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Seamless boarders: Ethiopia eyes more OSBP following success with Kenya

Muluken Yewondwossen
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Seamless boarders: Ethiopia eyes more OSBP following success with Kenya

Ethiopia has expressed its keenness to see more One Stop Border Posts (OSBP) with neighboring countries soon, while Ethiopia and Kenya signed operational procedure manual to accelerate the activity of Moyale OSBP.
Debele Kabeta, Commissioner of the Ethiopian Customs Commission, said that Ethiopia has interest to expand OSBP that it established with Kenya this year.
“We are on the process to establish OSBP with Djibouti, which is the major outlet for Ethiopian cargos, on two directions via Galafi and Galafi ,” he said.
According to the Commissioner, the required facilities at Dewale of Ethio-Djibouti border have been done and that the only thing remaining is to make operational the OSBP through the operational procedure manual that Ethiopia signed with Kenya this week for Moyale OSBP.

(Photo: Anteneh Aklilu)

“Regarding Galafi, the two countries have reached an agreement and Trademark East Africa (TMEA), which provided technical support on the realization of Moyale OSBP from inception, is expected to handle the facilitation of the required process,” Debele added.
Ethiopia has also targeted to establish OSBP with Eritrea through Asab, “so far Ethiopia has prepared required customs precondition to form relation ship with Eritrea and customs protocol and structure have developed and provided for Eritrean Foreign Ministry.”
“Similar relation with Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan is expected to be realized as per the government decision, while under the ten year plan the Customs Commission has set to make similar OSBP platforms shall be realized through the support of TMEA and other nongovernment organizations,” he added.
Ethiopia and Kenya through the Ethiopia Customs Commission and the Border Control and Operation Coordination Committee respectively have signed the operational procedure manual in a ceremony held in Addis Ababa on Wednesday September 15 and attended by key private and public sector players from both countries. This follows the inauguration launch on 9th December 2020 by the heads of both Governments and the subsequent commencement of One Stop Border Post (OSBP) Operations, on 8th June 2021.
Debele reminds that the two countries have historical and strong relation and at the same time the Continental Free Trade Agreement has come through which will improve the relation between neighboring countries in different relations including social and economic areas.
“The manual will make the operation at Moyale more profound which shall also expand the cooperation at the border area. Both countries have huge market and investment potential which is beneficial, due to that cooperation is crucial,” Debele told media after the signing ceremony.
“Meanwhile, we are similar people and have long relation, we have never tapped the benefit that was supposed to be attained, rather illegal activities like contraband and human trafficking were a challenge that is solved under the OSBP,” he added.
The OSBP operations manual will guide government officers of the border regulatory agencies in successful implementation of coordinated border management operations, so as to improve border crossing efficiencies, by making border clearance processes easier, faster and cheaper for traders, transporters and travelers, without compromise to the border regulatory requirements.

(Photo: Anteneh Aklilu)

Wilson Njenga, Internal Security Secretary, who led the Kenyan delegation, said the signing of the Moyale OSBP Procedure Manual is a step towards enhanced cross-border trade and movement of persons between the two countries.
He added that the OSBP is highly dependent on the Lamu Port- South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor Project as it will ensure growth arising from better services and improved infrastructures.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, Lilian Nyawanda, on her part, emphasized the need to simplify trade to ensure goods flow seamlessly and within the confines of the customs laws.

Commission to receive 600,000 metric tons of wheat to meet aid demand

Metasebia Teshome
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Commission to receive 600,000 metric tons of wheat to meet aid demand

The National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) is preparing to receive 600,000 metric tons of wheat to meet its demand for humanitarian assistance.
As Aydruse Hassen, Deputy Commissioner and Logistics head of NDRMC said, from the 600,000 metric tons, about 400,000 metric ton of the wheat is on its way to Ethiopia, which has reached to the Djibouti port, and as he further explained, the remaining 200,000 metric ton will be shipped within a short time.
The procurement was made through the Public Procurement and Property Disposal Service (PPPDS) as Aydruse revealed, most of the procurement has been made from the black see countries as it is more close to the country.
Even if the plan is to procure 1million metric tons of wheat the deputy commissioner said the number could increase or decrease based on the situation.
The commissioner noted that the wheat will go a long way in assisting the currently, 1.2 million internal displaced persons in Amhara region, 186,000 in Afar region and 400,000 in Benishangul-Gumuz region. The World Food Program (WFP) which is supporting the IDPs in the Tigray region will also roll out its support for the three mentioned regions.
The commission has also launched emergency coordination at Dessie, Bahir Dar and Semera to accelerate its support.
Previously, the head commissioner of NDRMC, Mitiku Kassa said, the commission had planned to commence the two phases through direct procurement as ‘urgent procurement’ due to the current situation in the country while the remaining phase will be procured through the Public Procurement and Property Disposal Service (PPPDS). “The procurement process will be based on the international wheat market and by our 2021 need,” the commissioner said adding, “Since the global market is changing we made the procurement through three phases.”
To meet its demand for 2021 need the commission was planning to purchase one million metric tons of wheat through three phases.
After the military confrontation with TPLF on November 4, 2020, tens of thousands of people were reported to be in need of humanitarian assistance in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions as well.
Following this, several non-governmental agencies began providing humanitarian assistance, including agriculture and livestock, water and sanitation, health, education and nutrition, non-food items, logistics and different sanitary products for women and children.
Regarding the Afar region, the head commissioner said that all areas have been liberated from the invading forces and more than 76,500 IDPs are currently receiving assistance and a state-agreement has been reached with the World Food Program to carry out the work in accordance with international law.

LADA car assembly to set up shop in Ethiopia

Staff Reporter
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LADA car assembly to set up shop in Ethiopia

Local motor manufacturing company, Bazra motors has agreed with Russian AVTOVAZ, the manufacturer of LADA vehicles to set up a LADA car assembly plant in Ethiopia.
Both Bazra and AVTOVAZ have signed the agreement on 31 August 2021 to establish a LADA assembly line in which Bazra motors will assemble a wide range of LADA vehicles in the city of Kombolcha.
The agreement stipulates the organization of assembly of cars through a large knot approach of all models of LADA cars such as GRANTA, VESTA, XRAY, LARGUS, NIVA TRAVEL and NIVA LEGEND. The assembly line will start to assemble 5000 vehicles annually with a plan of reaching 10,000 units in five years,
Bazra motors previously also agreed with other Russian Ulyanovsk Automotive plant UAZ to set up UAZ car assembly plant. Bazra motors are also working on agreements to assemble GAZ minibuses and KAMAZ buses and trucks in the near future.

How Ethiopia can transform health, lift GDP with policy to fortify foods

Staff Reporter
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How Ethiopia can transform health, lift GDP with policy to fortify foods

A recent report published by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) details the costs and benefits of introducing mandatory food fortification in Ethiopia.
According to the findings, a government that spends over $3.8 million over the next 10 years could save tens of thousands of lives, reduce healthcare costs, and raise the country’s productivity. It could also reduce funding of up to $520 million allocated to fight vitamin deficiencies.
Decades of records with the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization show that carbohydrates make up more than 70 percent of Ethiopia’s national diet, delivering energy, but very few of the vitamins and minerals that humans need to be healthy. More than 80 countries that face these challenges have added nutrients to staple foods in order to reach a wide population without significantly changing national eating habits.
The analysis found that for every $1 spent by a government to fortify flour with critical nutrients results in $13 of economic benefits to Ethiopia. Improved healthcare costs, lives saved from illness and improved productivity were also some other benefits listed.
Ethiopia is currently seeking a resolution for its problems of severe deficiency of Folic acid and Vitamin A. Ethiopians’ average consumption of folic acid, which plays a critical role in ensuring the health of a fetus during pregnancy, runs at less than 200 micrograms per day. It is a stark contrast to the 400 micrograms needed to sustain one’s health per day. As a result, 84 percent of Ethiopian women aged 15 upto 49 years old are at risk of giving birth to babies with Neural Tube Defects (NTD). A baby born in Ethiopia is therefore 11 times more likely to be born with an NTD than in any other African country.
To counter such challenges, countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe have fortified common staple foods like flour with folic acid, reducing the number of NTD pregnancies by an average 41 per cent.
Ideally, it is expected to follow the country’s success in tackling malnutrition, reducing the prevalence from 58 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2019.
The report also highlights the ongoing costs of the country’s challenges as a result of Vitamin A deficiencies, which cause night blindness and a loss of immunity to infections. Recent studies found around 80 per cent of all Ethiopian children – from 92 per cent in Amhara to 55 per cent in Gambella – do not get enough intake of Vitamin A. Ethiopian women at the reproductive age are at 82 percent.
“Extremely deficient diets are continuing to deliver ill health to almost every Ethiopian and need urgently addressing,” said Ton Thomas Haverkort, GAIN’s Ethiopia Country Director. “Food fortification is simply a universal solution, which for less than half-a-million dollars a year of government spending can transform Ethiopia’s public health and productivity.”
Ethiopia has taken significant steps towards scaling up fortification programmes, such as preparing standards for fortification. Yet, it has not yet mandated the fortification of flour and edible oil.

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