Addis Ababa, October 1, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia and the World Bank have agreed to deepen strategic cooperation to accelerate private sector-led growth, strengthen economic resilience and advance the country’s development priorities.
Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide and Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia Eyob Tekalign held discussions today with World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde and Regional Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa Ndiamé Diop on Ethiopia’s ongoing economic reforms and expanded areas of cooperation.
Ahmed expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s sustained support to Ethiopia, including through budget support operations, and briefed the Bank’s leadership on the government’s economic reform agenda.
He highlighted progress in domestic revenue mobilization, improvements in the business environment and measures aimed at strengthening private sector development as a driver of growth and job creation.
Bjerde welcomed the progress achieved under Ethiopia’s reform agenda and acknowledged the tangible results to date, including the government’s commitment to promoting private sector-led growth and job creation.
She reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Ethiopia and supporting the country’s development priorities, particularly its transition toward stronger private sector-led growth under the new Country Partnership Framework.
The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in key priority areas, including Mission 300, the AgriConnect Compact, the E-Mobility Program and the Water Forward Initiative.
They also discussed expanding Ethiopia’s access to additional financing windows to strengthen the country’s resilience against climate-related and external shocks.
The discussions further emphasized the importance of improving implementation efficiency and accelerating development outcomes through the Development Ready Initiative, with the objective of ensuring timely and tangible benefits for the Ethiopian people.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong partnership between Ethiopia and the World Bank and their shared commitment to advancing Ethiopia’s economic transformation, strengthening resilience and promoting sustainable and inclusive private sector-led growth.