Council of Ministers Passes Resolutions on Various Issues

March 19/2022 /ENA/ The Council of Ministers discussed today various issues and passed resolutions, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

It first discussed the National Financial Inclusion Strategy Document (2022-2026) and the previous strategy for 2016 to 2021.

After extensive discussion on the strategic documents, the council approved the new strategy which builds on the success of the first strategy makes use of new opportunities created.

Next, the council discussed the 245-million Birr loan agreement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the implementation of the Rural Financial System Reform Program (phase III).

As the agreement is in line with the loan strategy of the country and the service payment as well as the payment on unused loan low, the council referred the agreement to the House of People’s Representatives for approval.

The council also discussed the revised Georgetown Agreement that amended the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

The main objective of the Georgetown Agreement is to strengthen economic, political, social, and cultural ties among the people of the member states, it was learned.

The agreement also strengthens the unity and solidarity of the member states and helps them to cooperate on common international agendas as well as to achieve sustainable development and poverty reduction.

After discussing the agreement and the draft proclamation for its implementation in depth, the council referred it to the House of People’s Representatives for approval.

The council, which discussed four draft regulations on payments for services provided by the Civil Society Organization Authority; Federal Police Commission, Immigration Nationality and Vital Events Agency, and the Information Network Security Administration, approved the payments and decided that the rules be effective from the date of publication in the Negarit Gazeta.

It also discussed six draft regulations for the establishment of the Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group, Wonji Shoa, Metehara, Fincha, Kesem and Beles sugar factories.

The Sugar Corporation, which has been managing complex projects and factories for the past several years, has lost its focus and capacity. Therefore, it has not been as effective as desired.

After deliberating on the draft regulations in this regard, the council approved the proposed regulations for the establishment of the Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group and the five sugar factories and decided their implementation from the dates of publication in the Negarit Gazeta.

Finally, the council discussed military cooperation agreements with Turkey. Turkey and Ethiopia have been close friends for centuries and Turkey has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to Ethiopia.

With this in mind, three agreements signed during the visit of the prime minister of Ethiopia to Ankara, Turkey, on August 2021 were presented and discussed.

The goals of the agreements are to create a framework for cooperation in education and training, joint military exercises, defense industry construction, cyber-attack prevention, peacekeeping, military financial cooperation, and collaboration in anti-piracy campaigns. The council has referred the agreements to the House of People’s Representatives for approval.