The Ethiopian Communication Authority (ECA) said two telecom operators will be issued licenses to operate in Ethiopia till March 2021. Balcha Reba, Director-General of the Authority, said bidding documents review for the two licenses is nearing completion.
The Ministry of Industry announced that it would ban the export of crusted leather as of December 2011 due to price hikes and the scarcity of supplies.
The ban aims to control the price hike of hides and skins in the market, and as a result force out the middle men who speculate on prices according to Berhanu Serjabo, director of corporate communication of the Leather Industry Development Institute under the ministry.
Ethiopia is to ban the export of rough opal as part of an effort to encourage exporters to add value to gemstone and earn increased revenues according to sources at the Ministry of Mines. The ban on opal exports will be the second similar action following the ban of unprocessed tantalum just five months ago.
Almost 80% of the rough opal, used in the production of jewelry and ornaments, is primarily exported to India.
There are currently 17 associations made up of than 2 thousand miners are currently engaged in the mining of opal in the Amhara Regional States. The artisan miners in these associations sell the gems to an estimated 200 exporters licensed by the ministry.
Forbes predicts Ethiopia to be one of seven countries it said, "have potential to become major tourist destinations in a post-COVID world."
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group had extended USD 30 million soft loan to Ethiopia, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire for the purpose of membership subscriptions in the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI).
