Welcome to Addis Fortune's digest on substantial developments impacting Ethiopia’s business and economic spheres. The Ethiopian khat industry is in crisis owing to illegal checkpoints and excessive taxation hurting farmers and exporters while the government is overhauling its pharmaceutical procurement system, transferring administration to the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service and aiming to increase local manufacturers' share of procurement. Meanwhile, the Central Bank’s financial stability report identified significant vulnerabilities within the banking sector, including high credit and deposit concentration, alongside liquidity risks. On a more positive note, the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) has received operational licenses and will soon launch a real-time trading platform. Finally, Abyssinia Bank, despite strong asset growth, is facing declining profitability for the second consecutive year due to rising operational costs.