MoFA, MoIT ink agreement with Ethio Telecom to advance Gov’t  service payment system

Addis Ababa, September 9, 2022 (FBC) – An agreement among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, and Ethio-Telecom to advance government payment services was signed today.

In attendance were Belete Molla, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Frehiwot Temiru, CEO of Ethio-Telecom; Huria Ali, State Minister of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology; Ambassador Siraj Rashid, Director General of the Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and invited guests.

In her opening remarks, State Minister of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Uria Ali, said the agreement signed between partner institutions is a testimony of the efforts that the government embarked upon regarding establishing online government services in line with establishing digital Ethiopia.

It also includes enhancing one-window services. It’s with this spectrum that it’s important to upgrade the services delivered by the government to citizens, to institutions, and to other governments. She noted that the portal services.gov.et since its establishment has been visited by more than 2.2 million people.

Frehiwot Tamiru, CEO of Ethio-Telecom, on her part, in her elaborated remarks, mentioned that the whole aim is to improve the lives of our citizens. She underlined that in our era, technology is not a luxury but a necessity. 2014 E.C. has demonstrated a number of challenges, yet it’s been a year of excelling achievements. These efforts and accomplishments are within the trajectory of realizing a digital economy and a digital Ethiopia, she said.

Ambassador Siraj Rashid, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Affairs, stated that the Ministry, through its missions abroad, provides services to the diplomatic community, visitors, and the Ethiopian community abroad, and has recently been engaged in continually advancing its service delivery.

We believe digitalizing services helps realize fast and transparent services. Yet, he noted, among other benefits, online services and payment platforms reduce third-party intervention and save time and resources.

In his concluding remarks, Belete Molla, Minister of Science and Technology, stated that strengthened institutions build advanced government services and it’s vital to be engaged in enhancing institutions.

The Ministry of Technology and Innovation has a five-year plan and a government growth and development plan, and the agreement signed today falls within the implementation of those plans.