By Semafor Africa
Photos: Wikimedia Commons
International flower companies are fleeing Ethiopia because of a worsening conflict in the northwestern Amhara region, a key flower-growing hub, dealing a blow to one of the country’s major exports.
Germany’s Selecta One this month said it would move production to Kenya and Uganda, blaming “the unstable political situation and the uncertain military environment.” The company, which began operations in Ethiopia in 2021, is also laying off more than 1,000 local employees due to the fallout from the two-year war between the Ethiopian government and Fano, a loose collection of militias. The firm is following in the footsteps of other horticultural companies, including five Dutch-owned firms that have left or suspended production since the start of 2024.
Ethiopia’s cut-flower industry, which generated more than $500 million in revenues last year, is the country’s second-biggest export after coffee, according to central bank figures. The Ethiopian Investment Commission, which oversees foreign investment, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
