- Topan Gravity Company lays cornerstone to produce security documents
ADDIS ABABA – The production of high-security documents in the country would fill the gaps seen not only as a country, but as African continent, said Finance Ministry.
Ahmed Shide and other senior officials laid a cornerstone for Topan Gravity Company on Wednesday to produce high-security documents such as passports, national ID cards, ATM cards, and Master Card products and similar products with embedded microchips at Bole Lemi Industrial Park.
Speaking at the occasion, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide stated that the production of printing products with important security certification in our country covers the gap seen not only in Ethiopia, but also in the continent. It is expected to create job opportunities for citizens and help address the recent shortage of passports in the country.
It will also contribute to realize digital transformation agenda by providing advanced secure document printing capabilities. The company will play an important role in the development of the growing development of publication, packaging and the application of digital processes, he said.
The Topan Gravity Company will greatly contribute to accelerate the progress that the country has been achieving in the economic sector and digitalization, he added.
For his part, Industrial Parks Development Corporation CEO Akililu Tadesse said that the project would make a very important investment a reality for the whole of Africa beyond Ethiopia. “This printing sector investment will fill the huge gap in the sector by producing passports, Digital ID and other MasterCard’s and confidential documents, also making the market of other African countries accessible.”
Furthermore, it would enable to earn a lot of foreign currency by avoiding the huge amount of foreign currency that we have to spend for the sector.
The corporation will continue to strengthen the multifaceted support that it has been doing for the investment success, he said.
Topan Gravity Ethiopia Plc, a joint venture project between Japanese and Ethiopian partners has the capacity to produce 5.6 million passports and 28 million different digital cards per year, it was learnt.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 10 MAY 2024
