Category: Business

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen has called on Chinese companies to invest in Ethiopia.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen is on an official visit to China leading a high level Ethiopian government delegation. In his speech at the investment forum held in Guangzhou, the main investment center of China today, Demeke asked Chinese companies to invest in Ethiopia, seizing up the best investment opportunities in the country.

He said Ethiopia and China have a strong relationship and emphasized that it should be strengthened further in the economic sphere.

More than 300 investors from the manufacturing, agricultural, mining, energy, pharmaceutical, and other sectors participated in the investment forum.

During his stay in Guangzhou, Demeke has also visited companies related to electronics, information technology, and power generation and invited them to engage in Ethiopia, according a statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Guangzhou has a population of 16 million and is the capital of China’s business hub, Guangdong Province.

In related news, Demeke met and discussed with the Mayor of Guangzhou, Guo Yonghang, where he emphasized the need to create a relationship between Guangzhou and Ethiopian cities in order to strengthen people-to-people ties.

Similarly, the mayor called on the Ethiopian manufacturers to make Guangzhou their destination for Ethiopian export products. Ethiopia’s ambassador to China, Tefera Derbew, made a statement on the occasion, saying the business forum will further solidify relations between the two countries.

According to Zhao Qing, Director General of the Guangdong Province’s Department of Commerce, numerous businesses in Guangdong involved in manufacturing, building infrastructure, mining, telecommunications, and other industries desire to enter and operate in Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Malawi wants to share the experience of Ethiopia in the energy sector and strengthen trade relations, Charge d’Affaires Diana Jere said.

Malawi’s Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy in Ethiopia, Diana Nkomba Jere said the two countries really need to strengthen their bilateral relations in many fields so that both can benefit.

We need to strengthen trade between Malawi and Ethiopia because Ethiopia is a big and larger economy, she added.

In Malawi, “we are struggling with energy issue, and we might get some help and guidance and direction from Ethiopia. We do need to boost our economy through trade and energy.”

According to her, the two countries also need to find ways of engaging each other in bilateral issues.

For example, the issue of free movement of people and people getting across Malawi without permission to go there.

As a government, we need to work together to ensure that these issues are resolved amicably and find ways of making sure that our people are interacting at equal basis, she elaborated.

In this regard, the Charge d’Affaires said that the African Continental Free Trade Area is important because if we put a lot of restrictions in a way people move, that would be like a shortcoming to free trade.

Therefore, we need people to learn from each other, teach each other and benefit from each other countries skills and knowledge so that the two countries can benefit, she stated.

“Africa is blessed in a way that we have different economies. There are some countries who are doing very well and those can teach the other countries. Because if one country is remaining behind, it means the other cannot progress very well. So we need to find a way of balancing the two.”

Jere further said that as Africa we are saying that we want Africa to be in this way. “One thing that I want to agree with the 2063 Agenda is that we want an Africa that is working together with less conflict and respect each other.”

Official documents show that Ethiopia and Malawi had diplomatic relations as far back as the 1960s and the two countries have been working very closely together in various areas.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

South Korea has been working to further strengthen its exiting development and trade relations with Ethiopia, Ambassador of South Korea in Ethiopia, Kang Seokhee said.

South Korean embassy in Addis Ababa has today announced a logo to depict the 60th anniversary of the commencement of diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Korea.

During the occasion, Ambassador Kang Seokhee said the existing historical and diplomatic relations between the two countries has still been sustained.

According to the ambassador, the ties, that had been initiated even before the official commencement of the diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and South Korea, has now spanned more than 70 years.

The sacrifices that Ethiopia had made to the peace and stability of South Korea during the Korean War by sending more than 6,000 soldiers has a great contribution to the current economy development in South Korea, he added.

South Korea has been enjoying bilateral and development cooperation with Ethiopia over the last 60 years, the ambassador indicated.

“South Korea has the largest development cooperation projects in Ethiopia. Some 100 million USD worth of projects are being implemented in Ethiopia annually, which is the largest in Africa. We hope our friend Ethiopia will grow economically and socially.”

The Ambassador stressed the need to identify future vital areas of cooperation that should be implemented by the two countries as they celebrate the 60th anniversary their diplomatic relations.

Ambassador Seokhee pointed out that the exchange of trade is crucial to help the efforts being carried out in Ethiopia to ensure sustainable development.

The 60th anniversary of Ethiopia and South Korea will be celebrated with various programs including photo exhibition and exchange of experiences.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Market traders operating in Muthurwa and ODM Markets in Narok town have asked the county government to construct modern markets to boost trade in the county.

Susan Wairimu, a chairlady of Muthurwa Market traders in Narok, said the county government needs to prioritize the construction of modern markets to improve the living standards of small-scale traders in the county and boost trade.

“A lot of revenue is being collected in these markets; therefore, we request the county government to prioritize constructing modern markets,” she said.

Wairimu said the county government should use the revenue being collected in these markets to construct shades to protect traders from the vagaries of weather conditions.

“We pay Ksh. 50 twice a week; this is a lot of money being collected. We want to be counted as traders in the county’s development agendas,” added Wairimu.

Further, Wairimu noted that when the county government constructs modern markets, there is likely an improvement in security, hygiene, and working hours, thus boosting trade.

On her part, Mary Akoth, a vendor in the ODM market, said the county government should improve the working standards of traders in markets by constructing sheds to protect traders from harsh conditions.

“In the ODM market, we have never been considered in any construction of market shades, let alone latrines. We asked the county government to consider us traders as part of the economy’s contributors,” she added.

Akoth noted that during rainy seasons, the environment becomes unconducive for market operations since there is lots of stagnant water all over, and this poses a health risk among the traders and the customers.

Another vendor, Deborah Odeny, said that while comparing Narok town markets with other places, it shows that Narok is still lagging behind and requires lots of improvement.

Odeny mentioned that insecurity remains a persistent challenge in the marketplace, making it vulnerable to thefts and other criminal activities.

The local traders acknowledge the importance of the market places as economic hubs, generating employment opportunities and fostering local business, and leaders should take them seriously.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The County Government of Murang’a is currently drilling 11 boreholes, aimed at increasing water supply to local homesteads.

The project, which commenced early this month, is expected to be complete before June 30.

The County Director of Water Services, Isaac Gichuki, divulged that drilling of the boreholes, is at different stages of implementation.

‘Currently, some boreholes are at 60 percent, others at 20 percent complete, but before the closure of the Financial Year, all the 11 boreholes will be complete and serving the residents,’ said the Director.

He noted that before closure of the current Financial Year, drilling of the boreholes and putting-up some infrastructure, will be complete and residents will start accessing water.

During the current Financial Year, 11 wards are slated to get a borehole each, with Gichuki saying on average, every borehole is expected to serve at least 400 homesteads.

‘The County Government is working to increase water coverage, by drilling boreholes to complement water being supplied by local water firms. Apart from drilling the boreholes, the project also involves installing a solar powered pump, a storage tank and a water kiosk, where residents will be accessing the commodity,’ Gichuki told KNA, Thursday.

He added that the Second Phase which will be implemented next Financial Year, will involve redistribution of the water to homes.

The 11 wards to benefit from the boreholes include; Ithiru, Kakuzi/Mitumbiri, Kimorori/Wempa, Kangema, Kambiti and Mbiri. Others are Gaturi, Gitugi, muthithi, Makuyu and kahumbu.

Drilling each borehole and installing supportive infrastructure, said the Director, will cost the County Government, approximately Sh. 5 million.

‘From next Financial Year, the County Administration will factor funds to drill more boreholes in other wards,’ he added.

Water from the boreholes, Gichuki observed, will boost water coverage in the County which currently stands at 67 percent.

Apart from the boreholes, the director observed that before closure of the financial year the county government is geared to install 75 water storage tanks at selected ECDE centres.

‘Currently no ECDE centre has a water tank. This programme will ensure the tanks facilitate harvesting and supply of clean and sufficient water to local ECDE centres in the county.

The 75 tanks will supply 375, 000 litres of clean water to the centres which are currently under renovation,’ he said, adding the programme was currently at procurement stage.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A total of 410 learners in various Secondary Schools and Technical Vocational Training Colleges (TVETS) in Migori County have received educational finance assistance amounting to over Sh14 million from the county bursary funds.

The funds issued by Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko will ensure that the learners, selected during the previous regime of Okoth Obado, continue with their studies undisturbed.

Speaking at Migori County stadium during the signing off of the funds, Ayacko acknowledged that despite education being a national government function, his administration was happy to chip in and ease off the financial burden on parents.

‘We acknowledge that education is a national government function. The county government however understands the difficulty parents go through to pay school fees,’ the governor said.

‘We are offering 410 continuing students a chance to carry on with their education. The money that will be released today will aid the academic prowess of our children.’ he noted.

The governor disclosed that students will receive a total of Sh35, 000 each from the released funds to cater for tuition in their respective institutions.

The Governor also emphasized that the county government is committed to ensuring continued support in the education sector, while promising a similar amount of money in a three-week period to support new students.

‘In the next three weeks, my administration will be disbursing a similar amount to support new students. In one month, we will have disbursed Sh29 million to facilitate payment of school fees to needy students,’ he added.

The governor stressed the need for parents to raise their children in an upright manner and not to expose the children to misleading and radical teachings.

Ayacko referred to the Shakahola massacre as one of the toxic religious upbringings that parents should watch out for.

‘As we do our part in aiding the academic prowess of the children, I would urge the parents to ensure that they bring up the children in an upright manner. Let us not promote cultic behaviours in our children,’ he said.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Kanyawanga high school principal Mr Jacob Mbogo acknowledged the County government’s efforts in promoting education.

Mbogo decried that the delay in the national government’s disbursement of education funds was causing financial mayhem in schools.

‘On behalf of the school principals, we would like to thank the county government for launching this noble program. This comes as a relief to our schools which have faced financial uncertainties for some time now.’

The event was also attended by Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga, who said that by putting funds into technical institutions, more skills will be available as opposed to taking more students to universities.

Gitonga reminded parents to apply for government education loans and grants from available government entities like women representative offices.

‘With the support from the National Government Affirmative Fund (NGAAF), ward bursaries, Constituency Bursary and now county government funds, our children will be able to learn at ease,’ he said.

The county commissioner urged the residents to keep high standards of hygiene in their places of working and abode, warning of a cholera outbreak in the neighbouring Homa Bay County and other regions in the country.

‘We want the people of Migori, especially those ones operating in the Soko Mjinga market to relocate to the new market so that we can improve it and protect ourselves from the contracting opportunistic ailments associated with poor hygiene,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency