Recent years saw Ethiopia become a close partner of Shenzhen-based enterprises which have been promoting their outbound investment and cooperation. Inspired by the “Belt and Road” Initiative, officials from the Economy, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality and Sun Tianlu, Executive Chairman of SOA have paid a three-day visit to Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, from November 10, 2018 to November 12 with an aim to facilitate the communication between the two cities, integrate local companies into the global market of innovation, and boost their competitiveness in the industry. During the trip, they have visited the Light Rail project operated by the Shenzhen Metro Group, the gofa factory and the ICT park of Transsion Holdings, Chairman Member Unit of SOA African Branch, the Eastern Industry Zone, as well as hotel programmes of Grand Skylight, a founder of SOA African branch.

A photo taken at SEAA

Sun Tianlu, Executive Chairman of SOA, was talking with Zaf G-Tsadik

The delegates were visiting the factory and the production line

November 10

Sino-Ethiop Associate (Africa) (SEAA)

In the afternoon local time of November 10, the delegation of SOA led by Sun Tianlu visited SEAA and met with General Manager Zaf G-Tsadik, whose cooperation with Shenzhen enterprises could date back to 1992, and Factory Director Shegaw Aderaw, who made an address on behalf of the Ethiopian delegation at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum 2018. As the sole producer of Empty Hard Gelatin Capsules in sub-Sahara Africa, SEAA is also one of the first enterprises jointly founded by China and Ethiopia, the equipment of which was exported from China.

November 11

Addis Ababa Light Rail

In the morning of November 11, Sun Tianlu, Executive Chairman of SOA, accompanying with Zheng Xuan, Sub-inspector of Economy, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality and Qiu Xiaonan, Deputy Director of Outbound Cooperation Division, visited Addis Ababa Light Rail Project, a railway system contracted by the China Railway Group Ltd. and operated by the Shenzhen Metro Group. The delegates were received by Wang Wei, General Manager of the Group and his colleagues who introduced the construction of the project in detail.

Wang Wei was introducing the plan for project development

During the four years of project construction in Ethiopia, according to Wang, the operation team has not only constituted management systems and standards and talent incentive mechanisms, but has also brought innovative ideas to local young workers and the whole country. As the first light rail in eastern Africa, Addis Ababa Light Rail runs completely to China’s standard: the steel for railways was imported from China, the locomotives were manufactured by CRRC,and the communication system was built with products of Huawei. The Light Rail Project is the first African project of the China Railway Group that features the whole industry chain, which means that all procedures, including financing, projecting, designing, execution and the purchase, operation and management of equipment were based on Chinese standards. At the end of 2017, a cooperation contract was signed between Shenzhen Metro Group and Ethiopian Railways Cooperation, according to which a 41-month service of operation, maintenance and management were and are being provided by the Shenzhen Metro Group.

Control centre and the department of maintenance and testing

A photo taken at the Addis Ababa Light Rail project

November 11

Transsion Holdings

In the afternoon of November 11, the delegates paid a visit to the Gofa factory and the ICT park of Transsion Holdings, Chairman Member Unit of SOA African Branch, during which Chen Yongsong, Director of Ethiopian affairs and his colleagues explained in detail their factories and their plans as well as experiences regarding the investment in Africa.

According to Chen, Transsion features a comprehensive global industry ecosystem, covering the research & development, design, manufacturing, sales and after-sales services. The Company is dedicated to becoming the most influential and the most welcomed supplier of smart device and mobile service among the emerging markets around the globe. Transsion also features several smartphone brands, namely, TECNO, itel, Infinix and Spice.

While most of mobile phone companies were competing for larger scales of hardware, Transsion has already focused on the improvement of customer experience, continuous R&D, as well as quality after-sales services, which is why the Company has been considered a “winner of African market”. The insufficiency of electric infrastructure in Africa inspired them of extending the life of cell-phone batteries; consumers in Africa prefer higher volume, longer-lasting batteries and photo-taking for dark skin, while Indian customers would want beautiful photos able to be taken in the dark. Local demands became the directions of Transsion to innovate and better their technology. The core advantage of Transsion, therefore, is partly based on their profound understanding of customers’ needs and the localized operation from a global perspective. The local market was naturally developed as desired products have been produced and presented to the consumers.

A warm welcome

A visit at Gofa factory

The communication of development plans and experience

The African Branch of SOA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

A group photo taken in front of the ICT park

November 12

The Eastern Industry Zone

In the morning of November 12, the delegates toured around the Eastern Industry Zone and communicated with Jiao Yongshun, Vice Director of the Industry Zone Management Committee, during which he explained in detail the advantages and plans of enterprises inside and outside the Zone by illustrating two China-funded companies as examples, namely, the Sansheng Pharmaceutical P.L.C. and Chongqing Lifan Holdings Co. Ltd.

According to Jiao, the Industry Zone has become a highlight of the investment of Chinese companies in Africa and a model of the economic development of Ethiopia, and is becoming a platform of outbound-development for small and medium-sized Chinese enterprises. The one-stop service in the Zone ensures customs clearance, certification of work permission, and duty-free businesses etc. are provided inside the Industry Zone. Electrical substations have been established to make sure continuous generation of electricity. The Industry Zone has been expanding their effort to make possible the better and brighter development of the enterprises.

Located in Dukem, a city near Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, the Eastern Industry Zone successfully won the bidding for the ‘MoC Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone’ in November 2007 and was supported as an Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce in April, 2015. The Ethiopian government has also included it in its Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Plans (SDPRP) as a priority development project.

A photo taken at the Sansheng Pharmaceutical P.L.C

The delegates were talking with Jiao Yongshun

The delegates were visiting Chongqing Lifan Holdings

November 12

Grand Skylight Hotel

In the afternoon of November 12, the delegates arrived at Grand Skylight Hotel, the project operated and managed by Grand Skylight Hotels Management Company, and met with Wu Ping, General Representative of Ethiopian Office of Aviation Industry of China International, Tang Jiafeng, General Manager of the Grand Skylight Hotel Project in Ethiopia, as well as their colleagues, who introduced the development of the project in detail.

Adjacent to Bole International Airport of Addis Ababa, said Wu, the Hotel is also close to the most prosperous business areas of the city. Bole International Airport is a significant aviation hub in Africa, and Addis Ababa is characterized by headquarters of the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and some other important international organizations. Therefore, the Grand Skylight Hotel will provide luxurious services to tourists and businesspersons. The contract signed between Grand Skylight Hotels Management and Ethiopian Airlines on August 2, 2016 signifies the international presence of Grand Skylight in Africa. Sited on about 40,000 square meters of built area, the five-star hotel features 380 guest rooms and has been officially launched January 2019. The hotel will no doubt become a new tie that connects China and Africa.

Wu Ping was introducing the hotel project

Construction site of the hotel

A photo taken at the construction site

Witnessed by Shenzhen Municipal Government, the government of Ethiopia and Directors of Shenzhen and Ethiopian enterprises, the African Branch of Shenzhen Outbound Alliance was officially inaugurated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in November, 2017. Initiated by Transsion Holdings, Grand Skylight Hotels Management, Shenzhen Resources Co., Ltd. and other renown Shenzhen enterprises based in Africa, the Branch would construct six service platforms covering information sharing, facilities interconnection, trade smoothing, risk prevention, as well as talent training and financing, and will integrate resources so that professional services as well as technical support of all aspects will be provided with to aid enterprises in developing and settling down in the African market, and to facilitate the trade cooperation and cultural communication between Africa and China.