Addis Ababa — More than 830 industries that had ceased production due to various reasons have resumed operation after the Made in Ethiopia Movement in Ethiopia, according to the Ministry of Industry.

Industry State Minister Tarekegn Bululta told ENA that a range of measures are being taken to enhance the sector's contribution to the national economy.

The current contribution of the sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stands at less than 6.8 percent, but concerted efforts are being exerted to boost this to 17.2 percent, he said.

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As a result, many industries that had been non-operational for various reasons have resumed operations, significantly contributing to job creation and foreign exchange earnings.

The state minster explained that industries in Dire Dawa City Administration which had stopped production due to challenges related to finance, inputs, and electricity supply have begun operation following the support provided by the ministry and stakeholders.

The initiative launched to encourage food processing industries that utilize agricultural products as inputs to produce value-added goods is also yielding encouraging results.

According to Tarekegn, extensive works have been carried out on input supply in order to improve the productivity of industries.

Coordinated efforts have in particular been made to ensure textile and garment industries receive sufficient cotton supply, he added.

The revitalization of industries is also making a notable contribution in terms of foreign exchange savings through import substitution and generating export revenue, it was learned.

The industries are collectively creating 235,000 jobs annually.

The state minister revealed that the production capacity of industries has jumped from 46 percent to 61.2 percent.

The ministry is actively monitoring and supporting industries to ensure that their products are competitive in the global market.