ETHIOPIAN ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT

Empowering Manufacturing SMEs for National Economic Transformation and Societal Prosperity !

Ato Paulos Berga, Deputy Director General of EED

‘‘Stakeholder Role Crucial in Enhancing SME Manufacturers’ Global Market Participation!’’

Ato Paulos Berga, Deputy Director General of EED

EED (August 5, 2025)

A consultative forum is held in Addis Ababa aimed at identifying and addressing the challenges that hinder the participation and benefit of small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs) in the global (export) market. The forum is organized by the Ethiopian Enterprise Development (EED) with the goal of enhancing collaboration among stakeholders and improving operational and service delivery mechanisms.

Speaking at the forum’s opening, Ato Paulos Berga, Deputy Director General of EED, emphasized the critical role of SMMEs in realizing Ethiopia’s development vision of becoming an African beacon of prosperity by 2030. He stressed that empowering manufacturing SMEs to access global markets is a national priority and requires coordinated action.

According to Ato Paulos, manufacturing SMEs significantly contribute to the national economy by producing value-added products, creating employment opportunities, earning foreign currency, promoting technological transformation, and strengthening the foundation of Ethiopia’s industrial sector.

He stated that achieving these outcomes demands strong and organized support from all stakeholders, including federal and regional institutions.

He further underlined that for SMEs to be competitive in international markets, there must be sustained and structured support to overcome challenges in production systems, certification, cargo services, customs processes, and finance.

“Solving these problems requires collective responsibility and persistent engagement from all partners,” said Ato Paulos, calling for greater collaboration among stakeholders.

Ato Paulos reaffirmed that EED remains committed to building competitive SMEs through collaborative efforts and sustainable support frameworks that enhance Ethiopia’s global trade footprint.

The forum brought together SME manufacturing business owners, Sectorial associations, government regulatory bodies.