ETHIOPIA'S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS PROPOSED A 35.4 BILLION BIRR ($4.1 BILLION) 2006/07 BUDGET IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA'S SECOND MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY, STATE-RUN MEDIA SAID ON WEDNESDAY. "THE BIRR 35,444,658,999 BUDGET AIMS AT ACCELERATING THE SECOND FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH AIMS AT ENDING POVERTY AND ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT," THE STATE-RUN ETHIOPIAN NEWS AGENCY SAID. ETHIOPIA IS RANKED THE SEVENTH POOREST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. ITS BUDGET FOR 2005/06 WAS 30 BILLION BIRR. ETHIOPIA'S FISCAL YEAR BEGINS IN JULY, REUTERS REPORTED.
