The Ethiopian Olympic Committee has announced plans to develop a water bottling facility ©Wikipedia

The Ethiopian Olympic Committee (EOC) has announced plans to construct a ETB 97 million (£2.7 million/$3.3 million/€3 million) water bottling and juice processing plant in the Amhara Regional State to help it raise funds to support the country's athletes. 

The Chacha plant in the North Shewa Zone, Angolalla Tera Woreda, is located 100 kilometres from capital city Addis Ababa and the EOC has secured a five-hectares plot of land on a 60-year lease arrangement.

A down-payment of ETB one million (£28,000/$34,000/€31,000) was paid, with the remainder of the ETB 10 million (£279,000/$342,000/€312,000) lease deal to be paid throughout the agreement.

The plant had initially been planned for development in Dima Woreda in the Oromia Regional State before it was switched, owing to a late response from the state.

A total of ETB 2.8 million (£78,000/$95,500/€87,500) has been paid to those relocated to make way for the plant.

The Ethiopian Olympic Committee has signed a 60-year lease for a water bottling facility and will use the money to help support athletes preparing for major events like the IAAF World Championships ©Getty Images
The Ethiopian Olympic Committee has signed a 60-year lease for a water bottling facility and will use the money to help support athletes preparing for major events like the IAAF World Championships ©Getty Images

Amhara Waterworks Construction Enterprise has finished the water drilling process ahead of the EOC taking in machines and hiring staff to construct the site.

The EOC will cover 30 per cent of the costs, with the Ethiopian Government and sports partners from abroad expected to contribute to the outstanding costs, according to Tibebu Gorfu, assistant project coordinator of the plant.

"Finding the right partners on time is the challenge we anticipate facing," he said.

EOC source income from renting buildings, membership fees and promotions, as well as from Adidas - with whom EOC have an agreement for promotions - and the Government.