Selected Speeches Of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I
INDO-ETHIOPIAN TEXTILES INAUGURATED
It is with pleasure that We inaugurate today the Indo-Ethiopian Textile Factory, which had its inception during Our State Visit to India in 1956. We laid the cornerstone for this enterprise just two years ago, and it is pleasing to Us to see that Our people are even now reaping benefits from it.
The textile industry is one that is basic to the development of the economy of any country. We have always been convinced, not only that this particular enterprise will contribute much to the welfare and betterment of Our people, but that important projects of this sort, financed in partnership by Ethiopians and by the citizens of friendly nations, such as India, offer a great and untapped source of wealth which can contribute greatly to the future development of Our nation.
It is obvious that it would be in the great interest of Ethiopia could its resources be developed mainly through the utilization of Ethiopian skill and capital. But until such time as these essential requisites to economic development are available, We welcome the co-operation and collaboration of people of friendly countries, not only in projects such as that which We inaugurated today, but in other fields as well. Such undertakings, We know, can contribute to raising the standard of living of Our people, and We hope to see an ever-increasing number of enterprises established in Our Empire.
We wish to thank again Messrs. Birla and their associates who have energetically pursued this project to its completion, Our Minister of Commerce, Industry and Planning, and those others who have contributed to the achievement which We see before Us today.
April 8, 1960.
Electronic edition created and published online by members of the
Emperor Haile Sellassie First Theocracy Reign
Order of the Nyahbinghi
June 21, 2017