In the fiscal year of 2009/2010, the Sudan imported goods worth a total of 115 million USD from Ethiopia. The main part of this is agricultural products, like livestock and crops. In return, the Sudan has exported oil and agricultural products. Figures from 2008 shows that sorghum, canned food and other processed products, as well as drinks and vehicles are common goods exported from the Sudan to Ethiopia.
Norway’s main import from Ethiopia consists of coffee, roses imported by florist-chain Mester Grønn, and honey imported by Honningcentralen. Norwegian company Yara is one of the main suppliers of fertilizer to Ethiopia. Due to the favourable business climate in Ethiopia, the Embassy of Norway in Addis Abeba has encouraged Norwegian companies to explore the business-opportunities in the country.
At a meeting in Oslo held by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Business-community in August this year, more than 80 companies showed an interest in learning more about Ethiopia through speaking with the Ambassador of Norway to Ethiopia at the time, Mr. Jens -Petter Kjemprud.
One of these companies was the The Jotun Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of paints., coating and powder coating. Jotun is currently exporting its products to the Sudan, and the company’s presence is very visible in Khartoum – as the picture below illustrates.
A sign for Jotun in KhartoumMoreover, DNV (Det Norske Veritas) is engaged in Sudan’s shipping and oil sector, and the Norwegian oil company Hamla was in August this year awarded a 5 percent stake in Block E, an oil field mainly located in southern Sudan.