Chinese company inks accord to co-develop special economic zone in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on Tuesday inked an agreement with an Ethiopian developer to co-develop a special economic zone in the East African country.

The project of co-developing 1,000 hectares of land aims to build a logistics, industrial, trade and commercial hub in Africa, said Motuma Temesgen, director general of the Gada Special Economic Zone, the Ethiopian developer, upon signing the agreement.

Temesgen said via collaboration of the two sides, the project will ensure that Ethiopia will be "placed at the new frontier of the fourth IT and industrial revolution."

Local officials hope the special economic zone could help transform the Ethiopian economy in a short time. Shimelis Abdisa, president of Oromia Regional State where the zone is located, noted that with the zone, the East African country can transform its economy by attracting world-class investors.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan said the project will further cement the partnership between China and Ethiopia, facilitating the industrialization of the Oromia region in particular and Ethiopia in general.

Guo Chongfeng, general manager of CCECC Ethiopia, said the Chinese construction giant will integrate its resources to help make the special economic zone a reality.