House endorses loan agreements worth USD 70 mln, Euro 117.3 mln
The House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) has approved the appointment of four ministers that were nominated by Prime Minitster Abiy Ahmed (PhD) last month.
The four nominees are Kenea Yadeta (PhD) [Minister of the Ministry of National Defense Force], Gedion Timothios (PhD) [Attorney General, Minister], Samuel Hurqato (PhD) [Science and Higher Commission Education Minister] and Takele Uma (Eng.) [Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Natural Gas].
The appointment’s resolution was presented before the House by Deputy Whip Challa Lemi. A brief debate on the appointees followed after the appointee’s profiles were readout by Challa. They were later voted through a majority vote while five abstained.
In addition to these appointments, lawmakers have endorsed the appointment of 40 judges to the Federal High Instance Court with a majority vote and five abstaining. Similarly, the House ratified 50 justice nominations with three absaining and the majority in agreement.
MPs, during the session raised questions as to why a larger number of judges leave their jobs frequently, about the level of women’s proportion, from where were they hired (is it across the nation or is it limited) and other related issues. A Federal Judges Administrative Council representative, Senait Andargie responded to the queries.
According to Senait, she said that all judges have the right to pursue advanced jobs and payments across the nation, while the open vacancy notice for the positions was released by the media, to make the participation fair and equitable. And that the nominees presented to the House are the most qualified ones, among others.
She told the House that the Council has made efforts to collect comments from the public, through telephone lines and social media, to encompass the nation.
MP’s, in the same session, have debated and later endorsed various loan agreements the Ethiopian government had signed with various international financial lenders and multilateral organizations, for various infrastructure and development activities.
The House unanimously approved two draft loan agreements including between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Export-Import Bank of Korea in response to the Coronavirus Emergency Response and for the provision of medical equipment.
The terms of the loan agreement include USD 40 million for the Coronavirus Emergency response and USD 30 million for the supply of medical equipment. The loan agreement between the two countries will be finalized within 40 years, including a 15-year grace period.
Furthermore, the House unanimously approved the draft proclamation to ratify the Assela Wind Farm project between Ethiopia and Denmark’s largest Bank, Dansek Bank Group. The loan agreement reaches EUR 117.3 million and will be repaid within 20 years, including a five-year grace period.
