2merkato

Ethiopia is to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a 250 million US dollar wind farm in Assela using a 1 million dollar loan from the African Development Fund.

The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation is in the process of identifying a suitable site and laying the groundwork to hire contractors although financing for the 250 million project is yet to be established.

The contractors will undertake environmental and social impact assessment and investment cost estimations as well as economic and financial analysis said Miskir Negash, Head of Communication with the EEPCo.

Ethiopia is to subcontract the management of MEWIT, Merchandise Wholesale and Import Trade Enterprise operated by the state according to sources. The move is part of efforts to stabilize the market.

The Ethiopian government has been considering multinational corporations that are experienced in wholesale distribution, such as Wall-Mart it was said.

A group of experts representing the government have been on a visit to India to review how such companies were attracted in to the market there.

Ethiopia is ready to sue Dutch company Vennootschap Onder Firma (VOF) for violating the access and benefit sharing agreement reached between the country and Health Performance and Food International for teff resources according to Berhanu Adello, Director General of the EIPO.

EIPO will be filing suit in a German court because Germany was the only country who opposed the patent granted the Dutch company by the European Patent Office. If Ethiopia wins the case in Germany it would then be applicable in all European countries.

A committee made up of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IBC and EIPO has already appealed to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to revoke the patent on teff said Berhanu.

Officials from Ethiopia and Kenya are working out the details for a power supply agreement. Ethiopia expects to supply Kenya with an initial 400 MW of electricity by the end of 2015.

Alemayehu Tegenu, Water and Energy Minister, is leading the Ethiopian delegation in discussions with Kenyan officials led by Kiraitu Murungi, Kenyan Energy Minister.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry announced that Ethiopia will take part in the upcoming Dubai Expo. At the event, the ministry stated, Ethiopia will show its economic potential to the world exhibiting its trade, tourism, and investment potentials.