ADDIS ABABA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government has disclosed its ambition to become a continental leader in startups, with a particular focus on innovation.
During a meeting on Friday, Ethiopia's Minister of Labor and Skills Muferihat Kamil emphasized the government's proactive approach to supporting startups, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported on Saturday.
Kamil underscored the need to boost collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, and international partners in nurturing startups.
Ethiopia's Minister of Industry Melaku Alebel stressed the strategic importance of startups, particularly those in the technology sector, to realize the country's aim to become a continental leader in startups and innovation.
"ICT (Information and communication technology) is among the top priorities of the economic sector, and startups will catalyze progress in other sectors," Alebel was quoted as saying.
According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the East African country has seen an "impressive increase" in the number of startup businesses in the past five years. ■