SPREADING HORIZONS


SPREADING HORIZONS

(Left) Elias Woldu and Mesnbet Shinkute sign a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Ethio-American and Addis Abeba Chamber of Commerce & Sectoral Association, respectively. Some estimates put the number of Ethiopian diaspora living abroad at over two million people, larger than the population of several small nations. Continued economic and political deprivation has forced many to leave the country for better opportunities. While migration to other countries is still high, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) has averaged around three million over the last four years.


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E-Passport Service Begins with Local Production Set for October

Immigration & Citizenship Services (ICS) has commenced e-passport issuance supported by an inventory of 1.5 million passports, with local production scheduled to begin in October. ICS invested 2.5 billion Br in telecom and data center infrastructure, and an additional 80 million dollar in document procurement. This included 1.5 million passports (50 dollars each), 300,000 alien passports and yellow cards (eight dollars each), and half a million emergency travel documents and laissez-passers...


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Sovereign Fund Reviews Mid-Year Performance of Line Companies, Calls for Strategic Improvements

Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) launched its mid-year performance review for its portfolio companies, displaying mixed results for the first half of the fiscal year. Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group (ESIG) reached 95.3pc of its sales goal, selling 64,190tn of sugar for 6.1 billion Br—a 132pc year-on-year growth—despite capacity and supply issues. The Ethiopian Petroleum Supply Enterprise (EPSE) met 92pc and 97pc of its purchase and sales targets, respectively, stating it has benefitt...


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Digital Pay Uptake Booms Among SMEs, Visa Study Finds

Over 80pc of surveyed small- and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have started accepting digital payments in the last two years, according to a new Visa report titled, ‘Value of Acceptance: Understanding the Digital Payment Landscape in Ethiopia'. Citing increased convenience, the report indicates reduced fraud risk and improved efficiency as factors in the uptake. A substantial 66pc of these SMEs believe that investing in digital payment technologies will support future business growth. The...