PRICY PLEASURES


PRICY PLEASURES

Vendors put traditional beauty products from the Somali Regional State for sale around Mexico area. In November of last year, the Ministry of Finance banned imported goods under 38 categories, including cosmetics, packed foods, and furniture, from accessing letters of credit. The move resulted in the tripling of costs for cosmetic items like lipstick and nail polish. As Ethiopia ran a 14 billion dollar merchandise trade deficit last year due to import bills hiking by 26pc , a tight clampdown on foreign currency access has become its modus operandi. The Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide, recently indicated that budget ceilings and austerity measures are on the horizon for the next fiscal year.

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Radar

Bank of Abyssinia Signs Partnership with Droga Cooperative

Bank of Abyssinia has entered into a partnership agreement with Droga Health & Financial Savings and Credit Cooperative to provide financial support and services for its members. The agreement was signed yesterday at the Bank's headquarters. The deal aims to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, enabling cooperative members to access tailored banking services. It was signed by Wosenyeleh Abera, Deputy CEO for Customer Relations and Marketing at the bank, and Zelalem Yilma...


Radar

Wegagen Introduces Real Time SWIFT Tracking

Wegagen Bank has launched a new mobile app feature enabling customers to track international SWIFT payments in real time. The bank is the first in Ethiopia to introduce an online SWIFT payment tracking system. By integrating SWIFT Global Payment Innovation, customers, particularly those involved in import-export trade, can monitor cross-border transactions using a Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference (UETR) directly from their smartphones. To use the service, customers select the SWIFT...


Radar

National ID, Zambia Partners to Expands Program Reach

The National ID Program has signed an agreement with Zambia's counterpart to provide consulting services for the development of software that will issue digital IDs. It is the first time the institution has extended its expertise beyond national borders, a sign of growing recognition for its rapid progress. Program officials described the partnership as a milestone in their effort to position themselves as a regional player in digital transformation. The collaboration is expected to center...