China built industrial park in Ethiopia to attract eco friendly investment

Chinese built Hawassa Industrial Park to be Ethiopia’s blue print for Green Economic Zones as it is designed and constructed in an environment-friendly principles, the park applies the latest cutting edge technology to treat and recycle about 90 percent of its water usage, it will be model for other similar industrial park projects throughout the country.

The east African country further hoped that the Hawassa Industrial park, once fully operation which is expected as of next week would help its aspiration and commitment to build green economy.

The Hawassa Industrial Park to be the first Sustainable Textile and Apparel industrial park in Africa with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities.
Development of sustainable, world class, specialized export-driven industrial parks is a major target of Ethiopia’s vision towards economic development, according to Arkebe Oqubay, Special Advisor to the Ethiopian Prime Minster.

Oqubay told reporters on Friday that Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth can only be sustained through the realization of a structural transformation, which requires creating a robust and competitive industrial base.

According to Oqubay, the Hawassa industrial park would be considered as a model for other industrial parks under construction in the east African country, in which efforts will be exerted to implement the Zero-Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology to promote environmental protection.

The Ethiopian government has planned to construct 10 industrial parks across the country aiming to enhance job opportunities, earn revenue and promote technology transfer, said Sisay Gemechu, Ethiopia’s Industrial Parks Development Corporation CEO.

After the Hawassa industrial park, the government has further embarked on the development of similar parks in Kombolcha, Mekele, Kilinto, Bole Lemmi II, Dire Dawa and Adama among others, of which Mekele and Kombolcha industrial parks will be inaugurated soon.

The Hawassa Industrial Park built by China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC) was completed in a record time of nine months.