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Kuwait Fund promised to support ongoing road construction and water provision projects in Ethiopia. It has also pledged to support the expansion project at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.

The Fund has so far provided an aggregate support of USD 150 million to six projects, its Director General, Abdulwahab Al-Bader told Ethiopian Radio & Television Agency. Add a comment Add a comment

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the launch of the Ethiopian Wheat Productivity Initiative in collaboration with the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). The initiative is intended to help increase yields and productivity in order to reduce Ethiopia’s reliance on imported crops.

The Ethiopian Wheat Productivity Initiative aims to increase the output of one million wheat farmers by at least 50%, eventually replacing all current wheat imports with domestic supply. This initiative is expected to save USD 250 million in related annual foreign exchange spending over the next 3 years according to ATA. Add a comment Add a comment

WAFA Marketing & Promotion PLC in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jetro and the Ethiopian Embassy in Japan are joining hands to organizing a trade and investment forum in Tokyo, Japan on June 2, 2013.

The Forum which is said to strengthen the the Ethio-Japan trade relations is expected to draw the participation of more than 45 Ethiopian businesses in the coffee, floriculture, grains, and leather sector.

Investors with over 110 billion Ethiopian birr combined capitals have begun implementing 260 projects in the first nine months of the Ethiopian Fiscal Year, according to the Ethiopian Investment Agency.

Getahun Negash, Corporate Communication Directorate Director with the Agency told Walta Information Center recently that all the projects were licensed in the previous Ethiopian budget year.

The Embassy of Brazil in Addis Ababa announced that it is organizing a trade and investment seminar with Ethiopia, South Sudan and Djibouti.

The seminar is scheduled to be held in June is expected to provide a useful insight on trade and investment to the Brazilian, Ethiopian, Djiboutian and South Sudanese businesses, entrepreneurs and policy makers. Add a comment Add a comment

Catalyst Principal Partners, a Kenya based private equity firm, yesterday announced the acquisition of a 50% stake in Yes Brands Food & Beverages PLC, Ethiopia.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Catalyst CEO Paul Kavuma said “Yes Brands is the leading bottled mineral water company in Ethiopia with a dominant brand and market share. Catalyst aims to build upon the company’s strength to accelerate growth of the business through enhanced operational capacity, deeper distribution and product innovation.” Add a comment Add a comment

Capital Hotel and Spa, a 114 room five-star hotel and resort was inaugurated on 10 May, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The hotel is owned by Yemane Gebreselassie, also owned of Hosea PLC, a company importing steel, auto parts, machinery, and export of agricultural commodities. Add a comment Add a comment

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), a trade promotion organization in Taiwan, announced it will be leading a delegation of 42 Taiwanese businesses to visit Ethiopia on June 17th.

The aim of the visit is to explore business opportunities available in the Ethiopian market, and  to strengthen cooperative ties with their partners in the country, according TAITRA. Add a comment Add a comment

TESCO PLC, a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer, is negotiating to import footwear from four Ethiopian leather factories, according to the Ethiopian Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI).

Tikur Abay, Peacock, Anbessa and Ramsey are the four factories that the company is negotiating with to export their footwear products, LIDI Corporate Communication Director, Berhanu Serjebo, told Walta Information Center.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Officially opened its representative office in Addis Ababa on Thursday May 9, 2013. Yaekob Yalla, State Minister of Trade said, the opening of the representative office will further strengthen the long standing business and people-to-people relations with the Middle East.

According to Yaekob, frequent visits have been made by senior government officials from the two countries in the previous years to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.