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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Sep 9

Found my dream car at the #AfricaClimateSummit - an old school, green EV Volkswagen beetle converted to electric by an Ethiopian startup. #ACS2 #EVs

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Sep 9

Looking forward to this session on using South-South technological innovation to advance #climatechange adaptation and resilience in #Africa hosted by @wmo-global.bsky.social @fao.org @undp.org @unep.org @wfp.org at #ACS2 #AfricaClimateSummit

kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Sep 8

One of the speakers just talked about how Africa has been sending delegates and negotiators to every COP and "we never win despite being the largest continent - why are we still going?" 🙃

Didn't expect the candidness but it's welcomed. #ACS2 #AfricaClimateSummit #climateaction

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Sep 8

Attending a session on Green Industrialization in Africa with President William Ruto of Kenya as the guest speaker and honorary convener. #AfricanClimateSummit #ACS2

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Sep 8

The first paper I wrote in college was on water scarcity and geopolitics of Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Nile River. This Tuesday, Ethiopia will inaugurate the dam on the Blue Nile, something that felt impossible even a short while ago. History in the making.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Gerd: Ethiopia outfoxes Egypt over Nile waters with its mighty dam - BBC News

Ethiopia is set to inaugurate a mega dam that has stoked tensions with Egypt.

www.bbc.com

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Aug 26

China's solar exports to Africa surge, as Chinese overproduction of solar panels have prices dropping. Solar imports by Africa from China increased by 60% between July 2024-June 2025, with Nigeria, South Africa, and Algeria buying the most. #cleanenergy #Africa

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/c...

China Finds Buyers for Surplus Solar: Africa’s Energy-Hungry Countries

www.nytimes.com

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Aug 25

Cool things are happening in the emerging technology and energy space in Japan as they open up the world's second-ever osmotic power plant. #cleanenergy #Japan #tech

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant – so what is it and how does it work?

The site in Fukuoka is only the second power plant of its type in the world, harnessing the power of osmosis to run a desalination plant in the city

www.theguardian.com

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Aug 25

Me except it needs to not be $1,000 for a one way ticket like the existing options are now 😵‍💫

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Aug 11

This rock from Mars was found in Niger by "a meteorite hunter, whose identity remained undisclosed" and was "sold by the local community to an international dealer." Lots of missing info...likely means the community received very little for what sold for $4.3m. Shameful.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Martian meteorite: Niger's anger that a piece of Mars ended up for auction

The West African country investigates how a space rock found there was put up for sale in New York.

www.bbc.com

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Jun 13

Having to unfollow social media accounts you like and have followed for awhile because they started posting too much AI slop...many such cases.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · May 25

warmer spring weather means 'tis the season for Tej (Ethiopian honey wine) to start coming back to the table again🍯

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · May 11

Ghana estimated that last year the country lost up to 1/3 of all cocoa due to smuggling so it makes sense to try different tactics to combat this but curious how starting early affects the crop quality and quality of chocolate. #Africa www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Ghana to Start Cocoa Harvest Two Months Early to Curb Smuggling

Ghana plans to start next season’s cocoa harvest in August, two months ahead of schedule, to provide early cash to farmers and curb hoarding and smuggling of the beans.

www.bloomberg.com

kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · May 5

Didn't have working out with Palpatine in Ethiopia on my to-do list today, but he popped up on my workout in Supernatural in #VR. They have him on top of the Erta Ale Volcano training us to embrace the dark side...😂 #MayTheFourthBeWithYou #MayThe4thBeWithYou

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

I attended the California Africa Climate & Economic Forum for #SFClimateWeek where CA government officials, dignitaries from Nigeria & Kenya, tech execs, and diaspora celebrities were there to make the case for why #California should invest more in #Africa. Some highlights🧵:

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

The event was sponsored hosted on the historic Klamath ship & included a reception full of treats including Tusker Beer, imported from Kenya via the
Port of Oakland. Overall, an informative event, and I look forward to following future outcomes between Africa & my home state of California!

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

The California-Africa Climate and Economic Forum also had a guest appearance from Nigerian-American NBA player Festus Ezeli who passionately encouraged the audience to invest more in Africa and to work together to scale meaningful investments.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

Being in SF, the event naturally had Silicon Valley tech leadership speak including the Senior Director of Autodesk who highlighted recent investments in Africa. Kenyan officials repeatedly emphasized their country's strong digital infrastructure as a pull for investment.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

California gov officials such as @eleniforca.bsky.social
highlighted CA being the 4th largest economy in the world, CA's leadership on sustainable transportation + infrastructure & that CA is more than open for trade with Africa regardless of what's happening in DC.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

The Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. & Climate Envoys of Kenya & Nigeria mentioned Africa's skilled workforces + sectors are open for business, and that CA's success in innovation makes the state a natural, strategic partner for Africa to partner with on climate + tech projects.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 24

I attended the California Africa Climate & Economic Forum for #SFClimateWeek where CA government officials, dignitaries from Nigeria & Kenya, tech execs, and diaspora celebrities were there to make the case for why #California should invest more in #Africa. Some highlights🧵:

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 2

With Madagascar getting hit with one of the highest tariffs, prepare for all of your baked goods + ice cream to get REAL expensive considering Madagascar produces most of the world's vanilla (and Indonesia as the 2nd largest producer of vanilla got hit with high tariffs too). #tariffs

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 1

Watching Cory Booker should remind everyone of the power of storytelling. Sharing data from the ground is important, but verbally telling real stories of how people are experiencing policy change and program shifts is what moves other people to rethink + make different decisions.

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kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Apr 1

“During the Idi Amin days, the elephants were almost poached to extinction; the rhino, sadly, was actually poached to extinction … By bringing back the rhino, it shows that Uganda is stable again and can look after rhinos in their natural setting..." 🦏 #Africa www.cnn.com/world/africa...

Rhinos went extinct in Uganda 40 years ago. Now, a private ranch is home to almost 50 | CNN

At Ziwa ranch, a former cattle farm, there are now 48 rhinos – the only ones in the country living in their natural habitat.

www.cnn.com

kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Mar 26

"A consumer-driven, adaptive energy model is essential for scalable, affordable, and sustainable energy access that meets the needs of African communities"
#energy #energyaccess #Africa #Zambia

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Bitcoin in the bush - crypto mining brings power to rural areas

Bitcoin miners will go to remote locations to take advantage of cheap electricity.

www.bbc.com

kidanaraya.bsky.social @kidanaraya.bsky.social · Mar 25

Becoming a staple treat for me.
Madagascar in #Africa gets so much attention for its vanilla but the #chocolate is also a winner.