The government underlines that socio economic improvements will be realized as huge expectations are set for the current budget year.
During the opening session in parliament on Monday October 10, President Sahle-Work Zewde on her opening remark highlighted the priorities that the government will undertake in the budget year which began in July.

Most of the areas that she keenly touched upon were in relation to social and economic developments that will be carried out during the course of the year.
The President pointed out that despite having challenges such as natural disaster, conflict, effect of COVID 19, the previous year’s economy was strong, as it recorded positive growth. She pinned the increment of export earnings, good initiatives in agriculture, achievements on mega projects and FDI as positive achievement for the year.
According to the President, despite attainment of several economic successes, the previous year’s inflation still presented macroeconomic challenges, “The government has emplaced several economic measures to contain the inflation from further engulfment.”
She emphasized that the government must work to overcome the inflation that is highly affecting low income citizens.
Sahle-Work said that for the year, the government will give priority to peaceful resolutions in the northern conflict, improve good governance, support the initiative for national dialogue and strengthen the diplomatic sphere.

Regarding the economic sector the government will strongly work on the initiative to develop tourist destinations and improve the sector, the President sensitized.
Improving the tax revenue and effective resource utilization, accomplishing ongoing projects as per schedule, and expanding the public private partnership have been stated as a priority for the year. Containing the inflation, accelerating agricultural initiatives have also been outlined as key areas that government will put much needed attention on.

The Distributed Renewable Energy – Agriculture Modalities (DREAM) launches a 20 million dollar worth project to kick start nine renewable energy mini-grids and irrigation systems across Ethiopia.
The project was officially launched on October 11, 2022 at Hyatt Regency hotel with the presence of government officials, representatives of World Bank, Africa Development Bank, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), and the European Investment Bank as part of the initiative to build the first solar mini-grid powered large scale irrigation systems in Africa, providing famers with reliable, affordable, and sustainable irrigation.
Partners involved in the project include Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy, Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (MILLs), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Agriculture Transformation Institute (ATI), Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), The World Bank, European Investment Bank and African Development Bank – Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.

Over the life of the program which is said to stay for three years, 200 mini-grids will provide new or improved access to electricity to over 290,000 people, create or improve more than 60,000 jobs, while displacing up to 200,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The project which adopts renewal energy using solar mini-grids is expected to help increase modern irrigation practices.
Agriculture is the heart of Ethiopia’s economy, accounting for 32% of GDP and 70% of the labor market. However just 5% of land is irrigated and crop yield from small farms are below regional averages.
The majority of rural Ethiopians depend on farming for their livelihoods, and climate change is making farming in the country, and across Africa, more unpredictable. DREAM will support agricultural communities and provide opportunities for farmers and local businesses to grow and thrive.
The DREAM project will provide reliable and affordable solar mini-grid power and irrigation systems that will pump water more efficiently than diesel pumps, increasing crop yields, incomes, and food security. The initiative expects farmer incomes to increase from 50% – 300% depending on the site.
Over the next ten years, GEAPP partners will support the Government of Ethiopia to connect up to20 million people with reliable and renewable electricity via economic development projects across rural Ethiopia that facilitate investments into productive use energy.

The Federal Court of First Instance officially launches a divisional court solely focused on Trade and Investment in the vicinity of the former “British Council” building around piazza.
The 12th divisional trial, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tagese Chafo, President of the Federal Supreme Court, Honorable Meaza Ashenafi, and Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court, Solomon Areda attended the event held on Sunday October 9, 2022.

The trail, which is composed of 11 hearings, deals only with construction, investment, and banking and insurance issues. Five of the hearings under the classification hearing are assigned to commercial matters, and the other five hearings are assigned to banking and insurance matters. The remaining one hearing is assigned to deal with construction related issues. The trial was started on June, 2022.
The divisional court is composed of 14 judges and five assistant judges. The assigned judges have at least a second degree and their education is in business and construction law. Records that are opened in this category are classified by the judge through the technology system developed “out of human contact”.
The divisional court has a “Court Facilitator” section where cases in construction, business, banking, and insurance cases are settled by agreement before they go to trial.
In addition to this, the divisional hearing also has a teleconference room that allows disputing parties to debate and hear witnesses and obtain various decisions without being required to appear in person.
“The Supreme Court is a starting point for paying attention to business and investment, the Divisional Court has started providing technology-assisted services by implementing the court’s case flow management guidelines and court compliance guidelines,” said Foad Kiar, President of the Federal First Instance Court.

China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD) Ethiopia Office celebrates its 3 year anniversary in a colorful ceremony held at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa on October 10, 2022.
The organization, formerly known as China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, started implementing various programs in Ethiopia back in 2015 and was officially registered as an international charitable organization in the East African country in July 2019, with works to deepen the people-to-people ties between Ethiopia and China.
Jima Dilbo, Director General of Ethiopia’s Authority for Civil Society Organization, during the occasion commended CFRD for its seven years of charitable services in the East African country through various projects such as school feeding, school bag distribution, food item support, water and hygiene program, and women’s economic empowerment.
Yang Yihang, Minister Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said CFRD’s engagements in Ethiopia have brought fruitful results, and have contributed a lot to the economic and social development of Ethiopia.
CFRD International Development Director, Wu Peng, during the ceremony of the celebrations for the 3rd anniversary of the establishment of the China Foundation for Rural Development, shared that the commitment to internationalization and sharing experiences will be the top priorities of Chinese NGOs including CFRD. Wu Peng also shared detailed reports for participants about the last three years’ contribution of the office to the Ethiopian community.
High-level participants from different offices including the main Director of Authority for civil societies’ organizations, the China Embassy Minister-Counselor, the China Chamber of Commerce, and Chinese enterprises and partners also shared their views.
Since 2015, the CFRD has been undertaking various programs in Ethiopia, including the Panda Pack, Smiling Children, water cellar, water purification, and women employment training. More than 250,000 Ethiopian people across all walks of life with a particular emphasis on the most vulnerable people have benefited from the various initiatives of foundation.