In a recent interview with Xinhua, Haftom Gebregziabher, deputy director-general of the Ethiopian Technical University (ETU), shed light on the positive outcomes of Ethiopia-China cooperation in experience sharing and knowledge transfer.
“The industry sector is changing fast because of new advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence. So, the industry processing sector requires very skilled personnel who are able to cope with the changing environment,” Gebregziabher said.
Acknowledging China’s pivotal role in recent technological advancements, Gebregziabher emphasized that cooperation with China is empowering Ethiopia with a skilled workforce required to fill the gap in the modern industrial landscape.
Gebregziabher highlighted the Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational training program, as a manifestation of the ever-expanding Ethiopia-China cooperation in the field of science and technology.
The ETU hosts the Luban Workshop, which was launched in April 2021 in partnership with China’s Tianjin University of Technology and Education under the guidance of the Ministry of Education of China. The workshop mainly specialized in mechatronics, a combination of different disciplines, including mechanical, electrical and information technology, as well as artificial intelligence and robotics.
The ETU deputy director-general also highlighted how the Luban Workshop facilitates the transfer of cutting-edge knowledge to the Ethiopian youth in particular and the East African country in general. He asserted that the spacious Luban Workshop with its state-of-the-art machinery has not only empowered aspiring Ethiopian students but also contributed to the country’s development, enabling the growth of the much-needed skilled workforce.
“The center has state-of-the-art equipment with standard international vendors. We have been training our students with the new technologies, and the training here is serving the best interest of the industry at large,” Gebregziabher said. “As an institute, our aim is to be a center of excellence in East Africa, and we have international students drawn from East African countries. The center (Luban Workshop) is not only dedicated to our local strength and industry but also a center of capacity building for the wider East African region.”
Describing the Luban Workshop as the outcome of the broader Africa-China cooperation framework, the expert further called for further strengthening cooperation between the two sides in the fields of science and technology.
Ethiopia is among a growing list of African countries where the launch of a Luban Workshop lines up with China’s plans to boost vocational skills training for African youth under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Luban Workshop is a project named after the ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban. A number of African countries, such as Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Egypt, have launched world-class Luban Workshops with the aim of providing quality vocational training to locals, the respective countries’ youth in particular.
Roundup: Chinese companies take center stage at int’l agricultural expo in Egypt
CAIRO, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — Amidst the bustling aisles of Egypt’s annual agriculture expo, the Chinese pavilion has attracted the attention of curious Egyptian visitors who are keen to explore the latest agricultural technologies from China.
“I have signed a deal with a Chinese company from Guangzhou to import raw materials for my factory,” Hussien Fathy, owner of a factory that produces chemical fertilizers in Egypt’s Ismailia Governorate, told Xinhua.
“China is very advanced in this field, and we benefit greatly from their experience, which helps us provide good quality products to Egyptian farmers,” Fathy added.
He said this is not his first time dealing with Chinese companies. In the past decade, he has partnered with several Chinese firms to manufacture agricultural pesticides and fertilizers. He also noted that Chinese companies showcasing their products and striking deals in Egypt greatly benefit his business.
“I do not have to travel to China to conclude deals with companies there to purchase raw materials or obtain manufacturing technologies … the exhibition helps me save both time and money,” he said, flashing a smile.
The 35th edition of Sahara Expo, also known as the International Agricultural Exhibition for Africa and the Middle East, concluded on Tuesday in Egypt’s capital Cairo. This event is a crucial platform for the promotion of agriculture, animal production, and aquaculture in the Middle East and North Africa.
With the participation of 200 foreign exhibitors, including more than 40 Chinese firms, the expo covers sectors such as seeds and nurseries, greenhouses, water management, post-harvest services, sustainable agriculture, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, and crop protection.
For participating companies, the expo is a platform to dig for new business opportunities in the growing agricultural sector in Egypt, a key agricultural producer for the region with the highest yields in North Africa for cereals, vegetables, fruits, and oil crops.
“Egypt has a good market, and this expo is usually visited by many businessmen from the surrounding countries … this is an opportunity for us to meet new possible customers,” said Zhao Xinquan, international sales manager of LUGUAN Plastic, a Chinese company specializing in producing high-end agricultural films.
He noted that Egypt has a promising agricultural sector, adding that the market is growing steadily and rapidly.
“Tomorrow we will have several meetings with potential customers from Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen … we will probably sign deals soon,” he said.
At the same pavilion, Ma Jie, business manager with China’s Jiangxi New Reyphon Biochemical Co., Ltd., was busy with an Egyptian customer who wanted to learn about the company’s products.
“Our company is involved in developing, producing, and selling biochemical products, as well as the production and sale of pesticides, fertilizers, and food additives,” Ma told Xinhua.
She revealed that her company already exports its products to many Egyptian partners, adding that the company has plans to expand in the Egyptian market.
“We have previously participated in the Sahara Expo, and we always found new partners at the expo … we have signed two new deals with Egyptian companies during this edition of the expo,” she added.