Industrial Developement in Ethiopia, Botswana and Zambia

Chamber Trade has during the fall conducted three seminars on industrial development, step 1 with Addis Ababa, Botswana and Zambia’s chambers of commerce.

The seminars consisted of two parts. On country level the aim was to gather stakeholders to discuss industrial development and strengthen the capacity to advocate towards government and the voice of business on what is needed to promote the diversification of manufacturing and exports.  On company level the aim was to reach out to individual businesses through workshops to discuss the critical issues for competitiveness on an individual company level.

The country conditions are different in Ethiopia, Botswana and Zambia for developing manufacturing and industry. The seminars were adjusted to meet the needs in each individual country. All three countries are land locked which means that there are great challenges tied to transportation when trading.

There are also some common challenges that also are relevant for most Sub-Saharan African countries.

  • Increase productivity in agriculture
  • Diversify the economy
  • Increase industrial production – increasing labour intensive production
  • Upgrade infrastructure – including ICT liberalization
  • Remove barriers to trade regionally
  • Modernize legal structures and create predictability – corporate law, ownership etc. 

Ethiopia needs to liberalize and develop its ICT infrastructure to give business and consumers wider access to the internet. Zambia and Botswana need to broaden their manufacturing to not only depend on exports from mining and diamond.

CTS had the privilege to work with some very competent experts and businesses which are part of our Industrial Development Team –  Fabian Wallen and Peter Stein giving a perspective on economic development and industrialisation, Professor Balaji Parthasarathy on ICT as an enabler, Adam Dahlquist, AQ Group, on Innovation and product development, Ludvig Olsson, Scandinavian Purchasing Group, on production and sourcing, Kenneth Melin, Alternatives Consulting, on soft management issues and Tsegaye Tenegu and Jonas Klevhag on Cluster Economy.  CTS will continue with industrial development step 2 during 2014.

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