Ethiopian Potash Corp. on Canadian Exchange

Ethiopian Potash Corporation started trading on TSX-V, a stock exchange in Canada formerly known as Canadian Venture Exchange on March 11, 2011, after the reverse takeover of Panorama Resources got approval from the exchange, according to Mining Weekly Online. The company headed by CEO David Wahl, owns the G&B property in Afar Regional State of Ethiopia. Another Canadian company, Allana Potash, is also exploring for potash in the country, the South Africa based news magazine reported. Potash is used as crop fertiliser.

ERCA Confiscates Goods Worth Millions in Birr in Awash

Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA), Awash outpost, confiscated nearly 1.9 million Br worth of contraband goods on March 1, 2011. Various mobile phones with accessories and Italian made silver jewellery were smuggled from Djibouti and stashed in a vehicle which was seized at the Awash outpost, said Dejene Hagos, senior intelligence officer of the post. There were 717 mobile phones, 100 mobile chargers, 360 earphones worth 534,800 Br; and over 34kg of jewellery worth nearly 1.4 million Br; confiscated by the authorities, the officer said. The silver jewellery had been sent to the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), according to Dejene, while the driver of the vehicle is awaiting criminal prosecution.

More Safe Water Projects for Oromia

Safe water projects constructed in Debre Libanos Wereda, North Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, with over three million Birr have gone operational, according to the zonal water resource development office. These projects include the digging of water wells, construction of a water reservoir, installation of 11km of water pipelines, and the development of two springs, according to Eba Olijira, office head. The projects are constructed in rural localities of the wereda and should benefit over 6,000 residents having raised safe water service coverage to 67pc from the pervious 63pc.

Public Participates in Tigray Road Construction

A gravel road, some 112km in length, is under construction in Eastern Tigray Zone with the participation of the public, the zonal administration said. There are 59,000 people involved in the construction of the road through a safety net programme, said Tewolde-Berhan Tesfalem, administration’s public relations head. Upon completion, the road would link all weredas and kebeles of the zonal administration, he said.

Oromia Coffee Revenue Benefits from Sharp Rise

Over 114 million Br in revenue has been secured from coffee supplied to the central market from Mettu Wereda, Illu Aba Bora Zone of the Oromia Regional State in the past six months, according to the wereda agricultural and rural development office. The revenue was generated from the sale of over 2,100tn of quality coffee, the office announced. The income topped that of the same period last year by over 7.2 million Br, it stated. The office attributed the increased revenue to quality production and the rise of coffee prices.

Tourism Sector Grows in Amhara State

Amhara Regional State has obtained over 166.4 million Br in revenue from tourists who visited the state’s attractions over the past six months, according to the state tourism and parks development bureau. The revenue was obtained from over 800,000 local and foreign tourists who visited such destinations as the Semien Mountains National Park, Fasil Castle, Lake Tana Monasteries, and Lalibela, the bureau stated. The revenue and the number of local and foreign tourists topped that of the same period last year by over 50pc and 40pc, respectively, the bureau claimed. The sector has also created 5,280 new jobs.

Gonder University to Manufacture, Sell own Flasks

Gonder University, in the Amhara Regional State, announced a plan to construct a flask manufacturing workshop for chemistry laboratory equipment at a cost of 1.4 million Br. The workshop will start to produce laboratory flasks after one year, said Asrat Atsedewoin, dean of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Faculty, who spoke at a ceremony organised to mark international chemistry week last Sunday, March 13, 2011. The workshop will substitute the imported flasks used mainly in chemistry and biology laboratories, thereby saving foreign currency, he said. The workshop will also supply its products to other universities at a fair price, Asrat announced.

Investors Put 20m Br into North Wollo

Investors worth over 20 million Br in combined capital have been engaged in the agriculture sector in Raya Qobo Wereda in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Regional State, according to the wereda Trade and Industry Office. The investors have been engaged in crops and fruit and vegetable development as well as animal fattening on 350ht since the previous fiscal year, said Abdu Mengesha, trade and investment expert of the office. The projects have created many jobs for people in the wereda, he said. An additional 1,800ht of land has been allotted for agriculture.

Embassy to Inaugurate Chancery, Residence

The Ethiopian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan is going to inaugurate a complex built with an outlay of over 80 million Br. The Ethiopian Government decided to create an asset in Sudan by constructing a chancery and embassy residence building, according to Ali Abdo, Ethiopia's ambassador to Sudan. The complex will also undergo a facelift.