Supermarkets are increasing in Ethiopia’s capital. According to the Addis Ababa Trade Bureau, 331 received licenses last fiscal year – that figure is up from 175 four years prior. Market watchers say this trend makes sense, given that changes in the lifestyles of city dwellers prompts them to demand the convenience and reliability that supermarkets provide. But, as EBR’s Tamirat Astatkie reports, there may be added benefits to the proliferation of retail supermarkets in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia’s population has grown by leaps and bounds in recent decades. According to United Nations (UN) estimates, the country’s population was just over 18 million in 1950 – today, that figure is around 90 million. But is this rapid growth good for Ethiopia’s overall economic development? Experts seem to be divided. In honour of the UN’s World Population Day on July 11th, EBR’s Bantayehu Demlie delved deeper into the issue to learn more about it.

Tax compliance in Ethiopia has a long way to develop. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the amount of dodged taxes in the 2009/10 fiscal year amounted to ETB19 billion, which accounted for 5Pct of gross domestic product (GDP) that year. This money would have covered more than 20Pct of the amount the nation spends on the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam. In order to reduce this, the government enacted a plan to improve tax evasion, particularly when it arises from contraband and illicit business activities. But all these years later, has the plan proved fruitful? EBR’s Ashenafi Endale explored the issue to learn the details of what’s worked and what hasn’t.

Local demand for furniture is increasing rapidly. According to the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, 584,538 units of furniture were imported in 2011; that figure grew to 20,415,495 in 2015. This growth, however, is largely benefiting foreign companies – not local furniture producers. The latter identify a number of bottlenecks in accessing the market to meet this increased demand. EBR’s Bantayehu Demlie spoke with foreign companies, local producers and government officials to learn more about these bottlenecks and what can be done to overcome them to improve domestic firms’ performance and profitability.

Political volatility can impact economic performance like any other risk often associated with business operations, especially in developing countries. This has been the case for Ethiopia, where the protests in the State of Oromia have affected businesses – resulting in the government having to compensate investors upwards of ETB100 million. In order to mitigate potential risks and create a better environment for investors, Ethiopia has its eyes set on joining the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI). EBR’s Bantayehu Demlie spoke with individuals close to the issue to learn the intricacies of the decision to join the ATI.

The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP), which convened in Paris last December, made history as the first time in which a global consensus was reached to flight climate change. Chief among the outcomes of the meeting was increased funding from developed countries to help emerging nations implement programmes to fight and curb carbon emissions. However, these funds haven’t been of much help to African countries, which have had difficulties accessing these monies in the past. In fact, according to the Climate Policy Initiative, countries in Asia and Western Europe received USD 119 billion and USD93 billion, respectively, to pursue green initiatives. Africa, however, only garnered USD2.3 billion for their projects. As the Paris Climate Conference provides new funding opportunities, what needs to take place for countries like Ethiopia to benefit? EBR’s adjunct staff writer Meseret Mamo spoke with insiders to learn more about the challenges of accessing competitive global financing and what’s being done to improve the country’s chances.

Ethiopia’s export performance falls short of the government’s plans. The country hoped to earn USD5.04 billion by the end of last fiscal year, but made less than 60Pct of that amount. For this year, the plan is USD6.5 billion and so far the six-month performance is less than the nation received last year during the same period. A number of structural issues have hindered the sector’s performance, but one has become more prevalent in recent years: exporters not honouring trade agreements with foreign countries. Exporters say that there are systemic reasons why they’re unable to honour trade agreements that have largely to do with the cost and quality of local products. Others, however, argue that this isn’t a sufficient excuse and that breaching contracts will create a negative image of the country’s already struggling export sector. EBR’s Asehenafi Endale spoke with key stakeholders to learn more about the intricacies of the issue and what’s being done to address the underlying problems.

Ethiopia hopes to increase private saving from 16.6Pct to 18.7Pct of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020. This task, however, may prove cumbersome, given that real interest rates in the country have been below zero for years, which doesn’t bode well for people looking to put their money in banks. Even the World Bank has hinted at the adverse effects of this reality on Ethiopia’s development prospects. EBR’s Bantayehu Demlie spoke with banking sector experts, customers and academicians to learn more about this complex issue and offers this report.

Insurers in Ethiopia recently launched crop insurance policies for smallholder farmers. Crop insurance is an umbrella term used to refer to a series of policies designed to help farmers avoid or recover from risks associated with farming. In a country like Ethiopia, where smallholder farmers are especially susceptible to shocks like drought and cyclical poverty, many say that these insurance policies are a welcomed change. Still, others argue that there is more work to be done to improve the lives of smallholder farmers beyond offering crop insurance services. EBR’s Ashenafi Endale met with key stakeholders to learn more about the details of the policies that many hope will bolster the lives of small-scale farmers.

Heritage tourism refers to the practice of attracting visitors to a place because of its unique cultural or historical significance. In this way, the ancient town of Lalibela has been a stalwart of Ethiopia’s tourism industry. The town attracted more than 40,000 tourists in 2014. This inflow, a significant increase from previous years, helped the town generate ETB300 million in the 2013/14 fiscal year.