On Monday, Addis Ababa City Administration and Chinese FHEC Overseas Investment Company inked an agreement to create the Addis Tomorrow Special Economic Zone in Ethiopia's capital, state media reported.
The Special Economic Zone includes an international economic and commercial zone, an educational and cultural zone, a financial and business zone, and a modern housing zone, city Mayor Adanech Abiebie stated on Twitter.
According to state media, the Addis Tomorrow Special Economic Zone project will be built with technical support from the government of China.
Plans are that the economic project will make use of the latest technologies with global reach to serve as Ethiopia's economic heart and center for technological excellence, mentioned the City Administration.
It is also believed that the project will help enhance Addis Ababa's role in international trade and create job opportunities for many people, she added.
Mayor Abiebie thanked Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his contribution to achieving this agreement.
The project will allow Ethiopia to build a huge special economic zone in East Africa, media reported.
Chinese companies have built multibillion-dollar projects across the African continent, including ports, railroads, highways, bridges, and hydroelectric dams, fuelled by Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road.