Aired february 2012

Ethiopia, where past and present meet. Located in the Horn of Africa at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent nation. It was once known as Abyssinia, a great empire that ruled this strategic region 3,000 years ago.

Ethiopia is also a modern nation, as Addis Ababa’s rapidly evolving skyline reflects. Ethiopia has a stable, liberalized economy that has achieved an average growth of over 6% per year for several years.
Ethiopia offers preferential access to the EU and the US markets as well as to the 18 other countries and some 400 million consumers in COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.
Ethiopia also has the second-largest population in sub-Saharan Africa, offering a huge domestic market with rising purchasing power.

Investors in Ethiopia can count low-cost labor; rich natural resources; and a business-friendly government that welcomes the chance to form public-private partnerships.
Ethiopia’s motto is “Africa’s Link to the World,” and to enhance the country’s position as a trade hub for Europe, Africa and Asia, the Ethiopian government has spent around US$44 billion on transport-infrastructure development over the past decade.
Ethiopia is also rapidly developing its air transport services. The country has three international and 18 domestic airports, and international flights link Ethiopia with over 45 cities on four continents. Addis Ababa International is steadily improving its facilities and now has a new passenger terminal.
Air transport growth is closely linked to the economic development of Ethiopia.
Landlocked Ethiopia’s trade window on the world is Djibouti Port, which is ideally located at the crossroads of East and West, near where the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean meet.

Djibouti Port is expanding its facilities to handle growing trade to and from Ethiopia, its biggest client, and Ethiopia is streamlining its transport links to the port by building a new 5,000-mile railway over the route with the support of India and China.
Along with upgrading its transport infrastructure, Ethiopia is modernizing its telecom network to keep pace with rising demand. The government has invested massively in rolling out national fiber backbone and wireless access networks, and has earmarked an additional US$4 billion for telecom investment between 2007 and 2012.

But a lot of problems still have to be solved. For this to happen, the Ethiopian government is counting on foreign investors.
Internet access in Ethiopia will soon be much faster thanks to the efforts of Chinese enterprise ZTE, which is installing a new network that can handle up to 16 million customers, compared to the current 900,000-user capacity. The company is hailing Ethiopia for its positive political and economic environment.

Ethiopia is working hard to modernize its industrial sector and step up the pace of its exports. Ethiopia’s agriculture sector contributes almost half the country’s GDP
Agriculture is seen as having strong development potential given adequate investment.
Ethiopia’s leading manufacturing industries are food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing and cement. In 2010, Ethiopia exported a total of US$1.7 billion to markets all over the world, particularly China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the US, the Netherlands, Sudan and Belgium.
The country is looking for investors interested in a broad range of sectors.
Key export-earners in fiscal year 2010-2011 were the coffee sector, the leather sector, and the textiles sector, which earned over US$60 million, an impressive 168% increase over the previous fiscal period.

One of the largest foreign direct investments in Ethiopia to date, Ayka Textile & Investment Group, choose Ethiopia as the site of its new integrated textiles factory, the biggest operation of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa
For this sector, Ethiopia also wants to attract investors from Asia.
Ethiopia imported around US$7 billion in 2010, mainly food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals and textiles. Ethiopia has steadily expanded its trade network and China is now the country’s top trade partner.

My Ethiopia , a personal look at what makes Ethiopia special to the people that live there.

The construction sector has been a key driver of the Ethiopian economy for several years as the government’s “Growth and Transformation Plan” moves forward. Much of the building construction has been centered on Addis Ababa, whose skyline is punctuated by giant cranes and whose borders are being expanded as new projects come on stream.

The private sector, both local and foreign, is playing a key role in the current construction boom, although more complex projects are usually handled by foreign companies that have the necessary equipment, technologies and expertise. Ethiopian firms that can offer skilled labor, proven know-how and local knowledge are increasingly forming win-win partnerships with foreign players to complete major projects.
Flintstone Engineering, a 100% Ethiopian company, illustrates the potential of Ethiopia’s private sector. The first Ethiopian construction firm to earn ISO 9001 certification, Flintstone is a leader in building construction as well as in road and water infrastructure projects.
The government has placed a high priority on stimulating foreign investment in Ethiopia’s construction sector, which can not only contribute to the country’s economic development and investment appeal but can also create thousands of new jobs. Ethiopia is building its future with the help of foreign partners.

Here are the top five attractions to visit in Ethiopia.

At number five stand the different crafts markets in Addis Ababa. Here you can find high quality souvenirs from all over Ethiopia. Look at the lovely way they are produced, the same like centuries ago.

Number four on our list is the National Museum, with the fascinating remains of the best known predecessor of mankind, the Lucy skeleton. Numerous other exhibits make a visit to the museum more than worthwile.

All over Ethiopia you can join in for a performance of traditional dances. This occupies the third place in own top five. Learn how the different tribes have their own ways of expressing themselves. And last but not least, try and taste the delicious local food.

At number two we have put the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. This lengthy event forms an essential part of the daily life in Ethiopia.You will get acquainted with the legendary hospitality of the Ethiopian people.

And finally, this is the number one on our list. Go and relax at the Kuriftu Resort and Spa, at one hour drive from the capital. The place is called ‘the little gem of Ethiopia’, and with a reason. You will enjoy luxury and beauty, in a friendly environment.

Proud symbols of the religious past and present of Ethiopia are spread all over the country. Three major religions are represented here. You’ll find Christians, Muslims and Jews in Ethiopia.

History is everywhere in Ethiopia. Its area is considered to be the cradle of humanity. Remains are found of an early homo sapiens, dating back as far as 400.000 years ago. But the most spectacular find is without any doubt the bones of Australopithecus ‘Lucy’, who is estimated to have lived more than 3 million years ago.

Tourists can fully enjoy Ethiopian culture, through music and dance performances. Its appearance is very diverse, representing the different ethnic groups out of which Ethiopia consists.

There are numerous lodging possibilities throughout the country. A lot of them are situated near idyllic locations and unforgettable sceneries.

Thanks to the dense airline network in Ethiopa all the tourist destinations are easily accessible.

An exciting mix of past and present.
A stable economy.
A rich cultural heritage.
Outstanding natural beauty.
Exceptional investment potential.

Ethiopia is truly a land of wonders waiting to be discovered.

In case of any queries, feel free to contact them: info@asiabusinesschannel.tv

Videos Tanzania

Aired December 2011

Mozambique has put its civil-war years well behind it.

Thanks to an ambitious reform program, Mozambique has maintained macroeconomic stability for more than a decade and offers a wide range of sectors with exceptional potential, including mining, tourism, infrastructure and hydropower, among many others.

Mozambique’s economy has an impressive track record. Mozambique achieved an average annual GDP growth rate of 9% between 1997 and 2007 and reached 8% GDP growth in 2010 in spite of the global crisis.

One of the poorest countries in the world when it won independence from Portugal in 1975, Mozambique is still combating poverty, but definitely making progress, as Maputo’s modern skyline and bustling port demonstrate.

Foreign investment and international donor support remain essential for keeping Mozambique’s economic growth on track. Thanks to its natural beauty, ideal location for trade, and almost limitless development potential, Mozambique certainly has the investment appeal to keep FDI flowing in.

With its long coastline on the Indian Ocean offering easy access to markets throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia and beyond, Mozambique is well placed to become a major global trade hub.
In this respect, ports play an essential rol in the economic development of the country. Through the ports of Beira and Maputo, millions of tons of goods are shipped every year.

Mozambique is also launching projects to modernize its rail links to all its ports as well as to neighboring Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mozambique’s road network, which remains primitive in rural areas, is getting a major upgrade as well with the help of the private sector. Mozambique invested US$350 million in building 500 kilometers of road in 2011, with much of the construction focused on serving Tete’s coal mines.
One new development that will significantly speed up transport in Mozambique is a Portuguese-Mozambican consortium’s US$150 million project to build a second bridge across the Zambezi river just south of Tete.

Mozambique is also developing its air transport, both to boost trade flows and to support predicted tourism growth.

National airline LAM connects all major cities in the country, but more flights to and from Mozambique are needed to keep up with demand. A new partnership with Ethiopian Airlines for direct flights between Maputo and Addis Ababa is a step in the right direction.
Getting Mozambique’s agricultural products to market is a key goal behind the government’s transport-infrastructure development drive. Mozambique’s agriculture sector has outstanding potential but requires significant modernization and investment, as well as vastly improved infrastructure, to make the most of its assets.

Those assets are considerable. Mozambique has fertile soil, varied growing conditions to support a range of crops, and the resources for developing irrigation schemes to combat drought using the waters of the many rivers that flow through the country.

Mozambique is well known for its bananas that are considered to be among the sweetest in the world. Other crops include cashews, grain, sugarcane, cotton, tea, cassava, corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, rice, soybeans, sesame and sunflowers. Livestock production, fishing and timber also offer strong growth potential.
A company like Technoserve is helping investors to start their business in Mozambique. Years ago already, Technoserve saw how much possibilities the country is offering, considering its rapid economic growth.

In a country where poverty is still a pressing problem, developing the agriculture sector is a way to bring food security to Mozambique’s people and to help the rural economy. The governement is giving ample support to investors interested in the agriculture sector.

Most farming is at the subsistence level on small plots of land, but that picture is changing. Foreign investors are increasingly targeting Mozambique’s agriculture sector and building up thriving businesses that are creating jobs for locals and stepping up Mozambique’s agricultural exports.

These investors are also bringing new techniques to the agriculture sector and promoting organic farming and other environmentally-friendly practices.

Investors in agriculture projects can count on skilled low-cost labor and a range of incentives if they begin production within six years of acquiring agricultural land.
In March 2011, the World Bank announced it was granting an International Development Association credit of US$70 million in support of Mozambique’s PROIRRI-Sustainable Irrigation Development Project, which is expected to directly benefit some 16,000 farmers across the central Mozambique provinces of Manica, Sofala and Zambezia. It will significantly boost the investment appeal of Mozambique’s high-potential agriculture sector.

Mozambique’s minerals resources are making headlines all over the world. The discovery of a massive high-quality coal basin in Tete attracted Brazilian mining giant Vale, which is investing US$1.6 billion to develop its Moatize coal project there. Australia’s Riversdale Mining is also making major investments in developing the adjacent Benga coal project. Both companies have plans to significantly increase production in the region, and Tete is now ranked one of Africa’s fastest-growing mining districts.
Another success story is Jindal Steel and Power Limited. The company started in Mozambique in 2008. It acquired mining rights and is planning to invest 375 million USD and to employ more than 1500 people.
The government recently announced that coal exports alone will more than double the mining sector’s contribution to Mozambique’s GDP over the next three years.

My Mozambique , a personal look at what makes Mozambique special to the people that live there.

Hundreds of miles of stunning, pristine, white-sand beaches along the Indian Ocean, a collection of impossibly beautiful islands ideal for scuba-diving and snorkeling, and that’s just the beginning. Mozambique has everything it takes to become one of Africa’s top tourism destinations.

The rich history of Mozambique dates back to the end of the first millenium, when Arabic traders were already active in the region. The Portuguese colonised the country starting from the sixteenth century, and give it the name it still bears. Ilha the Mozambique became the first capital of the country.

Mozambique’s culture is also colorful, a vibrant blend of local and Portuguese traditions. One can best see it in lively Maputo, the capital overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Mozambique’s tourism industry is open to private investors, and international funding organizations are helping to get the tourism sector off the ground.

Mozambique: truly Southern Africa’s rising star.

And now we offer you the top five of our preferred restaurants in Maputo.

At number five we have put the Maputo Waterfront, opened in 2003. As its name suggests, it is wonderfully located next to the bay, and – of course – it is specialised in the fruits of the sea.

Restaurant d’Vino stands at number four. This new, trendy spot close to the casino has a warm and sleek atmosphere and really nice menu.

The third place in our top five is occupied by Zambi restaurant. It is a favoured lunch and dinner place in Maputo, and is specialised in grilled food.

At number two we’ve chosen Manjar Dos Deus. The name literally means ‘food of the gods’, and for a reason. This modern restaurant is serving mainly fusion dishes.

Finally, the number one on our list is Taverna. Enjoy the very best of the Portuguese kitchen in this authentic place. Don’t miss the mouthwatering desserts.