ADDIS ABABA – In a determined move to root out corruption, the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI) has declared its strong commitment to working hand-in-hand with the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC).
This commitment was underscored during a key meeting held yesterday where the findings of FEACC’s comprehensive study, “Vulnerability of Revenue and Export Trade and Foreign Exchange Management to Corruption and Malpractices,” were discussed.
MoTRI Minister Kasahun Gofe (PhD), stressed the critical imperative of addressing the underlying systemic flaws that create fertile ground for corruption. He conveyed the Ministry’s keenness to forge a strong partnership with FEACC to actively combat the malpractices identified in the study.
The Ministry firmly stated its readiness to embrace the findings of the study and implement concrete solutions to the highlighted corruption challenges. Minister Kassahun acknowledged the prevalence of bribery affecting service delivery and affirmed that MoTRI is already taking proactive steps against management and employees in relevant institutions implicated in such illicit activities.
He further urged all stakeholders to unite in cultivating a national culture of integrity, where citizens resolutely reject corruption in all its forms. He also proposed that a future FEACC study focusing on service quality ratings would be invaluable in enhancing the Ministry’s service delivery standards.
Echoing this proactive stance, FEACC Deputy Commissioner, Eshete Asfaw, detailed the Commission’s multi-faceted strategy to combat corruption through public awareness, preventative measures, and rigorous enforcement.
He affirmed FEACC’s dedication to collaborating with relevant legal bodies to pursue legal action against individuals and entities involved in corruption and related practices, informed by in-depth analyses of operational systems within government and public institutions.
During the session, FEACC presented its study, exposing critical vulnerabilities such as the absence of regular price adjustments reflecting international market shifts, the use of bribery to expedite foreign exchange approvals, the diversion of foreign exchange for importing banned or restricted items, the informal cross-border sale of goods for foreign currency generation, the allocation of foreign exchange for non-essential imports, the illegal trade of prohibited goods in border areas, the lack of a robust system to track and formalize cross-border commodity movement, insufficient coordination among key sector institutions, disproportionate penalties for legal breaches, and the failure of employees to provide timely and accurate information.
The study recommended several crucial actions to address these weaknesses, including the timely adjustment of exchange rates in line with global market prices, ensuring the appropriate use of loans for foreign trade, fostering collaboration to maximize the benefits of contract farming, joint efforts to rectify persistent legal violations, strengthening the foreign exchange management system, implementing corrective measures against traders not displaying prices, and undertaking dedicated monitoring and control activities.
BY EYUEL KIFLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 10 MAY 2025
