MIDROC

Midroc has operations across three continents, over 70,000 employees and a turnover of $25 billion. The group is active in various sectors, including industry, venture capital, oil and fuel production, energy and mining.

{{See also|Lega Dembi Mine}}

MIDROC Ethiopia was established in 1994. In 2011 it made a profit of 1.3bn birr (US$70m).[http://www.2merkato.com/20111014451/midroc-ethiopia-announces-13-billion-birr-profit 2Merkato.com Business Portal October 14, 2011]

MIDROC has major gold mining interests in Ethiopia{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120113151324/http://www.newsdire.com/business/1685-egyptian-mining-company-hit-immense-gold-reserve.html Newsdire April 13, 2011]}}[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-12/ethiopia-aiming-to-license-50-mineral-projects-every-year-boost-exports.html Bloomberg Report November 12, 2010]{{subscription required}} and it is reported that MIDROC Gold Mine (a subsidiary of MIDROC Ethiopia) has paid the Ethiopian Government 100.1 million birr in royalties, the largest contribution of any mining company.[http://addisfortune.com/Second%20Largest%20Nickel%20Producer%20Sets%20up%20Shop%20in%20Konso.htm Addis Fortune August 8, 2011]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Midroc Gold is Ethiopia's sole gold exporter. Its Lega Dembi Mine has a yearly average production of around 4,500 kg of gold and silver.[http://addisfortune.com/Artisan%20Miners%20Surpass%20Expectation%20after%20109-5m%20Gold%20Sale.htm Addis Fortune October 23, 2011]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Between 1997 and 2009, MIDROC's expansion of the mine caused deforestation and displaced Indigenous Gujii people from their ancestral land,{{Cite web |last=CEDAW |author-link=CEDAW |date=2019 |title=Urgent appeal submitted to: David R. Boyd UN Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment |url=https://wwws.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/humanrights/documents/urgent-appeal-to-special-procedures-regarding-ethiopias-lega-dembi-gold-mine2.pdf |website=law.northwestern.edu}} denying their right to free, prior and informed consent.{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=The impact of toxic contamination from the Lega Dembi gold mine on the Indigenous Guji people in Ethiopia |url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/toxicwaste/toxics-indigenous-peoples/inputsreceived/2022-07-13/northwestern-pritzker-school-of-law.docx |website=OHCHR.org}} Locals have reported that mine security shoots at people if they get near the mine, and that employment opportunities have systematically excluded local people.

Local people allege that Midroc dumped chemicals into rivers that residents used for drinking and for livestock, causing birth deformities and animal deaths.{{Cite news |date=2018-05-07 |title=Protesters Demand Ethiopia Cancel Billionaire's Gold License |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-07/protesters-demand-ethiopia-cancel-billionaire-s-gold-mine-permit |access-date=2023-01-17}} Protesters contend water and air pollution from the mine have caused respiratory illnesses, miscarriages, birth defects, and disabilities.{{Cite web |last=TesfaNews |date=2018-05-07 |title=Ethiopians Protest MIDROC Gold Mining License Renewal |url=https://tesfanews.net/ethiopians-protest-midroc-mining-license-renewal/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=TesfaNews |language=en-US}} Other reports include tumors, headaches, skin conditions, and vision problems. One healthcare provider reported that, "Mothers are having miscarriages every single day...I am not seeing this in other places, only around the mining site.” A field study in 2018-2019 found 19 children with "serious deformities and paralysis" in a survey of 36 households.

Protests against the mine have been brutally repressed with mass arrests, killings, and disappearances. A 2016 report by Human Rights Watch found that, “Security forces committed numerous human rights violations in response to the protests, including arbitrary arrest and detention, killings and other uses of excessive force, torture and ill-treatment in detention, and enforced disappearances.”

MIDROC owns 70% of National Oil Ethiopia, which competes with YBF, TAF and five other companies in the national petrol market[http://addisfortune.com/TAF%20Joins%20Tough%20Competition%20in%20Oil%20Market.htm Addis Fortune December 27, 2010]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and is establishing a major steel plant (Tossa) in Amhara. The latter is Ethiopia's first industrial steel production plant and is intended to meet a major increase in domestic demand, estimated to rise from 1.2m tonnes to 3.1m tonnes per annum between 2011 and 2014.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111103195730/http://www.addisfortune.com/Bidding%20for%201.3m%20tones%20Steel%20Factory%20Sees%20Nine%20Interest.htm Addis Fortune October 30, 2011]}}

In August 2008, MIDROC opened a small cement factory on the outskirts of the town, which produces 4,000 quintals of cement per day. Some of the output of this factory was used in the construction of the larger Derba MIDROC Cement Factory, which is located 70 kilometers north of Addis Ababa and is the largest cement factory in Ethiopia.Wudineh Zenebe, [http://allafrica.com/stories/200808120352.html "Ethiopia: Dejen Cement by Derba Midroc Hits Market"], originally printed in Addis Fortune 12 August 2008. (accessed 14 August 2009){{subscription required}} North Holdings Investment announced 17 October 2009 that it had completed a feasibility study for its own cement factory at Dejen, which would be built on 450 hectares of land. Construction of the factory will cost around US$1.6 billion, and once completed it would have a production capacity of nine million tons a year.[http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2009/403//19.shtml "Ethiopia: Company Finalizes Feasibility Study For Cement Factory"], Somaliland Times, issue 403 (accessed 17 November 2009) {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223074238/http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2009/403//19.shtml |date=23 February 2012 }}

MIDROC also built the Sheraton Addis hotel.{{cite web |url=https://www.midroc-ethiopia.com.et/ |title=Home |website=midroc-ethiopia.com.et |access-date=2020-10-28 |archive-date=2021-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523133417/https://www.midroc-ethiopia.com.et/ |url-status=dead }}

Midroc Europe was a privately owned corporate group based in Sweden active in the properties, construction, industry and environmental technology sectors.{{cite web |date= |title=Hem |url=http://www.midroc.se/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990508114328/http://www.midroc.se/ |archive-date=May 8, 1999 |accessdate=2017-01-26 |publisher=Midroc.se}} In January 2022, the Midroc Group, which included Midroc Europe, became Granitor.{{cite web |title=Midroc becomes Granitor |url=https://www.granitor.se/en/midroc-becomes-granitor/ |accessdate=2022-02-10 |publisher=granitor.se}} In July 2024, MIDROC retain its name to Granitor in Sweden due to Wikström family’s increased holdings.{{Cite web |last=Endale |first=Ashenafi |date=2024-07-20 |title=MIDROC To Retain Name In Ethiopia Despite Rebrand In Sweden |url=https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/41132/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=www.thereporterethiopia.com |language=en-US}}

Midroc Middle East is a privately owned corporate group active in the engineering and construction and the industrial sectors.{{cite web |url=http://www.midroc.com/operations/middle-east |title=Middle EastMidroc.com |publisher=Midroc.com |date= |accessdate=2017-01-26 |archive-date=2017-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202040611/http://www.midroc.com/operations/middle-east |url-status=dead }}

• ABV Rock Group Ltd
• EG&G Middle East
• Saudi ABV
• Yanbu Steel
• Metals Services
• Trans Desert Transport
• Golden Leaves

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.midroc-ethiopia.com.et/ http://www.midroc.com/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523133417/https://www.midroc-ethiopia.com.et/ |date=2021-05-23 }} Home page

Category:Companies of Ethiopia

Category:Oil and gas companies of Ethiopia

Category:Petroleum industry in Saudi Arabia