Electoral Chief Reports 74pc Turnout, Security Closures, Ballot Irregularities

Posted on June 2, 2026June 2, 2026 by Web Master

Melatewerk Hailu, chief of the national electoral board, disclosed an election day defined by three competing realities of high turnout, security-related disruption, and irregularities serious enough to trigger disciplinary action.

According to the Board’s account, security conditions, administrative failures, and alleged misconduct converged in different parts of the country, producing an election day that was neither uniformly successful nor disrupted.

Preliminary data gathered by the Board’s desk experts indicated that no less than 40 million voters across the country but in Tigray Regional State had cast their ballots as of 8:00pm last night. Briefing the media at 1:10am, at the Skylight Hote, on Africa Avenue (Bole Road), Melatwork, early disclosure, if confirmed through formal tabulation, would point to a heavy turnout across the country of 74pc.

However, the Board’s own account also showed that the vote did not unfold evenly. While many regions completed voting on time, the process in Addis Abeba was extended uuntil midnight and beyond to accommodate long queues of citizens still waiting to vote.

Melatewerk confirmed that voters already in line before the closing time were permitted to vote, while no new voters were allowed to join the queues after the extension. However, in many areas voters were seen arriving even after 6:00pm and allowed to vote.
The pressure on the process was not limited to long queues.

The Board’s Chief confirmed that 143 polling stations nationwide did not open due to security concerns. Several areas faced specific disruptions that either suspended voting entirely or left the process incomplete.

In Burji, the Board ordered the total closure of a polling station after election officials were caught marking ballots themselves.
“These officials will face legal and disciplinary measures,” Melatwork told the media.

Voting remains suspended in Mekosa because of ongoing security problems. In Bilo Pa, the Board has decided to facilitate voting today, June 2, 2026, since voting could not be completed today. In Kuta Ber, four of 19 polling stations remained closed. In Kerha, the situation remains unchanged because there were no specific security improvements.

Irregularities also surfaced in Addis Abeba, where individuals in civilian clothes were observed interfering with procedures.
“The Board is compiling reports from these stations and will issue formal decisions once all evidence is reviewed,” said Melatwork.

Reports of property damage and accidents at certain polling sites have also reached the Board, which said detailed investigations are underway to confirm the extent of the destruction.

As voting closed in most areas, the transition to counting began in early hours. In places where counting cannot be completed due to late hours or safety concerns, ballot boxes are “to be sealed and secured in a ‘safe place’ and opened for counting the following day.”

The immediate challenge for the Board has shifted from managing queues and security interruptions to safeguarding the integrity of the count.

Voters Brave Cold Dawn as Mayor Urges for Patience

Posted on June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 by Web Master

By the time the first light settled over Addis Abeba’s high-altitude districts today, June 1, 2026, the verdict on election-day machinery was already forming in the cold.

At 5:00am, hundreds of voters had wrapped themselves in traditional white cotton shawls and heavy winter jackets outside the Gagema Kelo (General) polling station in Nifas Silk Lafto District The queue snaked around the perimeter of the station, a silent, shivering line of voters waiting to take part in what leaders of the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) has cast as a critical benchmark for “stability, institutional maturity and a smooth democratic transition.”
For those in line, the meaning of the vote was less abstract. It carried the weight of daily survival, soaring inflation and the visible scars of localized political fragmentation. The election is not only a contest over representation but a test of whether formal politics could still speak to the hardships endured by millions.

“I just came for the sake of voting,” said Aberash Bogale, 22, a resident of the Gerji area who had been waiting since 2:00am.

Cold and eager to return home for breakfast, she offered an early portrait of the day. Voters, according to electoral officials numbered over 50.4 million, are willing to wait for the ballot, and an election system struggling to move them through it.

The numbers unveiled the complexity of an election that officials framed nationally, but voters experienced locally. In one polling station, the challenge was a delayed opening. In another, it was a dispute over the voter registry. In another, it was the practical difficulty of deciding who should move first through a line that had barely shifted for hours.

At the Gagema Kelo polling station, where Addis Abeba’s Mayor, Adanech Abiebie, was expected to cast her ballot, the pressure was visible from the start. Officials had to manage a large security and media presence alongside 1,500 registered voters. Despite the official opening time being set for early morning, instructions were delayed until 6:20am. Federal Police officers prioritized elderly citizens and nursing mothers, but the volume of voters produced bottlenecks that left the queues barely moving.

Mayor Adanech declared from her polling site that the election was proceeding in a “very democratic, free, fair, and transparent manner.”

However, the details emerging from polling stations across Addis Abeba pointed to a more uneven reality.

In Bole District’s Woreda 4, one of the capital’s more competitive political battlegrounds, the ballot featured 122 regional candidates and 13 candidates for Parliament. At the Pensioners Association polling station, an administrative dispute broke out when NEBE representatives removed five voters from a registry of 833 for unspecified reasons. It drew sharp rebukes from party observers representing both the opposition coalition Andnet and the ruling Prosperity Party.

The ballot itself revealed a fragmented political landscape. In the Gerji sub-polling station, the Prosperity Party failed to present a candidate for the federal legislature, leaving the field open to Eyob Mekonnen, the prominent head of the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice, a.k.a EZEMA, as well as the Hidase party and the Coalition for Ethiopia party.

The local architecture of power varied sharply from ward to ward. In the Gerji cluster, Hidase and the Coalition for Ethiopia fielded 12 candidates each for the city council, compared with 10 each from the Prosperity Party and EZEMA.

At the Gerji Woreda 13 polling station, complaints broke out in a queue of more than 250 people as women carrying children on their backs were routinely fast-tracked past others waiting in line.

At the Koye Gende Turi polling station, voters began gathering at 4:00 am. The station opened a little late at 6:20am, and the mood settled into quiet irritation. Election officials managed the crowd of about 300 people by admitting voters in strict, disciplined batches of four at the gate.

Across the capital, the vote unfolded as a series of local tests of crowd control, administrative discipline, party organization and voter patience. Long queues and administrative friction challenged the official narrative that the election marked an orderly democratic transition.

The Mayor urged patience, seeking to turn the delays into a civic test.

“Even if it gets late, even if challenges arise, whether rain or sun, citizens should remain patient and vote peacefully until the end,” Mayor Adanech said. “Whoever is elected today will later be accountable to the people who placed them in office.”

For some members of the capital’s business elite, the process appeared orderly enough. Belayneh Kinde, the prominent founder and chairperson of the BKG conglomerate, was spotted verifying his credentials in the Nifas Silk Lafto queue at 6:00am. He called the process “good.”

But for the ordinary voters who had queued since before dawn, the day’s meaning reached beyond the mechanics of peaceful polling. The election’s immediate test was whether citizens could cast ballots despite cold weather, slow lines and administrative snags. Its larger test will come later, when the incoming government confronts the expectations placed on it by voters seeking relief from inflation, better public services, economic reform and national cohesion.

Ethiopians Begin Voting for Federal, Regional Legislators

Posted on June 1, 2026June 2, 2026 by Web Master

Millions of Ethiopians began lining up before dawn on today, June 1, 2026, to cast ballots in a federal and regional elections whose first test was not political rhetoric but administrative execution.

The vote, the seventh general poll since the constitutional order was installed in the mid-1990s, unfolded as a vast national exercise under pressure from logistical bottlenecks, localised delays and a transport standstill in key urban centres. For a country whose political stability and institutional endurance are being closely watched, the morning hours offered an early measure of whether the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) could translate its large-scale preparations into orderly voting on the ground.

Across the country, election day produced uneven rhythms. In some places, hundreds waited in slow-moving queues, with delays exceeding 20 minutes. In others, daily life continued around the polling stations. A substantial portion of the population walked past voting lines to attend to daily chorus, while low but functioning transit options kept parts of regional urban life moving.
From Addis Abeba to Bahir Dar, Adama and Jigjiga, voters arrived early. Their patience was soon tested. In Bole, one of the more affluent districts, about 100 voters had gathered outside the Gerji Roba polling station before 5:00am. What began as a show of early-morning civic determination gradually turned into frustration as electoral officials delayed opening instructions.

Voters were casting their votes in two separate voting tents under Gerji Roba and Gerji Sub, but the flow of information was uneven. Electoral officials announcements were audible only to those standing near the front of the line, leaving many further back dependent on fragments of instruction passed informally through the queue.

A modernising electoral process is constrained by manual systems, procedural gaps and uneven communication. In Kirkos District, the problem appeared in sharper form. A voter who had used the government’s online registration system was turned away from the ballot box after his name failed to appear on the physical manual ledger. He remained in line, trying to prove his eligibility with an SMS confirmation on his mobile phone.
Elsewhere, voters were held back because their voting cards lacked an official administrative stamp, a technical formality that became a practical barrier at the polling station.

The scale of the administrative undertaking remains considerable. According to official data from the Election Board, 52,000 polling stations are established across the country, with 359,000 election executives mobilised and more than 64,000 civil society observers deployed to monitor the integrity of the vote. More than 250,000 political party representatives were assigned to track ballots on behalf of their respective factions. These numbers point to an election apparatus of exceptional reach, yet the morning’s delays showed how easily scale can collide with local execution.

In Adama, Oromia Regional State, the disruption took a different form. The city’s local economy slowed sharply as taxi services disappeared from the streets. Roads were left unusually quiet, forcing many voters to walk to polling stations. At several stations, opposition party observers were absent as the first ballots were cast.
Further east, in the Somali Regional State’s Dhagahbur Woreda, voting began at 6:16am under heavy security, with priority given to police officers. Early observations from Darado Foq station showed a revealing demographic pattern. Of the first 25 voters in line, only three were in their twenties, pointing to a quieter youth presence despite a contested local ballot featuring 53 regional candidates alongside six aspirants for the federal Parliament.

SALAAM GROUP REINFORCES DJIBOUTI’S REGIONAL LOGISTICS AMBITIONS THROUGH FUELSTOR STRATEGIC ENERGY HUB

Posted on May 13, 2026May 13, 2026 by Web Master

[Djibouti, May 12, 2026] – Fuelstor today officially commenced construction of its landmark multi-product terminal in Damerjog, marking a major milestone in Djibouti’s energy and logistics infrastructure development. The groundbreaking ceremony brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, and international partners to launch a project set to strengthen regional trade connectivity and enhance energy supply resilience across East Africa.

Representing an investment of approximately DJF 30 billion (USD 160 million), the Fuelstor development reflects Salaam Group’s long-term commitment to strategic infrastructure investments supporting regional trade, industrial growth, and supply chain modernization. Spanning 22 hectares, the project will develop a large-scale integrated platform dedicated to the storage, trading, and redistribution of fuel, LPG, and edible oil products. With an estimated storage capacity of 400,000 metric tons, the project positions Djibouti as a critical hub within regional and global supply chains.

A High-Impact Platform for Regional Trade

More than a storage facility, Fuelstor is being developed
as a fully integrated logistics and trading platform designed to support growing regional demand and shifting global supply routes.

Located in the strategic Damerjog corridor, the terminal will facilitate the efficient movement and redistribution of fuel, LPG, Edible Oil and essential commodities. Fuelstor’s operating model is anchored in seamless multimodal access to Ethiopia and the wider region.

At a time when supply chain security and diversification have become increasingly important, the project introduces critical infrastructure capacity to support long-term regional growth.

This project represents a defining milestone for Fuelstor and a significant step forward for the region’s energy and logistics landscape,” said – Houssein Ahmed Houmed, General Manager, Fuelstor. “Fuelstor Terminal is uniquely positioned to become a key gateway connecting global supply markets to growing demand across East Africa

Strengthening Djibouti’s Role as a Regional Hub

The Fuelstor Terminal reinforces Djibouti’s position as a stable and essential trade corridor linking Africa to international markets.

Aligned with the country’s long-term infrastructure ambitions, the project supports the expansion of Djibouti’s logistics ecosystem while attracting high-value investment into strategic sectors.

By scaling up storage and distribution capabilities, Fuelstor contributes to positioning Djibouti at the center of future regional energy and trade flows.

World-Class Execution and Economic Impact

Construction is being carried out by Somagec, an internationally recognized engineering group with extensive experience in large-scale industrial and maritime infrastructure projects.

The partnership combines Fuelstor’s long-term vision with proven execution expertise to deliver a high-standard, reliable infrastructure platform.

The project is expected to generate significant economic activity during both construction and operational phases, including the creation of hundreds of jobs and the development of local capabilities.

Building Infrastructure for the Future

As one of Djibouti’s leading diversified groups, Salaam Group continues to expand its footprint across strategic sectors through investments designed to support economic transformation, regional connectivity, and long-term infrastructure development. Fuelstor reflects a forward-looking vision focused on developing resilient, scalable infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of regional markets.

Designed as a multi-product platform integrating storage, logistics, and trading capabilities, the terminal will enable more efficient supply flows while supporting the modernization of East Africa’s logistics landscape.

Backed by Salaam Group, the project underscores a long-term commitment to infrastructure investments that drive economic transformation, regional integration, and sustainable growth across Africa.

About Fuelstor

Fuelstor is a strategic energy and logistics infrastructure company focused the development of large-scale storage, trading, and redistribution platforms for fuel, LPG, and edible oil products. Through its integrated infrastructure projects, Fuelstor aims to strengthen regional supply chains, facilitate trade flows, and contribute to the expansion of Africa’s logistics and energy ecosystem.

As Ethiopia Goes Electric, Ethio telecom Powers the Transition

Posted on April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 by Web Master

In the global race toward decarbonisation, the biggest shifts do not always come from oil majors or power utilities. Sometimes they begin with institutions that combine digital networks with physical infrastructure.

In East Africa, such a shift is taking shape, with Ethio telecom at its centre. The company is no longer positioning itself only as a provider of connectivity. It is becoming a utility layer designed to support Ethiopia’s digital and green future.

The recent inauguration of a fourth Super-Fast Smart EV Charging Station in Adama, the first expansion beyond Addis Abeba, marks a step. It heralded that Ethiopia’s shift toward electric mobility is no longer confined to a trial phase, now advancing to a coordinated national rollout.

To some outside observers, a telecommunications company moving into energy and transport may appear unusual. However, within the logic of its “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028” strategy, the move is deliberate and practical.

Ethio telecom is drawing on assets it already commands, including towers, fibre networks, and digital payment rails, to address the “chicken-and-egg” problem in the lack of reliable charging infrastructure that has slowed EV adoption in many markets.

This goes beyond conventional diversification, representing a structural repositioning of the company’s role in the economy. By building a presence in transport and energy, Ethio telecom is helping to anchor a new mobility system on domestically generated and digitally managed electricity.

The Adama Station is more than a hardware site. It is an AI-powered node within a growing smart grid. Equipped with 180kW super-fast chargers, the station uses artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose battery health and tailor charging sessions to the needs of different vehicles, including European models that had previously faced compatibility challenges in the region.

Since operations began in February 2025, Ethio telecom’s EV charging infrastructure has shown notable scale. With the Adama launch, the network’s total capacity has reached 60 vehicles simultaneously. It has supported more than 284,000 charging sessions and delivered over 7.1 million kWh of energy. This has prevented more than 10 million kilograms of CO2 emissions, an environmental gain that compares to planting about 50,000 trees and a direct contribution to Ethiopia’s Green Legacy goals.

A central piece of this model is telebirr, Ethio telecom’s finance platform. Its integration into the charging network helps turn energy use into a simple digital transaction, addressing the monetisation and user experience issues that often undermine public infrastructure projects.

Through the telebirr SuperApp, drivers can locate stations, monitor charging progress in real time through 5G and 4G cloud servers, use “Tap-to-Charge” NFC authentication, and make instant payments. What might otherwise be a routine electricity purchase becomes a self-service digital product built for speed and convenience.

Perhaps the most strategic step is for Ethio telecom not to approach the market as a monopolist. It is trying to act as an ecosystem orchestrator. Its National EV Charging Platform allows third-party operators to connect their charging stations to a unified digital network.

By offering software, payment gateways, and monitoring tools to other players, the company is lowering entry barriers for the wider private sector. That platform approach also promotes interoperability, which is likely to be critical if Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative is to support a durable shift toward electric mobility.

As geopolitical tensions expose the fragility of global fuel supply chains, Ethiopia’s emphasis on domestic renewable energy, largely hydroelectric, combined with a digitally managed distribution network, offers a model of resilience for emerging markets.

Ethio telecom’s move into Adama sends a broader signal that Ethiopia is not merely preparing for a greener future in theory. It is building the physical and digital systems needed to make that future work in practice.

By operating at the intersection of data, finance, and energy, Ethio telecom is recasting itself from a telecommunications provider into one of the companies helping shape the country’s green transition.

የካፒታል ገበያ ባለሥልጣን የዳሽን ባንክን አክሲዮኖች መዘገበ

Posted on December 25, 2025December 29, 2025 by Web Master

ዳሸን ባንክ አዲስ እየተገነባ ባለው የካፒታል ገበያ ሥርዓት ውስጥ ታሪካዊ ስፍራ ይዟል። የኢትዮጵያ ካፒታል ገበያ ባለሥልጣን ታህሳስ 15 ቀን 2018 ዓ.ም. ባወጣው መግለጫ መሠረት፣ ከ14.3 ሚሊዮን በላይ ነባር መደበኛ አክሲዮኖች እና 2.2 ሚሊዮን አዳዲስ አክሲዮኖች እንዲመዘገቡ ፈቅዷል። ይህ ምዝገባ ባንኩ ወደፊት ለሚያካሂደው የነባር አክሲዮኖች ሽያጭ (Rights Issue) እና በኢትዮጵያ የሰነድ ሙዓለ ንዋዮች (ESX) ላይ ለሚኖረው ይፋዊ ተሳትፎ እንደ ቅድመ ሁኔታ የሚወሰድ ነው።

ከ19 ቢሊዮን ብር በላይ የተከፈለ ካፒታል ያለው ዳሽን ባንክ፣ ከአዋሽ እና ከአቢሲኒያ ባንኮች በመቀጠል ካሉት አምስት ግዙፍ የግል ባንኮች መካከል አንዱ ነው። በሃና ተኸልቁ የሚመራው የካፒታል ገበያ ባለሥልጣን እንደገለጸው፣ ይህ የምዝገባ ሂደት በራሱ ገና ይፋዊ የሕዝብ አክሲዮን ሽያጭ ባይሆንም፣ ባንኩ ወደፊት ለሚያደርገው እንቅስቃሴ የአደባባይ ማሳወቂያ ሆኖ ያገለግላል። በመሆኑም ማንኛውም ባለሀብት ውሳኔ ከመሰጠቱ በፊት የባንኩን ሙሉ የአዋጪነት መግለጫ (Prospectus) እንዲመረምርና ፈቃድ ካላቸው አማካሪዎች ዘንድ እንዲመክር ማሳሰቢያ ተሰጥቷል።

ይህ የምዝገባ ሂደት ተግባራዊ የሆነው ለማንኛውም ለሕዝብ የሚቀርብ የዋስትና ሰነድ በባለሥልጣኑ ዘንድ መመዝገብ አለበት የሚለውን አዲስ መመሪያ ተከትሎ ነው። በአስፋው ዓለሙ የሚመራው ዳሽን ባንክ፣ የባለሥልጣኑን ይሁንታ ባገኘ ማግስት (ታህሳስ 16 ቀን 2018 ዓ.ም.) የ6.4 ቢሊዮን ብር ዋጋ ያለው የአክሲዮን ሽያጭ ይፋ አድርጓል። ሽያጩ በዋናነት ለነባር ባለአክሲዮኖች የሚቀርብ ሲሆን፣ ያልተገዙ አክሲዮኖች ካሉ ግን ወደፊት ለሕዝብ ክፍት እንደሚሆኑ ታውቋል። የአክሲዮን ግዢው እስከ የካቲት 4 ቀን 2018 ዓ.ም. ድረስ ለደንበኞች ክፍት ሆኖ እንደሚቆይ ይጠበቃል።

አሜሪካና ኢትዮጵያ በጤናው ዘርፍ የ1.5 ቢሊዮን ዶላር ስምምነት ተፈራረሙ

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Web Master

የዩናይትድ ስቴትስ መንግሥት በሚቀጥሉት አምስት ዓመታት ውስጥ ለኢትዮጵያ የጤና ዘርፍ ማጠናከሪያ የሚውል የ1.5 ቢሊዮን ዶላር ድጋፍ ለማድረግ ቃል መግባቱን ተከትሎ፣ ለዓመታት ተቀዝቅዞ የነበረው የሁለቱ አገራት ዲፕሎማሲያዊ ግንኙነት ዳግም አንሰራሮቷል። ዛሬ ታኅሣሥ 14 ቀን 2018 ዓ.ም በገንዘብ ሚኒስቴር መስሪያ ቤት ውስጥ የተፈረመው ይህ ስምምነት፣ በዋሽንግተን አዲሱ የትራምፕ አስተዳደር ሥልጣን ከያዘ ወዲህ በሁለቱ አገራት መካከል የተደረገ የመጀመሪያው ግዙፍ የሁለትዮሽ ስምምነት ነው።

በመግባቢያ ሰነዱ መሠረት የአሜሪካ መንግሥት እስከ 1.016 ቢሊዮን ዶላር የሚደርስ የገንዘብ ድጋፍ የሚያበረክት ሲሆን፣ የፌዴራል መንግሥት በበኩሉ ለጤናው ዘርፍ የ450 ሚሊዮን ዶላር በመመደብ ለፕሮግራሙ ስኬት ያለውን ቁርጠኝነት አሳይቷል። በፊርማ ሥነ-ሥርዓቱ ላይ ንግግር ያደረጉት የገንዘብ ሚኒስትሩ አቶ አህመድ ሽዴ፣ መንግሥት ከሀገር ውስጥ ሀብቱ የመደበው ድርሻ በጤናው ዘርፍ ላይ ብሔራዊ መዋዕለ ንዋይ ለማሳደግ ያለውን ጽኑ ፍላጎት የሚያንፀባርቅ መሆኑን ገልጸዋል። ሚኒስትሩ የጤና ደኅንነት ድንበር እንደማያውቅና ለሀገራዊ፣ ቀጣናዊ ብሎም ለዓለም አቀፋዊ መረጋጋት ወሳኝ መሠረት መሆኑን ተናግረዋል።

ከጤና ጥበቃ ሚኒስትሯ መቅደስ ዳባ ጋር የተፈረመው ይህ ስምምነት እንደ ኤች.አይ.ቪ/ኤድስ፣ ቲቢ፣ ወባ እና የፖሊዮ በሽታዎችን ከመከላከል ባለፈ፣ የእናቶችና የሕፃናት ጤና አጠባበቅ እንዲሁም ድንገተኛ የወረርሽኝ መከላከል ላይ ትኩረት ያደረገ ሰፊ አጀንዳ ይዟል። በኢትዮጵያ የአሜሪካ አምባሳደር ኤርቪን ማሲንጋ በበኩላቸው፣ ስምምነቱ በሁለቱ አገራት መካከል ያለውን ዘላቂ የጋራ ወጪ እና ተጠያቂነት የሚያረጋግጥ መሆኑን ጠቅሰው፣ አሜሪካ ባለፉት ሁለት አሥርት ዓመታት ብቻ በኢትዮጵያ የጤና ዘርፍ ላይ ከአምስት ቢሊዮን ዶላር በላይ መዋዕለ ንዋይ ማፍሰሷን አስታውሰዋል።

አብዛኛው የአሜሪካ የጤና ድጋፍ በፕሬዚዳንቱ የኤድስ ድንገተኛ መከላከል ዕቅድ (PEPFAR) በኩል የሚመጣ ሲሆን፣ ይህም በኢትዮጵያ ለላቦራቶሪዎች ግንባታ፣ ለዲጂታል መረጃ አያያዝ እና ለበሽታ ክትትል ሥርዓቶች መጠናከር ከፍተኛ አስተዋፅኦ አበርክቷል። በተለይም በኮቪድ-19 ወረርሽኝ ወቅት እነዚህ መሠረተ ልማቶች ለአገሪቱ የጤና ሥርዓት እንደ ዋስትና ማገልገላቸው ይታወሳል። በተጨማሪም በወባ መከላከያ መርሃ-ግብር አማካኝነት የሚቀርቡት አጎበሮች፣ የመመርመሪያ መሣሪያዎችና መድኃኒቶች በድርቅና በግጭት ሳቢያ ለተፈናቀሉ ዜጎች ሕይወት አድን ሚና ሲጫወቱ ቆይተዋል።

ይሁን እንጂ የሁለቱ አገራት ግንኙነት ባለፉት ጥቂት ዓመታት በሰሜኑ የእርስ በርስ ጦርነት፣ በድርቅና በዕርዳታ ስርቆት ውዝግቦች ሳቢያ በርካታ ፈተናዎችን አስተናግዷል። በተለይም በ2023 የተከሰተው የምግብ ዕርዳታ መቋረጥና በ2025 የተደረገው የአሜሪካ የልማት ድርጅት (USAID) ድርጅታዊ ለውጥ በድጋፍ አሰጣጡ ላይ መተማመንን አሳጥቶ እንደነበር ይታወሳል።

የዛሬው ስምምነት እነዚህን ተግዳሮቶች ተሻግሮ የሁለቱን አገራት የ120 ዓመታት ታሪካዊ ግንኙነት የሚያድስ መሆኑን አምባሳደር ማሲንጋ ገልጸዋል። ምንም እንኳን ስምምነቱ እንደ ማዕቀፍ ቢቀመጥም፣ በቀጣይ በሚወጡ ዝርዝር የሥራ ዕቅዶች አማካኝነት ወደ ተግባር እንደሚለወጥ ይጠበቃል።

Mothering the Market with Bonds, Boldness

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Web Master

Enat Bank S.C., long a byword for gender-responsive banking, has unveiled its next breakthrough, launching the country’s first Gender Bond. The deal, now in preparation under the guidance of transaction adviser, i-Capital Institute Plc, will channel long-term funding to women-owned and women-led enterprises and to social infrastructure that supports women in housing, healthcare, childcare and education.

By affixing a capital-markets label to its longstanding mission, Enat Bank is extending its inclusive ethos beyond its branch network and into the portfolios of institutional investors seeking both returns and measurable social impact. It embodies its founders’ vision.

Backed today by a shareholder base that is 64 pc women, more than half of its board of directors and senior management women, Enat Bank has its debut in Gender Bond at an event held at the Sheraton Hotel on Taitu St., on November 13, 2025. The proposed bond is being structured to meet the Social Bond Principles of the International Capital Market Association, the yardstick global investors use to judge credibility and transparency in socially themed debt.

According to Gemechu Waktola (PhD), the CEO of i-Capital, the alignment is deliberate.

“Just four or five years ago, the capital market was just an idea,” he recalled. “It’s unthinkable to realise it.”

His firm has worked with Enat Bank from the outset, steadily building human capital, and is now weaving the reporting, monitoring and governance requirements investors expect from an ICMA-aligned bond into the nascent capital market framework. Enat Bank’s step into the arena will put Ethiopia on the gender-inclusive map and prove to regulators, financiers and entrepreneurs that the domestic market can handle sophisticated thematic instruments.

The Gender Bond dovetails neatly with national policy, the second edition of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy, which calls for narrowing the gender gap in access to finance. The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has already granted Enat Bank its only ” Transformational” score in the regulator’s Gender Financial Inclusion Index, recognising the Bank’s track record of tailoring products for women borrowers and savers.

The bond also resonates with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By translating those policy ambitions into a tradable security, Enat Bank gives fund managers, especially those with environmental, social and governance (ESG) mandates, a mechanism to express conviction about gender equality while earning a coupon.

What distinguishes a Gender Bond from the conventional funding tools familiar to depositors is the ring-fenced use of proceeds. Demand deposits let customers keep cash liquid (withdrawable on sight) but do little to lengthen the financial system’s funding tenor. Time deposits lock money away and pay a premium rate, yet still only recycle household savings. Thematic bonds, such as the ones Enat plans, raise wholesale funds earmarked expressly for projects fighting gender inequality.

Investors buy a security that promises financial return and a quantifiable social dividend. In practice, more capital flows to women-run farms, cooperatives and micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses. More financing for clinics and daycare centres, and more resources for training programs that help women climb into management, could be realised.

Enat Bank’s chairwoman, Aster Solomon, sees the issue from the ground up. Enat Bank recently hit the five-billion-Birr minimum paid-up capital threshold set by regulators, a milestone she called “a huge step” Since its founding in March 2013, the Bank has offered women depositors slightly higher rates and extended uncollateralised loans to women entrepreneurs. This is funded in part by a collateral-risk pool built from three to five percent of shareholders’ profits and by agreements with volunteer depositors who pledge balances as backstops.

The bond formalises what the Bank has practised for years in mothering customers toward economic independence.

Complementing finance with know-how, Enat Bank runs training in financial management, a service that helped earn its transformational rating.

“We’re determined to include women in rural areas financially, in sectors like agriculture,” said Aster.

At today’s pace, experts calculate it will take the world 131 years to close overall gender gaps and 169 years to close economic gaps. By 2030, more than 340 million women and girls are projected to live in extreme poverty, including 220.9 million in sub-Saharan Africa. The funding gap for women-owned MSMEs alone runs between 1.4 trillion and 1.7 trillion dollars by some estimates, while African women entrepreneurs face a 42 billion dollars shortfall.

However, women borrowers default less frequently. Banks in sub-Saharan Africa reported 53pc lower non-performing loan (NPL) ratios for women borrowers in 2023. For investors, the numbers point to a Gender Bond that can be as prudent as it is purposeful.

Other African markets have begun to test the premise. Since 2021, Morocco, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania have all issued gender-linked notes. Morocco’s Banque Centrale Populaire paved the way. Tanzania’s NMB Bank followed with its Jasiri Gender Bond in 2022, mobilising millions for women-led ventures. South Africa’s Barloworld Limited placed an approximately 58 million dollar instrument, stoking workplace diversity. Rwanda has tapped its own market.

Each of these deals attracted development finance institutions and ESG-minded funds while teaching local intermediaries how to verify, allocate and report on gender outcomes. Ethiopia’s turn, when it comes, will place the country alongside that cohort.

Credibility, however, rests on rigour. The FSD Africa Toolkit counsels issuers that gender bonds should tie their promises to internationally recognised standards or risk being dismissed as pinkwashing. ICMA’s four-part framework (defining how proceeds may be used, projects are selected and evaluated, money is managed, and results are reported) offers one solution. Supplementary guidance from UN Women, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and ICMA outlines best practices.

The Orange Bond Initiative, whose aim is to unlock 10 billion dollars for gender-lens investments by 2030 and reach 100 million women and girls, sets an ambition that helps rally investors. By following these playbooks, Enat Bank hopes to satisfy the diligence requirements of multilateral lenders and private asset managers alike.

For Gemechu of iCapital, the exercise is as much about ecosystem building as it is about a single transaction. Years ago, he had thought it “unthinkable to realise a functioning capital market in Ethiopia. Today, Parliament has passed the legal scaffolding and licensed market operators. He now sees Enat Bank’s bond as a “proof of concept” not only for future gender instruments but for social, green and sustainability-linked bonds too. Successful execution could embolden other banks and corporates to explore similar routes, broadening the menu of local-currency options for long-term finance.

Investors will likely pay close attention to the bond’s structure. However, questions include tenor, coupon, and credit enhancement.

Will development institutions provide guarantees and reporting frequency?

Global precedents show appetite exists. Social bonds worldwide raised more than 150 billion dollars in 2023, up sharply from a decade earlier. In frontier markets, multilateral backing often helps crowd in private capital. Should Enat Bank secure such support, its issue could clear price and rating hurdles more quickly.

For policymakers, the bond aligns with efforts to diversify funding sources. Domestic banks traditionally rely on deposits and central-bank facilities, while companies depend on retained earnings and banks. A functioning bond market can match long-term projects with institutional investors such as pension funds and insurers. Adding a gender lens further enlarges the pool, tapping ESG portfolios that have grown into a multi-trillion-dollar segment.

Aster believes the narrative advantage matters too. Enat Bank’s founding story resonates with stakeholders precisely because it is rooted in experience.

“For women entrepreneurs, Enat Bank has been the mother to all its customers,” she said.

The Gender Bond packages that story into a security that investors can buy. It also demands transparent allocation, rigorous impact reporting and accountability if targets are missed. Enat Bank, accustomed to tracking social metrics to satisfy regulators and donors, appears comfortable with that discipline.

Safaricom Ethiopia Names Ermias Eshetu Advisory Board Chair

Posted on November 25, 2025November 25, 2025 by Web Master

Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia P.L.C has named Ermias Eshetu, former CEO of Ethiopian Commodities Exchange(ECX), as the new Chair of its Advisory Board, with the appointment taking effect on 10 November. He joined the Board on 21 March 2025 as its first Ethiopian member.

Ermias replaces Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom PLC Ethiopia and Kenya, who has led both the Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE) Board and the Safaricom Ethiopia Advisory Board since March last year.

Company officials say the leadership shift reflects a deeper push towards localisation and a broader effort to cultivate Ethiopian executives within the organisation.

AWASH BANK BREAKS AWAY FROM PACK

Posted on November 23, 2025November 26, 2025 by Web Master

Awash Bank, under the stewardship of Board Chairman Gure Kumsa (Left) and its President Tsehay Shiferaw, delighted its shareholders at a meeting at Skylight Hotel on Saturday, November 22, 2025, with a breakout performance in the latest fiscal year, establishing itself as the undisputed pace-setter in the private banking industry. Gross profit vaulted by an astonishing 137pc to 25.7 billion Br on the back of 52.25 billion Br in total income. Despite a 44pc jump in expenses to 39 billion Br, the Bank managed a robust pre-tax profit margin shy of 50pc, nearly doubling the industry’s average profit growth rate of 32pc. A large portion of Awash’s earnings surge is attributed to its foreign exchange operations. The Bank mobilised over two billion dollars in foreign currency, deemed the highest among private banks, strengthening its non-interest income stream through trade finance and remittances. This translated into notable gains in fee-based income and enhanced the Bank’s earnings diversification during a volatile macroeconomic year.

Awash Bank’s balance sheet swelled by 57pc to reach 442.6 billion Br in total assets, while deposits soared by 47.2pc to 331 billion Br. This translated into a conservative loan-to-deposit ratio of 61pc, with outstanding loans growing by a slower 20pc to 219.08 billion Br, underperforming the industry’s 27pc average. However, the Bank’s cautious approach appears strategic, favouring liquidity and risk buffers during uncertain economic conditions. Paid-up capital, mobilised from over 11,523 shareholders, climbed to 27.9 billion Br, four times the private banking industry’s average. Its total equity reached around 50 billion Br, delivering an estimated return on equity (ROE) in the mid-30pc range, nearly double the industry average of 18pc, uncovering its capital efficiency and profitability.

With 989 branches and a depositor base swelling by 2.58 million to nearly 15 million, Awash Bank maintained the industry’s broadest retail footprint. On average, each branch handled deposits of 362 million Br, while the average deposit per customer last year was approximately 24,000 Br. Notably, mobile transactions led all digital channels, signalling growing customer adoption of digital banking. Although this appears consistent with industry trends, Awash Bank seemed to be converting scale into transaction volume more effectively than its peers.

Wegagen Elbows into the Big-League of Domestic Banking

Posted on November 23, 2025November 26, 2025 by Web Master

Wegagen Bank’s performance last year came at a time when the banking industry faced an unusual blend of volatility and promise. While the broader macroeconomic climate remained fogged by persistent double-digit inflation, an acute foreign exchange crunch, and an on-again, off-again process of monetary policy reform, a few private banks have delivered impressive performances. Wegagen Bank was one of them.

Its annual general assembly saw some of its over 14,000 shareholders arriving at the Hilton in October this year with a rare sense of confidence, a commodity in short supply throughout much of the economy. For a financial institution besieged by a bank run a couple of years ago and by the closure of its many branches in the Tigray Regional State due to the two-year civil war, the numbers that greeted them were among the strongest in the Bank’s history.

Its annual reports for the financial year 2024/25 posted a gross profit that climbed by 73pc to 3.85 billion Br, pushing return on average assets to 3.7pc and return on average equity to 25.3pc. Wegagen’s numbers were impressive but did not match those of its largest peers, such as Awash Bank (over 22 billion Br), the Bank of Abyssinia (10 billion Br), and Zemen Bank (8.2 billion Br).

Deposits expanded by 28pc to 66.5 billion Br (Awash has the highest among the private banks at 332 billion Br) and outstanding loans grew by 18pc to 53.5 billion Br, all while remaining within the Central Bank’s regulatory credit growth cap.

Wegagen Bank’s President, Aklilu Wubet (PhD), anticipated that regulatory ceilings would be relaxed in the future, allowing more loan growth. The Bank’s reported net operating income surged by 46pc to 9.7 billion Br, while earnings per share (EPS) jumped to 46pc, up from 36.9pc the previous year.

Aklilu, who took over Wegagen’s top job during the Bank’s most trying period in January 20022, credited the jump in profit to structural changes, driven by deposit mobilisation, loan growth, cost reduction, and active foreign exchange risk management.

“The Bank is pursuing a mass-based resource mobilisation strategy to enhance saving deposits, which are less costly and more stable,” he told Fortune.

Wegagen Bank’s figures positioned it among the most profitable private financial institutions, and its return on assets (RoA) at 3.7pc is about double the 2023/24 industry average. Its 25.3pc return on equity (RoE) pushed it into territory traditionally reserved for Awash and Zemen. A net profit margin of 20.6pc, higher than the industry’s 18pc average, which offset an asset-turnover ratio of 0.16, typical for domestic banks. Leverage, at 6.6 times equity, was slightly below the industry norm, unveiling that returns came from margin discipline and manageable credit costs.

The Bank’s total assets swelled by 28.8pc to 84.67 billion Br (compared to Abyssinia’s 286 billion Br and Zemen’s 88.6 billion Br) driven by aggressive lending, robust deposit growth, and a “savvy foreign exchange in play.” However, forex earnings had declined to 273 million dollars, which Aklilu attributed to heightened competition following FX market liberalisation. He disclosed a plan to strengthen ties with remittance agents and boost inflows.

Financial analyst Tewodros Endale, CEO of MATED Consulting, benchmarked Wegagen Bank against industry leaders such as Awash, Dashen, Abyssinia, and Zemen, the four largest private banks. He rated its liquidity as “strong,” noting that liquid assets to total deposits were 30pc, comfortably above the industry average of 27pc and 32pc.

“Wegagen maintains adequate liquidity, balancing between profitability and reserve safety,” said Tewodros.

The Bank’s loan-to-deposit ratio was 66pc, within the 65pc and 75pc industry range. Its capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 14.9pc, nearly double the Central Bank’s eight percent minimum, was well within the 16pc and 20pc industry average.

“The Bank’s capital strength is robust, supporting growth and resilience against credit shocks,” he told Fortune.

Tewodros characterised its profitability as “healthy”.

“Profitability is solid, though slightly behind high-growth private banks,” he said. “Improving cost efficiency could uplift RoE to the upper range of peers.”

Asset quality was another area of focus. With a non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 3.8pc, the Bank sat comfortably within the industry’s three-to-five percent corridor. Loan loss provisions were recorded at 2.1pc of gross loans. According to Tewodros, asset quality was sound, mirroring effective credit risk management amid industry-wide loan stress in the construction and import sectors. Total loans accounted for 63pc of assets, funded mainly through customer deposits.

Another expert who closely watches the financial sector is Aminu Nuru, a financial analyst based in Doha, Qatar. He viewed Wegagen Bank’s performance as among the strongest among domestic banks in recent years. He praised the exceptional rise in net profit but cautioned that a substantial part of the operating income came from gains from sudden policy changes to the foreign exchange regime last year.

Several industry analysts warn and caution shareholders carried away by such windfall gains that last year’s results may not be repeated if tied to one-off open currency positions following the Birr’s float.

“Such non-core income may not happen again,” Aminu told Fortune. “Management should ensure future earnings come from sustainable sources.”

Geteye Mekuria, chief marketing and strategy officer at Wegagen Bank, responded vigorously to the analysts’ reservations, particularly about foreign exchange gains. According to him, the Bank was proactive in monitoring business and regulatory developments and had implemented a strategy to match foreign-denominated assets with corresponding liabilities to manage perceived risk.

“It should be noted that the Bank has maintained this prudent foreign fund management practice throughout the fiscal year and shall continue in the future,” he told Fortune.

He disclosed that diversification is underway, with the Bank planning to remain proactive in the interbank money market, open market operations, and treasury bills, while expanding loans and advances and complying with the Central Bank’s credit growth limit. The Bank is investing in alternative earning assets, with 8.3 billion Br already spent in debt securities.

The experts who analysed Wegagen Bank’s books urged its executives to prioritise digital transformation and stricter operational cost controls, noting that the rapid increase in wages and administrative expenses could erode margins if left unchecked. Operating expenses grew from 4.45 billion Br to 5.9 billion Br, although the cost-to-income ratio dropped by six percentage points to 71pc.

“Cost efficiency remains one of the key strategic priorities of the Bank’s management,” Geteye told Fortune. “Substantial progress has been achieved in enhancing operational efficiency.”

He attributed the reduction in the cost-to-income ratio to ongoing initiatives in digital transformation, process automation, and cost rationalisation.

Geteye disclosed that Wegagen Bank has focused on raising awareness and developing capacity among both employees and customers on the future of interest-free banking (IFB). Despite the notable growth in the IFB deposits front, reaching one billion Birr last year, Aminu criticised the small share of financing extended through the window, nudging Wegagen Bank to scale up interest-free lending to match its strong deposit mobilisation and better capture the expanding Islamic banking market.

“We’re working to expand interest-free financing,” said Geteye.

However, Aminu is positive on the asset side, commending the healthy loan-to-deposit ratio and improved liquidity as evidence of sound balance-sheet management. Geteye attributed this to “continued success” in resource mobilisation, particularly deposits and capital.

“It’s the strategy of the Bank to boost further its resource mobilisation endeavours, which will eventually be converted to earning assets, mainly loans and advances, as well as investment activities,” he said.

Aminu voiced concern about a sharp rise in loan impairment charges and the size of allowances for doubtful debts, calling the trend “alarming” and urging heightened focus on credit quality. Related party exposures stood at 2.3 billion Br in loans and 985 million Br in deposits, managed strictly at arm’s length.

According to Geteye, the impairment charge on loans and advances will not only correspond to the rise in non-performing loans but also the growth in the total loan portfolio, including past-due and special mention loans. Sectoral exposures were balanced, with imports covering 25pc, domestic trade 18pc, exports 16pc, and construction 15pc.

“The Bank maintains its liquidity position in line with the risk appetite,” he said.

Experts see liquidity as a distinct advantage for the Bank. With a regulatory liquidity ratio of 28pc, almost double the 15pc minimum, Wegagen Bank was well-positioned to manage currency shocks. Cash and balances accounted for 19pc of assets.

The President offered a broader strategic outlook, capitalising on the Bank’s strong capital position.

The Bank posted a capital adequacy ratio of nearly 15pc, close to double the minimum regulatory requirements, and followed a paid-up capital increase of two billion Birr. Shareholders have resolved to raise paid-up capital to 20 billion Br within five years to ensure resilience against rapid asset expansion.

One of these is Kifeleyaekob Demessie, an early shareholder who invested 40,000 Br four years ago. Nonetheless, he was open about some of his reservations about plans to build new properties, fearing property taxes could offset benefits.

“They need better investments,” he said.

However, the President disclosed major investments in information security initiatives and growth in mobile, ATM, POS, and online transactions, now serving 3.4 million subscribers.

Digital lending is a growing feature, with the “Efoyta” product disbursing 3.2 billion Br to 201,000 mostly uncollateralised borrowers.

The Bank’s performance is also underpinned by efforts to strengthen governance. According to the Board Chairman, Abdishu Hussein, “Not only does the Board oversee the operation, but it also keeps the business sustainable.” He noted the establishment of committees for risk management, compliance, human capital, and audit, which ensure compliance with Central Bank directives.

“The Bank has put in place a sound conflict of interest management policy and procedure,” Aklilu said, stating Wegagen Bank’s governance standards as the first company listed on the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX).

Human capital investment was another pillar, with employee numbers rising to 5,553 across 455 branches, wages and benefits making up 41pc of expenses, and training outlays reaching 87 million Br. Employee satisfaction was reported to be high, attributed to managerial changes and pay increases.

According to Dessalegn Merugi, manager of Wegagen Bank’s largest branch in Dembel Building, on Africa Avenue, serving nearly 400 customers daily, part of the 28,000 listed, often corporate clients, the Bank enjoys an 83.2pc customer satisfaction rate in the district. He was delighted that the deposit per branch surpassed expectations, reaching 3.6 billion Br, 231pc over the plan, and calculated to 12 million Br per employee. It had a healthy deposit-per-branch metric, rivalling Awash and Abyssinia.

Compared to peers, analysts put Wegagen Bank between Awash’s deep liquidity and Zemen’s tightly managed balance sheet. Its executives’ approach was measured, combining traditional deposit-funded lending with incremental diversification into investment securities and non-interest income. It increasingly resembles a fast-maturing challenger rather than an incumbent behemoth. Its returns on equity were comparable to Dashen’s and Abyssinia’s, but with lower leverage, higher liquidity, and a more measured growth strategy.

At its core, Wegagen’s story is not about chasing headline numbers but about how a mid-tier bank with 84.7 billion Br in assets and 12.8 billion Br in equity is methodically building itself into a systemically relevant player, and, in at least one respect, a market pioneer. As the first company to list on the Securities Exchange and the first to spin off a licensed investment bank, Wegagen is seeking a foothold in financial intermediation just as policymakers open the market to foreign banks and new capital.

The analysts cautioned that the main question is whether the Bank is trying to do too much at once, maintaining rapid deposit and asset growth, keeping credit quality high, scaling up digital services, and establishing an investment banking arm, all while regulatory reforms remain unfinished.

From last year’s performance, Wegagen’s bet appeared to have worked. The Bank has delivered one of the best combinations of return on assets and equity among mid-tier banks, without obvious balance-sheet strain. Liquidity was strong, capital robust, and earnings were climbing. Analysts see that if Wegagen’s management can maintain this performance while helming new capital-market ventures and more regulatory reforms, the Bank may soon graduate from the “mid-tier” category.

A Night Under the Stars Became the Price of Leaving

Posted on November 23, 2025November 26, 2025 by Web Master

Anyone who threads their way along Churchill Avenue towards the hulking Immigration & Citizenship Services (ICS) soon hears the commotion before they see its cause. A restless mix of individuals speaking Afaan Oromoo, Tigrigna, Somali, Amharic, and almost every other language spoken in the country floats above a mass of people that appears to grow with each passing minute.

First-time visitors slow, stare and try to count the heads spilling into the road. It looks as if a large crowd decided to spend the night at the gates, passports to be collected before the sun is up.

Step closer and the scale comes into painful focus. Hundreds sit on fraying plastic sheets or lean against sun-scorched concrete, dozing in short bursts while guarding a hard-won place in line. Others have hauled small wooden stools from home. A few crouch on the bare pavement as the day’s heat radiates back through the soles of their sandals. Boredom clings like dust until a booming loudhailer crackles to life and a single name cuts through the din.

A ripple of movement follows, a mix of envy and congratulations, before the wait resumes.

The ICS has three branches in the capital. The branch near Adey Abeba issues passports. In that branch among those who finally made it to the window, stood Mekdes Mekonnen. She waited four months to hear her name. The 24-year-old hairdresser travelled more than 160Km from Batu, a lakeside town in Oromia Regional State, after saving 5,000 Br for the official online application and another 1,000 Br for the neighbour who filled out the form. High school ended years ago, and her corner salon barely covered rent.

“I tried,” she said, turning the brand-new passport over in both hands. “But life didn’t move forward. I lost faith.”

A recruiting agency had promised domestic work in the Gulf and an unthinkable wage at home. First, though, she needed the navy-blue booklet.

The biometric appointment was set for July, so she left home a day early, slept outside the compound and inched forward at dawn on a nerve-fraying shuffle that lasted until midday. Although the fingerprints took minutes, the exhaustion clung for days.

“It was not easy,” she said. “I spent so much on transport and food, and had the service been available near my town, I wouldn’t have spent as much.”

Told to return to Batu and wait, she counted another two months before the text message arrived calling her back to Addis Abeba. At last, she stood inside a glass booth while an official slid the booklet across the counter.

Then comes a surprise.

“They told me I must pay 100 Br to receive the passport,” she recalled.

The post office once handled distribution and charged between 45 Br and 100 Br, but the ICS took the work in-house.

“Why am I still paying?” Mekdes wondered, but no one explained.

She shrugged, handed over the notes, pocketed the passport and asked the same question everyone around her was muttering.

What exactly is the money for?

That question travelled from the pavements to the federal legislative house last week. On November 17, 2025, heads of the ICS presented their quarterly report to the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations & Peace Affairs, chaired by Dima Negewo (PhD). A member of the Committee, Mekdes Desta, pressed the officials on whether the 100 Br charge is legal, and whether the revenue is recorded correctly.

Selamawit Dawit, ICS’s director general, looked uncomfortable but stood her ground. The fee, she told MPs, is collected by the agency’s workers’ union, a body that also physically hands out completed passports because the documents are “security items that must be handled” carefully. She argued that the money is audited.

According to her Deputy, Gosa Demissie, the staff in union kiosks photocopy registration papers and perform small administrative tasks for applicants. The payment is for services provided, not a hidden tax. Union officials insist the arrangement is above board, that the passport hall would grind to a halt without the photocopiers, envelope sealers and runners paid for by the levy, and point out that applicants once had to queue again at post offices. They add that every receipt is stamped and the books reconciled monthly with management.

However, observers claim that the Union is not subject to formal public audits. The ICS issued more than half a million passports in the first quarter of the fiscal year, generating income for the Union of no less than 50 million Br. This may not be huge by the federal government’s standards, but it is a hefty sum by most others. Officials say the money supports former employees made redundant during recent reforms and funds unspecified “social responsibilities.”

Critics fault them for failing to provide a detailed public ledger. For passport applicants, the 100 Br is hardly the biggest expense, merely the latest.

Mamo Shena, a 32-year-old farmer from the lush hills around Areka in Wolayta Zone of Southern Regional State, sat in the forecourt last week with his wife, Mamaye Ewnetu, and their infant daughter, napping in his lap. He has spent six months trying to secure a passport for Mamaye to take a cleaning job overseas. Immigration offices exist in Hawassa and Hosanna, both closer to home. Yet, Mamo chose Addis Abeba in the hope that shorter queues would save time. Instead, he has spent nearly 30,000 Br on travel, food and hotel rooms.

Despite all the time and money spent, when Mamo was finally told to come pick up the passport last week, he missed the scheduled date. When he got to the office, he was told to return the following week to pick it up. He decided to wait in Meqi, 143Km east of Addis Abeba, in the Oromia Regional State, with his brother until the new appointment date.

At the Committee hearing, lawmakers criticised the scarcity of regional service offices and the distances people are compelled to travel, even after paying the 5,000 Br fee. Deputy Director Bikila Mezgebu accepted the rebuke. He pledged that new branches will open in Wolayta, Mizan Aman, Arba Minch, Gondar, Woldiya, Bale, Metu and Bule Hora, though no dates were given.

Software, staffing and human behaviour also clog the system. Applicants book a specific day and hour online.

“Ninety-five percent fail to show up on time,” Bikila said.

Each late arrival ripples through the schedule. No one may be turned away, but the backlog swells, pushing the queues deeper into Churchill Avenue.

Even so, demand for new passports accelerated. A population of over 100 million is young, restless and squeezed by soaring living costs. For many, the road to Riyadh, Doha, or Dubai starts at the ICS branch on Debrezeit Road, with a night under the stars and a chance at a wage in hard currency. The official online portal was meant to tame the crush. Instead, intermediaries sprouted, charging for form-filling and, applicants whisper, for earlier appointment slots.

According to Bikila, the internedriaries feed on out-of-date procedures.

“When problems arise with our employees, we’ll fix them,” he told legislators.

Three employees were being investigated for alleged ethical violations, and five more were under custody, suspected of fraudulent activities related to online passport applications. Ten people allegedly running illicit intermediary services have been arrested this quarter; 35 are under surveillance for filling out emergency passport forms; and five outlets linked to the alleged scams have been shut down.

Aseged Getachew (PhD), a former state minister for the Ministry of Labour & Skills with almost two decades in public service, agreed the clock is ticking.

He acknowledged the visible improvements the Immigration & Citizenship Service has made, although it still has many citizens unhappy with its service. Aseged attributed the problem to the agency’s failure to use a modern, streamlined system that fits the size of the growing population and the economic reality. He saw that too many agencies are trapped in protocols drafted “10 or 15 years ago”. Decentralisation, he argued, is only half the battle.

“The bottlenecks move from Addis Abeba to the next town.”

For those planning to travel to the Middle East for work, the situation is more complicated, because most recruitment agencies are based in the capital. Several applicants believe it is better to complete the process in Addis Abeba, creating a jam on the system and, in Aseged’s words, “turns the situation into a kind of business environment inside the agency.”

Author: Web Master