EVENT: Second International Agro-Industry Investment Forum
DATE: March 5-8, 2018
VENUE: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA–From 5 to 8 March 2018, His Excellency Mr. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, will host the Second International Agro-Industry Investment Forum in Addis Ababa. The high-level Investment Forum will focus on food processing, textiles and garments, leather and leather products, as well as allied sectors such as packaging and renewable energy. It will feature participants from the public and business sector, including current and potential investors, international and domestic enterprises, industry associations, international organizations and financial institutions, as well as representatives from the Government of Ethiopia.
Background: Second International Agro-Industry Investment Forum
Ethiopia has one of the fastest growing non-oil producing economies in the world and is quickly becoming a prime investment destination. Increased market liberalization and public investments in infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways and power generation, continue to drive economic growth. In addition, recent government reforms and incentives have unlocked new investment and business opportunities, with a special focus on the industrial sector.
As part of the country’s Growth and Transformation Plan, the Government has identified the development of labor-intensive light manufacturing and industrial parks as priorities for accelerating industrialization. Recently established state-of-the-art industrial parks provide high quality industrial infrastructure for enterprises, with additional such parks under development. As a result, many major international companies have opened factories in Ethiopia in sectors such as textiles and garments, leather and leather products, and food and beverages, a trend expected to continue.
Ethiopia offers a favorable investment climate, including:
• A stable political and economic environment;
• Attractive investment incentives and a conducive business environment;
• An abundant labor force;
• A large and diversified natural resource base;
• Cheap and reliable energy access;
• Solid trade and transport infrastructure;
• Access to regional and international markets;
• Openness to trade; and
• A large internal market, with the second largest population in Africa and a rapidly growing middle class
Building on the country’s progress, the Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are organizing Ethiopia’s Second International Agro-Industry Investment Forum from 5 to 8 March 2018.
The investment forum aims to mobilize additional private investment in light manufacturing, with a particular focus on agro-processing, textiles and garments, and leather and leather products, as well as allied sectors such as packaging and renewable energy. To ensure synergies between private and public investments as well as development programs, representatives of the United Nations and financial institutions are expected to play a prominent role in the forum.
The forum will present:
• Specific investment opportunities in key agro-industrial & allied sectors, including in integrated agro-industrial parks;
• Investment incentive regimes;
• Experiences of current investors and national business sector actors; and
• Financing opportunities.
In addition, the investment forum will provide participants with an occasion to:
• Create strategic partnerships and expand their network through business-to-business meetings (B2B);
• Meet directly with representatives of the Government of Ethiopia (B2G);
• Participate in an exhibition for national and international companies; and
• Visit potential project sites.
This event builds on the success of the First International Agro-Industry Investment Forum, also co-organized by the Government of Ethiopia and UNIDO, which took place from 5 to 7 October 2016 and gathered more than 1,200 participants.
Objective
The objective of the forum is to highlight Ethiopia’s favorable investment climate in agro-industry and allied sectors, promote specific investment opportunities and facilitate business linkages.
Why participate?
• Discover concrete investment opportunities in integrated agro-industrial parks.
• Secure a foothold in one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
• Create strategic partnerships and expand your network through business-to-business meetings.
• Meet directly with policymakers at the ministerial level.
• Learn about the continuously improving business environment and investment climate in Ethiopia.
• Visit industrial infrastructure development projects.
Read more about the forum at UNIDO