In order to achieve that goal, works are at an advanced stage, which will allow us to exploit some 600 million tons of the country’s reserve effectively, although our explorations indicate that the figure could be exceeded, according to a communiqué from the federal administration.

At present, eight companies have licenses to develop resources in several regions of the country and they are in different stages of production and preparation, the press release noted.

It added that the states of Amhara, Benishangul-Gumaz, Oromia and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region have some of the richest areas in coal reserves, mainly used as fossil fuel.

Among the plans to promote Ethiopia’s growth, mining is considered a pillar, along with agriculture, tourism, manufacture and the development of the so-called ICT (Information and Communications Technologies).

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