2merkato

Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia died on the night of August 20th from a sudden infection according to a statement released by the Council of Ministers. He was 57 years old.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had been undergoing treatment for a protracted illness abroad for some time and has not been seen in public in the last month.

Ethiopia is to put in place a more modern meteorological information system in the new budget year as part of efforts to support the social and economic development of the country according to the Ethiopian Meteorological Agency.

The agency is working to enhance the quality of the climatology information that it offers from the 93% it currently stands at said Fetene Teshome, Director General of the Agency.

The EMA is planning to upgrade 36 existing level four stations to level three and to install eight communication radios as well as refurbishing 20 major stations and installing one station to detect pollution he said.

The Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority plans to raise more than 101 billion birr in this budget year from domestic taxes, duty taxes, customs and tax revenues.

The projected revenue, although significantly higher than previous revenue, is not over ambitious as it translates to just 11.54% of the Gross Domestic Product according to Melaku Fenta, Director General of ERCA.

The authority is preparing to meet the projection and plans to continue its efforts to broaden its tax-base, enforce the use of cash register machines and improve the capacity of the tax system and of its personnel he said.

Ethiopia is to further promote the different varieties of coffee on the world market according to the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office.

Trademark registrations for Ethiopian fine coffee brands such as Sidama, Harar, Yirgacheffe have received recognition from an estimated 40 countries and 113 companies according to Berhanu Adelo, Director General of the EPO at a forum organized under the theme of 'Ethiopian Fine Coffee Trade Marking and Licensing Initiatives'.

Activities to increase the recognition of Ethiopian coffee varieties on the international market are underway in collaboration with Arnold and Porter and other institutions according to Berhanu.