Following the official visit of the French President Emanuel Macron, it became apparent that money French companies has been showing interests to invest and cooperate across sectors in Ethiopia.
It is noticeable that the president has been reached an agreement with the Ethiopian Prime Minister his Excellency Dr. Abiey Ahemed in areas of Trade and Investment, Defense, Aviation, culture and Tourism and Others.
Like other sectors, diffrent joint and bilateral discussions were made regarding Environmental cooperation and interventions. Both the French Government and the private sectors are showing intersts to work and invest up on issues related to environmental safty and protection, forest and climate change.
Two French companies in this view, has made an intensive discussions with the V/Commissioner of the Ethiopian Environment, Forest and Climate Change commission her excellency Miss Frenesh Mekuria yesterday at EFCCC office.
In a discussion that focused on figuring out areas of environment related issues and how the companies could get engaged in bussnesses were delt with.
The representatives of the companies has briefed the commissioner on their company profiles, performance records and their organizational reputations.
Mr. Laurent Lambs, who manage the Business development unit of the company named "Antea Group" in his part described to the commissioner that Antea Group is older in other African countries. According to Mr. Lambs, western African countries are the core destination of their businesses so far. Couple of Eastern and northern african countries like Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and morocco are also listed their bussness destinations. Manager also tell that their Company has a robust experiences and global expertise on environmental issues related to;Environmental and social impact assessment,
- Environmental compliance and auditing, Environmental data management and infrastructure establishment,
- Evaluation and assessment of industrial parks,Solid and liquid waste managements and the study and supervisions of the like.
The regional manager of central and eastern African countries of the company that belonged to the ministry of environment and agriculture of France called "IGNFI" Miss Areste Lamendour has also presented to the commissioner the specialities and expertise of their company on issues related to environment.
According to the manager, IGNFI's expertise is on designing and implementing Environmental and forest information systems like it did in money African countries. The company has been mentioned working with the ministry of construction and urban development of Ethiopia in the supervision of the study about the Ethiopian land information systems which is carried out by INSA. It has also been mentioned that the firm has been working with the Ethiopian Geospatial agency.
Hearing the details of the areas of interests for further interventions of the group, her excelleny the vice commissioner has expressed her appreciations to the French president in his visites to Ethiopia. Commissioner also apprciated the multi sectorial business cooperation’s and ties made expressing that Ethiopia will learn and benefit from the French government and the private sector.
Commissioner also tells the team that Ethiopia has been embarking on the new era of economic and social development from which its citizens has benefited fairly. It was also mentioned that the nation has moving progressively in its response to the Global climate action since the Paris climate agreement.
The Ethiopian climate resilient green economy development that has been communicated and implemented since 2011 is mentioned by the v/commissioner as an exemplary to the globe. In this regard, said the commissioner the expertise and interests the French companies showed will pave a way to double our environmental protection efforts we have already been engaged in.
Focal points of further contacts were finally named to further strengthen the relations made in to action