The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) which has reintroduced the primary money market a couple of weeks ago announced it would commence the highly anticipated secondary market in May 2020.
The government announced that it would start the stock market by 2020 without giving a specific time frame.
Ethiopia actually had a stock marked before most other African countries, (around 60 years ago) but when the Derg took over that stopped.
Yinager Dessie, Governor of NBE, told Capital that the central bank is preparing the document to table it to the Council of Ministers in the near future.
Currently finance is only accessible in a primary market that is directly related with banks for the private and public sector or through treasury bills (T bill) for the government.
“Capital market is another source of finance that is separate from banks and currently in the process to commence from initial stages,” Yinager says “for instance three weeks ago the T bill has recommenced with the aim to attract private banks and other private sector players and to make a transition for the biggest market.”
“Based on our observation the beginning is very good that is good step to move to the secondary market.”
He said that according to the NBE target, the secondary market will begin by May 2020, but it depends on the cabinet decision at the federal government.
“The legal framework is under development and skilled professionals are being prepared, while preconditions are in the process and in the coming few months we will commence it,” he explained.
“The final go ahead will depend on the Council of Ministers’ decision,” he added.
According to the governor, the central bank will deliver the draft document to the council that will decide whether the business would be started by regulation or proclamation.
If the council of Ministers’ approve it as a regulation the starting time will come soon, but if the council decides the law should be ratified as a proclamation it would be sent to the parliament.
“As per our evaluation the T bill average interest rate offer that banks participate in the auction is attractive and reasonable,” he said.
Most of them offer about 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent but some of the banks offer up to 15 and 16 percent at the auction, according to Yinager.
“Most of the offers that come from the banks at the auction is very encouraging,” he said.
“This will show us what the market interest rate should be. When the market goes up and people understand how to use it the capital market structure will improve,” he added.
Recently NBE stopped the NBE bill directive enforcing banks to buy 27 percent of bonds from every loan that they disbursed for clients. NBE has reintroduced the weekly T bill with an attractive interest rate to attract banks and other interested players.
International partners like the World Bank are providing technical and others support to commence the stock market.
Currently the country’s finance accessibility is very poor; most of the citizens are not benefiting particularly from the loans.
Stock market to start in May
Gem, APlus win wheat contracts
Top two bidders disqualified
The Public Procurement and Property Disposal Service (PPPDS) has selected Gem Corp DMCC to supply over 2.8 billion birr worth of milling wheat to the Ethiopian Trading Businesses Corporation (ETBC). APlus has also been awarded a milling wheat supply contract worth 200,000 metric tons.
ETBC via PPPDS, which is responsible for buying huge federal government procurements, is buying 600, 000 metric tons of milling wheat to stabilize the local demand.
The procurement was undertaken on two separate international bids which were divided to 400,000 metric tons in the first bid and the balance 200,000 metric tons under another bid.
For the 400,000 metric tons PPPDS put in for a bid on four separate lots with 100,000 metric tons each which attracted 11 companies seven of which offered their prices for all four lots and the remaining participated in two or single lots.
Gem Corp offered the third lowest price yet it secured the award to offer the 400,000 metric tons of milling wheat.
A week ago Capital reported that Hakan Agro DMCC and Agrocorp International offered the lowest rate for the two lots, but they were disqualified from the bid because they failed to attach the guaranteed assurance that Aphlatoxin requirements would be complied with.
Experts criticized this but they said a decision to disqualify the two companies. They claimed this goes against normal protocol. Based on the previous trend the procurement body should communicate with bidders and ask if they can come up with the assurance within the give time. This is normally a one or two day period. However, the procurement body disqualified them from the bid process without any further effort.
Experts who are familiar with the case claimed that this is not good for the country. “Making the two lower bidding companies forfeit, costs the country millions of birr,” sources said.
The bid document indicated that Hakan Agro offered the lowest rate for the first two lots and Agrocorp the cheapest price for the 3rd and fourth lots.
Hakan has offered USD 214.44 and USD 218.44 for the first and second lot per metric ton that manages 100,000 metric tons each, while for the same lots Agrocorp has offered the second lowest price which is USD 218.47 and USD 219.97 respectively.
For the same lots the third lowest offer came from Gem Corp DMCC, who offered USD 221.31 and USD 222.34 respectively.
At the same time Agrocorp has offered the lowest price for the third and fourth lots that are USD 221.47 and USD 222.97 per metric ton respectively and Gem Corp follows at USD 224.41 and USD 225.45.
According to sources awarding the procurement to Gem Corp will cause Ethiopia to lose more than 47 million birr. The wheat bid will cost 2.837 billion birr.
In the other bid to buy 200,000 metric tons of milling wheat a company owned by Ethiopian but based in Dubai, A Plus, was awarded. Experts have also claimed that the company does not have ample experience to participate in huge bids like this.
Other government agencies are also buying wheat through the same government body for their different schemes. Currently Gem Corp which won 900,000 metric tons from one million tons to supply to the Ministry of Agriculture has delivered all but 300,000 metric tons.
SINCERITY SEVERED
In late modernity all public activities, especially those promoted and implemented by states and their bureaucrats have become rather boring, putting it mildly. The callousness and phoniness that characterizes politically organized entities have managed to alienate the global sheeple (human mass) to a point where there seems to be no return. Even when the status quo claims victory on certain issues, vis-a-vis the desire of the mass, these so called victories always leave lingering aftertastes that are not always palatable. Sincerity has become anathema to politicos and bureaucrats, at all levels. As a result, the sheeple is left with no other choice, but to harbor heightened resentments towards the elites and their organizations across the planet!
The case of France is a very clear example of what is unfolding in late modernity. The upheaval of the French, which has been going on for over a year, is not to be dismissed lightly. Crony capitalism propped up by the ideology of neoliberalism has lost all credibility, at least amongst those who have earn their keeps. See Graham’s and Escobar’s articles on page 38. Admittedly, decades of brainwashing by various establishment institutions, not excluding the family, has zombified the large majority of the global sheeple. Stifled thinking brought about by the intentional mental suffocation of the global order cannot augur well when the time comes for humanity to face formidable real challenges. And real challenges are now brewing below the surface, all over the world. Generalized conflicts and hot wars might present themselves as results of our elites’ misguided policies involving, amongst other things, migration, trade wars, polarizing globalization, covert and overt colonization, etc. Our callous meddling with the natural world will also have severe consequences. While all these scenarios are gradually unfolding, our so-called leaders, not only political, spend their time superficially pontificating about matters that have no real substance in the scheme of things. Just look at the theatrics that is going on in the capital of a country that is considered the leader of the Western world!
As if that is not enough of a comedy, we also have a continuous parody here in the periphery. We waste our precious time wallowing in a world that is neither here nor there. We wrongly assume that we will still have an opportunity to achieve a standard of living that currently exists in the west. When serious analysis is applied on these foolish sentiments, all the envisioned dreams tend to disappear into nightmares. For example, where are we going to get the cheap energy/non-renewable resources that will propel us to such an extravagant and wasteful life style? With polite dummies, silence is the preferred answer to such inconvenient queries. On the other hand, situation can become quite explosive when dealing with individuals who think they have the mental prowess of a genius. Understandably, those who are less secured in their wisdom and intelligence will daftly parrot what they have been told by their masters, rather furiously. Therefore, caution must be exercised in dealing with such mental midgets. Unfortunately even mere learned knowledge (of the very basic types) has become a rare commodity in our dependence craving ‘make believe’ continent! To our hyphenated elites who seriously lack anchoring values/essence, independent attitude and self-respect have lost their meanings!
Late modernity is characterized by parasitic accumulation in the sphere of material reproduction, compliment of crony capitalism. In the realm of generalized culture, it is narcissistic alienation that has taken the reign. Instead of social orientations that should encourage cohesive family formations, we have managed to institute the crass culture of the privileged elites who only know how to spew unfulfilling temporal gratifications devoid of any meaningful purpose. Only the genuinely sick can relate to such soul draining existence! Humanity cannot exist without purpose, however mundane that purpose might seem to the alienated. Social reproduction itself is one of the major driving forces of collective existence. But all these are now relegated to the backburner, so to speak. No wonder why Caitlin is in such a convulsive mood about the whole mess! See her article next column.
The global mass has lost confidence when it comes to the intentions and deeds of the manipulative elites. At the same time, the elites do not want to understand the predicaments of the mass. The elites surmise that they can get by with effective lies. What the elites don’t get however, is this. ‘Insecurity is always weakness; sincerity even in error is strength.’ (George hennery Lewes) “I want to be remembered as someone who is sincere. Even if I made mistakes, they were made in sincerity. If I was wrong I was wrong in sincerity. I can deal with a person who was wrong, as long as he was sincere.” Malcolm X. Good Day!
Space is the limit
“Space is the limit” were the words of Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Tian Jian at a press conference held on 27th December 2019 at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. Referring to the launch of the first China-assisted, Ethiopian satellite ETRSS-1 as one of the many successes between the two countries, Ambassador Tian expressed his optimism in bilateral relations between Ethiopia and China in 2019 and excitement for the potential of 2020, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ethiopia diplomatic ties.
The Ambassador said that 2019 saw the commencement of the China-aided Beautifying Sheger Project, as well as continued growth for the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway. Industrial parks along the Ethiopia-Djibouti Corridor reached an export volume of 110 million USD with a year-on-year increase of 35%.
Furthermore, China’s international e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group, established the Digital Trade Hub in Ethiopia to grow its digital economy. 
Agriculture has been a paramount focus for China and will continue to be, the Ambassador said. The introduction of bamboo as a resource to exploit was mentioned during the press conference, with the ambassador stating that bamboo resources can be utilized to “reduce poverty and help grow the economy.”
“This is an important sector and we are committed to working closely with Ethiopia and we hope that we can make a difference,” said Ambassador Tian.
In healthcare, China is sprouting the Center of Disease Control headquarter for Africa, in Addis Ababa and considering the commencement of the Malaria Curbing Project in Ethiopia.
As for the coming year, Ambassador Tian mentioned the potential for growth in many sectors, namely healthcare, agriculture, tourism, investment and trade.
“For both China and Ethiopia, 2020 would be a historic year.”
