Ethiopia showcases reform progress, strengthens partnerships at AIIB 10th annual meeting in Beijing
Addis Ababa, June 30, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, concluded a productive engagement at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), held in Beijing, China, from June 24 to 26, 2025.
As Vice Chair of the AIIB Board of Governors for the 2024/25 term, Minister Ahmed delivered a keynote address during the Opening Ceremony, which was inaugurated by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
In his speech, he presented Ethiopia’s recent reform efforts and development vision.
He outlined the achievements of the Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, noting its focus on restoring macroeconomic stability, encouraging private sector growth, and improving governance.
He also emphasized Ethiopia’s commitment to environmental protection through the Green Legacy Initiative, which he described as a key national effort to promote sustainability.
Minister Ahmed highlighted these two initiatives as examples of how Ethiopia is addressing both domestic priorities and broader global challenges through locally driven strategies.
In his role as Vice Chair, he also moderated the AIIB Governors’ Business Roundtable, where discussions focused on advancing sustainable connectivity and infrastructure development across regions.
During the meeting, Minister Ahmed participated in the election of Ms. Zou Jiayi as the next President of AIIB, congratulating her and expressing Ethiopia’s support for her leadership.
He also held a bilateral meeting with outgoing AIIB President Jin Liqun, commending his decade of service in building the Bank’s institutional strength and global reputation.
Their discussion included ways to expand AIIB’s engagement in Ethiopia, especially in the transport, energy, and municipal infrastructure sectors.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Ahmed held bilateral discussions with key financial and development partners, including Chinese Minister of Finance Lan Fo’an (who also serves as Chair of the AIIB Board of Governors), Qatari Minister of Finance Ali Al Kuwari, and representatives of the China Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of China, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
These meetings focused on expanding cooperation in development finance, supporting priority infrastructure projects, and exploring new financing tools aligned with Ethiopia’s development goals.
Looking ahead, the Minister asserted that Ethiopia remains committed to working with AIIB and other international partners to implement its Ten-Year Development Plan and strengthen regional integration through sustainable infrastructure investment.