Ethio Telecom, the sole telecom service provider in Ethiopia, this week expressed its concern over the ongoing telecom liberalization process.

New and controversial Excise Tax Amendment bill which has been forwarded to the Budget Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) is said to see further changes this week, especially regarding new imported vehicles, cigarettes and bottled water, The Reporter has learnt.

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has approved the appointment of Melaku Kebede, who was serving United Bank as a senior Deputy CEO –Strategy &Technology, as the new Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) replacing Taye Debekulu, who has led the bank for six years.

The newly drafted Code of Conduct for the Mass Media and Journalists on the Manner of Reporting about Elections, a daft regulation put together by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), appears to be more comprehensive and strict, maintaining the ban on Election Day prediction and pre-election polling by the media houses, while allowing the publishing of pre-election polls with proper citing of polling organization and other details.

A persistent issue in many parts of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Customs Commission is partnering with Spotlight Communication and Marketing to look at the impact and end contraband to end illegal trade within the eastern part of  Ethiopia where the issue has had more impact.

The sole telecom provider in Ethiopia, Ethio Telecom, on Wednesday disclosed that its revenue has increased by a whopping 32 percent.

The state-owned telecom operator is about to achieve 25 percent of its ambitious revenue target that will add some nine billion birr more in the current fiscal year.

A study conducted on the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway line has found out the broader economic significance of the line prevails in freight and bulk shipments rather than passenger transportation, The Reporter has learnt.   

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), one of the three Rome-based UN agencies, has agreed to provide USD 40 million as part of the USD 305.7 million co-financing needed to back the Rural Financial Intermediation Program the Government of Ethiopia is about to implement.

Yet again another Japanese business mission to Ethiopia ends with no significant investment commitments being made, except advising the authorities to consider easing business procedures and policies, putting in place environmental safety regulation and improve the pool of skilled manpower, The Reporter has learnt.