A Week in the Horn

Investment opportunities for Chinese companies in pulses and livestock

This month the Ethiopian Embassy in Beijing organized an “Ethiopia – China Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Sellers-Buyers Matchmaking Seminar” on January 11 and a few days later in Hohhot, capital of the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, an investment forum promoting opportunities in agriculture and livestock processing in Ethiopia.

The seminar in Beijing was planned in collaboration with China‟s Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA). 10 major exporting companies from Ethiopia, led by Anteneh Zegeye, Chairman of the Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Processors and Exporters Association (EPOSPEA), participated. Ato Anteneh gave details of Ethiopia‟s pulses and oilseeds and areas for development and cooperation. Mr. Bian Zhenhu, President of CFNA, emphasized the importance of Ethiopia for China-Africa cooperation, and said the bilateral trade would benefit from the Eight Major Initiatives announced at the FOCAC Beijing Summit last September. He said Ethiopian exporters and Chinese importers should make good use of China‟s economic development, its increasing market demands, upgraded consumption and the further opening-up.