Ethiopia has obtained $390 million from exports of the manufacturing industry, Melaku Alebel, Ethiopia's Minister of Industry, announced. This, he pointed out, stands 87 percent of the target set for the period.

Despite the encouraging growth the manufacturing sector has exhibited, challenges remain in the forms of difficulty in getting required imports, lack of sufficient infrastructure, shortage of well-trained manpower, as well as financial and other difficulties.

Such and other difficulties have caused 396 manufacturing plants across five regions in the country to stop operations, Mr. Melaku remarked. The Ministry is working to address the challenges, he added.

Regardless, manufacturers in industrial parks as well as others are making a valuable contribution to the country's economy by exporting their products.

The Ministry of Industry is making efforts to attract more investors, as well as execute necessary support schemes for existing investors in the manufacturing sector, the Minister noted.

Source: FBC (Amharic)