Visit to Ethiopia by Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) to Ethiopian Employers’ Federation (EEF), 19-21January 2012

EEF and NHO delegation

The cooperation between the two sister organisations was initiated in 2011, when delegations from NHO visited Ethiopia, and a delegation from EEF visited Norway.

The project is now progressing from idea to action. Budgets for 2012 are approved. NHO has appointed a project manager, who participated in an introductory visit in Addis Ababa 19-21 January 2012. Mr Kjell I Grue, former chairperson of the steering committee of NHO’s Secretariat for private sector development (PSD) and Mr Tor Petter Gulbrandsen, the new Programme Director, NHO’s Secretariat for PSD attended a number of very informative and useful meetings, that also provided good insight about the country and the EEF organisation.

In the meetings the parties also discussed the assumptions of the detailed Project Plan for 2012, the general requirements for on-going measurement and reporting, and the specific proposed actions. This will be further formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding, expected to be signed in a meeting planned for later February.
The NHO delegation also met with the Norwegian ambassador, Mr Odd-Inge Kvalheim, and the CEO of NORAD, Ms Villa Kulild who was also visiting Ethiopia at the same time. Both NORAD and the embassy expressed their appreciation of the project and its approach.
 

The Ethiopian hosts had set up an impressive cultural and social programme, including visits to the National Museum, the University and the zoo. The NHO delegates also had the privilege of taking part in the remarkable Timket (Epiphany) celebration, which is the biggest event of the year for the Christian Orthodox church of Ethiopia