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Three promotional companies have kept themselves
busy exploiting market opportunities on the eve of
the Millennium festivals. Century General Trading
Plc, MA Promotion Plc and Great Way Business
Promotion Service have found various places for
display with potential for increased exposure.
Century is to rent the Addis Abeba Exhibition Centre
for ten days at 2.5 million Br, an astonishing
2,500pc increase over the previous highest offer of
100,000 Br.
The Millennium is expected to attract more than 400
local and foreign companies. The number of companies
whose participation has been confirmed reached 200,
Zewge Jemaneh, the general manager of Century, told
Fortune.
Famous artists from Ethiopia and abroad are expected
to entertain shoppers during the event. According to
Zewge, on August 8, 2007, there will be a music
festival on the streets of Addis Abeba.
MA, is actively working under the theme of
‘Ethiopian Millennium Shopping Festive’. It rented
an open space off the road that runs from Bole
International Airport through Saris. The plot was
designated for the five-star hotel to be built by
Ethiopian Airlines.
Earlier, MA had made preparations to organise a
similar occasion along Africa Avenue in front of
London Café. However, the plot was owned by the
subsidiary of MIDROC-Ethiopia, Addis Park
Development and Management Plc (APDM), which is
constructing a concert hall on the stated plot for
the Millennium at a cost of 10 million dollars.
Two years ago, APDM had leased the 90,000sqm of land
and left the plot without erecting any structure on
it, initiating MA and the Bole-District to strike a
deal. Though MA built structures at a cost of
700,000 Br on the area after the District allowed MA
to lease the plot, the project was terminated with
the intervention of APDM.
To compensate for the financial loss that MA
suffered as a result of being evicted, the Bole
District Administration discussed the matter with
Ethiopian management and found the present plot
on which MA designed to erect replicas of Fassiledes
Castle, Lailibela’s rock hewn church, Axum obelisk
and the Wall of Harrar.
Mohamed Abdulkadir, general manager of MA, told
Fortune that the company wants to erect a mega
shopping mall and facilities such as HIV and
children centres. During the event, 200 people are
expected to visit MA’s promotional facilities, he
added.
MA will spend 1.6 million Br to put up structures
and occupy the plot for three months as of August
23.
Great Way rented a space in the compound that
jointly hosts the committee of the federations of
handball, basketball and volleyball. The promotional
event will last 10 days for which Great Way pays
33,000 Br per day to the federations.
Although, Great Way expects 100 companies to attend
the event, so far, 53 companies have confirmed their
interest to participate, Nebyou Asmare, the general
manager of Great Way, disclosed to Fortune.
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