Category: Business

Addis Ababa: Bolstering collaboration among development partners and NGOs on water and energy accessibility is significant to prevent duplication of efforts in the sector, Minister of Water and Energy, Engineer Habtamu Itefa said.

A joint working group secretariat for the water and energy sector convened discussion today to assess the progress made and explore avenues for future cooperation.

Speaking at the occasion, Engineer Habtamu stated that we are here to share our experiences and discuss on how to enhance future actions strategically.

Over the past three years, we have achieved significant milestones in water supply, water resource management, and energy accessibility, he noted.

For this, the minister expressed gratitude to development partners for their support in this regard, acknowledging the efforts made towards modernization, ensuring water sustainability, and automation for effective planning.

According to him, the government is committed to further enhancing its collaboration with developmen
t partners and NGOs to ensure drinking water and energy needs of the citizens.

“I believe it’s time for strategic collaboration to prevent resource duplication and streamline activities. Today, our focus is to reflect on our collective experiences, assess progress, and chart a path forward,” he stated.

Achieving such goals requires a strategic approach and collaborative planning, he said, adding that ideally, regular evaluations on a quarterly or even more frequent basis, will allow us to identify both our shortcomings and our areas of efficiency.

Unless we strive to optimize our resources for specific purposes that address our needs, our efforts may yield minimal results or fail to meet our demands entirely, he said.

Water Aid Country Director, Yaekob Metena, emphasized the necessity of collaborative efforts between the government and development partners to improve Ethiopia’s utilization of resources in the water and energy sector.

He highlighted the importance of ongoing consultations among developmen
t partners engaged in the sector, enabling institutions to share experiences and foster a culture of information exchange.

Additionally, he noted that partner organizations will collaborate closely with the ministry to achieve the sector’s development objectives.

Country Director for IRC WASH, Lemessa Mekonta on his part stressed the importance of ensuring accessibility of clean water and energy to citizens through fostering collaboration among partner organizations.

Substantial resources are needed to translate efforts in the water and energy sector into tangible outcomes, he said, adding, to this effect, concerted efforts from the government or development partners are also sought.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia has reiterated commitment to BRICS vision and to discharge its responsibilities for promoting meaningful and productive partnership for inclusive and sustainable development.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mesganu Arga is participating in the 2nd BRICS Sherpas/ Sous -Sherpas meeting on partner country model in Moscow.

Mesganu posted on X: ‘I reiterated Ethiopia’s commitment to BRICS vision and discharge our responsibilities to promote meaningful and productive partnership for inclusive and sustainable development.’

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: China’s Grand World Investment Holding Group has expressed desire to engage in the manufacturing sector of Ethiopia.

According to the Embassy of Ethiopia in Beijing, the Deputy Head of the Ethiopian Mission to China, Ambassador Dawano Kedir held discussion with President of Grand World Investment Holding Group, Wenguang Liu.

Accordingly, Ambassador Dawano briefed the president about Ethiopia’s potential investment areas that would help the investment holding group engage particularly, in the manufacturing sector, it was indicated

Grand World Investment Holding Group was established in Beijing in 2013 and it is an investment group focusing on key sectors such as finance, real estate, cultural media, ecological agriculture, medical health, rural revitalization, and technology industries.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mithika Linturi, has announced that Kenya will sign miraa deal with Somalia next month on May 8, to ensure steady economic benefits and provide a legal framework for the khat trade.

Mr. Linturi noted that the cash crop is the backbone of the economy in Meru, which contributes significantly to the livelihood of many residents in the county.

The CS was speaking at Thamare Primary School in Igembe Central Sub-county during the burial of the two daughters of the Deputy Speaker of Meru County Assembly and Njia Ward member of the County Assembly, Ali Mwenda, who were involved in a grisly road accident on April 2, which claimed the lives of the two angels and left their father on a wheelchair.

Linturi was flanked by the Deputy Speaker of the Senate, Kathuri Murungi, former Meru County Governor, Peter Munya; Igembe Central Member of Parliament, Dan Kiili; Meru County Deputy Governor, Mutua M’Ethingia; and several members of the Meru County Assembly, amo
ng other dignitaries.

The CS promised the residents that the Kenya Kwanza government is ready to support the cash crop fully and safeguard their interests.

The Meru County Senator and the Deputy Speaker of the Senate, Kathuri Murungi, urged NACADA to give miraa a clean bill of health as a cash crop, so as to benefit the residents who solely rely on the crop for livelihood.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula has assured contractors and suppliers that the county government is committed to clearing all pending Bills.

He says the current administration inherited pending bills of over Sh1.4 billion from the previous regime. Meanwhile, Savula says they have managed to pay Sh900 million, with the process continuing until they clear all bills owed by the county government.

He noted that the county government has resolved to pay at least Sh100 million every month to clear the debts. The Deputy Governor also disclosed that the county reports to the Senate the progress made in clearing the bills, the amount cleared, and the remaining amount.

‘We ask traders in Kakamega to continue carrying on with their businesses,’ he pointed out. He asked suppliers and contractors to be free to visit the county government, engage with the governor and deputy governor concerning their pending bills, and seek clarification on the same.

Speaking in Ikolomani, Savula urged the teachers he was meeting
to also engage in other income generating activities like businesses to supplement their monthly income. The county government is ready to support teachers in their business ventures, aiming to improve their lives through their support.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s commitment to improving its agricultural sector and ensuring food security using technologies is a good example to be emulated by other countries in Africa, Innovation and Technology Minister Belete Molla remarked.

The Minister made the remark at the opening of the two-day Sixth African Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Forum underway at UNECA headquarter in Addis Ababa under the theme, ‘Effective delivery of innovative science and technology solutions to reinforce the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 and eradicate poverty in Africa.’

The forum is a pre-event being held ahead of the Tenth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.

Speaking during the opening, Innovation and Technology Minister Belete Molla said the forum is critical platform to explore how science, technology, and innovation can be harnessed to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a specific focus on eradicating poverty in Africa
.

Africa is at a crossroads, the minister said, adding that despite significant progress, ‘we are still off track on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty.’

The number of people living in extreme poverty in Africa continues to rise, threatening to undermine peace, security, and sustainable development across the continent.

Science, technology, and innovation are not silver bullets, but they are powerful tools that can help us overcome these challenges, he stressed.

‘By fostering innovation in key sectors like agriculture, clean energy, and healthcare, we can create jobs, improve livelihoods, and lift millions out of poverty.’

However, strong foundation is needed for science, technology, and innovation to truly flourish in Africa.

Robust investment and effective collaboration in science, technology, and innovation are key to eradicating poverty and building sustainable development in Africa, Belete said.

‘We need a strong foundation. We must increase investment in research institutions an
d universities to develop homegrown solutions to Africa’s challenges. We need to Empower women and youth by recognizing that Women and young people are crucial drivers of innovation. We must create an environment that empowers them to participate fully in science, technology, and entrepreneurship. STI cannot be flourishing without strong institutions.’

Effective and accountable institutions are also essential for setting the right policies and fostering a culture of innovation.

‘We cannot achieve these goals alone. Collaboration is key. We need to work together -governments, businesses, academia, civil society, and the international community – to share knowledge, resources, and expertise,’ Belete said.

According to him, fostering innovation in key sectors like agriculture, clean energy, and healthcare, can create jobs, improve livelihoods, and lift millions out of poverty in Africa.

Ethiopia’s commitment to improving its agricultural sector and ensuring food security is a good example to be emulated by o
ther countries in Africa, he pointed out.

‘Ethiopia has developed a food system transformation roadmap and launched several initiatives focused on boosting agricultural productivity, achieving self-sufficiency, and combating climate change. These initiatives include improving access to fertilizers, seeds, and technologies for farmers.’

Ethiopia has not only created a roadmap for food system transformation, but actively implemented numerous initiatives. These initiatives prioritize boosting agricultural resilience, achieving food self-sufficiency, and combating climate change, he added.

The country recently amended its Science and Technology policy, placing a strong emphasis on fostering innovation and harnessing the potential of emerging technologies and enacted a national Digital Transformation strategy named Digital Ethiopia 2025.

‘We’ve recently evaluated the strategy’s impact, and while we’re encouraged by the progress, it’s also identified areas for improvement.

These insights will be instrumental i
n shaping our future endeavors. Building a robust innovation ecosystem is paramount to our success. We’ve implemented several initiatives to empower startups and strengthen research and development, including in the field of Artificial Intelligence.”

The Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute plays a central role in harnessing AI for national development and fostering research and development in this critical field.

Furthermore, Ethiopia is eager to collaborate with fellow African nations on a shared vision for scientific and technological advancement, he stated.

‘By working together, we can leverage innovation to unlock Africa’s full potential and build a brighter future, one powered by both digital transformation and green energy solutions,’ Belete added.

UNECA Program Support Deputy Executive Secretary, Antonio Pedro on his part said Africa must invest in human capital development, research and development, and in learning how to produce, sell and use emerging technologies such as Artificial Intel
ligence and genomics that are transforming every aspect of life.

‘Technology should advance the wellbeing of the millions of households, farmers, fishermen, and many others that still use basic tools to lift themselves out of extreme poverty,’ Pedro said.

Science and technology can play crucial role in increasing the efficiency of service delivery to the poor, monitoring living conditions, predicting impending crises in crowded or remote areas and informing decision-making during crises, he pointed out.

This forum is specifically designed to foster collaboration, the diffusion of technology and innovation, and the scaling up of policy and operational efforts to accelerate the contribution of science, technology and innovation to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, according to him.

The STI forum has over the years, grown to become a premier platform for addressing the opportunities and challenges that science, technology and innovation offer for fostering strategic partnerships and implementation of sc
alable and innovative solutions.

He noted that in 2022, the Forum launched the Alliance of Entrepreneurial Universities in Africa.

The Alliance has since stimulated Universities and their 19 million students in Africa to nurture start-ups aimed at creating 100 million jobs and generate 200 billion USD in revenue in ten years (that is by 2033).

‘Africa must invest in human capital development, research and development, in learning how to produce, sell and use emerging technologies.’

Similarly, in 2023, the continental problem-solving and innovation platform called Origin was launched in Niamey, Niger, as the first Origin Research and Innovation Hub for East Africa at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology in Kenya. It has registered hundreds of problem solvers, has its own physical space, staff and partners from the private and public sectors.

‘The ECA’s coding camps for girls and women are an example of how we can empower young women to become the next tech entrepreneurs and innovators. We have trained t
wo thousand young girls and women so far. However, to trigger transformational change, we must replicate these examples again and again across the continent,’ Pedro said.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: The ‘Bounty of the Basket’ (Ye Lemat Tirufat) program, which is under implementation in Ethiopia to help the nation ensure food security, has been creating great interest and motivation among the farmers and pastoralists in the country, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh remarked.

The Deputy Prime Minister made the remark at a meeting opened today in Hawassa town of Sidama Regional State to evaluate the performance of the national development program that was launched in November 2022 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The development campaign, that focuses on nutritional opulence, aims to boost productivity of dairy, eggs, chicken, and honey and related products as well as intensify efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency and ensure nutritional opulence at family and national levels.

Temesgen said at the meeting that the main objective of ‘Ye Lemat Tirufat’ development program is ensuring food sovereignty.

According to him, since the program was launched it has been able to create interest a
nd motivation among farmers and pastoralist in enhancing their productivity.

He indicated that the government has given special attention to the agricultural sector with a view to ensuring food self-sufficiency of the nation.

In this regard, he mentioned that ”Yelemat Tirufat program aims to increase production at national level and stabilize the market, enhance foreign trade, substitute imported agricultural products and create job opportunities.

The Deputy PM has also stressed the need to have intensive public engagement in order to bring a much more success in implementing the program with the required quantity and quality.

Agriculture Minister Girma Amente on his part said through this scheme several results have been registered, indicating the thousands of ”Yelemat Tirufat Villages that were created across the country.

Chief Administrates of Regional States, Mayor of city administrations, Ministers and officials from the Agriculture sector are in attendance at the meeting.

Source: Ethiopian News
Agency

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s industrial parks have produced more than 200 million USD worth of goods that replace imports, Industrial Parks Development Cooperation (IPDC) announced.

The parks have also earned over 90 million USD in revenue during the stated period by exporting various products to the international market.

Industrial Parks Development Cooperation CEO, Aklilu Taddese said the Industry Parks operating in various parts of Ethiopia have been playing key role in import substitution, foreign currency earnings and job creation.

According to him, the parks in their efforts to strengthen import substitution have managed to produce goods worth of more than 200 million USD over the past nine months.

The successful efforts being exerted to substitute industrial products such as pharmaceutical and other vital goods that were forcing the nation to spend a lot of foreign currency are driving the country to realize the multifaceted prosperity, he added.

The parks have also earned over 90 million USD by export
ing various products to the international market noting that industrial parks in the country have been competing in the global market by producing quality products.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Director General appreciated Ethiopia’s Regional Renewable Energy Integration.

The fourteenth session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Ethiopian delegation, led by Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Etefa and Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Omar Hussien, participated at the assembly.

The final day of the Assembly focused on the topics of bankable renewable energy projects, Africa’s energy transition, the important roles of geothermal energy and green hydrogen, as well as the policy and skills needed to accelerate the energy transition.

Members also continued to convene to push collaboration and cooperation forward towards the tripled renewables target by 2030.

During the closing session of IRENA, Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu said, “We have also now prepared private-public partnership models that will increase the confidence of the private sector on actions taken by Ethiopia to increase private sector investment to foster bankability to expand solar, wind, and geothermal projects.”

He highlighted Ethiopia’s energy strategy, which exemplifies the commitment of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to harnessing renewable energy sources. “We are close to achieving our target of 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 to propel our economy forward and achieve energy independence.”

The Ethiopian government is committed to regional integration by sharing its energy with neighboring countries like Kenya, Djibouti, and others. This strategy is not only used to ensure our economy but also to secure regional peace and security, he concluded.

IRENA director general Raul Alfaro Pelico, Director of Knowledge, Policy, and Finance Center (KPFC) at IRENA, closed the plenary session, reflecting on the need for a new paradigm on bankability and project impact to de-risk investment, increase public-private partnerships, and accelerate collaborative efforts to catalyze a global shift like what the Ethiopian government does.

Raul noted that the energy transition is also expected to increase energy sector employment, with renewable energy jobs potentially tripling from the current 13.7 million to 40 million by 2050.

Investments in other energy transition-related technologies could result in a substantial increase in job opportunities. Raul also made note of the possible misalignment of future job opportunities owing to developmental and geographical disparities.

He called for just transition policies like tax credits, subsidies, grants, and public research and development to ensure that the misalignments do not become barriers to the renewable energy transition.

In the session, the participants explore the African Renewable Power Alliance (APRA) and its strategy for boosting renewable energy in Africa through international collaboration.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide reiterated Ethiopia’s appreciation of the Framework and efforts by creditors and partners to improve the debt treatment process, including the advocacy for automatic debt service suspension.

Ahmed Shide represented Ethiopia at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable/GSDR co-chaired by the IMF, WB, and Brazil as the G20 Presidency, during the 2024 Spring Meetings, according to Ethiopian Embassy in Washington D.C., USA.

The meeting was attended by Paris Club and non-Paris Club creditors, debtor countries, and representatives of the private sector.

The discussion focused on progress on debt relief processes to date and measures that can be taken to accelerate debt restructuring and make them more efficient, including under the G20 Common Framework, it was learnt.

The minister further expressed Ethiopia’s position on the ongoing debt restructuring discussions under the Common Framework.

He reiterated Ethiopia’s appreciation of the Framework and efforts by cre
ditors and partners to improve the debt treatment process, including the advocacy for automatic debt service suspension.

The finance minister underscored that the actions that can be taken now should provide timely debt relief for countries under debt distress, including alignment of interest between official creditors and private creditors/bondholders.

He also stressed the need to shorten the timeline for debt treatment and avoid protracted negotiations on debt restructuring.

The meeting agreed the GSDR will continue to work closely together and with other partners to further support the international response to current debt challenges.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency