Ethiopia, US Sign $230m Dev’t Partnership Agreement (May 14, 2020)

Ethiopia and the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a new development partnership agreement this week worth more than $230 million.

The agreement underscores the American people’s continued commitment to investing in improving health, education, agriculture, economic growth, good governance, and strengthened resilience of Ethiopians, said a statement the US embassy in Addis Ababa sent to FBC today.

Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance, Admasu Nebebe, and USAID Mission Director Sean Jones signed the agreement to formalize the most recent American investment in Ethiopia’s long-term development.

The USAID development assistance agreement provides funding and resources required to accelerate development gains and help Ethiopia achieve its goal of becoming a middle-income country.

Under the agreement, USAID also will continue to work with the Government of Ethiopia and other international and local partners to expand access to quality healthcare and services, improve education, and advance a private sector-led model of transformative economic growth.

“We are pleased to renew our partnership with the Government of Ethiopia and formalize the next chapter in our partnership. This agreement is more than just money – this is about building upon the strong people-to-people partnerships that our two countries have shared for decades, and we look forward to continuing this important work together towards building a brighter and more prosperous future for all Ethiopians,” said USAID Mission Director Sean Jones.

The United States is the largest provider of bilateral assistance in Ethiopia. Over the past 20 years, the United States’ long-term investments in Ethiopia amount to more than $13 billion in total assistance – with over $4 billion in the last five years alone – highlighting the American people’s long-standing partnership with Ethiopia.