Finance Forward Ethiopia Conference Reviews Progress of Economic Reforms
Ethiopia and the State of Israel Held Political Consultation in Jerusalem
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed at his office Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, on Thursday (January 22) for meaningful discussions on further strengthening the partnership between Ethiopia and Germany.
Prime Minister Abiy on Saturday (January 17) inaugurated the first site under the Dine for Generations Initiative, Denbi Eco Lodge, covering 36.7 hectares of pristine forest. The site symbolizes Ethiopia’s tourism shift, uniting sustainability, heritage, and world-class experiences nationwide.
The Finance Forward Ethiopia Conference opened in Addis Ababa on Thursday (January 15) in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy, bringing together key institutions shaping the country’s financial and revenue systems. (See article)
Foreign Minister Gedion met on Thursday (January 22) with Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, at his office. The two ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation on matters of mutual interest.
The Fourth Ethiopia–Israel Joint Political Consultation was held on Tuesday (January 13) in Jerusalem, reaffirming the deep-rooted and forward-looking partnership between the two countries. The Ethiopian delegation was led by Ambassador Hadera Abera, State Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the delegation of the State of Israel was headed by Eden Bar-Tal, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel. (See article)
Ambassador Hadera met on Thursday (January 22) with Yann Elbaz, Chief Commercial Officer of Kuwait Petroleum Company Trading (KPCT), to further explore ways to strengthen the petroleum supply chain from Kuwait to Ethiopia, including fuel terminals, storage facilities, docking and berthing capacity, and transportation, responding to the growing demand generated by Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth.
Ambassador Hadera held talks with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Kravik at his office on Wednesday (January 21) to explore ways of further strengthening bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Norway. Both sides also exchanged views on regional peace and security and agreed to work closely in bilateral and multilateral forums on areas of shared interest.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye, along with key stakeholders, on Thursday (January 22) reviewed a briefing on the security and intelligence plan to successfully host the 39th AU Summit and the Italy–Africa Meeting.
Ethiopia participated in the World of Coffee Dubai 2026 Exhibition, which opened on Sunday (January 18) at the Dubai World Trade Center, with 24 leading Ethiopian coffee exporters actively engaging buyers, roasters, and investors to promote premium Ethiopian coffee and strengthen trade relations.
A panel discussion dubbed “Invest in Ethiopia: Opportunities for the Diaspora” was held at the Addis House of Culture at the National Palace on Saturday (January 17), bringing together Ethiopian diaspora members from around the world who returned to Addis Ababa for the holiday season.
Kenya
President William Ruto met on Wednesday (January 21) with German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul at State House, Nairobi. The two sides held discussions on matters of common interest.
Somalia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a telephone conversation on Wednesday (January 21) with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. They discussed further strengthening Somalia–South Africa relations and expanding cooperation on peace and security, trade and investment, and regional peace and security.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) welcomed the ratification of the new IGAD Treaty by the House of the People of the Federal Parliament of the Federal Republic of Somalia on Wednesday (January 21), joining fellow member states Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Kenya in ratifying the new IGAD Treaty.
Africa and the African Union
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, on Thursday (January 22) received Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening AU–Germany cooperation in support of Africa’s peace, stability, and continental integration agenda.
On the same day, the Chairperson also received Morissanda Kouyaté, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guinea, where they held discussions on matters of mutual interest.
Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the AUC, received Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, on Wednesday (January 21). The two sides exchanged views on multilateralism, peace and security, development, and international law.
Finance Forward Ethiopia Conference Reviews Progress of Economic Reforms
The Finance Forward Ethiopia Conference opened in Addis Ababa on Thursday (January 15) in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, bringing together key institutions shaping the country’s financial and revenue systems.
The “Finance Forward Ethiopia” conference was convened to review and evaluate Ethiopia’s recent achievements in macro-financial management, structural reforms, and major sectoral transformations. The event brought together key economic and regulatory institutions to present progress, assess reform outcomes, and highlight cross-sectoral linkages that support inclusive growth, financial deepening, and private-sector-led development.
Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Abiy emphasized that sustainable development requires clearly defined and mutually respected roles between the government and the private sector. He announced that Ethiopia has attracted approximately 1.3 trillion Birr in private investment as a result of ongoing economic reforms aimed at creating a more enabling environment for private-sector growth.
He stressed that the government’s primary responsibility is to create the right conditions for businesses to thrive, adding that long-term economic progress depends on empowering private actors to innovate and expand. The Prime Minister noted that the government is taking decisive steps to strengthen the private sector, with particular attention to supporting emerging entrepreneurs and startups.
He further stated that efforts are underway to elevate public–private cooperation to a higher level, alongside reforms of public development institutions to improve efficiency and performance. As evidence of successful reform, he cited Ethio Telecom and Ethiopian Airlines, describing them as clear examples of the positive outcomes of effective institutional transformation.
Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide, during the conference, said Ethiopia faced severe macroeconomic pressures seven years ago, including deep imbalances, a heavy debt burden, foreign-exchange shortages, and market instability. He noted that the government’s Home-Grown Economic Reform programs were introduced to address these challenges and have since delivered tangible results.
As a result of these efforts, Ethiopia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, supported by stronger and more modern public institutions. Among the key outcomes of the reforms, Minister Ahmed said government revenue, including external inflows, has increased fivefold, while tax revenue has risen by 400 percent. Overall government revenue has grown by 446 percent compared to its 2010 level.
Presentations were delivered by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Revenue (MoR), National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA), Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), and the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA). Collectively, the institutions showcased reforms aimed at strengthening macroeconomic stability, enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, deepening financial and capital markets, improving state-owned enterprise governance, and fostering a more competitive investment environment.
The six major institutions presented assessments of their performance to date and outlined strategic priorities for the next five years, with discussions centered on aligning future plans with Ethiopia’s broader economic reform agenda.
Ethiopia and the State of Israel Held Political Consultation in Jerusalem
The Fourth Ethiopia–Israel Joint Political Consultation was held on Tuesday (January 13) in Jerusalem, reaffirming the deep-rooted and forward-looking partnership between the two countries. The Ethiopian delegation was led by Ambassador Hadera Abera, State Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the delegation of the State of Israel was headed by Eden Bar-Tal, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Hadera underscored that Ethiopia and Israel share a long, profound, and multifaceted relationship. He recalled that the historical bonds between the two nations traces back more than three millennia. He further emphasized that Ethiopia attaches great strategic importance to its partnership with Israel, noting that the two countries share common values, security concerns, and significant opportunities for cooperation. Over recent years, bilateral engagement has expanded across key sectors, including agriculture, water management, health, defense, technology, and education.
The State Minister further highlighted that reciprocal ministerial visits over the past year have further deepened bilateral relations. He also stressed the importance of addressing the evolving geopolitical dynamics of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, noting that developments in this region directly affect both Ethiopia and Israel.
For his part, Eden Bar Tal emphasized the long-standing historical relationship between Ethiopia and Israel, describing the current state of bilateral relations as very strong and underscoring Israel’s view of Ethiopia as a strategic partner. He recalled the reciprocal exchange of visits by the foreign ministers and senior officials from the defense and intelligence sectors, which have further strengthened the bilateral ties between the two nations. He also expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of Ethiopia for facilitating the evacuation of Israeli citizens from Ethiopia.
On the margins of the Joint Political Consultation, Ambassador Hadera held a series of high-level bilateral meetings with senior officials of the Government of Israel. He paid a courtesy call on Gideon Sa’ar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, during which discussions covered political, economic, security and regional dynamics of mutual concern, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in bilateral, multilateral and regional dynamics for the benefit of the two nations.
The State Minister also held bilateral discussions with Eli Cohen, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Nir Barkat, Minister of Economy and Industry; and Yossef Draznin, Deputy Chairman of the Israel National Security Council. The discussions focused on strengthening Ethiopia–Israel cooperation in energy, infrastructure, investment, and trade, including attracting Israeli companies, aligning investment priorities, and opening an Israeli trade office in Addis Ababa to deepen economic engagement.
Ambassador Hadera also held a roundtable discussion with selected Israeli companies organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel in cooperation with the Embassy of Ethiopia in Israel. In his keynote address, Ambassador Hadera underscored that the Government of Ethiopia is undertaking bold and sustained economic reforms aimed at liberalizing key sectors, strengthening macroeconomic stability, improving the ease of doing business, and enhancing the role of the private sector as the main engine of growth. Large-scale investment in infrastructure such as transport, energy, industrial parks, logistics, and digital connectivity is transforming Ethiopia into a competitive and attractive investment destination. He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building a more open, predictable, and investor-friendly business environment.
He further noted that for Israeli businesses, Ethiopia offers particularly compelling opportunities. Priority sectors include agribusiness and agro-processing, water and irrigation technologies, renewable energy, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, ICT and digital solutions, advanced manufacturing, and climate-smart technologies. Ethiopia’s development priorities align with Israel’s strengths in innovation, efficiency, and practical solutions that deliver real impact.
In addition, State Minister Ambassador Hadera also held discussions with the representatives of Ethiopian Jews (Bete-Israelis) and Ethiopians residing in Israel. During the meeting, he expressed his appreciation to the community for their active participation in development and humanitarian initiatives in Ethiopia, commending their significant contribution through bond purchase and donation in support of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He noted that the community has purchased bonds totaling USD 1.1 million and donated more than $300,000. The state minister highlighted the Bete-Israelis’ role as a living bridge between the peoples of Ethiopia and Israel and encouraged them to continue strengthening people-to-people ties through trade, investment and tourism.
Before concluding his visit, he also visited Israeli companies such as Ultra Data Solutions, Elbit and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and held discussions with company officials on possible trade and investment opportunities. He also visited the Yad Vashim Holocaust Memorial Museum and put a wreath of flowers in memory of the victims of the Holocaust during the Second World War.
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