Maltese companies that attended the 1st Ethiopia-Malta Business Forum in Addis Ababa are assessing areas of collaboration with Ethiopian counterparts.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, TradeMalta Promotion Head Richard Scerri said the company assists Malta-based businesses to unlock new opportunities.
TradeMalta is a local enterprise that helps Maltese companies to become exporters all over the world.
“That is why we are here to help the collaboration between Ethiopia and Malta,” Scerri said, adding that there is a very good opportunity for Ethiopian business people to meet up and collaborate with Maltese counterparts.
“We are here to do business with Ethiopian counterparts. We are here to help the collaboration of the business community in Ethiopia understand that there is business in Malta as well, ” the head stated.
The companies, that attended the 1st Ethiopia-Malta Business Forum held yesterday, are from 16 different sectors.
Business 1st CEO Marika Tonna said on her part that Malta has very good diplomatic relations with Ethiopia and the next step is fostering business between the countries.
“From what I can see we can collaborate especially in information technology and many other areas because I think you have what we don’t have. We don’t have a large labor force because we are a very small country. And we don’t have many resources. Over here electricity supply is ample. So, I think we can share experiences and work together to see where we can collaborate.”
Institute of Tourism Studies of Malta Chief Operating Officer, Professor Glen Farrugia said tourism is one of Ethiopia’s most important pillars of the economy.
The country is a cradle of humanity and the hospitable character of Ethiopians is something that attracts everyone. Therefore, Ethiopia should capitalize on this important asset as much as possible.
According to him, “Malta has a lot of experience when it comes to tourism. We feel that we should share our knowledge with Ethiopian friends to ensure the quality of services that Ethiopia offers to its tourists or clients.”
When it comes to tourism and the quality of service being provided in Ethiopia, we have seen a lot of improvements, Professor Farrugia noted.
Being the seat of the African Union, Ethiopia also presents attractive opportunities for Malta-based businesses exploring new avenues for export and international expansion, the chief operating officer observed.
Moreover, Ethiopia serves as a hub in Eastern Africa, acting as a vital gateway to tap into the broader East African market which provides huge potential for fostering mutually beneficial economic growth and collaboration between the two nations.
