Ethiopia ’s new drive in establishing a digital economy has taken a giant step forward with the adoption of the new draft Proclamation on E-transaction last Saturday. When approved by Parliament, the Proclamation will create a thorough regulatory platform for the use of electronic means in all transaction procedures.
Tuned in the context of the growing need for the utilization of information and communication technology across all spheres of communication, the law will for the first time establish a clear legal foundation for governmental and private institutions to offer digital services – i.e., the provision of e-commerce and e-government services and the interchange and storage of data through the use of electronic transactions, electronic records, signatures and electronic data-messages.
A crucial step in building a modern economy towards a prosperous Ethiopia, the law will basically serve as a digital medium for all existing legal frameworks on trade, taxation, recognition of documents, signature seal, witnesses, digital payments, consumer protection, and data integrity – without amending their substance.
