Ethiopia, World Bank and Italy Advance Coordinated Support for Economic Reform

Addis Ababa, April 16, 2026 (ENA) —The Ethiopian delegation has held high-level trilateral discussions with the World Bank and an Italian delegation to strengthen coordinated support for the country’s homegrown macroeconomic reform agenda.

The meeting, led by Finance Minister Ahmed Shide, focused on enhancing collaboration among the three partners to better align financial and technical assistance with Ethiopia’s national development priorities.

A key issue was mobilizing timely and predictable financing to sustain ongoing reforms.

The Ethiopian delegation highlighted recent progress in stabilizing the macroeconomic environment and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining reform momentum.

Moreover, officials emphasized continued efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline, improve economic management, and promote inclusive growth.

All parties underscored the importance of harmonized support from development partners to maximize impact and ensure efficient use of resources.

Discussions also explored practical ways to coordinate financing and policy support in line with Ethiopia’s reform program, particularly as the country navigates a challenging global economic landscape.

The Italian delegation reiterated its commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation and aligning its support with broader multilateral frameworks.

The World Bank confirmed its continued backing of Ethiopia’s reform efforts and its readiness to enhance financial cooperation in coordination with other partners.

Participants acknowledged that strong partnerships are essential to addressing ongoing economic pressures, including external shocks and financing constraints. They stressed the importance of sustained engagement, policy coordination, and shared responsibility to deliver meaningful development outcomes.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to accelerate progress toward a formalized partnership framework, ENA learned.

The Ethiopian delegation reaffirmed its focus on sound macroeconomic management and structural reforms aimed at building long-term economic resilience and growth.