Ethiopia's first free trade zone fully operational

DDIS ABAB:The Ethiopian Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) on Tuesday announced that the Dire Dawa Free Trade Zone, the country's first free trade zone, has become fully operational.

The free trade zone will boost the East African country's capabilities in attracting international companies engaged in various manufacturing industries, the IPDC said in a statement issued Tuesday, quoting Fisseha Yitagesu, chief executive officer of the IPDC, as saying.

Noting that concerned Ethiopian government stakeholders have been exerting joint efforts to bring the Dire Dawa Free Trade Zone to operate at its full capacity, Yitagesu reaffirmed the Ethiopian government's strong commitment to supporting investors and facilitating their engagements inside the free trade zone.

Inaugurated in August 2022, the Dire Dawa Free Trade Zone is Ethiopia's first free trade zone, located some 445 km east of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The free trade zone is situated close to ports in Djibouti, enjoying better market potential and suitability for multimodal transport and logistics operations.

The free trade zone comprises the Dire Dawa Industrial Park, which was built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, a dry port and an Ethiopia-Djibouti railway station, with access to an international airport nearby.

Last month, the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR) announced the successful connection of the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway line to the Dire Dawa Free Trade Zone.

According to EDR chief executive officer Takele Uma, linking the free trade zone with the railway infrastructure is expected to enhance trade and commerce in the region.

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