Land Of Promise

Though progress has recently stumbled, Ethiopia’s young population will help the country achieve its potential, aided by a new prime minister focused on both political and economic reform

- Catherine Chetwynd

Ethiopia claims many things differentiate it from other nations, but top award goes to the country’s use of its own calendar, which takes you back eight years on landing. Moreover, many Ethiopians work to their own time rather than the international clock, so when arranging meetings, it’s best to ascertain which clock is being used (put simply, it's one hour behind UAE).The capital, Addis Ababa, has great energy and Ethiopian warmth is present wherever you are, which helps mitigate some of the di culties the country presents. It’s a nation where old meets new; anyone with a yen for the former Eastern Bloc, for instance, will feel at home in the blue Trabant taxis that brave the tra c-clogged streets. But you could also use an app to hail a yellow cab. Whichever style of taxi you take, be prepared to negotiate when it comes to the fare.

With a population of more than 107.7 million people, Ethiopia represents a big opportunity for business. The population is young, Though progress has recently stumbled, Ethiopia’s young population will help the country achieve its potential, aided by a new prime minister focused on both political and economic reform with a median age of 18.8 years, and it is increasingly well educated.

“A lot of opportunities have been created for our youth to get educated, but the economy could not create adequate employment openings for them. That is the challenge,” says a spokesman for the Department for International Trade (DIT) Ethiopia. “For investors, it is very promising to come to an educated workforce.

A NEW ERA