Ethiopia opens agricultural processing industrial park

By Addis Getachew

JIMMA, Ethiopia (AA) - Leaders of three Horn of Africa nations on Saturday joined hands to cut the ribbon on a new industrial park in southwestern Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, and Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh inaugurated the park, dominated by agricultural processing firms.

The industrial park, spanning 51 hectares in the town of Jimma in the Oromia regional state, represents an investment of $61 million.

The park will create jobs for 10,000 people, according to information made available at the opening.

The three East Africa leaders also attended the opening of a hospital and the graduation ceremony of 2,700 students, including over 300 that studied medicine.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, al-Bashir pledged that his country will give scholarships to 10 students annually for two years.

Jimma is the birthplace of Ahmed, and though it is a top commercial center thanks to coffee farms and trade, the town remained undeveloped, with inadequate infrastructure.