ADDIS ABABA – The Amhara State’s Mineral Resources Development Bureau has saved more than 113 million USD over the past ten months by replacing imported minerals with locally sourced materials, said Zinabu Abebe, the Bureau’s Communication Director.
Speaking to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), Zinabu stated that the Bureau’s import substitution strategy involved the replacement of 1.43 million tons of mineral products, including industrial inputs, with domestic alternatives. This effort generated savings of 113,117,736 USD, of which industrial minerals alone accounted for 52.7 million USD.
In addition to reducing dependency on imports, the Bureau also earned over 9 million USD from mineral exports during the same period. A total of 8,770 kilograms of minerals were exported, marking a 44.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
Gold led the way in export earnings, contributing 64.7% of total revenue. The Bureau exceeded its initial target of supplying 45 kilograms of gold to the National Bank of Ethiopia by delivering 75.9 kilograms, which generated 5.84 million USD.
Zinabu further reported that the Bureau collected an additional 1.22 million USD from royalties, land leases, and related services—surpassing its ten-month revenue plan and achieving 84.7% of its annual target. This figure represents a 34.3% increase over the same period last year.
He attributed the Bureau’s robust performance to a combination of disciplined internal management, strong coordination with stakeholders, and continuous performance monitoring.
The achievements underscore the growing role of the mining sector in supporting regional economic development and national self-reliance through import substitution and foreign currency generation.
BY FANTANESH KINDIE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 2025
