Trade Ministry Donates to Drought Affected Areas

Apr 15 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

Drought-affected areas in Borena, Bale, Guji and Hararge areas of the Oromia Regional State embarked on assistance as the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) contributed more than eight million Birr to the regional state a fortnight ago. The Ministry announced that in the past six months of the fiscal year, 1.75 billion dollars in revenue had been generated from the export sector. Agricultural exports accounted for 77.23pc of total exports while shipped manufacturing commodities brought in 176.7 million dollars. United Nations agencies working in disaster response and relief efforts have warned that the current drought engulfing the Horn of Africa region could be far worse than reported a decade ago. For several months authorities have been dispatching food assistance to residents in the Borena zone of the Oromia Regional State compelling the City administration, under Adanech Abiebie, to donate over 100 million Br. Last seen four decades ago, the current drought is expected to impact 36.5 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. It is feared to expose no less than 20 million of them to acute food insecurity. Failing to see rainy seasons for five consecutive years since 2018, the prevailing drought is more severe and could stay much longer.


Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...