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.
Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing
Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing
Russia claimed on Monday that it had taken control of one more settlement as part of its ongoing offensive in the Donetsk region, while Ukraine, on the same day, reported repelling multiple Russian attacks.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a briefing that over past 24 hours, its forces captured the village of Novoolenovka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, located about 17 kilometers southwest of the city of Pokrovsk, a key front in Moscow's offensive in the region.
The Russian forces launched attacks on multiple Ukrainian military airfields, military-industrial energy facilities, weapons and ammunition depots, and drone command centers, the ministry said.
Furthermore, the Russian air defense forces intercepted four U.S.-made HIMARS rockets and shot down 65 drones, it said.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that as of Monday afternoon, there had been 104 fights on the front lines, the situation remains tense, with Ukrainian forces continuing to repel Russian offensives, resulting in casualties and equipment losses on the Russian side.
According to Ukrainian media reports, Ukrainian forces discovered and destroyed a Russian military command post in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In another development, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday on social media that Russia and Ukraine had once again exchanged a group of detained individuals on that day.
The ministry said that after negotiations, 150 Russian soldiers have been returned to Russia from territories controlled by Ukraine. All the exchanged Russian soldiers are currently receiving necessary medical care and psychological counseling in Belarus. They will be transported back to Russia to receive further treatment at Russian military medical facilities.
Also on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram that a total of 189 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity. Among those released were 187 servicemen, including officers, soldiers and sergeants, along with two civilians.
The freed troops included military personnel who fought for the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the city of Mariupol, and the Snake Island in the Black Sea, Zelensky added.
On Monday, the United States announced that it would provide nearly 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in additional military support to Ukraine.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, since President Joe Biden took office, the total amount of U.S. military support to Ukraine has exceeded 66 billion U.S. dollars. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, U.S. military assistance to Ukraine has reached 65.4 billion U.S. dollars.
Russia has repeatedly warned that the continuous supply of weapons to Ukraine by Western countries is a provocative act that could escalate the conflict further.
Russia seizes one more settlement in Ukraine's Donetsk, Ukraine repels Russian attacks
