I wish you a Joyful and Prosperous New Year. First of all it is with great pleasure and privilege that I forward the New Year message from the Chairman and Owner of our Companies Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi to all employees and their family members on the occasion of the 1997 Ethiopian New Year. The Chairman has extended his New Year Holiday wish of good health, prosperity, peace and happiness to our employees and their families.

I would also like to respectfully express my appreciation to the Chairman and his brothers/family for their generosity for the special holiday payments.

When the New Year replaces the old, the clouds disappear thereby making it easy to see the blue sky. New Year encourages the initiation of new plans & objectives. While, plans & objectives are necessary as a process, they need to be followed by concrete action with the goal of achieving results. To achieve this, it requires every one's effort and resilience.

Our last year performance was very good and encouraging. We have mostly achieved the results that we set out to get. However, since development is dynamic and essential for the growth of our company, it is essential that we continue working as team player for the good of all and the stakeholders.

I wish us all a wonderful and fruitful year. May God bless Ethiopia, our Chairman and his family, all employees & family members. Have a Happy New Year.