LONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Jordan's Hikma Pharmaceuticals

HIK.L said on Wednesday it was entering the Ethiopian market through a joint venture with Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi's MIDROC Group.

London-listed Hikma said the joint venture, named HikmaCure, would establish an Ethiopian operating company, build a local manufacturing facility and would begin marketing and distributing pharmaceutical products in Ethiopia.

The two groups will provide up to $22.3 million each to the joint venture, Hikma said in a statement.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton)

((paul.sandle@thomsonreuters.com)(+44 20 7542 6843)(Reuters Messaging: paul.sandle.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Keywords: HIKMA/ETHIOPIA