House Ratifies Protocols

The House of Peoples’ Representatives in its 14th regular session held on January 17th 2008 has ratified agreement between Ethiopia and the International Development Association as well as between Ethiopia and International Fund for Agriculture Development Programme.

The House has confirmed the proclamation to ratify the International Development Association Financing Agreement for Irrigation and Drainage Project signed between Ethiopia and International Development Association with the majority votes of 361 for, 6 abstentions and with no objection after the decision proposal presented by the Budget and Finance Affairs, the Rural Development Affairs and the Foreign, Defence and Security Affairs Standing Committees.

According to the decision proposal submitted to the House by the committees, Ethiopia has signed and endorsed to indebt a loan in an amount not exceeding Special Drawing Right 13,300,000 aimed at executing participatory small-scale irrigation development program.

Moreover, the loan would uphold the implementation of the five year poverty reduction programes of the country.

Besides, the loan granted would sustain to accelerate the endeavor to be free from the dependency of agrarian society producing agricultural production via rainfall, ensure the rural dwellers to be self sufficient in food and supply more products in the market.

Likewise, after the House conducted through deliberation it had endorsed the proclamation to ratify International Development Association Financing Agreement and Drainage project with first reading with the majority votes of 362 for, 4 against and 1 abstention.

Furthermore, this loan has to be returned with 40 year including 10 year grace period and exempt from interest as well.

The speaker of the House has announced that according to Article 116(3)(4) of the Rules of Procedures and Members Code of Conduct, member of EPRDF and representatives of the people of Gole Wereda, Welayta Zone in Southern Nations and Nationalities hon. Ato Kifle Jeguba has dismembered himself from the House with a resignation letter submitted to the House