Zeleke Temesgen Assumes EIC Commissioner Role


Zeleke Temesgen Assumes EIC Commissioner Role

Zeleke Temesgen (PhD) has been appointed as the new commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) after previously serving as deputy commissioner. His predecessor, Hanna Arayaselassie, who also formerly led Ethio Post, was appointed as the new minister of Justice. Hanna navigated through different investment reforms in her brief tenure at the commission with the most notable being the opening of trade sectors, including export, import, wholesale and retail to foreign nationals. The new directive allowed foreign investors to participate in the trade of key commodities such as raw coffee, khat, oilseeds, pulses, hides and skins, forest products, and livestock. A few months ago, EIC announced over 3.8 billion dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the past fiscal year, an 11.5pc growth year-on-year. The Commission unveiled a two-year strategic plan to improve logistics operations and rolled out competitive incentives to attract foreign investments. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) made a change to his cabinet two weeks ago, including the appointment of Gedion Timotheos (PhD), Hanna's spouse, as the new minister of Foreign Affairs. This appointment fills the vacancy created by the inauguration of former Minister Taye Asqeselassie as the country's president earlier this month.


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Parliament Reviews Bill Allowing Foreign Property Ownership

A draft proclamation that would allow foreigners to own or occupy immovable property in Ethiopia has been submitted to parliament by the Council of Ministers. Designed to attract foreign investment, the draft law plans to ensure that Ethiopian citizens retain their right to land ownership and use. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the draft was among six agenda items discussed and approved during the Council's regular session held on May 2, 2025. The proclamation is e...


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Speeding in the Spotlight as New Safety Drive Begins

The Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service has stated that drivers are responsible for 68 percent of traffic accidents in Ethiopia, with the remainder mainly caused by pedestrians and road conditions. On this topic, the service launched a one-month mass media campaign on last week focused on raising awareness about speeding, the leading cause of traffic accidents. The campaign, under the motto "Slow Down, Speeding Ruins Lives," plans to shed light on the dangers of speeding. Yohannes Lemma, E...


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Askari Metals Secures Five Gold Licenses in Untapped Adola Belt

Askari Metals has acquired 100pc of Rift Valley Metals, gaining five gold exploration licences covering 460sqkm in Ethiopia's Adola Greenstone Belt, part of the southern Arabian-Nubian Shield, a mineral-rich but underexplored region. "The exploration areas—Sakaro, Sakaro West, Lega Dembi South, Megado, and Wayu Boda—lie near Ethiopia's top gold mines, including Lega Dembi and Sakaro, which have produced over three million ounces of gold. The area is known for orogenic gold systems hosted...