#Sudan army, #RSF to return to negotiation table ‘without conditions’

The Civil Democratic Forces alliance (#Tagadom) founding conference, initially delayed twice, is now set to convene in #Addis_Abeba on 26 May, 2024, as confirmed by spokesperson Bakri El Jak to Radio Dabanga this week. Elaborating on ongoing negotiations in #Jeddah, #Saudi_Arabia, El Jak hinted at preliminary discussions taking place.

Established in October last year, Tagadom emerged from the amalgamation of mainstream Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC-Central Council) members and other Sudanese pro-democracy entities. Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok assumed the role of chair.

The alliance's core objective is to forge a robust democratic front against the protracted conflict involving the Sudan Armed Forces (#SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Read more at: https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/1789185635649024484

#Ethiopia: Gov’t to introduce regulation governing electric vehicles

The Petroleum and Energy Authority has revealed plans for the imminent introduction of regulations governing electric vehicles (#EVs) following the completion of its preparation phase. In a meeting yesterday, Authority officials convened with representatives from companies operating within the oil sector to deliberate on the draft regulation.

The proposed regulation, designed to foster a conducive environment for the proliferation of EVs, will address crucial aspects such as power supply infrastructure for electric vehicles and tariff determination. Seharla Abdulahi, director general of the Authority, affirmed the ongoing efforts aimed at swiftly enacting this directive into operation.

Last month, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics disclosed that the tally of imported and domestically assembled electric vehicles in Ethiopia has exceeded 100,000.

#Ethiopia, #Djibouti take over management of Ethio-Djibouti Railway after six years of commercial operations

After six years of transformative service, the Chinese Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) formally transferred management of the #Ethio_Djibouti_Railway to the Ethiopian and Djiboutian governments. The ceremonial handover was held in #Addis_Abeba on 10 May, 2024.

Initiated in 2018, the railway spans over 750 kilometers, connecting Addis Abeba to Djibouti port. Part of #China's Belt and Road Initiative, the project received a total investment of $4 billion, with major contributions from China Exim Bank and the Ethiopian government. The Djiboutian government added $878 million to support its construction.

Abdi Zenabi, executive director of the Ethio-Djibouti Railway, highlighted its transformative impact: "This strategic coastal railway has fundamentally altered the transportation dynamics, resulting in diminished transit durations and enriched trade prospects."

Since its inauguration, the railway has facilitated the transportation of approximately 530,900 passengers and 7,328,500 metric tons of cargo.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=43816

#Ethiopia utilizes #Lamu port for fertilizer import, supporting LAPSSET corridor

Ethiopia has received its first cargo shipment through the Lamu Port, signaling its support for the development of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor project.

The vessel MV Abbay II, operated by the Ethiopian Shipping Line, arrived at the port carrying 60,000 metric tons of fertilizer. This shipment signifies #Kenya and Ethiopia's active collaboration in realizing the long-standing LAPSSET corridor initiative, proposed 54 years ago.

William Ruto, the Managing Director of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), hailed the vessel's arrival as a crucial step towards strengthening economic ties between the two nations. He highlighted that the 60,000-ton fertilizer shipment was the largest bulk cargo of its kind ever handled by Kenyan ports.

Girma Amante, the Ethiopian Agriculture Minister, stated that Lamu port was selected to facilitate the import and export of goods, thereby supporting Ethiopia's growing economy. He commended Kenya's efforts in operationalizing the Lamu port, enabling Ethiopia to seamlessly conduct maritime trade.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/business/article/2001495017/boost-for-lapsset-as-ethiopia-imports-fertiliser-via-lamu-port

#Ethiopia: #NEBE extends voter registration period for postponed elections

The National Election Board of Ethiopia has announced a one-week extension to the voter registration period for by-elections and re-elections that were postponed during the 6th round of national elections in 2021. This decision applies to the remaining polls in the Benishangul Gumuz and #Afar regions, as well as the Jigjiga 2, #Meskan, and #Mareko constituencies.

The initial voter registration period was scheduled to conclude on May 13, 2024. However, the board cited several reasons for extending the deadline until May 20, 2024, including overlapping public and religious holidays during the registration timeframe, delays in opening certain polling stations, and requests from political parties contesting the elections.

Read more at: https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/1789927182707327394?t=M6czTRggD5AixjynSaF6tQ&s=19

New #BRICS members not keen to support #India, #Brazil’s claim to UNSC permanent seat

India's aspiration for support from new BRICS bloc members in its bid for a permanent seat on the #UN Security Council faces challenges, with countries like Egypt and Ethiopia expressing reluctance, according to sources familiar with the matter. The expansion of the BRICS grouping last year to include #Egypt, #Iran, the #UAE, #Saudi_Arabia, and #Ethiopia was anticipated to strengthen India's position. However, disagreements have emerged regarding the support for India, Brazil, and South Africa's UNSC aspirations.

Initially, there was an understanding that new members would back these aspirations. However, Egypt and Ethiopia, among others, argue that this condition wasn't explicitly communicated to them. Efforts to garner support for UNSC reforms, including backing for India's permanent membership, were highlighted in the Johannesburg Declaration 2023. Despite this, consensus among new members remains elusive.

Russia, set to host the BRICS Summit in October 2024, faces the challenge of aligning all members' positions on UNSC reform. India, alongside Brazil and #South_Africa, continues to advocate for expanded representation of developing countries. The upcoming BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting in Nizhny Novgorod will provide an opportunity to reassess members' stances on UNSC reforms and membership.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/new-brics-members-not-keen-to-support-india-brazils-claim-to-unsc-permanent-seat/article68167729.ece

#Ethiopia logs over 1,500 corruption allegations in current fiscal year

The Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission of Ethiopia has announced it received more than 1,500 allegations related to corruption during the current fiscal year.

Ferda Gemeda, Chief Executive Officer of the Commission's Corruption Information Management department, told state media that 1,451 of these allegations were submitted from regional and city administrations across the country.

Ferda shared that out of the 80 allegations received directly from federal institutions, 65 cases accompanied by supporting information were forwarded to the federal police for investigation. He explained that allegations originating from regional levels are typically investigated jointly by the commission and the respective regional legal bodies.

Read more at: https://x.com/addisstandard/status/1789945168889573595

#Ethiopia-#Somaliland #MoU: The “first phase” of work by the technical committee on the #Ethiopia- Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), “has now been completed”: Chairman

The chairman of Somaliland's technical committee for the task of the implementation of the MoU Bashe Awil Haji Omar, revealed to local media that the “first phase” of their task “has been completed” and that their work is now entering a “second legal phase”, which is to treatise the pact.

“...the first phase has now been completed, which was to collect the information and the different views of the community, what we have collected and prepared, will be converted into action by preparation of the final document of the MoU”, Mr Omar said, adding that the agreement will be “prepared professionally with a British legal firm that we have retained.”

https://horndiplomat.com/2024/05/13/the-initial-phase-of-the-formulation-of-somaliland-ethiopia-mou-has-been-completed-says-committee-chair-bashe-awil/

#EU allocates €1M to combat #cholera outbreak as death toll in #Ethiopia mounts to above 500

Ethiopia’s ongoing cholera outbreak picked up an unprecedented pace since March 2023, with over 2,276 cases and 50 deaths, while putting 3.3 million people at risk.

Now, cholera cases have reportedly reached a cumulative total of 44,044, including 571 deaths, the EU said.

In February, the World Health Organization (WHO) set up 17 standard cholera treatment centers across Ethiopia, including the capital Addis Abeba. https://addisstandard.com/?p=43819

#Ethiopia expedites electric vehicle adoption, exceeding targets

Ethiopia is making significant progress in adopting electric vehicles. The country had initially targeted having 148,000 electric cars and nearly 50,000 electric buses on its roads by 2030. However, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics has announced that this goal has already been achieved within the first two years of the plan's implementation.

Consequently, the Ethiopian government has revised its target to nearly 500,000 electric vehicles over the 10-year period. In just two years, locally assembled and imported electric vehicles have contributed almost 10% to Ethiopia's current total of 1.2 million registered vehicles, the majority of which are over 20 years old.

To further promote electric mobility, Ethiopia plans to restrict imports of internal combustion engine vehicles. This move aims to reduce the country's annual expenditure of $5 billion on petrol and diesel imports, conserving precious foreign currency reserves.

The government has introduced incentives to drive electric vehicle adoption, including exempting them from value-added tax, surtax, and excise tax. It has also reduced or eliminated customs duty taxes on knocked-down kits and fully built electric vehicles. This has led to an influx of popular electric models from #China, such as the Toyota bZ4x, Mercedes-Benz EQ range, VW ID.4 and ID.6, and the Changan Benben E-Star.

https://cleantechnica.com/2024/05/13/ethiopia-shows-us-just-how-fast-the-transition-to-electric-mobility-can-happen-in-africa/

#Ethiopia: “Let's stop killing one another" - PM Abiy Ahmed

At the inauguration ceremony for the newly constructed #Abay Bridge in #Bahir_Dar, #Amhara region, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on rebel groups engaged in armed confrontations with government forces to pursue peaceful resolutions. He stated, "Let's stop killing one another."

The militarized conflict in the Amhara region has persisted for a year, resulting in numerous casualties, including high-ranking officials such as Girma Yeshitila, the regional head of the Prosperity Party.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, there have been no discussions regarding a peaceful settlement of the conflict. PM Abiy's statement represents the first such appeal from the government.

Vodacom profit hit by #Ethiopia start-up loss, upgrades revenue target

Vodacom Group reported a 10.8% decline in full-year earnings, impacted by start-up losses in Ethiopia and rising costs. However, the company upgraded its group service revenue target due to its #Egyptian unit's performance and growth in new services.

The South African firm, majority-owned by Britain's Vodafone, co-launched #Safaricom Ethiopia in 2022 as part of a consortium. It anticipates the populous nation will drive growth after approximately five years of investment.

Headline earnings per share fell to 846 cents in the year ended March 31, from 948 cents a year earlier. Group CEO Shameel Joosub cited "a combination of start-up losses in Ethiopia, higher finance and energy costs, the impact of absorbing inflationary pressures, and weaker exchange rates across markets" as contributing factors.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/south-africas-vodacom-profit-hit-by-ethiopia-losses-2024-05-13/

#Ethiopia: #Addis_Abeba revenue surges with revised house tax

In a span of a year following the enforcement of an updated tax rate on house roofs and walls, the Addis Abeba City Administration Revenue bureau has accumulated over six billion birr. This amount starkly surpasses the 300 million birr collected in the previous fiscal year through house roofs and walls tax.

Adam Nouri, the head of the Addis Ababa city revenue bureau, told state media that more than 448,000 individuals have paid house tax in the past nine months. He affirmed that efforts to refine the procedures for enhancing the collected income will persist.

Last year, Addis Standard published an article on the implementation of a revised tax rate on house roofs and walls. Homeowners criticized the timing of the tax policy, arguing that while taxes are generally a societal obligation, the timing was ill-suited. Legal experts and financial analysts also voiced their concerns about the potential consequences of this tax adjustment, focusing on the financial capacity of homeowners, the legality of the implementation, and the potential social repercussions.

For the full article, please follow the link.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=35850