FAQ

There are no changes to the regular services provided by the EIC.

Please refer to Meet the Team Tab for detailed Park Contact Information and any additional support required. 

All directors are fully available and accessible to provide any required support and service.  EIC Staff Contact information is available on Meet the Team Tab

Detailed contact information is available on Meet the Team Tabfor all Parks. 

Ensure all safety steps (measures) issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and World Health Organizations are followed accordingly.

These include (Not exhaustive)

• Washing hands before and after any movement/entry;
• Regular usage of disinfectants;
• Safe distancing;
• Utilization of PPE products; etc  

• Immediately notify the Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Public Health Institute through the dedicated line 8335/952
• Identify staff that could have potentially been infected for further testing.
• Temporarily suspend movement in and out of the facility until further guidance is provided by the Ministry of Health or the Ethiopian Public Health Institute
• Reach out to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute for support on properly disinfecting the workplace

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has published a COVID-19 workplace protocol. The protocol encourages employers to:

• Ensure the availability of water and sanitary materials
• Provide adequately protecting masks with the necessary training on how to use them
• Establish a task force led by the head of the enterprise, and including workers’ representatives, to follow up and monitor COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures
• Identify shop floors where workers are in close proximity and take measures to stop the practice
• Eliminate congestion in workers’ transportation services and take the necessary hygiene precautions
• Provide written, pictorial, and audio/vie information on COVID-19 safety in language that workers understand
• Reduce the number of workers using the cafeteria at one time by extending service hours
• Avoid face-to-face meetings
• In consultation with trade unions, out in place a follow-up, control, and reporting system for COVID-19 response 

• Immediately notify the Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Public Health Institute through the dedicated line 8335.
• Prepare a quarantine dorm to isolate employee exhibiting symptoms until further guidance from the Ministry of Health or the Ethiopian Public Health Institute
• Identify and isolate employees that have been in contact with the employee until further guidance from the Ministry of Health or the Ethiopian Public Health Institute 

All registration and licensing services and information are provided online at eInvest

The Ministry of Transport, Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise (ESLSE), and Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) have announced the below price discounts on transport and dry port services to be in effect from May 1, 2020

• Free rail transport for all industrial park and manufacturing industries export products going to Djibouti for 3 months, or 5 months depending on the need
• 50% cost reduction on inland transport from industrial parks to Modjo railways.
• 50% reduction on dry port services for the duration of the State of Emergency
• 73% discount on shipping prices for all export products shipped through ESLSE for the duration of the State of Emergency
• 50% discount on transport services to Djibouti for export manufacturers unable to use rail services due to distance for the duration of the State of Emergency
• Suspension of port demurrage cost until the situation on COVID-19 pandemic is improved

• All incoming passengers into the country will undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at his/her personal cost.
• All movements across land borders, except for the flow of cargo and essential goods, are banned.

• There are no restrictions on the movement of goods within the city.

There are restrictions on working hours but only applicable to government employees.

However, the restrictions on public transportation working hours and the number of people allowed per vehicle might impact employee’s arrival and departure from work.

Please refer to the Latest Government Measures Tab for a detailed measures list.  

Several measures have been taken including:

• Addis Ababa’s light rail is to be operated with 25% seat occupancy
• Ethio-Djibouti railway is to operate with 50% seat occupancy
• All other public transportation (buses, taxies, etc.,) are to be operated with 50% seat occupancy.
• Government buses are available free of charge to the public to limit overcrowding in the public transport system.

The Government has developed an Economic Impact Assessment and Policy Response Document. Please refer to the Resources and Links tab here.

Please refer to the Latest Government Measures Tab for a detailed measures list. 

Please refer to the Resource & Links Tab with all relevant links of key institutions.

Several measures have been taken to support logistics.

Please refer to Logistics and Cargo Services Tab for detailed measures list (Inland and dry port)

Please refer to the Logistics and Cargo Services Tab for the list.

The GoE is providing prioritized FOREX access for the procurement of raw materials for the manufacturing of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) products.  

Compensation packages can be adjusted with the employee's consent

Yes. The Ethiopian Labor Law allows the valid suspension of rights and obligations arising from employment contract for reasons including:

• An employer's activities are suspended for a period not less than 10 consecutive days due to force majeure
• Financial problems, not attributable to the fault of the employer, that requires the suspension of the activities of the employer for not less than 10 consecutive days

For approval, the company is required to inform the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in writing within 3 working days of the occurrence of the ground for suspension. If the Ministry does not notify its decision within 3 working days after receipt of the company’s notice, the company can be deemed allowed to suspend.

Suspension of rights and obligations arising from the employment contract cannot exceed 90 days

No. The Ethiopian state of Emergency prohibits the termination of employment contracts for its duration

The Ethiopian Labor Law obligates employers to:

• Take appropriate steps to ensure that workers are properly instructed and notified concerning the hazards of their respective occupations, and assign safety officers, and establish an occupational health and safety committee.
• Provide workers with protective equipment, clothing, and other materials and instruct them of their use.
• Ensure that the workplace and premises of the undertaking do not pose threats to the health and safety of workers.
• Implement the instructions given by the Competent Authority in accordance with this Proclamation.

In addition, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has published a COVID-19 workplace protocol. The protocol encourages employers to:

• Ensure the availability of water and sanitary materials
• Provide adequately protecting masks with the necessary training on how to use them
• Establish a task force led by the head of the enterprise, and including workers’ representatives, to follow up and monitor COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures
• Identify shop floors where workers are in close proximity and take measures to stop the practice
• Eliminate congestion in workers’ transportation services and take the necessary hygiene precautions
• Provide written, pictorial, and audio/vie information on COVID-19 safety in language that workers understand
• Reduce the number of workers using the cafeteria at one time by extending service hours
• Avoid face-to-face meetings
• In consultation with trade unions, out in place a follow-up, control, and reporting system for COVID-19 response 

• If there are lockdown measures in place in the region where the employee is living or working, the employee is required to adhere to these measures
• If there are no lockdown measures in place that require the employee to be absent from work, the employer is advised to talk to the employee to address his/her concerns 

It is difficult to project when operations will go back to normal as, at this stage, we can not predict the progress of COVID-19 in the Country. The state of emergency is scheduled to last for 5 months, until September 2020. 

The Government has approved selected areas of tax relief for investors. Please refer to the Resources and Links tab here or Click here to directly download the document.