Council Approves Telecom Agency Formation

Feb 9 , 2019


The Council of Ministers has approved a proclamation drafted for the establishment of a telecom regulatory agency. The bill was approved by the Council of Ministers and passed the parliament last Monday, February 4, 2019. Tabled by the Ministry of Finance, the bill enables the Agency to set telecom tariffs and licenses and regulates telecom service providers. The new agency will be replacing the Standardization & Regulation Directorate that has been operating under the former Ministry of Communication & Information Technology. In early June of last year, the Executive Committee of the ruling EPRDF unanimously voted to partially privatise some of the most profitable state enterprises, including Ethio telecom, with the government retaining majority stakes.


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...


Radar

ILO Tackles Agricultural Wage Gap

The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the Setting Adequate Wages in Agriculture (SAW-A) Project last week, with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ), seeking to promote fair wage policies, enhance collective bargaining, and support the establishment of minimum wage mechanisms to improve the livelihoods of agricultural workers. The sector employs over 80pc of Ethiopia's workforce, making it the country's largest employment sec...