Nabilah Safira
TechInAfrica – More and more French companies are swarming to Ethiopia, according to French Ambassador of Ethiopia, Remi Marechaux. In his interview with ENA, Marechaux revealed the number of investors that has grown to 55, twice the number five years prior to now.
The investors’ main interests include the logistics, energy, transport, and telecom sector. Marechaux said the embassy will keep on working to attract even more French investors, such as through the event Mission Africa which will be hosted in France in November, and the largest French investor union visitation to the country on January 2021.
Million scale projects are also on the list, according to Marechaux.
“When Emmanuel Macron visited Ethiopia he had several meetings with Prime Minister Abiy and jointly decided on the priorities that French could engage to support Ethiopia,” he said.
The French Development Agency will step up as support for Ethiopia, which has experience of managing a 500 million euro project. Other projects are being worked on slated for next year to support small and medium enterprises with a 70 million euro concessional loan in the country.
Along with cooperation on technology and the business sector is the long time cultural partnership between the two countries, which has lasted for years already. Remi said that both countries are keen on continuing the ties in the coming years.
“Worldwide, France is the first destination of tourists and it’s not because of the wildlife and beach, it is because of its preserved cultural heritage and patrimony, and Ethiopia in this field has major assets and France will be pleased to cooperate with Ethiopia through exchange of expertise.”
Source: Allafrica.com
