Prime Minister's Audience with Trade Union a Sign of Change

Sep 2 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

Following months of unheeded requests by the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Union (CETU), Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed granted an audience to the members led by their president Kasahun Follo at his office last week. The three-hour discussion had the Minister of Labor & Skills Muferihat Kamil, and Minister of Justice Gedion Timotios (PhD) in attendance. Revision of income tax proclamation, implementation of minimum wage laws and improved working conditions for labourers across the country were championed by CETU members during the meeting. The Prime Minister promised to address the issues raised by giving a "clear direction" to responsible officials as he lauded the complaints of the labour activists as "appropriate". Kassahun expressed gratitude for being given an audience. "We're hopeful that things will begin to change," he told Fortune. Despite the Tripartite Labour Advisory Board reconvening after two years hiatus and selecting new members chaired by Muferihat, the president of the Confederation maintains that it still has not been particularly useful. CETU was established in 1963 as an umbrella organization for various trade unions across the country, managing to collect nearly a million members. A march on the first of May in which the union had sought to instigate the initiation of a minimum wage implementation process and the effective initiation of the Board was cancelled after security offices denied approval for the assembly.


Radar

Deposit Insurance Fund Grows to 15.1B Br, Signals Readiness for Crisis Response

Two years into its operations, the Ethiopian Deposit Insurance Fund (EDIF) has grown its asset base to 15.1B Br, reinforcing its role as a critical backstop for depositors and financial institutions alike. The Fund, established under a proclamation by the Council of Ministers, was designed to shield depositors in the event of bank or microfinance collapses. Since its inception, EDIF has focused on collecting premiums from member institutions, investing the funds, and building a system robust...


Radar

Rockefellers 100m Dollars Leap into Regenerative Lunches

As part of the UNFSS+4 High-Level Convening, a thematic session titled "Nourishing the Future through Regenerative School Meals" was held on July 26, 2025, at the Sheraton Addis on Taitu St. It brought together prominent figures including Ethiopia's former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, former First Lady Roman Tesfaye, and Kenya's First Lady Rachel Ruto. Organised by the Rockefeller Foundation, the event focused on overhauling child nutrition through regenerative agriculture. Sarah Farl...


Radar

Hijra Bank Backs Young Innovators with Awards, Loans

Hijra Bank has awarded five young Ethiopian innovators in the final round of its “Sirara” Creative Spark Awards, selected from over 27,000 applicants. The programme targets practical innovations in agriculture, sustainability, and appropriate technology. Top winner Milkias Ahmed (PhD) received a 300,000 Br prize and a 3 million Br interest-free loan for developing an organic soil conditioner from animal bones. Second and third prizes went to Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Juhar for a crop-harvest...