Agriculture and Rural Development Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Peoples' Representatives on Monday deliberated on a draft proclamation on the transfer of the powers and duties of Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD).

In the course of the deliberations, the coordinator of the ministry's early warning and response department Matewos Hunde explained why the transfer was deemed necessary. According to a study conducted by the ministry, he said, it was found that the existing system was limited to drought situations with post-disaster response restricted to relief food supply. The bill provides for a new disaster preparedness and response system that will go beyond emergency response to sustainable rehabilitation and the creation of coping mechanisms, he said. It also incorporates the whole range of natural accidents and the kind of response will be proper, wholesome and speedy. Members of the standing committee backed the idea of transferring the agency to the ministry.

Contraband goods worth 109 mln birr intercepted

Contraband goods to the value of an estimated 109 million birr have been seized during the past ten months while they were being smuggle into or out of the country, the Ministry of Revenues said. Electronics goods, drugs, live animals, tchat, teff and grains, among others, are some of the intercepted items, the ministry's ten-month performance report said. According to ENA, the contraband goods were seized at numerous check-points across the country, Activities are well under way to crack down on illegal trade. Committees have been established in various regional states to make the effort fruitful.

New dams storing water to irrigate over 160,000 ha of land

Dams which could irrigate more than 160,000 ha of land have begun storing water, the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) disclosed.  Water Resources Minister Asfaw Dingamo told WIC that Kesem,Tendaho and Qoga dams are storing water this rainy season as their construction is nearing completion. The three dams have the capacity to hold 2.4 billion cu. meters of water and preparations have been underway to utilize them this September, he said. Since constructing dams that have immense economic use is among the major tasks of the ministry, it has built Tendaho irrigation development project which could irrigate over 60,000 ha of land by storing 1.8 billion cu. m of water, the minister added. He further said 22,000 ha of grazing land would be readied around the Tendaho Sugar Factory under development. Kesem dam would also be utilized for the development of over 20,000 ha of land next Ethiopian year by storing 500,000 cu. meters of water this season, the minister stated. The Qoga dam would similarly store water during the season, it was learnt.

Derba Midroc Cement, lenders sign USD 351mln worth loan agreements

Derba Midroc Cement Plc and the international and domestic lenders signed loan agreements worth USD 351 million in Addis Ababa on Monday. According to the agreements, the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Financial Cooperation (IFC), European Investment Bank (EIB) and Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE) will provide USD 200 million in loan to Derba Midroc. According to ENA, the remaining USD 151 million will be obtained from the owner and sponsor of the project, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi. The agreements were signed among the respective officials of the lender institutions and Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi. Signing the agreements, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi said that the main objective of the project is to reduce the country’s dependency on imported cement and to supply cement in abundant quantity. Director of Derba Midroc Cement Plc, Haile Assegide, on his part said the participation of the international financial institutions will augment the capacity of the private sector to play a better role in the development of the nation. The realization of the Derba Midroc Cement Plant is going to increase the existing total domestic cement production capacity and thereby curb shortage of cement in Ethiopia.  

Saudi business delegation assesses investment opportunities here

A Saudi Arabia business delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Sheik Abdullah Ahmed Zainal arrived here this week and assessed investment opportunities in Ethiopia. In an exclusive interview with ENA at the airport, Sheik Abdullah said the two countries have longstanding relations. Currently, the relations between the governments and peoples of Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia are in good shape. Saudi investors have engaged in various sectors in Ethiopia, he said. Other Saudi investors are also keen to engage in the agriculture sector. The delegation in its visit to Ethiopia held discussion with Ethiopian senior government officials on investment promotion and protection. The minister said Ethiopia is one of the countries endowed with rich agricultural resources. It has also a favorable investment policy. The delegation also assessed opportunities in animal fattening.