Investors launch construction of 70 mln Birr projects

Investors with an aggregate capital of over 70 million Birr have entered to construction in Gedio Zone of South Ethiopia Peoples' State during the last nine month. The investment projects are being carried out in Dilla and Yirgacheffe towns and in eight woredas of the zone.
The investment projects mainly focus on industry, hotel, agriculture, health, mineral water, service provision, among others. Some five investors have already started providing services and created jobs for 718 people. Some 62 hectares of land has been designated for investment in Dilla and Yirgachefe towns. Investors with a combined capital of 507 million Birr are working in the zone since in 1998 E.C.
US donates 2 mln USD logistics to Ethiopian peacekeeping mission to Darfur
The American Embassy in Addis Ababa donated various logistics and materials worth over two mln USD for the Ethiopian peacekeeping contingent due to be deployed to Darfur, Sudan.
US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto on Thursday handed over the donation to Major General Gezaai Abera, Head of the Logistics Main Department with the Ethiopian Ministry of National Defense. "We must work together to end the crises in Darfur. Ethiopia's role as a cornerstone of stability in the region and on the continent is particularly important." the Ambassador Yamamoto noted.
Speaking at the occasion, Major General Gezaai said that Ethiopia has actively took part in peace keeping missions in Korea, Congo, Rwanda, Laiberia and Ivory Coast, since 1950 E.C. Ethiopia is sending its peacekeeping mission to Darfur as part of the United Nations-African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation.

Close to 975 mln Birr investment projects enter into construction

Investors registered close to 975 million Birr capital in West Gojjam Zone of Amhara State have entered in to construction activities during the last nine months. Some 104 investors are engaged in agriculture, industry, hotel, tourism and other social service provision sectors.
Investors engaged in agriculture sector is developing market oriented cereals, vegetables, fruits and flower on over 1,560 hectares of land. The investment projects would create over 12,630 casual and permanent jobs when the go fully operational.
The numbers of projects and capital registered in the stated period exceeds that of the same period last year by 71 and over 891 million Birr, respectively. The rise in investment flow to activities carried out to promote investment potential of the zone. Over 1,400 hectares of land has been designated for development of flower, vegetables and fruits near to Bahirdar town.

Corrupt gets six years behind bars, fined 6,000 Birr

Ex-employee of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), Seleshie Ayele, who was found guilty of corruption, gets six year prison terms and fined 6,000 Birr.
The individual, who was head of the Check Validity Section of the Arada Giorigis Branch of the bank, used his position to illegally transfer 600,000 Birr to two private banks for a client of the branch namely Getachew Hailelul, who had only 1,500 Birr in his account.
The culprit transferred the stated sum to the Abissinniya and United Banks. The corrupt and his collaborators approved the fake check and transferred the money to two different account numbers to be withdrawn by Getachew at different times.

Zone constructing, expanding health facilities with 67 million Birr

The construction and expansion of 45 health facilities in North Shoa Zone of Amhara State at a cost of over 67 million Birr is well in progress. The newly constructed health facilities include a referral hospital, 19 health stations and 17 health posts. Expansion of eight health stations has also been carried out.
The construction and expansion work launched in 24 woredas of the zone would be completed until the end of this budget year. The referral hospital being constructed in Eferatana Gidim woreda of the zone will have 150 patient beds and other facilities. The budget for the construction of health facilities was secured from the government, NGOs including GTZ and the public.
Besides, site selection is being conducted for the construction of 30 health posts by the woredas' administration and 20 health stations by the federal government's budget.
The health facilities, when they go fully operational, will push up the health coverage of the zone to 100 percent that stood at 98 percent at present.

NSA in Ethiopia executing nine billion birr development projects

More than 2000 Non State Actors (NSA) in Ethiopia are executing development projects at a cost of nine billion birr. The number of NSA has been increased remarkably since four years ago; number of indigenous NSA in particular has increased by three fold. A Non State Actor Mapping study presented at National Validation Workshop here at UN-ECA center indicated that NSA are largely executing projects in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and South Ethiopia Peoples' States and in Addis Ababa. The overall objective of the study in particular has outlined the number, type and activities of NSA operating in Ethiopia.
The NSA are mainly engaged in enhancing public awareness on various issues, executing development projects, and supplying basic services to the public. The study has also examined the challenges faced by NSA operating in Ethiopia, highlighting their strengths and comparative advantages in certain sectors
Insufficient supply of resources, the increasing fund for National HIV/AIDS Secretariat, increasing participation of Ethiopian Diasporas in development activities in Ethiopia have contributed a lot for the increasing number of NSA. NSA working on Children constitutes the highest number. There are 394 projects working on children with over three billion birr.
The study will contribute a lot to NSA in Ethiopia, development partners, donors and government of Ethiopia. The study will also contribute to national development aims and strategies as outlined in Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) by understanding roles and contributions of NSA in Ethiopia. The European Commission Civil Society Fund in Ethiopia has organized the workshop.