Ethiopia opens its first gold refinery — and wants the region's gold refined at home

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Ethiopia's first gold refinery: a $50 million joint venture in which state-owned Ethiopian Investment Holdings takes the majority stake. The plant will melt, test, refine, cast and mint bars — working not only with Ethiopia's gold but with metal from neighbouring countries too. Gold exports earned Ethiopia $5.6 billion last year; now more of that value stays in the region.