USTDA Promotes The Development Of The Telecommunications Sector In Ethiopia

June 7, 2006
No. 15/06

ADDIS ABABA (U.S. Embassy) -- The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) today awarded a grant to the College of Communications and Information Technology (CTIT) in Ethiopia to promote economic growth in Ethiopia through the expansion of the nation’s capacity to develop its telecommunications sector.  The $169,520 (over 1,400, 000 birr) grant will support an advanced training program for management professionals of the Ethiopian Telecommunications Agency (ETA) and the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) on a variety of telecommunications issues, including policy development, regulatory reform and financial/tariffing procedures.

The grant was conferred during a grant signing ceremony at the College of Communications and Information Technology in Addis Ababa.  U.S. Embassy Political/ Economic Counselor, Mr. Kevin Sullivan, and CTIT Director, Mr. Nega Alemayehu, signed the grant agreement on behalf of the U.S. government and CTIT, respectively.
 
The training program responds to a recent major and unparalleled investment made by the Ethiopian government in the telecommunications sector for the construction of a new fiber infrastructure.  Specifically, the training will expand ETA’s and ETC’s capability to improve the quality, universality and type of available telecommunications services in Ethiopia.  As a result of the training, ETA and ETC will be better positioned to meet consumer demand for telecommunications services, to promote economic development, and to ensure a continuing revenue flow to the national budget. 

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.  The agency provides various forms of technical assistance, including feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment.  USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.  In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.
 
Visit USTDA’s Website at www.ustda.gov