There are very big demands by both local and foreign investors to operate in the industrial parks constructed across the country, according to the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC).

There are eleven industrial parks and one free trade zone the corporation manages; and some ten local companies with over 8.2 billion Birr capital have signed agreements that allow them to operate in the parks.

IPDC Marketing and Communication Head, Zemen Junedin told ENA on the sidelines of the recent investment forum held in Addis Ababa that such forums are useful in promoting investment.

According to him, the corporation has been promoting the potential of the country by taking part in international exhibitions and bazaars.

In addition, "we have done a major service delivery reform and any foreign or domestic investor can get information without conditions and also support of experts," he added.

The head further stated that companies are given high level of support and monitoring even after they entered investment.

Zemen said that industrial parks in war-torn areas are making very promising progress and cited Kombolcha as an example. There is now high demand and investment in the pipeline to enter Kombolcha Park, he added.

Regarding Mekelle Industrial Park, a technical committee has been established to evaluate and make it operational.

In view of Ethiopia's potential in relation to agro-processing, the marketing head pointed out that there are parks like Jimma Industrial Park which focuses on the sector.

The location of the industrial park is convenient for fruits and vegetables, especially avocado and coffee, so investors are interested to invest in the park.

Jimma Industrial Park has started producing avocado oil, he noted, adding that this has created a market linkage for more than 15,000 farmers in city and its surroundings.

He further noted that Ethiopia's parks are very modern and competitive industrial parks of international standards that offer good opportunity to both local and foreign investors.

In Ethiopia, industrial park have been established with the vision to make the country a leading manufacturing hub, and the government places high focus on industrial parks development and expansion.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency