2merkato

The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation announced that that first tender to outsource its utility management to an international company failed, last week. The sole utility company in Ethiopia, EEPCo, is considering further options.

The tender was put out as part of the power corporations aim to transform its utility operations, including distribution, transmission and power generation.

Ethiopian company, Belayab Car Assembly plc, introduced a new model vehicle assembled in Ethiopia. The company based in Adama, Ethiopia is in partnership with First Automobile Workshop a Chinese company.

The new model vehicle, named Vela, is expected to retail for 315, 000 birr with an initial promotional discount rate of 290,000 birr to 298,000 birr.

Belayab reached an agreement with the First Automobile Workshop a year before it began production on the Vela according to Solomon Habtamu Manager of Belayab.

The Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority is in the process of automating its customs valuation system. The new system will allow the customs system in Ethiopia to transition to a transaction cost system as per the World Trade Organization Agreement in Customs Valuation from a minimum price setting system.

The project is being undertaken by the Center for Development of Advanced Computing, an Indian Software company for 3.5 million birr. ERCA signed an agreement with the company in September of 2011.

Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia's flag carrier, is in negotiations with Bombardier Commercial Aircraft for the purchase of five Q400 turboprop aircraft. The airline has been in negotiations with the Canadian manufacturer for some months according to a senior Ethiopian Airlines Executive.

Bombardier and Ethiopian Airlines are in the process of negotiating the details in the purchase agreement said the executive. It is expected that this step will be concluded in the next couple of months he explained.