Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (Addis Chamber) celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The celebrations began from Tuesday June 28 and stretched to June 30; and featured major policy panels and symposiums on various trade and investment issues. The three-day panel discussion and symposium at Skylight Hotel and Hilton Hotel focused on Ethiopia’s private sector development and environmental policy, illegal trade and competitiveness challenges, enactment of laws and regulations on private sector development, women’s business leadership, social enterprise opportunities and challenges, and business organizations and institutions. Prominent scholars, policy makers and private actors also presented on these panels.
“The 75th anniversary of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations (AACCSA) is a sign of hope for the future,” said President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mesenbet Shenkute.
The Chamber also released its new book, which narrates its 75th year’s anniversary journey alongside a photo exhibition to commemorate the council’s 75 years of travel. The celebration also focused on educating the next generation on the opportunities and challenges of the past, as well as educating others on the institutional secrets that the institution has maintained in the face of adversity.
Mesenbet said the chamber will continue to focus on providing timely policy recommendations and being part of the solution to challenges, as well as strengthen its role as a bridge between the public and the private sector in line with its mandate to continue the growth of the private sector and modernize its business system.
The secretary of the council, Shibeshi Bete-Mariam pointed out that the new chamber, established in 1939, has carried out various activities over the past 75 years.
“The chamber has shown that it is a transitional institution that has not been affected by influences,” stressed Shibeshi.
Established in 1947, AACCSA is a voluntary, non-governmental, business membership organization with more than 15,000 member companies. The chamber serves as a credible voice of business and advocates for the creation of a conducive business environment. It also promotes trade and industry, disseminating business information, consulting government and members on economic development and business issues, establishing friendly relationship with similar chambers in other countries, and exchanging information as well as engaging in arbitration in times of disputes among businesses.
Addis Chamber celebrates momentous 75-year journey
Govt to scarp colored plastic bottles
The usage of masterbatch (MB), which is used for coloring plastic bottles in the bottled water industry, is to be halted if the new recommendation of the relevant government body findings is to push through.
Traditionally most of Ethiopian water bottlers have been using MB to colorize their plastic bottle to blue, which to some degree has its share of costs in foreign currency.
Ashenafi Merid, General Manager at the Ethiopian Beverage Manufacturing Industries Association, said that the implementation of forbidding companies on using MB would have multiple advantages for the bottlers and the country in general.
“For instance companies which are using MB to colorize their plastic bottle at least have to allocate up to USD 40,000 for the import of MB, which can be channeled for import of other materials. Moreover, recycling companies will gain better price points for used plastic scraps when they export for clients and the country shall save the foreign currency which it spends on unnecessary commodities,” the General Manager elaborated.
According to Ashenafi, companies which process and export used plastic bottles have been expressing their concern that colored bottles have less demand from buyers which has forced them to sell at lower prices than the pure plastic scraps.
As per the information Capital obtained from the association, a kilogram of MB costs about 535 birr.
Despite it not being a standard to use the chemical, bottling companies have traditionally used it. On the down turn, there have been links associating the colorant with health issues.
The Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Development Institute, recently conducted a study, which took over a year, on the use of MB.
As per the recommendation from the study, the companies would not be allowed to import or use MB.
“In other countries bottlers are not using MB for their water bottling,” Ashenafi added, by adding his association has proposed the case to be studied in order to impose restrictions through a legal frameworks.
Currently, there are 109 water bottlers and most of them are members of the association.
AfDB supports the Addis-Djibouti business corridor in Africa
A project supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and implemented by the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI) and IGAD to enhance collaboration between the private sector and IGAD member states in the Addis Djibouti Corridor received its first batch of equipment during a handover ceremony on Friday July 1, 2022.
Dr Abdul Kamara, Country Manager, Ethiopia, and Deputy Director General for East Africa, speaking at the handover ceremony acknowledged the progress made in the project execution so far, in particular in completing phase one and two which comprised of series of capacity building activities for business operators and the development of trade policy for IGAD member states.
Dr Kamara, also described the five development priorities of the AfDB: the High 5s – Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. He noted that these focus areas are essential in transforming the lives of the African people and therefore consistent with the United Nations agenda on Sustainable Development Goals and AU’s Agenda 63. He also highlighted the important role that regional corridors, such as the Addis-Djibouti corridor, play in fostering regional integration and development.
Present at the ceremony were senior staff of AfDB, Ethiopia and the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including the Executive Director of PACCI Kebour Ghenna.
Could Abubaker face danger joining Sundowns instead of rival Kaizer?
The future of a very promising striker now lay in the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns as their board contemplates on what to do with him. After recalling that Sundowns stole him away after Kaizer Chiefs showed interest, it will be a shame to see his career die on the bench when he could have been made anintegral part of the new Kaizer Chiefs Squad.
Mamelodi Sundowns will welcome new striker Abubecker Nasir as pre-season kicks off, but Siya’s side have been told the technical team has an important decision to make for the player. Sundowns signed the Ethiopian national in the January transfer window but sent him back to his club Ethiopian Coffee to meet him at Chlorkop in July.
According to information from Siya’s team, Sundowns will examine the player to determine if he is ready to enter Chloorkop’s starting line-up. Otherwise, they can hire players to gain valuable experience in local games before summoning them. However, that decision will only be made after the player has spent some time in training and the friendly, which the Sundowns are expected to play during pre-season training.
Nasir performed well for Ethiopia during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Nasir provided the opening assist in Ethiopia’s 2-0 win over Egypt in group qualification second fixtures. The striker scored from the penalty spot in last week’s 2-1 win against Malawi. He will be hoping to be in good form at Sundowns to ensure he gets into the team early on.
