BY BETELHEM BEDLU
ADDIS ABABA- Following the restoration of peace into the area, Mekelle Industry Park set to resume operation soon, the Industrial Parks Development Cooperation (IPDC) said, mentioning the meticulous activities different stakeholders have made to this end.
The IPDC’s CEO Fistum Ketema told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the federal and state actors have made consolidated efforts to enable the park, which halted operation due to the past conflict, to resume service.
The corporation has made extensive assessments to identify factors that hinder the parks’ resumption of service and held dialogues with investors to encourage them to go back to business. Following the discussions, the investors have expressed readiness to recommence operation and appreciated the attention given to them by the government.
Similarly, all inclusive discussions were conducted with Tigray State Interim Administration officials at different level to seek ways to the speedy restoration of services in the industry park. The assessment conducted by the corporation has revealed that the park and its facilities have not been damaged by the conflict which simplifies the process to support investors to go back to business.
The CEO further noted that the resumption of service would enable to create a sizable number of jobs for the local youth, to generate forex, enhance knowledge and technology transfer as well as stimulate the conflict-impacted economy. “The corporation has been putting utmost efforts to revert the park’s previous status in employment, income generation and economic benefits.”
Experts in the field stated that industrial parks development and expansion is not a single strategy to address the outstanding transformation of challenges. Rather, it is a multifaceted approach to make the country a leading manufacturing hub in Africa.
The IDPC was established to regulate the construction and administration of work, the parks have been located along key economic corridors and connected to ports by roads and electricity- powered railway lines with close proximity to high labor force pool.
The Ethiopian Herald 18 June 2023
