(Left) Lelise Neme, head of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Gebremesqel Challa, minister of Trade & Integration, Aklilu Tadesse, CEO of the Industrial Park Development Corporation. Several stakeholders gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel last week to discuss the creation of an enabling environment in the manufacturing sector. Exports from industrial parks fell by 24pc last year while Ethiopia’s merchandise exports also tumbled in double digits. Lack of access to finance, foreign currency shortages and political instability contribute to the panoply of issues the manufacturing sector faces.
