ADDIS ABABA – The Chinese company, Huajian, signed a memorandum of Understanding on Thursday to administer and operate all nine coffee processing shades available in Jimma Industrial Park (JIP), according to the Ethiopian Investment Commission.
The agreement is signed by Lelise Neme, Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Industrial Parks Corporation and Hua Rong Zhang, President of the Huajian Company.
Briefing journalists, Investment Commissioner Abebe Abebayehu said “Huajian Group will develop about 9 shades to produce shoe, apparel and other products.
The company also plans to develop about 40 hectare of land to build coffee processing companies worth of 100 million USD.
Huajian President Hua Rong Zhang said his Company will also focus on coffee processing and export to the global market. “Our presence in this country gives us lots of opportunities to contribute to Ethiopia’s development as well as for the Chinese government.”
According to Zhang, the company has also planned to build vocational training center to train the local youths engaging in the industrial parks. The training will further enhance employees to be equipped professionally and is important for the development and productivity of the industry, he added.
“Huajian group invests in Ethiopia for almost seven years and generates over 8,000 job opportunities for local citizens, Zhang noted adding that, when the company is fully operational in the park, it will create job opportunities for over 12,000 citizens.”
Zhang said, “We are very confident of our investment in Jimma and the company will serve the local market by producing, apparel, shoes, construction materials, furniture and other products that the local market demands.”
Industrial Parks Development Corporation CEO, Lelise Neme said for her part that the company is expected to create direct and indirect job opportunities for 12,000 to 15,000 people.
Since Jimma has strategic location to boost Ethiopia’s major natural resources, particularly Ethiopia’s coffee export, the Park would surely benefit the local community in particular, and augmenting Ethiopia’s economy in general, Lelise said.
It was learned that the Huajian Group has been investing in Ethiopia since 2011, and the investment capital has reached 100 million USD, created jobs for about 8,000 people so far.
The Ethiopian Herald June 1/2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
