Ethiopia invites Indian investments

Kolkata, Aug 14 (UNI) African country Ethiopia today invited Indian investments in textile, leather, agri-products, infrastructure and energy sectors and said Ethiopian Airlines is examining options to bring its flights to Kolkata.

''We are a member of Comessa countries and Indian companies can explore opportunities in coffee, tea, cotton, horticulture, leather, textiles, paper products, building material and mining sectors in Ethiopia,'' Ethiopian Ambassador Gennet Zewide said during a seminar on India-Africa project partnership organised by CII here.

Ethiopian Airlines operating from Delhi and Mumbai is also examining to expand its radar to Kolkata, she said.

The diplomat said the Indian companies could take advantage of the treaties with European and American countries to access those countries by setting up base in Eithiopia.

She said 180 Indian companies were already operating in Ethiopia taking the total investments to US$ 380 million last year.

India's Gas Authority of India (GAIL) has recently bid for an oil well at Eastern part of Eithiopia and the Kirloskars from India have also expressed interest in the irrigation sector in the country, she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Madagascar's Ambassador Bruno Ranarivelo said apart from looking for investments in agriculture, farming and food processing, the country is planning to develop itself into a modern terminal market for food processing.

African country Burkina Faso is also looking at Indian investments in irrigation, food processing and gold and manganese mining, Charge d' affairs, Embassy of Burkina Faso Ousman Nacambo said.

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