FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers TRADE AFRICA Election 2026 New TIME REMAINING UNTIL ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL ELECTION 0Days 0Hours 0Minutes 0Seconds




DDR Initiative Gets 16m Boost

Mar 2 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

A 16 million euro initiative to facilitate the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) of nearly 370,000 ex-combatants was launched last week. Financed by the European Union (EU) the program will be implemented across eight regional states. It is overseen by the National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC), the agreement was signed at the Ministry of Finance's headquarters on King George St.

Key figures including Semereta Sewasew, state minister for Finance; Teshome Toga, commissioner of NRC; Ronald Kobia, ambassador to the European Union in Ethiopia; Ramez Alkabarov, coordinator of UN Resident and Humanitarian for Ethiopia; and Samuel Doe, resident representative of UNDP Ethiopia.

Semereta highlighted the substantial resources required for the DDR process, mentioning that the federal government would cover 15pc of the program's finances. She urged other partners to join in providing support to ensure the success of this initiative.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has a history of supporting DDR efforts since the early 1990s, particularly in the aftermath of the Ethiopia-Eritrea war.


Radar

Customs Authorities Intercept Major Alleged Contraband Shipment Worth 422 Million Br

The Customs Commission seized alleged contraband goods worth more than 422 million Br during inspections conducted between June 25 and June 30, 2026. The haul included clothing, electronics, ammunition, construction materials, coffee, vehicle spare parts, cosmetics, khat, narcotics, minerals, livestock and foreign currency. The Addis Abeba Airport, Moyale and Awash customs branches recorded the largest seizures, valued at 115 million Br, 93 million Br and 61 million Br, respectively. Authorit...


Radar

Hijira Bank Posts Record Growth as Assets Reach 31.45 Billion Br

Hijira Bank posted 3.55 billion Br in income in 2025/26, exceeding its combined earnings over the previous four years, while gross profit reached 1.9 billion Br. Assets rose 115pc to 31.45 billion Br, deposits doubled to 24 billion Br, and capital increased 202pc to 7.45 billion Br. Digital transaction value surged 86pc to 41.72 billion Br, foreign currency earnings reached 158 million dollars, and total banking transactions hit 615.39 billion Br. The bank also disbursed 1.5 billion Br in col...


Radar

Gadaa Bank Offers One Million Shares to Public Investors

Gadaa Bank has offered one million shares to the public at 1,050 Br per share following approval from the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) on June 22, 2026. The share sale keeks to expand the bank's capital base and strengthen shareholder value. The offering will run until September 17, 2026, and is open to existing shareholders and new investors who meet ESX requirements. It is open to existing shareholders and new investors who meet ESX requirements...