulses, flowers, vegetables, sugar and animal feed. About 90% of the population earn its living from the land. There is also a thriving livestock sector, and exports include cattle, hides and skins.

The population of Ethiopia is estimated at 77 million, and over 50% of the population is under 20 years of age. The average number of inhabitants per square kilometre is 69. Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with a great variety of spoken languages. There are eighty-three languages with 200 dialects, and the three main languages are Amharic, Tigrigna and Oromigna. English, French, Italian and Arabic are also spoken, mainly in Addis Ababa. Additional information on Ethiopia and ECA can be found on the http://www.uneca.org, http://www.telecom.net.et, http://www.ethio.com and http://tour.ethiopianonline.net.

Ethiopia has two main seasons. The dry season lasts from October through May, and the rainy season starts in late June and ends in September. Temperatures depend on season and altitude.

The weather is envisaged to be chilly in August, so kindly carry a warm jacket/sweater.

ELECTRIC SUPPLY

Electric supply in Ethiopia is 220-240 volts, 50 cycles AC accessible via 13-amp, two-pin (Italian) socket.

Ethiopian currency is denominated in “Birr” and “centimes”. The exchange rate fluctuates. The UN official exchange rate as of 9.57 (June 2008).

There is a branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in the ECA compound – located in the Rotunda. This Bank is open Monday – Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. There is also an authorized exchange centre (Forex) at the Sheraton Hotel and ATM machines for Visa/ Mastercard users at both the Sheraton and Hilton which will give you money in Birr.