NAIROBI - Ethiopia's government is selling a 45% stake in its Ethio Telecom monopoly, an adviser to the state minister of finance said, as it presses ahead with the sale and the liberalisation of the sector despite an armed conflict in the north of the country.

"It is 40% to all interested bidders and 5% will be dedicated to Ethiopians. The 55% will remain with the government of Ethiopia," Brook Taye, senior adviser at the ministry of finance, told Reuters.

(Reporting by Duncan Miriri; editing by Jason Neely) ((duncan.miriri@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +254 20 4991239; Reuters Messaging: duncan.miriri.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))