Ethiopian, Rwandan leaders to visit Hawassa Industrial park

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and Rwandan President Paul Kagame will visit Hawassa Industrial Park on Friday, the Ethiopian government said on Wednesday.

The Ethiopian Government Communications Affairs Office (GCAO) said in a statement that Kagame, during his three-day official visit to Ethiopia, has scheduled to visit the Chinese-built industrial park.

The industrial park, which the Ethiopian government considers as a model for the construction of other industrial zones across the country, has proved successful immediately after its inauguration in July 2016.

According to the statement, Kagame's visit to the Hawassa industrial park and other infrastructures in Ethiopia is expected to share the positive aspects of Ethiopia's experience on the sector to Rwanda.

Built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the Hawassa industrial park, located in Ethiopia's southern city of Hawassa, was completed in a record time of nine months.

The Ethiopian government has previously disclosed its plan to generate close to 1 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue from the park once it starts operations at its full potential.

The industrial park has attracted world-class textile and apparel companies to Ethiopia, including PVH, a company known for marketing diversified portfolio of brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

Ethiopia and Rwanda signed 11 bilateral agreements across multiple sectors last year as part of the visit of Ethiopia's former Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, to Rwanda. (Xinhua)