Ethiopian Industry Minister Mekonnen Manyazewal said that, Ethiopia is eager to bolster its trade ties with Turkey. Speaking at the Ethiopia-Turkish Investment Forum, the Minister said the Ethiopian government is revising and updating its trade and investment policies and strategies to strengthen relations with countries like Turkey.

“Turkish investment could significantly help Ethiopia attain the goals set in the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) and also sustain the double digit economic growth it registered during the last few years,'' Mekonnen said.

At the event Ethiopian and Turkish investors discuss issues of joint venture and trade on the sidelines of the Ethio-Turkish Investment Forum held in Addis Ababa.

Mekonnen also indicated that attractive investment environment has been created for Turkish investors to engage in the textile, agro-processing, chemical, leather, pharmaceuticals and other investment sectors.

“There is a great potential in the Ethiopian economy for investment with young and easily trainable workforce especially in the infrastructure sector,” he added.

Ethiopia-Turkey trade and investment relations has significantly grown over the past six years. Net import and export has increased from 25 million to USD 300 million. Currently there are about 258 Turkish investors in Ethiopia.