Sudanese, Ethiopian leaders visit Chinese-built industrial parks

By:XINHUA

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Chairman of the Sovereign Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Sunday visited the Adama Industrial Park as well as the Eastern Industrial Zone.

According to the Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, the two leaders during their visit inside the Adamad Industrial Park reviewed the production processes of COVID-19 protective masks.

The two leaders, during their visit of the Eastern Industrial Zone on the outskirts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, also observed the production of medicine and oxygen at a Chinese pharmaceutical plant inside the premises of the Eastern Industrial Zone.

The East African country inaugurated the Adama Industrial Park, located 74 km southeast of Ethiopia’s capital, back in October 2018.

The industrial park, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), is part of the Ethiopian government’s grand plan to transform the country’s largely agrarian economy into an industrialized one by 2025.

Covering 100 hectares of land and built at a cost of around 146 million U.S. dollars, Adama industrial park is expected to create job opportunities for around 25,000 Ethiopians.

The industrial park, designed and built with international standards, has integrated facilities including clinics, fire services, a market center, a bank, cafes, and exhibition facilities.

Emphasizing the Adama industrial park’s strategic location, Ahmed said during the inaguration of the park that its proximity to the Chinese-built 756 km Ethiopia-Djibouti electrified rail line and the 99 km Addis-Adama toll expressway will ensure that the industrial park will be a successful addition to the country’s manufacturing ambitions.

The Eastern Industrial Zone is Ethiopia’s first industry park, which inspired Ethiopia to enage in widespread construction of industrial parks across the country towards becoming the light manufacturing hub of Africa in the near future.