Ethiopia should focus on light manufacturing industries and related export processing zones according to the latest survey report submitted to senior government officials by the World Bank. 
The recommendation to concentrate on light manufacturing industries received positive feedback from the Ethiopian government according to Guang Zhe Chen Country Director for the World Bank in Ethiopia.
A team of World Bank experts led by Justin Lin, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist paid a visit to Ethiopia in September to present the survey report to senior government officials.Light manufacturing industries including small assembly plants, agro-processing, and furniture manufacture will offer optimum employment opportunities, and attract important foreign direct investment while links with other sectors will offer a potential market for other industries according to the World Bank.
The World Bank survey will be made public including the feedback received from the Ethiopian side and could be an area where the bank can provide support to the country according to Chen.
The replacement of the World Bank’s country strategy for Ethiopia, which is near to expiring, has been drafted and circulated with the World Bank Group for additional comments he said.
The new country strategy will encompass a mechanism to support the Ethiopian government should it decide to develop the light manufacturing industry as per the recommendations in the survey concluded Chen.
Source: The Reporter
