ADDIS ABABA – Dire Dawa City Administration has certified over 404 new local investment projects in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, exceeding its annual target, according to the Dire Dawa Investment Bureau.
Speaking to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), the Bureau Research and Promotion Team Leader Abera Mengistu stated that the newly approved investments—collectively valued at over 30 billion birr—span the manufacturing, construction, service, and agriculture sectors.
“About 105 of the projects are in manufacturing, 187 in services, with the remainder in construction and agriculture,” Abera noted. “Dire Dawa is steadily emerging as a hub for manufacturing.”
He attributed the rise in investment to improved public-private partnerships and streamlined administrative procedures. “We have worked to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, making it significantly easier for investors to process and launch their projects.”
The city is also offering incentives to members of the Diaspora originally from Dire Dawa, encouraging their active participation in the local economy.
Abera added that the city’s cultural diversity is playing a vital role in attracting local investors, contributing to growing investor confidence and positioning Dire Dawa as a promising regional industrial center.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 4 MAY 2025
