Jimma Budget 185m Br

The Jimma Town Administration of the Oromia Regional State has allocated over 185 million Br budget for various socio-economic development activities it plans to execute in 2009-10 fiscal year. The administration approved the budget during the town's council meeting held recently, Tesfaye Chemed, head of the Economic Development Office said. The sum exceeded last year's budget by 60 million Br.

Footwear Industrial Zone Receives 60hct Land

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) will provide 60hct of land for investment projects of footwear, Tadesse Haile, state minister for MoTI. The Ministry has secured 10hct of land in Akaki/Kaliti District and 50hct additional land in Adama (Nazareth) in the Oromia Regional State. Footwear has become one of the major export items in the leather industry, with export earnings from the sector steadily growing to over 10 million dollars last year up from two million dollars three years ago. The government has put in place an ambitious strategic plan that sees export earnings from footwear to sharply reach 175 million dollars in 2010-11. In a related development, the ministry has secured 1,000hct of land in Kombolcha of the Amhara Regional State for investment projects in textile.

Amhara Micro, Small-Scale Trade, Industry Agency Distributes 109 m Br

About 109 million Br loan was provided to over 30,000 people in Amhara Regional State during the past budget year, the Regional Micro and Small-Scale Trade and Industry Expansion Agency said. The loan was provided to the stated number of beneficiaries with a view to strengthening micro and small-scale enterprises according to Tesfaye Getachew, manager of the Agency. His agency works with the collaboration of Amhara Credit and Saving Institute and cooperatives established in the areas provided the loan to the beneficiaries.

Ethiopia Secures 25.3b Br Loan, Aid

Ethiopia has secured 25.3 billion Br loan and aid in the last fiscal year, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development announced. The loan and aid were provided by multilateral as well as bilateral cooperation according to Haji Ibsa, head of the Public Relations and Information Section at the Ministry. Haji said 81pc of the total was secured from multilateral cooperation sources and 19pc from bilateral cooperation sources. Some 18.4 billion Br was granted in aid and the balance in loan, according to the head. 

Dukem Secures Over 180hct Investment Land

Dukem Town Administration has prepared more than 180hct of land for investment. The land is waiting for potential investors. The allocation is 86hct for industry, 30hct for trade, 3.7hct for social services, 26.3hct for real estate and the remaining will be for other development activities. In the last years more than 15 billion Br in capital was registered by 529 projects that took investment licences from which 89 started production, according to Wondayehu Dejene, mayor of the town said at a conference with investors.      

Contraband Goods Intercepted 1.5m Br

The Moyale Branch Office of the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority (ERCA) said it has intercepted contraband goods valued at 1.5 million Br at Moyale Customs Checkpoint, Mekonnen Workineh the head of the Branch Office said. The goods include various types of cell phone apparatus, television sets, cassette and video players, used garments and drugs. The goods were intercepted while being smuggled in to the country from area bordering Kenya, he said.

Ethiopian Road Fund Assists Maintenance Efforts

The Ethiopian Road Fund Office said it will distribute two billion Br for road maintenance this budget year. The fund will be distributed to federal and state road authorities and municipalities said Reshid Mohammed, director general of the Office. More than 31,000Km road will be repaired in this budget year. The office will collect 1.3 billion Br from various sources, while the balance will be covered from the office's emergency fund. Reshid said the office will implement Business Process Reengineering (BPR) so as to offer efficient service to its clients.

Italy Supports Ethiopia's Capacity Building Program

Ahmed Shide, state minister of Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Raffaele de Lutio, Italy ambassador to Ethiopia signed an agreement for the allocation of 4.3 million dollars as a contribution to the Public Sector Capacity Building Program (PSCBP). Out of the sum, 4.1 million dollars  will be managed by the Ministry through the PSCBP Pooled Fund Support. The remaining 143,000 dollars are allocated to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development as well as the International Development Association. In additional, 358,000 dollars are available to the Italian Development Cooperation to ensure coordination and supervision of the initiative.

Sweden Continues its Humanitarian Support to Ethiopia

The Embassy of Sweden in Addis Abeba confirmed its continued humanitarian support. In July 2009, Sweden has assigned a contribution of 115 million Br in response to the 2009 Humanitarian Requirements launched by the Government of Sweden and Humanitarian Partners in January 2009. Sweden's contribution will be channelled through United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA) (82.1 million Br) and through UNICEF (32.9 million Br), providing flexible funding for urgent interventions targeting humanitarian needs in health and nutrition Sweden has also contributed an additional 28.9 million Br through NGOs to support interventions in response to the 2009 humanitarian needs.