The action of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Ethiopia, priority country of the Italian Cooperation, is the result of a three-year country program. The last Country Framework 2017-2019 signed on 15 September 2017 has seen a 25% increase in investments compared to the previous program, totaling 125 MEUR in three years, of which 85 MEUR are loans and 40 MEUR grants.
The Country Framework aims to support the Ethiopian Government to achieve the goals set out in the national plan for medium term development approved by the Ethiopian Parliament in December 2015, namely the Second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II), and to ensure Ethiopia becomes a middle income country by 2025.
Besides starting new innovative public-private partnerships, the Italian Cooperation in Ethiopia for the period 2017-2019 has identified three priority sectors of intervention in the country:
- Agro-industrial development;
- Basic services, such as water, sanitation, hygiene, health and education;
- Good governance and migration.
Gender equality and nutrition are considered crosscutting components to all three afore-mentioned macro-sectors. Since gender equality is key to achieving an inclusive and sustainable development, specific resources are allocated to gender-related interventions and 5% of the total budget of each initiative is used to guarantee a gender-sensitive approach.
With a view to promoting Italy abroad and to adopt the basic principles of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (SDG 17), this Agency provides Italian Civil Society Organizations operating in Ethiopia with grants for the direct management of the initiatives.
In addition, AICS Addis Ababa is siding the Embassy of Italy in Addis Ababa in the implementation of the Programme “Stemming Irregular Migration in Northern and Central Ethiopia - SINCE”. The Programme is funded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa, through a delegation agreement with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Click here for additional information.