Fourth COVID-19 Wave Simmers Down

Aug 6 , 2022


Concerns over a potential fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic ease as the number of positive cases has dropped in recent weeks. Health officials had raised the alarm in the early days of last June as positive and mortality rates began to spike. Despite the respite observed in recent weeks, the authorities caution the public to stay vigilant and adhere to social distancing practices and wear face coverings. The pandemic hit its peak in the closing days of 2021, with close to 5,200 positive cases recorded on December 28 alone. Close to 493,000 cases have been registered since early 2020, and 7,569 people had lost their lives to the virus as of last week. Health professionals have thus far administered over 52 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines to the public.


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Parliament Nods for Cabinet Appointments

Federal legislators have approved five cabinet-level positions last week with a member of Parliament (MP) voted against and two abstentions were counted. Gedion Timotheos (PhD) leads the charge as the new minister of Foreign Affairs, filling in Taye Asqeselassie's shoes, where he stayed briefly before becoming the country's president. With law degrees from Addis Abeba and Central European universities, Gedion was previously Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Joining him in the redev...


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Abyssinia Group Eyes Expansion with IFC Funding

Abyssinia Group of Industries (AGI), a leading East African steel producer, is poised for significant expansion owing to a proposed investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which is considering a financing package of up to 50 million dollars, including parallel loans in local currency. Headquartered in Kenya, AGI operates two steel plants in Ethiopia, six in Kenya, and has mining activities in Uganda. AGI currently produces 660,000 metric tons of steel annually and employs...


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Fitch Acknowledges Easing Financial Pressures, Enhanced Macroeconomic Stability

Fitch Ratings has upgraded Ethiopia's Long-Term Local-Currency Issuer Default Rating (LTLC IDR) to 'CCC+' from 'CCC-', citing easing financing pressures, improved macroeconomic stability, and increased confidence that local-currency obligations will not be part of the ongoing debt restructuring. This positive development comes as the government implements key reforms and secures renewed concessional external financing. The ratings agency has taken note of the introduction of a market-based ex...


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