NEWS RELEASE

Thursday, April 1, 1999

ETHIOPIA, NETHERLANDS SIGN GRANT AGREEMENT

A 12.6 million US$ grant agreement was signed here on Tuesday (30 March) between Ethiopia and the Netherlands.

According to the agreement, the grant will be used for the execution of environmental support projects which include strengthening the natural resources database and geo-information service in the Ministry of Water, and supporting the national water and sanitation plan.

OAU DONATES 759,000 US$ TO DROUGHT-AFFECTED IN ETHIOPIA

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) has donated 750,000 U.S. Dollars to help drought affected people in Ethiopia to help them implement drought-relief and water and sanitation projects.

According to an OAU press statement, the money will be used for the implementation of potable water supply projects in the east and north-eastern areas of the country which have been affected by drought in the last three years

The donations were granted by a decision taken by the Policy Committee of the Special Emergency Assistance Fund of the OAU in September last year.

10 MILLION BIRR PROJECTS LAUNCHED

The construction of a series of diverse development projects was launched yesterday with ten million Birr grant from the government of Ireland.

The projects will take place in the Guragie Zone and will include four health stations, eleven health posts, 110 toilets and one elementary school while schools are to be renovated. Other projects include a 41 km road, two bridges and ten veterinary stations. The grant should also enable the sinking of ten water wells and the development of 32 springs. It is estimated that the project will benefit over 1.5. million people.