WHEREAS it has been found imperative to step up Ethiopia’s experience in the design and implementation of the industrial parks’ scheme to a special economic zone regime in order to attain higher economic diversification and impact; REALIZING that a special economic zone program is conceived as an appropriate mechanism for experimenting on efficient and conducive investment and business environment reforms which may be scaled to the wider economy where appropriate;

WHEREAS a special economic zone framework serves to enhance the country’s participation in global value chains and strengthen its capacity to effectively compete in regional trade on efficiency, lead time and cost

RECOGNIZING the importance of adopting legislation in respect of the development, operation and regulation of special economic zones to be established in commercially viable and strategic locations;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 55 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, it is hereby proclaimed as follows