2merkato

Ethiopia is seeking to enhance fruit and vegetable exports into the European market with the help of the EDES food safety program.

A workshop to support the nation set up a food safety system up to international standards was held in Ethiopia with the aid of the EDES Program and administered by the Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Liaison Committee (COLEACP) in partnership with a group of European organizations working in food safety.

Efforts to ensure safe food exports from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, which commenced in 2009, are now targeting the standard of Ethiopia’s production and the national capacity to enhance the country’s food exports to the European market.

The Ethiopian Energy Sector Mapping and Database Project was launched with the completion of the first phase of the study and the web based database system last week. The project is a collaboration of the Energy Co-ordination Office of GIZ-ECO and the Ministry of Water and Energy.

The project required partnership with federal, state and woreda level governmental institutions as well as including a group of eight domestic senior energy consultants headed by PROCEED, a local consulting firm said Wondimu Tekle, State Minister for Water and Energy.

The Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Roads Authority awarded three more projects to contractors. The contractors selected for the road construction project are the Chinese Road and Bridge Corporation, Gebrehiwot Ekubemariam Construction and Satcon Construction.

The projects are estimated to be worth a total of 847 million birr.

The tender issued by the authority in June had attracted 17 bidders from which pool the three companies were selected.

Three Ethiopian Banks, United, Nib and Awash bank officially launched Premier Switch Solutions, a company set up to administer there shared electronic banking system.

The company officially launched operations ready to offer services through a network of 60 ATM machines and 160 point of sale terminals for all clients issued PSS cards by the three owner banks.

The presidents of the three partner banks handed out awards in recognition of the support received to set up the company to the National Bank of Ethiopia, Ethio-Telecom and the Document Authentication & Registration Office.

The first phase of the Yayo Fertilizer complex, Ethiopia is complete four months ahead of schedule.

The project was awarded by the Ethiopian Metal and Engineering Corporation, which owns the factory, to Tekleberhan Ambaye Construction in March for 792 million birr.

The contractor has completed the ground work ahead of schedule by mobilizing large numbers of manpower and equipment according to Ato Tekleberhan Ambaye, Owner and Manager of the construction company.  

The company had initially planned to finalize the groundwork which mainly consists of clearing within the project by was able to exceed expectations because of its manpower management system he added.

Ethiopia is working to enhance the apiculture sector according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The ministry has put in place the regulatory framework to support the sector including the Bee Resource Development Protection Law, the Beekeeping Extension Package and Strategy, and the Honey and Wax Quality Control Regulations.

The MoA is also providing training programs to farmers while the Holeta Bee Research Center is conducting a range of research to address challenges in the sector said Tarekegn Tsige Head of Public Relations with the ministry.

The equipment required to launch bee keeping efforts is also being produced domestically he added.

Nib International Bank, Ethiopia officially introduced a new logo last week. The new logo is in line with the banks desire to re-brand to meet customer expectations and to better reflect the banks mission, vision and core values.

The Board of Directors and the management team exerted effort to create a new brand that is consistent with the services that the bank offers and the new developments that are taking place at the bank said Tafesse Bogale, Chairman of the NIB board.

The new brand and logo were created in a manner that will allow domestic and international customers to quickly recognize the bank without necessitating a name to be attached.

Flinstone Homes, Ethiopia transferred 527 homes constructed at the Twin Crossing Site in Addis Ababa.

The real estate company constructed 450 apartments, 60 town houses and 40 Villas at the site which is located in a sub urban setting with scenic views as well as access to a four lane high way and several private housing developments in the area.

The private sector housing projects complement the urban development program which is designed to alleviate the shortage of housing in the city according to Hailemeskel Tefera, State Minister for Urban Development and Construction.

Ethiopia has exported more than 154 tons of tantalum to the international market in just the last ten months according to the Ministry of Mines.

The tantalum exports earned an estimated 7 million US dollars in revenue said Bacha Fuji, Director of Public Relations with the Ministry.

The amount earned exceeds the amount raised during the same time in the previous financial year by 4 million US dollars according to Bacha.

Salasar Compounds plc, Indian owned manufacturer of plumbing fittings is to launch products. The company will be manufacturing cover faucets for bathrooms and kitchens under the Abay brand.

The plumbing fittings will be manufactured in three styles all with anti-rust qualities for use in all types of bathroom and kitchen faucets. The three styles have been labeled Classic, Diamond and Eco.

Salasar expects to have 20 products on the market within six months according to the company.