Ethiopia earns 38 mln USD in export revenues from its flagship Chinese-built Hawassa industrial park

 Ethiopia has earned 38 million U.S. dollars in export revenues from its flagship Chinese-built Hawassa industrial park in the last two years, an Ethiopian official said on Wednesday.

Built by China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC), the Hawassa industrial park located in Ethiopia’s southern regional state, was initially completed in a record time of nine months back in July 2016.

CCECC has also constructed and commissioned Kombolocha and Adama industrial parks, while it has completed 70 percent of construction work for Bahir Dar industrial park.

Speaking to media, Mekonen Hailu, Public Relations Director of Ethiopia Investment Commission (EIC), said the 38 million U.S. dollars export revenue was earned from textile goods produced by 20 local and foreign firms located inside Hawassa industrial park.

Hailu further said Hawassa industrial park has created job opportunities for 23,000 Ethiopians, who are also receiving practical skills training to build their capacities.

Ethiopia hopes to build and commission 30 industrial parks by 2025, as part of its efforts to make the country a light manufacturing hub and lower-middle income economy in the same period.

SOURCE:XINHUA