The General Development Engineering and Consulting Company (GDECC) was formed in 1996 to undertake engineering, consultancy, supervising quality of work, and similar works in the reconstruction process of the country. The Company mainly focuses on the development of infrastructural works of agriculture, construction, conducting researches on underground water and the environment.

There are a number of private and government owned companies that are engaged in engineering works and similar activities. At the present, GDECC is performing substantial professional works in the national construction projects and in the designing of cities’ master plans.

During the last years of independence, the Company made significant contribution in developing and drafting building complexes. The Company employed its skilled staff and equipment all over the country and hence has put its trade mark in different parts of the country.

GDECC consist of four divisions, namely, Contract Administration and Construction Department, Engineering Design Department, Architectural Design Department, and Administrative and Finance Department.

Along with developing and expanding construction works, the Company introduced modern equipment and advanced the level of its staff that enabled it to prepare well researched master plans. The Department of Architectural Design, for example, prepared draft plans for air ports, schools, health centers, housing complex, water and electricity supply lines and similar plans.

Preparing designs for run ways, roads, bridges, boat repairing centers, sewage systems, sport fields, underground water researches are prepared by the Engineering Design Department.

The Company has also drafted a master plan for the capital city. Housing complexes in Sembel, Mhram Chira, Hazhaz and Mai Hutsa are part of the new master plan of the city. Similarly, GDECC has prepared a design for the sewage system of Asmara and its outskirts. Professional staff of the Company also participated in the discussion held regarding the future plan of Asmara.

Massawa is a port city on fast development pace. Major development works have been accomplished in the port and the sole designer is GDECC.

Due to the Company’s design on underground water development that started in 1997, about 36 villages of the Maekel, Anseba and Gash Barka regions became beneficiaries of adequate water supply.

Eritrea has a 1,216 kilometers coast on the Red Sea and 355 islands with a total area of 1,334.7 square kilometers. Eritrea’s coastal line is clear, virgin and beautiful. GDECC drafted the design of the road that links Massawa and Assab, a 600 km road, along the sea.

According to the head of the Company, Engineer Mokonen Habtetsion, GDECC had substantial contribution in drafting the master plan of the Massawa International Airport that started in 1997 and was completed in 2002. Similarly, it participated in designing the Asmara and Sawa airports.

The construction of infrastructure for the development of Marine Resources is one of the main priorities of the Government. The establishment of fishing infrastructures in Gelalo, Ti’o, Edei and other areas is aimed at making the residents of the area and the public in general beneficiaries of their marine resources. GDECC designed the water supply mechanisms for these projects.

Bridge construction has been one of the main challenges. Most of the bridges in the country were built during the Italian colonialism, 60 years ago. So, the country needs new designs of bridges that meet the current construction levels. The Company participated in the design of the 42 bridges constructed in the Massawa-Assab, Keren-Teseney, Ghindae-Filfl roads. It also played a major role in the construction of Tokor Dam, the main source of water for Asmara that was built by a foreign company.

Regarding its role in agricultural development, the Company prepared a master plan for the Aligdr Irrigation Farm Project that covers 12,470 hectares of land.

The main focus of the Company is the construction of major roads in the country. So far, it has participated in large scale road building works.

The company has about 108 workers among them eight expatriates.