Ethiopia Secures 30 Million Euros Grant from Germany for Agricultural and Private Sector Initiatives.

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia and Germany have signed a 30-million grant agreement to support significant initiatives including the Fund for Increasing Productivity through Innovation in Agriculture II and the Promotion of Ethiopian Private Sector II (SME Credit Line). The Agreements were signed by State Minister of Finance, Semereta Sewasew; Chief Financial Officer at KfW, Bernd Loewen; and Director for Eastern Africa at KfW Development Bank, Christoph Tiskens, representing Ethiopia and Germany, respectively.According to Ethiopian News Agency, the first initiative, now in its second phase, focuses on enhancing agricultural mechanization through lease financing, according to the Ministry of Finance. This approach aims to tackle financial access challenges in Ethiopia by facilitating the importation of durable and suitable agricultural machinery, including combine harvesters and tractors. State Minister of Finance, Semereta Sewasew emphasized: 'By improving agricultural productivity through access to modern machiner y, we are equipping our farmers to thrive in a competitive market, ultimately driving economic growth.'The second project seeks to improve access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through commercial banks and micro-finance institutions, with a special emphasis on supporting women-owned and youth-owned MSMEs. Semereta added, 'Empowering our MSMEs is crucial for economic recovery, especially in conflict-affected regions. This initiative will create jobs, foster inclusive growth, and ensure that every Ethiopian has the opportunity to contribute to our nation's prosperity.'On behalf of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KfW Development Bank has committed over 1 billion euros to date to enhance development opportunities in Ethiopia. The bank's initiatives have spanned various sectors, including reforestation, conservation of natural areas, and vocational education, benefiting over 100,000 young people through investments in vocational schools an d teacher training. Bernd Loewen, CFO at KfW, stated, 'Our investment in Ethiopia reflects a strong commitment to sustainable development and the empowerment of its people, which is essential for a stable and prosperous future.'These agreements are integral to the German government's support for Ethiopia's strategy to achieve middle-income status by 2030 and to transition toward a private-sector-driven economy.