Abstract:
ILO conventions and international investment legislation are specific to their respective
domains. The non-existent of labor rights obligation in Ethio-China BIT contributing to failure
of implementation of labor rights in Chinese owned companies in Gambella. The main objective
of study is to investigate the impact of the Ethiopia-China Bilateral Investment Treaty on labor rights in
Gambella region. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative to addressed study
objective. Concerning qualitative method, the researcher interviewed 24 workers four different
offices in Gambella and Ethiopian Investment Commission in Addis Ababa, and two Chinese
owned construction companies in Gambella. Regarding quantitative method, 84 workers from
Zhejiang Bayong Highway Engineering Group Co.Ltd, and 56 employees from China Railway
Construction Corporation 21 filled questionnaires. The research finding indicate that Ethio China BIT have no contribution to labor rights abuse taking place in Gambella Region. The
major causes is lack implementations of labor rights from Government, and negligent of Chinese
companies to comply with their obligation to promote labor rights. However, regional labor and
skill, and justice bureau would have to conduct strong oversight and monitoring the
implementation labor rights, creating labor rights awareness, updated companies of their labor
rights obligations and others. Zhejiang Bayong Highway Engineering Group Co.Ltd and China
Railway Construction Corporation 21 would have to make any necessary preparation to comply
with their obligation to promote labor rights.
