Council of Ministers approves 27.89bn birr additional budget

Addis Ababa, February 17, 2020 (FBC) – The Council of Ministers, in its 79th regular session held yesterday, approved a 27.89 billion birr additional budget.

The additional budget was needed because of the home-grown economic reforms recently launched by the Government of Ethiopia, said office of the Prime Minister in a statement sent to FBC.

Of the total, 18 billion birr is allocated for the implementation of policies, 2 billion birr for safety net program and 7.9 billion birr for the implementation of national equal pay for equal work agenda.

The Council also approved the loan agreements secured to upgrade the Debre-Makros Mota road project, establish Adama Science and Technology University’s centre of excellence, and implement the second national water supply, sanitation and hygiene program.

The Council further approved a draft bill to hoist the flag of the African Union alongside the national flag, its anthem being sung along with Ethiopia’s national anthem and celebrate Africa Day.

The Council referred all the draft bills to the House of People’s Representatives (HPR) for approval.

The Council also approved the draft regulation for the establishment of agricultural vocational education and training colleges.

After deliberation, the Council decided the regulation to be published in Negarit newspaper and to take effect.