ADDIS ABABA -The government of Ethiopia should consider opening the media industry for foreign investors, said the Ethiopian Investment Commissioner.
“The media is also an investment area not only Ethiopia but also in the world. So, we need to look at it. We are currently renovating our investment legislation to rise in all sectors. One area we need to look at is media, so should we for instance consider the private media as an area of investment for foreigners as well,” said Abebe Abebayehu, Commissioner of Ethiopian Investment Commission.
“Currently we all know that it is closed for foreigners in share and alone. That is something we should look at media foreign investment. We will be happy to have the voices and consultations with the private media concerning what role foreign investors in the media may have great stimulation power in the Ethiopian economy,” he said.
He made the remark on briefing foreign and local journalists gathered to celebrate the World press Freedom Day in Addis Ababa at the African Union Commission headquarters. That is one bright future to the media and journalists to invest their passion and mind for peace.
Currently in Ethiopia the ruling party, federal and states governments are the major players in the media industry of the country along with over a dozen emerging satellite private TV stations, online media and FM radios as well as around 20 religious TV stations, mainly Christian channels while the private printing media outlets are very small and limited to Addis Ababa.
Print media should widespread like other media to the national states in the countries.
For long Ethiopia has been known for closing its doors for foreign investors on selected areas including banking, insurance, telecom, transportation, logistics and retail businesses, among others he added.
Meanwhile following the coming to power of the reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed one year ago, the country has been undertaking massive economic and political reforms in unthinkable manners.
The reform includes partial privatization of Ethio-Telecom, Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Shipping Lines, Ethiopian Electric and railways among others in the country. It also includes fully liberalization of these sectors he articulated.
The Ethiopian Herald May 7/2019
BY MUSSA MUHAMMED
