In October of 2015 we visited AddisBuild – The International Construction, Construction Materials and Technologies Exhibition which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center. The 6th edition of AddisBuild is the most significant construction exhibition in the Ethiopia and it was jointly sponsored by Turkey and India. Organised by Ladin International Fair Organizations, which was founded in 1993 and has conducted many successful international exhibitions in various countries worldwide, Addis Build offers exporter companies a chance to increase their sales and presence in Ethiopia.
Exhibitors from Turkey, Ethiopia, China, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Sudan, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan participated in the exhibition. The product groups in the exhibition included construction materials, construction equipment, air conditioning, sanitary products, wall coverings, safety and security equipment, flooring, pipes, gas fittings, panel doors, generators, stone, ceramics, and iron and steel products.
Ethiopia has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and with a population of over 90 million people it is the 2nd most populated country in Africa. Ethiopia has marked a boom in the construction sector due to the government focus on the sector and also as a result of the higher income levels. When compared to other countries in Africa, Ethiopia has the highest infrastructure spending.
In recent years the Ethiopian government significantly reduced customs tariffs to create a framework for an economic liberalization in the country. The maximum tariff came down from 230% to 35% and the minimum is 5%, and the average tariff is reduced from 41.6%to 17.5%. Ethiopia has also several agreements that grant duty free access to many countries, including European Union and the USA. Business friendly climate, duty free access and competitive labor costs have successfully created new investments and employment opportunities. Ethiopia is a member of Common Market for Eastern & Southern Africa (COMESA) which gives an access to a free trade area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Swaziland.