Council Approves over $300m Concessional Loans

Sep 2 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

The Council of Ministers approved a series of concessional loans from the Italian government and the International Development Association (IDA) during its 24th meeting last week. These loans are concessional with little or no interest rates and payback periods of up to 38 years along with grace periods reaching up to 16 years. The hefty sum of 300 million dollars in financial package from the IDA, a subsidiary of the World Bank that offers concessional loans and grants to the world's poorest developing countries, will primarily be geared towards the development of electricity infrastructure in rural Ethiopia and the development of human resources. While this loan is interest-free it stipulates a 0.75pc service charge to the Association for its services. Out of the 56 million to be received from the Italian government 10 million euros will be allocated to improve the coffee supply chain, 24 million will be geared towards investment in agroindustry in rural Ethiopia while the rest is set aside for water infrastructure development projects in Wabi Shebele and Awash rivers.


Radar

New Directive Hikes Service Fees for Foreign Investors in Free Trade Zones

The Ethiopian Investment Board has issued a new directive revising the service fees from foreign investors payable in dollars to the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), introducing updated rates for both the One Stop Shop and designated Free Trade Zones. The revised directive came into effect this April following its publication on the websites of the Ministry of Justice and the EIC. Issued pursuant to Article 23 of the Special Economic Zone Proclamation, the directive outlines charges for...


Radar

City Tables 350B Br Budget Plan for Upcoming Fiscal Year

The City Administration has approved a resolution to submit a proposed budget of 350 billion Br for the 2025/26 fiscal year to the City Council for deliberation. According to the Administration's statement on its official social media page, the draft budget is designed with a central focus on poverty reduction, encompassing targeted subsidies for sustainable development, investment in large-scale job-creating projects, and enhanced service delivery to address the growing demands of the reside...


Radar

Ethiopia, UN Launch Joint Plan to Drive Development Through 2030

The Ethiopian government and the United Nations (UN) have signed a five-year development plan outlining national priorities from 2025 to 2030. Signed on June 20 at the Ministry of Finance, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) with implications that it aligns with Ethiopia's reform goals and the Sustainable Development Agenda. The plan is backed by a projected 6.5 billion dollars, though only 1.5 billion dollars is currently secured. It focuses on closing t...