A delegation of MEDEF International (French business confederation) led by Mr Philippe DELLEUR, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs at Alstom, visited Ethiopia on 14th and 15th March, 2019.
During their visit, the delegation comprised of 20 French companies was received by Mrs Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and Mr Takele Uma Bandi, Mayor of Addis Ababa. The expertise of French companies in smart cities, water treatment and urban planning was a major topic of discussion.
The participants also attended a lunch with the Ambassador of France to Ethiopia, Mr Frédéric Bontems, the Head of the Economic Department, Mr Pierre Sentenac, and the President of the French-Ethiopian Business Club (CAFÉ), Mr. Bernard Coulais, to discuss business issues such as the business environment and the macroeconomic situation in Ethiopia.
On the afternoon of 15th March, 2019, thematic meetings have been organised by the French-Ethiopian Business Club (CAFÉ) as part of the French-Ethiopian Business Forum. It gathered together the MEDEF International and Business France delegations, Ethiopian companies, Ethiopian state officials and donors. During this French-Ethiopian Business Forum, participants had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Ethiopian economic sphere, in particular Mr Abebe Abebayehu, Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), Dr Teshome Tafesse, State Minister of Finance, Mr Tiruneh Yitefa, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), and Mrs Mesenbet Shenkute, President of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce. The Forum also enabled the MEDEF International delegation to better understand the privatisation opportunities recently announced. The Ethiopian authorities reaffirmed its commitment to encourage the country’s industrialisation and foreign investments, including French ones.
This visit follows the State visit of the President of the French Republic, Mr Emmanuel Macron, to Ethiopia on 12th and 13th March, 2019, during which a Declaration of Intent on the promotion of economic development in Ethiopia has been signed between the two governments.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of France in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
