Chamber proclamation to be amended

The long awaited and controversial proclamation No. 341/2003 for the establishment of Chambers of Commerce and Sectorial Association is at the final stage for amendment, Capital learnt.
Chambers particularly Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations frequently claimed that the proclamation should be revised. It has also tabled possible revision and direction to show how and why the proclamation should be changed.
Over a decade ago the sector actors expressed their claim that the proclamation is a bottleneck for the operation.
According to the information Capital obtained from relevant bodies, the proclamation is under the final stage to be amended. Source said that the proclamation may be one of the first proclamations tabled to the parliament for amendment in the coming new session, which is not yet known.
Sources said that Ministry of Trade and Industry, which is responsible to develop the proclamation, has finalized the amendment of the controversial proclamation.
Mesenbet Shenkute, President of Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations, said that her association has accessed the draft proclamation. “We have seen the draft document and responded with our comments and recommendation for the ministry,” she told Capital.
The sector experts argued that meanwhile the proclamation is in effect for close to two decades it is not applied properly. “It does not also considered sectors and trade properly, while some crucial sectors do not have proper recognition because of the proclamation,” they said.
Because of the amendment process the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations general assembly and election was not conducted, according to the information Capital obtained.
Mesenbet stated that her chamber’s election that is expected in the beginning of the coming Ethiopian New Year may take place at the time frame. “We may conduct the general assembly and election since the ministry gave a green light but it will be delayed like the national chamber if the amended law delayed for ratification,” she added.
Capital tried to get further information from Melaku Ezezew, President of Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations, but it was unfruitful.