Norwegian MFA Business delegation: Starting by smelling the roses

23.11.2009 // A three-member delegation from the Business and Trade Department of the Norwegian MFA visited Addis Abeba on Friday the 20th of November, with the purpose of promoting Norwegian trade and investment and discussing Corporate Social Responsibility. Their visit was kicked off at the Golden Rose Farm, the Ethiopian Counterpart to Norwegian florist-chain Mester Grønn.

The delegation was comprising of  Deputy Director General Mr.Sten Anders Berge,Senior Advisor Mrs.Mette Masst and Advisor  Mrs.Anja Thomsen. Their visit to Ethiopia was the last leg of a trip to Southern and East-African Countries.

The Golde Rose Farm, situated in Tefki some 40 kilometres outside of Addis Abeba, is a certified Fairtrade Farm, employing 600 workers, and growing roses on 20 hectars of green-houses. 10 per cent of the farms production is sold by Mester Grønn in Norway. The delegation were guided around the farm by Manager Ryaz Shamji. The farm has a well-established system benefitting their workers in terms of child-care and schooling.

The delegation also met with  Dr. Tewolde Berhan Gebregzeabier,  Director  for the Environment Protection Agency, Ato Ali Suleiman ,Commissioner in the  Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and Amare Aregawi, Chair for the Ethiopia chapter of Transparency International.

In addition, the delegation had a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social  Affairs where the discussion centered around the national labour laws and other regulation in the work place.

 

 

 


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