Corporation Calls on Suppliers for 200,000tn Sugar Procurement


Corporation Calls on Suppliers for 200,000tn Sugar Procurement

Executives of the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation have taken steps to procure 200,000tn of sugar from international suppliers. The Corporation had invited shortlisted companies to submit offers, after an attempt to procure the sugar through an international tender went awry. However, officials at the Ministry of Finance instructed its executives to scrap the invitation and proceed to float a second bid. The shortlisted suppliers have also been invited to take part in the bidding process. The Corporation is set to be replaced by the Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group, which has been established by the federal government with 115 billion Br in capital. Five state-owned sugar estates are the Group's founding shareholders. The operational estates have a combined production capacity of nearly four million tonnes a year, short of 3.2 million quintals in domestic demand. The Group has the mandate to manage the operations of the three oldest sugar factories – Wonji, Metehara, and Fincha – and the newly-built Kesem and Tana Beles plants. It also has the mandate to monitor the activities of the eight state-owned sugar plants under construction.


Radar

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...


Radar

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...


Radar

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...