Ethio telecom is the first major enterprise to be put on the table and the process is now in its final stages. Ethio telecom recently cut prices but they are still above an affordable threshold (Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development). Ethio telecom’s critical infrastructures are currently the preserve of Chinese companies, ZTE and Huawei, but the protection of Ethio telecom as a strategic asset cannot be provided solely by maintaining a state monopoly on telecom services. Partial privatization of Ethio telecom will bring substantial opportunities for Ethiopia if supported by appropriate processes and public trust. The government decision to proceed with the partial privatization of Ethio telecom is therefore correct and timely.

Source: Ethiopian News August 31, 2020 06:11 UTC