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Trade Ministry Begins Solar Product Inspection Regime

Feb 19 , 2022

The Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration has begun a regime for the inspection of imported solar products. In partnership with the Ethiopian Standards Agency, two international companies - Bureau Veritas and Cotecna - were hired to conduct the pre-shipment inspections. The two firms had signed an agreement with the Ministry at the end of last month, after winning an international tender for the inspection services. Officials say the international inspectors were hired because the inspection process is time-consuming and the country lacks adequate inspection facilities. Any importer bringing in solar products will henceforth be obliged to attain standard licensing from the two international inspectors.

Radar

HEFTY GREEN

Street vendors around the Shola area take a rest in the shades of the capital's newly planted trees. Upon reporting on its 10-month performance before Parliament, the Agriculture Minister, Girma Amentie indicated that up to 43pc of the arable land in the country has been rendered acidic. This requires large amounts of limestone to be imported from abroad; the tight forex crunch has not allowed the Ministry of Finance to fund the endeavour easily. Following the rallying call of the Prime Minister...

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Radar

DAMP DENIMS

Residents of communal houses around the Weji area hang their clothes on the fences outside. Textile manufacturing accounts for 87pc of Ethiopia's products from industrial parks. Expulsion from the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) due to the war in the North resulted in Ethiopia being expelled from the preferential trade act. Most companies choosing to rent sheds within the industrial parks do so out of a desire to access the duty-free privileges provided for African countries. Ethiopi...

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Radar

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...

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