The Addis Ababa Roads Authority on Monday signed contracts with various companies for six road construction and five road design projects to be executed with a total of 1.45 billion birr

According to ENA, the road construction projects would take 1.44 billion birr of the total. Authority general manager Engineer Fekadu Haile and representatives of the respective companies signed the agreements. The Addis Ababa administration cabinet member, Getachew Hailemariam, on the occasion said the road construction projects would speed up the city's development endeavors. He urged the contractors to work in collaboration with the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, the Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority and Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation to avoid any waste of resources.
                                                        
Over 125,000 tonnes of agricultural commodities exported in 2007/8

More than 125,000 tonnes of agricultural commodities have been exported this budget year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. WIC reported that the Adama plant quarantine expert and coordinator with the ministry, Teklu Baysa, said 90,482 tonnes of the export to Europe, USA, Africa and Arab countries were cereals. The remaining commodities were oilseeds, spices, incense, gum, vegetables and fruit, he added. The agricultural produce exported in the stated period exceeded that of same period last year by 28,184 tonnes, he said. Teklu attributed the increase to the growth in the export of chickpeas and vegetables as well as a price rise.
                                                      
Council to prepare new budget subsidy formula

The Council of the Federation has announced plans to prepare a new budget subsidy and revenue distribution formula. A research study aimed at assessing the former budget subsidy formula and preparing a new one will be conducted as of July 2008, the budget subsidy and revenue distribution affairs standing committee member with the council, Alebachew Nigussie, said. According to ENA, the budget subsidy and revenue distribution formula to be designed for the coming fiscal year will be prepared based on the prevailing conditions of every regional government. Alebachew said the federal government has already allotted 17.4 billion birr to budget subsidy for the various regional states of the country during the coming Ethiopian fiscal year. The stated sum, which is to be apportioned in line with ensuring MDGs and good-governance among regional states, will be utilized for the execution of road, education, health, and safe water projects as well as for administrative purposes. For instance, he said, the council approved budget subsidy for execution of education projects, electric power and oil supply as well as hardship allowance in Afar State based on the existing situation of the regional government.
                                                        
Airlines  registering a 20 percent annual growth

The strategy of Ethiopian Airlines has been registering encouraging results during the past four years, according to Chief Operating Officer of the airline. Ethiopian chief operating officer, Tewolde Gebremariam, told WIC that Ethiopian has been registering a total of 20 percent annual growth. He said the number of its passengers has jumped from 1.2 million three years ago to 2.5 million this year. The net profit of the airline has also grown to 484 million birr during the past nine months alone in contrast to the 133.6 million birr profit in 2004, according to the officer. Besides, the number of jet airplanes has risen to 25 from 16 and the weekly flights to 350 from 116, he said. Ethiopian has also been exerting efforts to withstand the impact of the increase in fuel price by enhancing productivity, it was indicated.
                                                     
Commission prepares draft corruption map

 “A Corruption Map for Ethiopia,” a draft document prepared by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC) to give a snapshot of corruption in Ethiopia was discussed on July 4, 2008. Representatives of various sector offices, the national parliament, regional governments and other pertinent bodies converged at the half day discussion held at the commission’s headquarters. The corruption map, which has been drawn up ahead of the second national corruption survey due to be conducted sometime this year has attempted to identify all the corrupt interaction types, the commission told ENA. The mapping has also attempted to providing a holistic picture of corruption, identifying corruption “hot spots” as well as allowing consideration of the effectiveness of the anti-corruption strategies, it said. The Deputy Commissioner, Addisu Mengistu, is quoted in his opening address as saying that the discussion was organized to add inputs and to fine-tune the corruption mapping which has been conducted with the recommendation and support of the World Bank. The corruption mapping covered administrative bodies at all levels of government structure, he said. Repert Balden, a consultant who prepared the draft corruption mapping, presented the draft mapping and gave highlights on the content and focus of the mapping. After discussing the draft map, the participants forwarded ideas that could be used to improve the effectiveness of the mapping.