Ethiopia, EU, and France sign €32mln financial support agreement

Addis Ababa, April 3, 2023 (FBC) – The European Union (EU), France Development Agency and Ethiopian government signed a €32 million financial support agreement, the Ministry of Finance confirmed.

According to the Ministry, the financing agreement is intended to the project Food security and Agriculture Rehabilitation measures in Conflict-Affected Regions of Ethiopia which is funded €18 million by AFD and €14 million by the EU, respectively.

The project will reportedly be implemented by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Transformation (ATI) in northern Ethiopia, especially in conflict-ridden areas of Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions, providing farmers with the necessary resources to restart production and rehabilitate the service infrastructure in order to avoid an unprecedented crisis.

It is also stated that the project has two components; such as addressing the most urgent needs by reviving agricultural production in these areas, and strengthening food self-sufficiency in Ethiopia.

In the first phase, improved seeds will be provided (cereals, legumes and vegetables), as well as an improved breed of poultry, selected small ruminants, horticultural seeds and irrigation pumps that will benefit at least 533,000 households.

The financing agreement was signed by Semereta Sewasew state minister of Finance, Valérie Tehio, AFD director in Ethiopia and Stefan Lock, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ethiopia.