Ethiopia is a perfect destination for Turkish companies and investors; and Ankara we will continue to assist them, says Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia
By Seleshi Tessema Mulata (Anadolu Agency)
Ankara will continue to assist and motivate Turkish companies to take part in the growing Ethiopian agro food industry, said Turkey’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, Yaprak Alp.
Alp was addressing Thursday (9 May 2019) the opening session of the 3rd Agro Food and Plastprintpack Exhibition which gathered 151 manufacturers from 18 countries in the Ethiopian capital.
“Ethiopia is a growing economy and provides good market potential for companies involved in agriculture,” she said. “Ethiopia has been a perfect destination for Turkish investors and we will continue to assist them.”
Turkish companies have been transferring knowledge and expertise in many fields and stick to their win-win strategies, according to Alp.
More than 187 Turkish companies have an investment of nearly $3 billion and have created more than 30,000 jobs in Ethiopia.
Sabri Tecelli, one of the founders and owners of STK MAKINA that produces dairy processing machines, told Anadolu Agency the company is considering expanding to the promising Ethiopian agro food market.
“We have built a dairy processing plant called Good Friday, and we are looking for more contracts. It is easy to do business in Ethiopia, because the people understand and respect us,” he said, adding that Ethiopians have a business-oriented mentality.
The foreign trade manager of MEMAK, which manufactures chocolate and baking processing machines, said the company sees business opportunities in Ethiopia.
“We are talking to businesses who have expressed interests to buy our machines,” said Ahmet Akan.
The two-day exhibition is expected to organize expert deliberations on reducing food losses and agricultural productivity.
Source: Anadolu Agency