The House of Peoples’ Representatives, in its 19th regular session held on 25 March 2008 has endorsed a bill for rural electricity expansion and directed three bills to the relevant Committees for further examination.

The House has endorsed a proclamation to ratify the Financing Agreement between the FDRE and the International Development Association With the majority votes of 315 for, 10 against and 9 abstentions, after it had deliberated at length on the motion presented by the assistant whip of the government hon. Ato Wendmu Gezahgn to be endorsed in the first reading according to Art 38(1) and 53 (6) of the Rules of Procedures and Members code of conduct.

The agreement signed between Ethiopia and the International Development Association amounts to SDR 86,000,000 (eighty six million Special Drawing Rights) for the purpose of sustainable expansion of access to electricity in rural towns and villages.

Meantime, the House has directed a proclamation to ratify the International Development Association Financing Agreement for Ethiopia /Nile Basin Initiative power export project, Ethio-Sudan Inter-connector with the majority votes mainly to the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Affairs Standing Committee to be examined jointly with Budget and Finance Affairs and Foreign, Defense and Security Affairs Standing Committees.

According to the preamble of the bill, the financing agreement is necessary to promote power revenue generation capacity of Ethiopia through the development of regional trade opportunities in the context of Nile Bazin Initiative Regional efforts.

Similarly, the House has referred a proclamation to ratify to limit the liability of the Dry Port to the consignee with majority votes to the Infrastructure Affairs Standing Committee for further investigation.

By Virtue of the preamble of the draft proclamation, the bill has become necessary for the reduction of the process of sea port congestion, avoidance of damage to cargo and the proper implementation of the multi-modal transport, and limiting the liability of the dry port.

The House has also directed a proclamation to ratify cooperation in the filed of science and Technology between Ethiopia and India with the majority votes mainly to the Capacity Building Affairs Standing Committee to be jointly Scrutinized with the Foreign, Defense and Security Affairs Standing Committee.

The agreement is being desirous of strengthening cooperation on the basis of equality, friendship and development between the two countries in the field of science and technology, the bill indicated.

The session entertained debates with comments and questions from the opposition parties with seats in the House and member parliamentarians followed with explanations as well as responses.