ADDIS ABABA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia attracted 4.32 billion U.S. dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) during the 2025/26 fiscal year, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) has said.

File photo: AFP

In a statement issued on Thursday, the EIC said the increase in FDI during the fiscal year, which ended on July 7, reflected the country's economic resilience amid shifting global market conditions.

Highlighting the issuance of 528 new investment licenses, EIC Commissioner Zeleke Temesgen stressed that the country's manufacturing output experienced a major boost during the fiscal year, particularly within specialized industrial hubs.

According to EIC data, 225 million dollars worth of products from special economic zones were supplied to the export market, marking an 80 percent surge year-on-year.

Temesgen attributed this growth to targeted investment promotion and strategic partnerships aimed at boosting industrialization and private sector expansion, as part of broader macroeconomic reforms.

The EIC chief outlined several key successes achieved during the fiscal year, including transitioning licensed companies into active operations, creating jobs, providing investment incentives, collaborating with stakeholders, fully digitizing institutional services, boosting domestic revenue, monitoring and evaluating investment projects, and enhancing foreign investor trust.

To further accelerate FDI inflows, Temesgen underscored that special focus will be placed on making the investment climate more predictable, attracting high-quality new investments, and strengthening institutional coordination.

As part of efforts to attract foreign capital, the EIC in March organized the fourth edition of its flagship investment forum, dubbed "Invest in Ethiopia." A number of investment accords were signed, spanning mining, manufacturing, real estate, and renewable energy, involving investors from China, Kenya, India, and Poland, among others.