Standing Committee to Review Election Postponement Bill

May 2 , 2020


[ssba-buttons]

The Legal, Justice & Administration Affairs Standing Committee is set to review a bill for the postponement of the upcoming national election. The bill was directed to the standing committee with three opposing votes and seven abstentions. The decision to postpone the election was proposed by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia in March due to the effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Board explained that the government's restrictions against public gatherings are an obstacle to its work to undertake voter registration, recruitment, and training of electoral staff as well as other pre-election preparation tasks. However, the postponement faced an intense backlash from Adhana Haile (PhD), MP-TPLF, who argued that the spread of the virus in Ethiopia had not reached the status of a pandemic and that the bill falls short by announcing the new dates.


Radar

Ethiopia Unveils Consortium to Insure Millions of Farmers

Ethiopia has launched its Agricultural Insurance Consortium (AICE), pledging to protect three million farmers by 2026. Announced on July 3, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency, the initiative is backed by Pula Advisors and five major Ethiopian insurers. AICE plans to promote climate resilience through insurance bundled with the government's input voucher system. Leveraging AI platforms like Mavuno and PIE, it plans to standardise products, lower costs, and expand coverage to over 200 woredas. With agricu...


Radar

New Coopbank Partnership Targets Youth Economic Empowerment

The Cooperative Bank of Oromia (Coopbank) has signed a strategic agreement with Melka Ethiopia to provide loan services to over 120,000 young men and women nationwide. The partnership plans to promote youth economic empowerment by expanding access to finance and creating jobs, with a strong focus on rural and underserved areas. Both institutions held joint discussions to explore ways to improve youth livelihoods and financial inclusion. By closing access gaps, the partnership is expected to help...


Radar

Ethiopian Netpreneur Program Training Kicks Off

The Ethiopian Netpreneur 2025 Training Program has officially launched its first cohort in Addis Abeba with 64 entrepreneurs beginning their first round of training. Organised by the Global Digital Talent Academy, the initiative plans to empower local business owners, startup founders, and digital sector players with global-level e-commerce skills. At the launch event, Innovation and Technology Minister Belete Mola (PhD) urged participants to leverage the opportunity to build networks and shape...