In its third regular session, the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) has approved financial agreements worth some USD 700 million, the Ethiopian government had signed with various countries and multilateral organizations.

Mulatu Astatke, the father of “Ethio Jazz” was bestowed the Order des Arts et des Lettres by France’s Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, who was on a three-day visit to Ethiopia, this week.

The longest-serving fuel and lubricants marketing company in Ethiopia, Total Ethiopia SC, has pledged to invest USD 100 million in Ethiopia if the government makes adjustments on the profit margin of fuel distribution prices.

In a bid to improve the current national identification system, France has pledged to provide EUR 40 million to Ethiopia to finance the pending national digital ID project, The Reporter has learnt.

Following a similar visit by President Emmanuel Macron, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Finance and Economy of France is set to visit Ethiopia next Monday, The Reporter has learnt. His visit is said to cement and follow-up on President Macron’s visit.

Mere months after the state visit by Emmanuel Macron, President of France, the French Development Bank that has the capacity to finance worldwide initiatives worth more than EUR 11 billion a year, is set to offer Ethiopia a combination of a loan agreement and a grant worth EUR 100 million.

President Emmanuel Macron is set to pay an official visit to Ethiopia where he is expected to announce funds pledged earlier to be availed for the restoration and preservation of the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela.

In preparation for the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, which is scheduled for March 14-15, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the French Secretary of State to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs is paying a visit to Ethiopia this weekend.

The first edition of the Paris Peace Forum ended on a high note, with an array of world-leaders, Nobel Peace Prize winning activists, heads of important and vital institutions and delegates from dozens of countries attending and addressing the gathering and help find practical solutions to the world’s leading problems.