Minister of Trade and Industry Birru Girma of Ethiopia

Girma said coffee was the largest contributor to the gains so far, earning $251.

peaking at the opening of a conference of African Chambers of Commerce here on Tuesday, Girma said relations between the government and the private sector should be supported by standard rules.

During his talks with visiting Slovakia's State Secretary of Economic Cooperation Eva Simkova at the National Palace, Girma said the efforts of the Slovak company Matador-Addis Tire to raise its products should be backed by an investment on rubber tree plantation, which is the raw material for making tire.

Girma said the government has continued subsidizing the cost of fuel to reduce the economic impact on the low-income people.

Girma said his ministry will take necessary measures on those who try to get undue benefit from the price rise.

Girma said Ethiopia has enjoyed 25 percent growth in its mainly agriculture exports annually over the past four years, while imports rose by 15-17 percent a year in the same period.

Girma said investors pay less than $20 per hectare per year in rural areas and $1 per square metre in urban centres.

Girma said Ethiopia's response was being finalised and would be sent in the next two months.

Girma said any future WTO membership was unlikely to have a major impact on Ethiopia's access to global markets.

1)The ethiopian 25% growth of agricalture export over past over 4 years.

Girma has been a member of the House of Peoples' Representatives following his victory in the May 2000 general elections in Becho constituency, West Shoa, Oromiya.

Girma was elected to the Chamber of Deputies representing the Lideta and Keraniyo districts in Addis Ababa.

Girma had endeavoured for Ethiopia's membership in the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and was later voted to be the vice president of the 52nd assembly of the union.

Girma had also served as board member of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce.

Girma is most known as environmental activist as he founded Lem Ethiopia, an environmental protection society, in which he is vice president of the board currently.

Speaking after his election, President Girma said the peaceful transfer of power heralds the ever-strengthening of the democratic order that has prevailed in the country.

in areas where the Awash River spills over during the rainy season.

Girma said Ethiopia had access to nine ports but Djibouti was the best.

Girma was re-elected as President on October 9 2007.

Girma is an economist and a bureaucrat who served under the previous Ethiopian regime, the Derg, at a ministerial position.

assistance for road building projects.

Girma says "Since 1992, we were able to install our economic reform program with the assistance of the World Bank and IMF.