The Council of Ministers, during its 55th regular meeting, passed a series of significant decisions headlined by the immediate implementation of a new national policy to combat gender-based violence and provide essential support for vulnerable women. Beyond this landmark social initiative, the Council tackled a wide-reaching agenda of economic and legislative reforms. These include the approval of a new energy policy to ensure affordable and sustainable power and a new trade policy aimed at diversifying exports beyond agricultural commodities to increase national competitiveness.
The session further advanced critical legal frameworks by referring several draft proclamations to the House of People's Representatives. These proposals cover the modernization of tax administration, the transition toward business-led agriculture, the establishment of a formal carbon market to drive green investment, and a new statistics proclamation to align national data with international professional standards. Additionally, the Council submitted drafts for a new insurance law to protect consumer interests and a food and nutrition proclamation designed to address the national economic and health burdens of malnutrition.
On the administrative and fiscal front, the Council unanimously approved regulations to reorganize the Petroleum and Energy Authority, enhance beneficial ownership transparency to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, and implement a new block-grant budget system for autonomous universities to foster financial self-sufficiency. Finally, the Council approved and forwarded for parliamentary consideration vital loan agreements, including $46.3 million for pastoralist livelihood improvements and 146.1 million SDR for the sixth phase of the national development safety net program.