Board Announces Tentative Polling Schedule

Oct 31 , 2020


[ssba-buttons]

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has announced the tentative polling date of the sixth national election to be held between the end of May and early June 2021. Voter registration is expected to take place from mid-January to February, while candidate registration and campaigns are tentatively scheduled from early to mid-February and to the third week of February until the election, respectively. The tentative date was announced at a consultative meeting organised by the Board for civil society organisations and media. During the meeting, participants deliberated on some of the precautionary measures to be taken while voting during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In line with this, the Board requested an additional budget of 1.1 billion Br for precautionary measures and deployment of additional people at polling stations. Training of poll workers is expected to take place between mid-December and mid-February, according to the schedule. The Board had initially scheduled to hold the general elections on August 29, 2020, while election campaigns would have been held from May 28 to August 24 prior to the onset of the pandemic.


Radar

Construction Sector Faces 'Serious Trouble,' Minister Warns

The construction industry in Ethiopia is in "serious trouble," said Chaltu Sani, Minister of Urban & Infrastructure Development, citing major challenges with finance, competitiveness and material costs. Speaking at the opening of the BIG 5 Construct Ethiopia expo and the inaugural East African Infrastructure & Water Expo at Millennium Hall last week, Chaltu stressed the need for concerted efforts from government, private sector, and international partners to support the 67 billion dol...


Radar

Wegagen Bank, Gift Real Estate Partner to Promote Diaspora Homeownership

Wegagen Bank S.C. and Gift Real Estate Plc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 23, to offer housing loans for homebuyers, with a special focus on the Ethiopian diaspora. The agreement enables eligible diaspora members to access loans covering up to 80pc of a home's value at reasonable interest rates. The bank's Deputy CEO Kidane Gebreselassie noted the deal will promote the real estate sector and expand homeownership options. Founder and CEO of Gift Real Estate, Gebreyesus Igata...


Radar

Jimma University Signs Sports Science Agreement to Strengthen National Programmes

Jimma University has signed a four-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, Derartu Tulu Sports Training & Research Institute, and the Oromia Youth & Sport Bureau to advance Ethiopia's sports science and training capacity. Signed on June 26, the agreement includes joint research, shared facilities, and hosting of national and international competitions. It is expected to strengthen youth development, public health, and national pride through coor...