Ethiopia urges BD investors to tap larger African market
Friday, 25 December 2009
Munima Sultana
A high-profile Ethiopian business delegation has found a good example of public-private business dialogue in Bangladesh that is replicable in Ethiopia, and also recognised her ample opportunities to invest in their country.
They said Bangladesh's expertise in ready-made garments and agriculture sectors would help the east-central African country to be more competitive. Besides, investments in Ethiopia would pave the way to have access to a larger market in 22 African countries in future.
"Bangladesh could also get the benefits of duty and quota-free facilities that Ethiopia enjoys to the US and European market," said Eyessus W Zafu, president of Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (ECCSA) and the delegation leader.
The seven-member delegation of ECCSA is visiting the country to have a closer look at the dialogues being organised by the Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund (BICF), a project of International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the regional level.
The BICF has been holding dialogues in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barisal and Bogra during the last nine months to identify the problems in regional business environment and to find out solutions through active participation of public, private and civil society under its district public private dialogue programme.
The team leader said the dialogues between public and private sector here are vibrant and have inspired his delegation to start similar dialogues in their country through an institutional way.
Gashaw Debebe, secretary general of ECCSA, identified the cold storage and poultry farming as possible sectors for Bangladeshi investment in Ethiopia, and said private sector relationship between the two countries would be helpful to develop diplomatic relationship between the two governments.
During the five-day visit, the delegation is likely to sign a memorandum of understanding with Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to explore trade and business opportunities between the two countries.
A high-profile Ethiopian business delegation has found a good example of public-private business dialogue in Bangladesh that is replicable in Ethiopia, and also recognised her ample opportunities to invest in their country.
They said Bangladesh's expertise in ready-made garments and agriculture sectors would help the east-central African country to be more competitive. Besides, investments in Ethiopia would pave the way to have access to a larger market in 22 African countries in future.
"Bangladesh could also get the benefits of duty and quota-free facilities that Ethiopia enjoys to the US and European market," said Eyessus W Zafu, president of Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (ECCSA) and the delegation leader.
The seven-member delegation of ECCSA is visiting the country to have a closer look at the dialogues being organised by the Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund (BICF), a project of International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the regional level.
The BICF has been holding dialogues in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barisal and Bogra during the last nine months to identify the problems in regional business environment and to find out solutions through active participation of public, private and civil society under its district public private dialogue programme.
The team leader said the dialogues between public and private sector here are vibrant and have inspired his delegation to start similar dialogues in their country through an institutional way.
Gashaw Debebe, secretary general of ECCSA, identified the cold storage and poultry farming as possible sectors for Bangladeshi investment in Ethiopia, and said private sector relationship between the two countries would be helpful to develop diplomatic relationship between the two governments.
During the five-day visit, the delegation is likely to sign a memorandum of understanding with Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to explore trade and business opportunities between the two countries.