Ethiopia Targets 10.1% Economic Growth as Government Maps 2019 Development Trajectory

Addis Ababa, October 6, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia is targeting 10.1% economic growth in the 2019 Ethiopian fiscal year, as the federal government seeks to build on recent economic gains and accelerate development under a new set of priorities and targets presented by President Taye Atske-Selassie.

The growth target was presented at Tuesday’s inaugural joint session of the House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of Federation, held as the newly constituted Parliament entered its new working phase following Monday’s opening proceedings of the two Houses.

President Taye said the government’s direction for the new fiscal year is grounded in an assessment of the country’s performance, strengths and gaps, with accelerated growth and prosperity identified alongside the broader effort to safeguard national interests.

The projected 10.1% growth is to be pursued alongside measures aimed at strengthening domestic resource mobilization and fiscal capacity. The government’s plan includes modernizing the tax base, improving the management of public revenue and expenditure, and maintaining prudent debt management.

The President also outlined a number of development targets accompanying the growth trajectory. Electricity access is expected to reach 65%, while access to water services is to be expanded and health-insurance coverage increased to 85%.

School-feeding coverage is also planned to rise to 70%, while the number of MESOB one-stop service centres is to be expanded. The government further plans to increase forest coverage from its current level and continue modernizing the justice sector.

President Taye presented these targets as part of a broader transition toward quality-driven structural transformation, stronger implementation and greater efficiency in the use of public resources.

The projected growth trajectory follows the economic gains he highlighted from the preceding period, while shifting the focus of the government’s programme toward the next phase of growth, productivity and development.

The 2019 fiscal-year targets were presented as part of the federal government’s wider programme for the new parliamentary and government working phase, which also encompasses peace, institutional transformation, productive capacity, public services and foreign relations.