Ethiopia and India have a longstanding economic relationship that spans several decades. The bilateral ties between the two countries have been characterized by trade, investment, and development cooperation. India has been one of the major trading partners of Ethiopia, with bilateral trade steadily growing over the years. The trade relationship is diversified, encompassing various sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and agricultural products.
Indian companies have made substantial investments in Ethiopia, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and renewable energy. Apart from this, India has been providing the “India Africa ICT Expo” for the past nine years. The expo has tremendous significance for Africa, Particularly, Ethiopia also for India.
The India Africa ICT Expo made its debut in Kenya in 2015 and was hosted by the country for two consecutive years. Following that, Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana took the opportunity to host the expo for the last consecutive six years. Ethiopia seized the opportunity to host the 9th India Africa ICT Expo which took place in Addis Ababa for the past couple of days.
Such events undoubtedly bring significant value to the hosting nation. It is undeniable that India holds a position as one of the global superpowers. Over the past decades, the country has consistently achieved substantial economic growth and has emerged as one of the leading providers of telecom services and equipment.
The wealth of knowledge and experience that India possesses in this field is certainly worth sharing with nations like Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. India has been actively engaged in sharing its expertise and culture in the realm of Information Communications and Technology with Africa for the past nine years.
Indeed, Ethiopia and India share a longstanding and historic partnership that dates back several decades. The two nations have been working in many sectors and share their experiences. There are plenty of things that Ethiopia can learn from India including the ICT sector. To this end, the objective of organizing the ICT expo is to facilitate companies from India, to Ethiopia and other African countries to meet and discuss strengthening their relation in business.
It will build and solidify partnerships between India, Ethiopia and other African countries in ICT and related sectors. The primary objective of the event is to expand and share India’s extensive experience in the field of ICT with Ethiopia and other nations across Africa.
In her opening remarks, State Minister of Information Communication Technology, Huria Ali, elucidated the deep historical relationship between Ethiopia and India. She also highlighted India’s support for startups in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the decision made by Ethiopia to privatize the telecom sector has created opportunities for private companies to offer ICT services.
Huria further emphasized the significance of such events in achieving Ethiopia’s objective of realizing a digital Ethiopia by 2025. This digital transformation will facilitate the creation of new employment opportunities, foster an inclusive economy, and generate foreign currency. Huria acknowledged that India possesses a robust digital ecosystem and stressed the importance of learning from and sharing India’s experiences in the realm of the digital economy.
Huria elaborated, digital literacy is the crucial point to get the benefits of the digital world so that the ministry created a platform to teach and train the digital world to Ethiopians. In collaboration with the National Bank of Ethiopia, the ministry is also financing projects and providing training for young Ethiopians, she added.
India can share its vast experience with Ethiopia in E-governance and transform government services including e-school and other educational resources, health services and e-commerce markets, Inclusive digital economy that benefits all segments of the community, Huria noted.
“The expo is the right way to share experience from Indians and Ethiopians should also start producing their own. It is also an opportunity for Ethiopian companies to show themselves to Indian and African companies,” Huria said.
“The expo provides an excellent platform for exchanging experiences between Indians and Ethiopians. It is crucial for Ethiopia to also focus on developing its capabilities in the ICT sector. Additionally, this event offers Ethiopian companies a valuable opportunity to showcase their capabilities to Indian and African counterparts,” stated Huria.
Mentioning that the telecommunication and technology sector is the major enabler for the economic growth in the world including India, TEPC’s Director General, Arun Gupta also accentuated that India has all the ingredients in the global computing and telecom industry and the second largest domestic market. Indian manufacturers have already had a significant impact in exporting telecom products.
Mesenbet Shenkute, President of AACCSA, for her part, said that India holds a prominent position in the world when it comes to technology and the development of military equipment. As to her, many African nations have established connections with India and have reaped the benefits of such partnerships.
“We have a lot to learn from India as many young Ethiopians started to get involved in the technology sector. In this particular event, we expect Ethiopians to start creating connections and build joint ventures coupled with knowledge transformation,” she mentioned.
Mesenbet emphasized that Ethiopia’s vision of transitioning from an agrarian economy to a digital economy relies heavily on the ICT sector. The expo provides a platform for Indian and African companies to showcase their ICT products and services. It can foster business collaborations, partnerships, and trade linkages between the two regions. Increased trade can lead to economic growth, job creation, and revenue generation for participating companies.
Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, of Telecommunications Consultants India Limited, said that the relationship between India and Africa is not new; rather it is getting better and better. He also elaborated on the major advantages of using ICT to uplift the lifestyle of the people including easing service delivery.
Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Telecommunications Consultants India Limited, highlighted that the relationship between India and Africa is not only longstanding but also continuously improving. He further elaborated on the significant benefits of leveraging ICT to enhance the quality of life for individuals, including facilitating service delivery.
The expo can further attract investments from Indian companies looking to expand their operations in African markets. It can also attract African businesses seeking partnerships and investments from their Indian counterparts. Such investments can stimulate economic development, infrastructure improvement, and technology transfer in African countries.
Sharing the aforementioned idea, Balcha Reba, Director General of the Ethiopian Communications Authority, emphasized that the expo will facilitate companies from India and across Africa to discuss business. He noted that India possesses the largest telecom network globally and acknowledged Ethiopia’s efforts in creating a conducive environment to embrace the latest advancements in ICT.
Moreover, the expo facilitates the exchange of technological expertise and know-how between India and Africa. Indian companies can share their advancements in ICT infrastructure, software development, and digital solutions, which can support the development of local capabilities in African countries. This technology transfer can enhance productivity, efficiency, and innovation in various sectors.
Robert Shetkintong, the Ambassador of India in Ethiopia, emphasized the robust partnership between Ethiopia and India, particularly in the ICT sector. While Ethiopia boasts a sizable market, there has been limited interaction between Indian companies and their Ethiopian counterparts. This expo presents an opportunity to bridge this gap and foster stronger connections between the two nations.
The ambassador highlighted the presence of Indian companies and citizens already working in the sector, emphasizing that there will be mutual benefits from increased collaboration. The Indian embassy is actively engaged in facilitating existing Indian companies and attracting new investments from Indian companies to Ethiopia. The ambassador also mentioned the major Indian companies currently operating in Ethiopia, further underscoring the existing economic ties.
The ambassador elucidated, “These Indian factories have been working in various industrial parks around the nation. They have employed more than 75 thousand Ethiopians. Those Indian companies own gigantic projects in Ethiopia. Indian company owns the biggest banana farm, privately owned sugar factory, and the biggest meat processing plant in Ethiopia.”
Ethiopia’s economic benefits extend beyond the ICT sector, as it continues to attract investors across various industries. The ambassador emphasized that this expo will provide a valuable opportunity to expand commercial and business partnerships between Ethiopia and India.
To sum up, India Africa ICT Expo 2023 can bring several economic advantages for both India and African countries. It is important to note that the actual economic advantages will depend on the level of participation, engagement, and follow-up actions by the stakeholders involved. The expo serves as a catalyst, and the realization of economic benefits will depend on the subsequent actions and collaborations that take place beyond the event itself.
BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 11 AUGUST 2023
