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Ethiopia has signed a preliminary agreement with a U.S.-Icelandic company, Reykjavik Geothermal, a US$4 billion geothermal power resources investment agreement, Reuters reported.

Reykjavik Geothermal and the Ethiopian government signed the agreement on Wednesday to construct a 1,000 MW geothermal power plant in Ethiopia's volcanically active Rift Valley region.

The Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Division of Ethiopia's consumer protection agency officially launched its operation on Thursday October 10, 2013, Capital reported.

The division is tasked with arbitrating, imposing administrative and civil sanctions and protecting citizens and businesses from anti-competitive and illegal trade practices.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) organized the 27th meeting of the bureau council on the regional third party motor vehicle insurance, also known as Yellow Card scheme, yesterday October 23, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Birhane Gidey, representing COMESA Secretary General said, the meeting could serve as a visible platform to show the commitment of the regional economic integration agenda.

The Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) held a business-to-business (B2B) discussion with an Italian delegation comprising of 28 individuals representing their companies.

The meeting was held on October 14th October 2013 at the Association’s Hall.

The Ethiopian Grain Trade Enterprise (EGTE) is planning to purchase 5.5 million quintals of wheat from domestic and international suppliers, Walta Information Center reported.

The purchase, estimated to cost the Enterprise nearly 4.6 billion Ethiopian birr is aimed at stabilizing the supply of wheat, Birhane Haile, general manager of the enterprise, told Walta Information Center.

The Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute introduced new hybrid highland maize varieties to the farmers in Hosaena, Hadiya Zone.

Kassa Yihun, Researcher and Coordinator of the Highland Maize Project at Ambo Plant Protection Research Center, said the latest highland maize varieties are different from the previous maize varieties the farmers used.

The Association for Women in Business (AWiB) announced its nominees for the annual Women of Excellence Award, Capital reported.

At a press conference held at Kenenissa Hotel on Thursday, AWiB announced its finalists: Sister Tibebe Maco, Founder and Director of Hiwot Integrated Development Association, Melika Bedri, VP of Information Systems of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Mulu Haile, Founder and Executive Director of Mission for Community Development Program, Sara Mohammed, Owner and Managing Director of Next Design College and Next Modeling School and Yetneberesh Nigussie, Founder and Executive Director of Ethiopian Center for Disability Development.

Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Africa, is pleased to announce that it will extend its wings to Singapore as of 3 December 2013 with scheduled three weekly flights.

The new flights to Singapore will be operated with Ethiopian Boeing 767-300 aircraft with 24 seats in Ethiopian Cloud Nine Business Class and 211 seats in Economy class.

A round table of public partnership in developing commercialization of appropriate technologies was held at Sheraton Addis on October 22, 2013.

The event was organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) and with the assistance of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agreed to draw a project on the development of Geothermal Energy Master Plan, following the agreement signed between JICA and the Ethiopian government in April 2013.

The project will conduct potential analysis in 18 sites, Ethiopian Herald reported.