Sidama zone

The Sidama Zone is an administrative zone in the region of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples in Ethiopia . It emerged from the Sidamo in 1995 . Its almost 3 million inhabitants are predominantly Sidama , but there are also minorities of other ethnic groups.

On November 20, 2019, a referendum took place on the conversion of the Sidama Zone back into an autonomous region within the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, which was approved with 98.52% of the votes cast.

Unofficial flag of the Sidama

structure

The Sidama zone is divided into the nine woredas Aleta Wendo , Arbegona , Aroresa , Awassa , Bensa , Dale , Hara , Hula and Shebedino .

population

According to the Central Statistics Agency (CSA), the zone had 2,966,652 residents in 2007, of whom 5.67% lived in urban areas. For 2005 the CSA lists Awassa , Yirgalem , Aleta Wendo , Leku and Daye as the largest places.

In 1994, of 2,044,836 residents, 88.6% were Sidama, 4.15% Amharen , 2.97% Oromo and 1.84% Wolaytta ; 2.44% were from other races. The proportions of mother tongues ( Sidama , Amharic , Oromo , Wolaytta ) corresponded to the proportions of the ethnic groups. 62.54% of the population were Protestants , 13.64% followers of traditional religions, 8.24% Orthodox Christians, 8% Muslims and 4.24% Catholics .

Litigation with Starbucks

A legal battle between Ethiopian coffee farmers and Starbucks in 2007 weighed on Starbucks' reputation as a fair trading partner. Starbucks pays the farmers an above-average price, but the Ethiopian farmers wanted to have more control over sales and thus a higher price by legally protecting the name of the growing region as the Sidamo trademark. Starbucks, however, did not want to sign a license agreement and initiated an objection to the name protection through the National Coffee Association of USA (NCA) . There is a close connection to the NCA through Dub Hay, Vice President of Starbucks and responsible for global purchasing, who also acts as a lobbyist for the NCA. The NCA had initially obtained through legal objection that the patent office rejected the Ethiopian application. As a result of the threatened loss of reputation, Starbucks recognized the three Ethiopian coffee types Sidamo , Harar and Yirgacheffe as trademarks in June 2007 and signed a license, sales and marketing agreement.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Central Statistics Agency (CSA): Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and Housing Census Results ( Memento of March 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 4.7 MB), p. 76
2. ↑ CSA: 2005 National Statistics, Section – B Population ( Memento of the original dated February 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Tables B.4 (PDF; 1.8 MB) 
3. ↑ CSA: The 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Volume I: Part I. Statistical Report on Population Size and Characteristics ( Memento of the original from November 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info : The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 87.4 MB), 1996 (pp. 123, 167, 224)