Gov't Expenditures Hit 97.7b Br

Oct 17 , 2020


The federal government's expenditure during the first quarter of the current fiscal year stood at 97.7 billion Br, according to the Ministry of Finance. During the reporting period, the government was also able to get 80.8 billion Br in revenues from tax and non-tax sources, as well as from loans and grants. Of the total revenues, tax took the major share, amounting 61 billion Br. "We covered the budget deficit from treasury bills and domestic borrowing," said Ahmed Shide, minister of Finance. During the past three months of the year, the country was able to receive 474.5 million dollars of loans and grants, of which 456.6 million dollars was disbursed. Ethiopia also received a 131-million-dollar grant for its Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) response programme. The largest sum, amounting to 131 million dollars, was contributed by Germany. Last fiscal year, tax revenues generated 228.4 billion Br,  20 billion Br short of the target.


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...