The document discusses plans for an Information Technology Park in Ethiopia with the goals of establishing the country as the premier IT hub of Africa, creating foreign investment and jobs for citizens. The key benefits of the IT Park include providing infrastructure and training to attract companies while generating employment, foreign earnings, and catalyzing nearby businesses. The park will have zones for businesses, assembly, warehousing, commercial and administrative uses. Current construction includes administration buildings, an IT ministry headquarters and business incubator. The government aims to transform ideas into commercial products and startups through the park, spurring research and creating 300,000 jobs.

1. Information Technology Park
The Vision & Mission of Ethiopian IT Park
To establish Ethiopia as the premier IT hub of Africa. Provide impetus for the
development of ICT sector in the country by offering a world class business
environment along with a conducive policy and regulatory regime, state-of‐the‐art
infrastructure and a value proposition geared towards positioning Ethiopia as the
preferred IT hub of Africa.
Create a destination for overseas investment and on‐going generation of foreign
earnings.
Create employment and career opportunities for Ethiopian citizens.
Some of the main benefits provided by the IT Park
It provides IT infrastructure and manpower which is attractive (in terms of cost) to
national &multinational companies.
It generates employment and offer high level training to locals as well as generation
of foreign earnings.
It catalyzes the commercial and retail businesses in the surrounding areas.
It creates linkage opportunities in areas such as construction contracts, supplies,
materials and food and packaging supplies.

2. Main functional zones
 Business zone
 Assembly & warehouse zone
 Commercial zone
 Administrative zone
 Knowledge park zone
Buildings in the IT Park
IT Park administration and data centre buildings are under construction
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Headquarter is under
construction in the IT Park
An Incubator building with built up area of 10,000 Sq. meters is under construction
The Ethiopian Government has made the development of information and
communications Technology (ICT) one of its strategic priorities. Ethiopia has already
embarked on several initiatives to promote the development and application of ICT in
several development initiatives. One of these initiatives is the establishment and
development of IT Park.

3. IT Parks are areas that are developed into a complex that is capable of providing
infrastructures and support facilities that are needed by the different ICT based
industries. The IT Parks foster new business development and technological
innovation by leveraging synergies within a cluster environment. They provide
infrastructure and support services for businesses particularly high quality
communications, real estate and office space.
The Ethiopian government has realized the potential of IT industry and has taken the
initiative to establish an IT Park to strengthening the local ICT industry and business
sector in Ethiopia through attracting direct foreign investment, stimulating growth of
the domestic ICT industry, creating an enabling environment for private sector
initiatives, and promoting exports of ICT products and services.
To advance this development and remove the obstacles that had previously
confronted those interested in investing in Ethiopia’s ICT sector, Ministry of
Information and Communication Technology (MCIT) has finished drawing up plans
and feasibility study for a technology park that would serve as a flagship complex
symbolizing Ethiopia’s commitment to the future.
The feasibility study identified the required infrastructures, design and business
model appropriate to develop and implement the project. The IT Park is planned to
have a world class infrastructure to attract investors & meet their business objectives.
Among these infrastructures are high capacity telecom & network infrastructures and
various business support services tightly coordinated with IT Park industry support
platform.
MCIT is, at present, in the process of setting up the first IT Park of the country. The
park which lies in an area of 200 hectare site is located at Addis Ababa on the
eastern side of Bole international Air port, just a few Kilo meters away from the center
of Addis Ababa making it the ideal place for new development and as a location for
companies looking to invest in Ethiopia in any business related to ICT.
The IT Park is also seen as a vehicle for transforming innovative ideas into
commercial products and start-up companies. This would in turn spur the research
and development in the country, creating investment opportunities (both local and

4. foreign) as well as generating employment for Ethiopians. It is expected that the IT
Park initially upon full build-out will generate jobs for approximately 300,000
employees.
The Ministry of Communication & Information Technology is currently working on the
development of the required infrastructures based on the feasibility study/master plan
and recommendations made to implement the plan. The IT Park is going to be
develeoped in two phases. The first phase with an area of approximately 70 hectare
is currently under construction.