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Ethiopia is playing a significant role in developing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa according to Sindiso Ngwenya, General Secretary of the COMESA.

The role the country is playing includes its support of activities that forge economic integration in the COMESA region, said Ngwenya following the talks he held with Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn in Addis Ababa.     

Discussions with the Ethiopia premier included means of enhancing COMESA efforts to achieve integration in the region he said.
The COMESA Secretary General has extended an invitation for Hailemariam to take part in the COMESA meeting scheduled to held in Uganda in     November.

The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) signed four road projects that span 290.5 kilometers and cost $244 million with four Chinese firms. The roads to be constructed are situated in central, northern, eastern and western parts of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia signed three credit financing agreements with the World Bank providing 400 million US dollars in loans. The loan is designated to finance the execution of the Electricity Network Reinforcement Project, Women Entrepreneurship Development Project, and Urban Water Supply and Sanitation.

The World Bank has been supporting a range of development programs as the country’s major development partner said Sufian Ahmed, Minister of Finance and Economic Development at the signing.

The agreements will support projects that provide comprehensive technical assistance and capacity building programs in Ethiopia according to Guang Z. Chen, Country Director of the World Bank in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia signed a 590 million dollar grant and loan agreement with France to boost water and energy projects, as well as for the construction of electricity transmission lines with Kenya, the Embassy of France in Ethiopia said.

The agreement will enable the French Development Agency to develop water and sanitation schemes and support the management of geothermal and windmill projects.

Trade Mark East Africa, a non-profit organization, signed an agreement with Ethiopia to open a new office in Addis Ababa. Professor Afework Kassu, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Frank Matsaer, Executive Director of Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), signed a host country agreement today. The Minister said Ethiopia is undergoing socio-economic reforms which need regional economic integrity. The Minister appreciated the decision of the organization to open office in Ethiopia and said the government would assist in the process.