Zemen Bank Joins IFC's Trade Finance Program with $30m Boost


Zemen Bank Joins IFC's Trade Finance Program with $30m Boost

Zemen Bank has secured a 30 million dollar trade finance guarantee from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to boost the trade finance operations. A member of the World Bank Group, IFC has welcomed Zemen as the newest member of its Global Trade Finance Program aimed at supporting exports and imports. Signed by Dereje Zenebe, president of Zemen Bank and Madalo Minofu, country manager of IFC, the trade financing is part of the one-billion-dollar Africa Trade & Supply Chain Finance Program. "We are committed to impactful initiatives," said Dereje. Over the past five years, IFC has invested and mobilised more than 105 million dollars in Ethiopia, with hopes of supporting agribusiness, manufacturing and finance sectors. According to Madalo, the IFC is committed to complementing its support to the Bank with an advisory services project, focusing on enhancing  its credit and risk management and SME lending efforts.

[ssba-buttons]

Radar

New Directive Hikes Service Fees for Foreign Investors in Free Trade Zones

The Ethiopian Investment Board has issued a new directive revising the service fees from foreign investors payable in dollars to the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), introducing updated rates for both the One Stop Shop and designated Free Trade Zones. The revised directive came into effect this April following its publication on the websites of the Ministry of Justice and the EIC. Issued pursuant to Article 23 of the Special Economic Zone Proclamation, the directive outlines charges for...


Radar

City Tables 350B Br Budget Plan for Upcoming Fiscal Year

The City Administration has approved a resolution to submit a proposed budget of 350 billion Br for the 2025/26 fiscal year to the City Council for deliberation. According to the Administration's statement on its official social media page, the draft budget is designed with a central focus on poverty reduction, encompassing targeted subsidies for sustainable development, investment in large-scale job-creating projects, and enhanced service delivery to address the growing demands of the reside...


Radar

Ethiopia, UN Launch Joint Plan to Drive Development Through 2030

The Ethiopian government and the United Nations (UN) have signed a five-year development plan outlining national priorities from 2025 to 2030. Signed on June 20 at the Ministry of Finance, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) with implications that it aligns with Ethiopia's reform goals and the Sustainable Development Agenda. The plan is backed by a projected 6.5 billion dollars, though only 1.5 billion dollars is currently secured. It focuses on closing t...