by Ahmed El-Mahdi
The director of the Egyptian Industrial Zone in Ethiopia, Alaa al-Saqti, has called for a detailed plan to be drawn up of the industrial city so as to make best use of the available area. He added that he would send a memo to this effect to Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab within the coming few days.
No real steps have been taken to make use of the land since it was allocated four years ago, when the Ethiopian government earmarked a million square metres under a usufruct agreement at a value of 50 piastres for 99 years. The Ethiopian government pledged to provide the land with utilities based on an industrial map for projects to be implemented on this area, Saqti said, asserting that no positive steps had yet been taken.
“I have contacted all the bodies concerned,” he said, referring to the Industrial Development Authority, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture. “But no real positive steps have been taken to benefit from this area and enhance Egypt’s presence on the African market, despite the serious moves taken when Dr Mahmoud al-Garf was head of the Industrial Development Authority.
“I have contacted the Head of the Federation of Egyptian Industries several times. The last time was a year ago when I sent them a photocopy of the agreement, but no reply has been sent so far despite the fact that the city needs various sectors, such as engineering, foodstuffs and chemical industries. The Ethiopian market is in dire need of various products which makes it, in fact, a large opportunity for Egyptian factories,” he stressed.
