Date: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Eritrea became independent only in 1993 and then lived in a ' no peace no war ' and an embargo," the premise of Zambaiti. It was his father, in 2004, to record for the symbolic value of a dollar the buildings of Cotonificio Barattolo, historic but also now collapsing: " The machines were useless and the company needed huge investments in machinery and know-how " remembers the businessman.
Today the Za.Er. produces about a thousand shirts a day addressed to the Italian and European market, as well as work clothing for the local and African market. A model company also from a social point of view, which operated in a difficult context, emphasizes Zambaiti. Convinced that today Italy must above all "work to consolidate the peace agreement with Ethiopia, promoting the start of new economic activities and helping to create the conditions necessary to attract investment".
The assumption is that, beyond colonialism, our country has left a positive legacy. " The Italians created companies of excellence and taught a profession , until the nationalization of the Ethiopian government in the '70s," says Zambaiti. "Today they could help Eritrea in the manufacturing, agro-business and tourism sectors, with the beauty of the coasts, the Dancalia region and Asmara itself, proclaimed by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its modernist buildings ".
And will peace with Addis Ababa guarantee economic benefits? "Ethiopia is a country of over one hundred million inhabitants, with its own industrial development but without an outlet to the sea" Zambaiti replies: "Eritrea, which has only five million inhabitants, could put it at its disposal, helping to attract new investments also thanks to an interesting and growing outlet market ". Perspectives, these, of which Ahmed and Afewerki discussed in Asmara again at the beginning of September. "The summit was also an opportunity for a visit to the Za.er stand", recalls Zambaiti: "Both have worn the shirt of our Peace Butterfly campaign, which Ahmed then showed in his speech for the Ethiopian New Year '11 September, live TV ".
Eritrea became independent only in 1993 and then lived in a ' no peace no war ' and an embargo," the premise of Zambaiti. It was his father, in 2004, to record for the symbolic value of a dollar the buildings of Cotonificio Barattolo, historic but also now collapsing: " The machines were useless and the company needed huge investments in machinery and know-how " remembers the businessman.
Today the Za.Er. produces about a thousand shirts a day addressed to the Italian and European market, as well as work clothing for the local and African market. A model company also from a social point of view, which operated in a difficult context, emphasizes Zambaiti. Convinced that today Italy must above all "work to consolidate the peace agreement with Ethiopia, promoting the start of new economic activities and helping to create the conditions necessary to attract investment".
The assumption is that, beyond colonialism, our country has left a positive legacy. " The Italians created companies of excellence and taught a profession , until the nationalization of the Ethiopian government in the '70s," says Zambaiti. "Today they could help Eritrea in the manufacturing, agro-business and tourism sectors, with the beauty of the coasts, the Dancalia region and Asmara itself, proclaimed by UNESCO as a world heritage site for its modernist buildings ".