Debre Berhan Rebrands as Investment Hub

Jan 14 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

Debre Berhan town, located 130Km from the capital, known for its cold climate and alcoholic beverage productions, has become a centre of large-scale manufacturing. The two-day investment expo last week was opened with Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonen, which saw the attendance of local investors. One of the local investors, Belayneh Kinde, inaugurated an electric car assembly plant at the cost of two billion Br this week. The plant is expected to employ up to 500 people and will begin assembly operations within three months, at a capacity of 1,000 cars yearly. Yilikal Kefale, Amhara Regional State administrator, had availed a textile factory in Debre Berhan opened at the cost of a billion Birr by Zema Textile Group in January. The CEO of Shirshir Addis Business Group, Bereket Baysa, revealed last month another electric car assembly plant is being built by the group that lies on 46,000 sqm. Debre Berhan has also become home to a microfinance institution headquartered in the town with a capital of 30 million Br under the name Akufada in mid-October. The MFI is the first to be headquartered outside the capital.


Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...