Since 2010, when USIP TC member Johannes Daxbacher Police Officer from Germany visited the first time Ethiopia to teach Judo (which was not practiced before in this huge East African country) his last and seventh trip in November 2015 to the cradle of mankind, a huge Judo development could been seen since then. Ethiopians are meanwhile playing Judo with Judogi on Tatami, donated from German Judo clubs, boys and girls are doing Randori together with great pleasure after greeting with the bow and „Rei“.

This time Johannes Daxbacher was sent by the German Government, Ministry for International Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to run the international recognized project „Judo for Ethiopians“, which is strongly powered  by IJF and backed up by UNOSDP and the USIP both MoU-Partners of the IJF. Johannes Daxbacher who was earlier appointed as member of the „IJF – Military and Police Commission“ by personal support from IJF-President Mr. Marius Vizer and a responsible personality to build up a Judo structure in this huge east African country, enabled all this remarkable Judo development.

With the support from German Embassy in Addis Ababa and the Ethiopian Embassy in Berlin, Hannes Daxbacher “the Judo-Diplomat” was  invited by H.E. Redwan Hussien, the Ethiopian Minister for Youth and Sport, for a long meeting about the implementation and the advantages of Judo. They discussed the points Judo – the Olympic sport – as well as Judo – a part for education – with the worldwide recognized „Judo-values“ as a heritage of  the Judo-founder Prof. Jigoro Kano.

Hannes Daxbacher visited two new regions to do Judo-promotion and to demonstrate Judo in Addis Ababa, Gondar, Bahir Dar (Amhara), Dire Dawa, Harar, Hawassa (Southern Nations), Adama (Oromia) and Mekelle (Tigray) with the support and interest of  the officials, sport authorities and the National Olympic Committee. Hannes Daxbacher gave different kind of Judo-seminars for interested people, policemen, Judoka and taught some methodical ways to the Judo-coaches. A highlight was for sure the first Judo – Dan- examination of Yared and Wondimu. Yared participated with the support of the  German Government inside the initiative „More space for Sport – 1.000 chances for Africa“ in Düsseldorf German Grand Prix 2015.

Examiner Johannes Daxbacher, 6. Dan, Fernando Puerto (Spain, 4. Dan) and Stephan Fox (Belgium, 2. Dan) appreciated the performance in demonstration the Nage-no-Kata as well as the „Randori-power“ and could hand-over the new  and really earned „judo-black belts“. The first official Ethiopian Judo-demonstration was held outdoor in the European Union expo-field, the day before the world famous „Ethiopian great run“, with good success and high media-interests.

The Commissioner General of the Ethiopian Federal Police, H.E. Assefa Abiyu gave his German colleague and the head of the Judo- and self-defence of the  German Police Sports Union (DPSK) Hannes Daxbacher the possibility for some police related discussions. The Ethiopian Police showed great interests on „Judo as a part for a smarter conflict resolution“ and participated in a practical Judo-lesson with more than 600 police officers.

A great support to invite Ethiopia into the World Judo Family was already given by the IJF, not only the ever first participation of Ethiopian Judoka in  the WC 2011 in Paris and latest to give the German Grand Prix 2015 in Düsseldorf with the support of German Judo Federation (DJB) the motto „Judo for Ethiopians“. At the Grand Prix in Dusseldorf last February 2015 the USIP was presented by the USIP Secretary General Sandro Dirckx who met with all involved organizations. The USIP Secretary General demonstrated that the USIP is the strongly committed with supporting the project “Judo for Ethiopians” inside the humanitarian USIP Foundation  “Hold my Hand”.