Addis Ababa, April 19, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia and the United Kingdom have agreed to strengthen their partnership by expanding cooperation in investment, trade, and development.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and UK Minister of State for International Development Baroness Chapman on the sidelines of the 2026 IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings.
The two sides reaffirmed their strong bilateral ties and discussed ways to scale up collaboration across development, trade, and investment.
Ahmed Shide highlighted Ethiopia’s reform progress and positive economic outlook despite global economic challenges, emphasizing the need for sustained UK support to advance pro-poor development and consolidate reform gains.
Baroness Chapman, for her part, commended Ethiopia’s reform momentum and improvements in the business environment, reaffirming the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to development cooperation. She also underscored Ethiopia’s role in promoting stability in the Horn of Africa.
Both sides agreed to broaden their partnership beyond traditional development cooperation, with a greater focus on trade, investment, and wider economic collaboration.