The Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) has announced that investors who fled Ethiopia due to the war—previously operating in the Mekelle Industrial Park in the Tigray region—have formally requested to move their machinery from the country.

The corporation made this revelation during its nine-month plan implementation report presentation to the House of People’s Representatives’ Standing Committee on Public Enterprises Affairs last week.

Ato Kamil Ibrahim, IPDC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations and Management, stated that despite continuous efforts to contact investors who left the country during the war—through online and in-person engagement—they have shown no interest in returning to their businesses or resuming development activities.

He further noted that several companies have submitted requests to take their machinery for use in other countries. “We have asked those seeking to relocate their domestically registered production machines outside Ethiopia to instead move them to another industrial area within the country, and we are awaiting their response,” the Reporter newspaper quoted him as saying.

However, Ms. Sosna Getahun, a member of the standing committee, criticized the approach taken to relocate investors to Addis Ababa (Lemi), Adama or to other area in Ethiopia if they are unwilling to remain in Mekelle. She argued that instead of suggesting relocation, authorities should identify the challenges within Mekelle Industrial Park and work toward solutions.

“If there are inconveniences, the investors should be consulted, and efforts should be made to address their concerns so they can continue operating in Mekelle. It is not appropriate to move them from one location to another without fully understanding their needs,” she added.

Contradicting reports from Reporter newspaper, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) cited Industrial Parks Development Corporation CEO Dr. Fiseha Yitagesu, who asserted that the Mekelle Special Economic Zone is fully operational, with essential services like water, electricity, and telecommunications functioning.

Additionally, IPDC reported that over the past nine months, $83 million has been generated from exports within special economic zones and industrial parks. However, Reporter newspaper, citing an official report, noted that the corporation had initially planned to achieve $128 million in exports, meaning only a fraction of the target was met.

Dr. Yitagesu emphasized that investment thrives on peace and stability. He acknowledged that challenges related to new investments, the continuation of existing ventures, and the resumption of work have been widespread—not only in Mekelle but also in industrial parks across northern Ethiopia.

“We must recognize that investment is not feasible during wartime,” he stated, adding that investors who left were not only from Mekelle but also from Kombolcha, Bahir Dar, Debre Berhan, and Hawassa, describing the situation as a national issue.