2merkato

Annual inflation rate in Ethiopia fell to 35.9% in December following a decline in some food costs reported the Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency.

Prices increased by 1.7% during December with food prices climbing by just 0.2% due to a decrease in the price of some pulses and cereals said the Agency.

Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier, accepted the bid submitted by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China to construct a 100 million dollar maintenance hanger.  

The AVIC and Ethiopian Airlines are discussing financing for the project said Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive of Ethiopian Airlines.

It is expected that the construction project for the maintenance hanger will commence in the first quarter of 2012 to be completed within 900 days from when construction begins according to Tewolde.

The Metal and Engineering Corporation of Ethiopia has agreed to replace the electric meters operated by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation. The project is valued at nine billion birr and will exchange electric meters for new ‘smart’ meters.

The new ‘smart’ digital meters are expected to automatically register electric consumption and report back to EEPCo without requiring manual reading like the analog meters currently being used.

MetEC has employed an estimated 2000 workers to be paid per every new meter they install according to sources.

Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier, has put in an order for Boeing Blended Winglets for its 767-300 ERs said Aviation Partners Boeing. The Airline will install the Winglets at the maintenance facility to be found at Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The airline plans to install the Winglets on 3 aircraft as of February 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines decided to purchase the winglets for the B767 aircraft to take advantage of the significant performance and operating value they bring said Tewolde Gebremariam Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines.