Ministry Eyes Infrastructure, Data Tracking

May 25 , 2024


  As the government propels towards a tourism-led economy, infrastructure development to destinations and a system to track the sector's contribution to GDP were identified as points of improvement, during a nine-month report by the Ministry of Tourism. The Standing Committee on Tourism & Trade, chaired by Asha Yahya, raised inquiries while State Minister Selsehi Girma acknowledged shortcomings in infrastructure, particularly telecommunications, roads, and airports. He said integration with the Ministry of Transport and the Ethiopian Roads Administration is vital to improve road networks in popular tourist areas. Minister Nassise Chali said that the tourism satellite account under construction will provide accurate data on employment generation, economic opportunities, tourist numbers, and contribution to GDP. She emphasised the Ministry's efforts to develop a skilled workforce with curriculums, manuals, and training modules in  place. The sector, recovering from the pandemic and civil war is reported to have generated 3.2 billion dollars and 48 billion Br in revenue from foreign and local tourists during the past nine months. However, the Minister also acknowledged challenges related to park management, including illegal hunting, farming, and development projects, threaten wildlife populations. She proposed the eco-tourism approach will foster a sense of ownership and encourage local participation.


Radar

Central Bank's Auction Sends Dollar Soaring to 135 Br

A dollar value against the Birr exceeds 135 during an auction the Central Bank held last week, offering 60 million dollars. Close to 27 banks made their bid where the weighted average was 135.61 Br for a dollar. The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) announced the results of the special foreign exchange auction, the second since monetary authorities floated the forex regime in early August last year. Last week's result reflects a weaker Birr than in the first when the average rate was 107.9 Br....


Radar

Ethio Telecom Bids to Dominate Ethiopia's Digital Future

An array of services from digital livestock tracking, push-to-talk/video communications to cloud-based banking, an education management system (EMS), and enterprise resource Planning (ERP) are available from the state-owned Ethio telecom. Ethio telecom has introduced seven new cloud-based digital services last week at the Skylight Hotel, on Africa Avenue (Bole Road), pledging to transform business operations, financial services, and education management. The company said that these solutions...


Radar

Addis International Convention Centre Inaugurates

The much-anticipated Addis International Convention Centre, spanning 40 hectares, was officially inaugurated last week. It is set to become the country's largest conference venue, designed to host both national and international events. The centre features two large halls, each accommodating 3,000 to 4,000 people. It also includes eight smaller meeting rooms, bringing its total capacity to 10,000 attendees. Two hotels, with a combined 1,000-bed capacity, will serve both local and internationa...