Speech of The Day (176): Foundation Stone of the Indo-Ethiopian Textile Factory at Basaka

On Saturday, March 30, 1958, His Imperial

Majesty Haile Selassie I laid the foundation

stone of the Indo-Ethiopian Textile Factory

at Basaka. Below is the Emperor's statement

made on this occasion:

"The satisfaction of man's basic needs, food, shelter

and clothing, have in all times and in all nations been

considered as of the highest priority. In the matter

of food, the wealth that Almighty God, in His abundant

mercy, has bestowed upon Our country is not only adequate

to fill the requirements of Our own people, but

can also enable her to help meet the needs of neighbouring

countries. In the programme laid out by Us for

the development and progress of Our country, We have

given priority to the spreading of education and improving

the health of Our people and to the fulfilment of

basic human needs which We have just described.

Until recently, Our people strove to meet their clothing

needs by spinning at home and weaving on their

ancient hand-looms. But with the increased demands

introduced by modern civilisation, this situation has

changed rapidly, and today We find textiles heading the

list of Ethiopia's imports.

Realizing that the clothing requirements of Our

people could be met only through the erection of an

adequate number of properly organized textile mills,

and the furtherance of Our policy of industrial expansion

and development, We have already caused three cotton

mills to be established in Ethiopia, one each in Addis

Ababa, Dire Dawa and Asmara. However, these three

factories combined are not yet capable of meeting even

a fourth or the total needs of Our people, and in order

to produce at home an ever increasing percentage of

Our clothing requirements, We have caused a fourth

textile mill to be established, the corner stone of which

We take great pleasure in laying today.

We would like to avail ourselves of this opportunity

to state once again that We would welcome to Ethiopia

companies like Messrs. Birla Brothers who seek to

establish industries in Ethiopia.

In the address which We broadcast to Our people

on Our return from Our state Visit to India which We

undertook in 1956, on the friendly invitation of the

Indian Government, We stated that 'the social and

economic problems that face India and Ethiopia are

very much alike". And since the nations of the world

are bound together in inter-dependence, We trust that

both Ethiopia and India will render mutual assistance

in facing the problems of each other.

We wish to extend Our thanks to Messrs. Birla

Brothers, who took the initiative in establishing this

factory as a joint Ethiopian-Indian venture. We trust

that this factory will achieve success and render, many

years of useful service to Our people."

Speeches delivered by His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie Ist Emperor of Ethiopia on various occasions - page 45 -