Different local and international investors acclaim the potential of a given country or city as a preferred investment destination citing the availability of suitable investment incentives, leaders’ commitment, and public engagement.
Regarding this, the commitment of the leaders is highly appreciated and took the lions to share in coordinating and strengthening the public, private partnership which pave ways to induce the sense of ownership towards developing Debre Berhan- the city found traveling 120kms in the northeast of Addis is exemplary when compared with other Ethiopian cities.
Primarily, leaders sat together and set objectives to change the city towards brightness as its name indicates. The plan seemed to have been accomplished, the city is attracting more investors year after year and becoming the leading investment destinations in the country.
Debre Berhan is also a home for the Debre Berhan Industrial Park which was built on a total area of 1,100 hectares having eight production sheds.
The Industrial Park was inaugurated last February by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Uhuru Kenyatta, together with the then Amhara State President Gedu Andargachew.
Thus, the industrial park is a plus for the town flourishing in various investment projects. The projects have already created more than 13,000 temporary and permanent jobs during the construction phase and expected to foster even beyond following the entrance of local and international investors into the park.
For this, the city administration is doing its level best through availing free industrial clusters in different parts of the city.
City Industry and Investment Bureau Head, Berhan Gebrehiwot said that Debre Berhan is among the leading cities where investment activities are booming rapidly and attracting more investors in Ethiopia.
The coordinated efforts of the city administration, youths and the community enabled the city to ensure lasting peace and granted investors to invest and facilitate their business without much difficulty.
The city government has conducted research and identified 74 potential investment areas. These include agro-processing, dairy processing among others. Besides, enabling conditions has also been created for those who engaged in home and office furniture (MDF) selling.
Despite the fact that the area has untapped potential resources of silica sand raw materials for the production of natural minerals, the huge brewery factories in the city are still importing bottles and glass from abroad.
In connection with this, plans are being set to facilitate conditions for investors aspiring to produce a close enough beer bar and bottles. There is also a plan to build a malt factory.
The city is also working with Debre Berhan University, existing industries to support industrial extension and thereby reduce the gap in skilled labor. In order to produce technically equipped human resources, TVET institutions are also providing education and training considering the skill gap into account.
According to Berhan, the ever-growing investment activities in the city can be taken as a prime factor for maintaining peace. City dwellers have been performing enormous tasks by promoting and supporting peace building efforts.
In addition, the city government has also been improving service delivery- this is a driving force that encourages investors to make projects operational at the framed schedule.
It is also said that the city is able to manage bureaucracy in relation to land selection and provision as the Investment and Industry Bureau of the city has already reserved areas for investors aspired to involve in agro-processing, textile, wood and metal processing, and others.
The proximity to the capital city makes Debre Berhan an ideal place for domestic trade and export. As a result, investors in Addis are also interested to build an additional factory.
By developing a system of land acquisition, the Bureau was able to respond to land inquires within two to three days. In doing so, the Bureau has now fulfilled the requirements of the investor abating malpractices observed over the past years.
Accordingly, more than 2,500 hectares of land is currently being reserved for industry expansion.
In the just-concluded fiscal year, the office has issued investment licenses for more than 130 investors. Of which, more than 86 investors have taken land allotted for them. The city has registered over 29 billion Birr investment capital with over 461 investment activities, including 250 in industry, 197 in the service sector and eight in agriculture.
During completion, all projects will create employment opportunities for more than 50,000 citizens, he said. More than 140 investors are expected to come to the city this budget year, and over 60 projects have been operational within the last three months alone.
What is more, infrastructure development such as water, telecom, and power are being carried out considering the flow of investments.
Debre Berhan is a city that has shown rapid progress, Shimeles Tibebu, North Shoa Zone Industry and Investment Head said. This is one reason why the townees are standing for the assurance of lasting peace. Receiving the advice of elders, the youth in the town raise their inquiries peacefully instead of expressing their grievances with violence and destruction.
Besides creating coordination with the relevant bodies at Regional State and other administrative levels, the investment committee has also resolved problems by meeting at fortnight.
The official added that due to the instability created in some parts of the country, the city has surpassed expectations in 2011. It was planned to issue investment licenses to 232 investors in this fiscal year, 89 percent of it is achieved over the last three months. And the figure implies how the city is suitable for investment.
The capital projects that worth over 11 billion birr are expected to create more than 30,000 jobs. Of the total projects, the industry sector covers more than 75 percent.
More than 9 million birr is needed to address the shortage of electricity which requires collaboration of state and federal governments, and active engagement of investors.
The Ethiopian Herald January 2 /2020
BY TEWODROS KASSA
