Ethiopia's Finance Minister Urges Faster Financing for Regional Corridors

Addis Ababa | April 18, 2026 (ENA) —Ethiopia's Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide, has called for accelerated financing of critical regional road corridors at the 28th Ministerial Meeting of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) held on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings.

The Minister stressed that for Ethiopia, “a country of over 130 million people and whose trade depends entirely on regional connectivity, efficient corridors are not optional — they are essential”.

He noted that faster investment in economic corridors is key to unlocking trade, boosting competitiveness, and creating jobs across the region.

“Our shared ambition must be to turn these corridors into engines of growth, integration, and opportunity.”

According to the Ministry of Finance, the meeting has reviewed progress on four priority corridors spanning more than 9,100 km, with planned investments of 3.8 billion USD.

Since 2019, development partners have mobilized USD 2.7 billion to support corridor development.

Despite this progress, Ministers flagged persistent financing gaps in critical segments that are essential to fully connect the region. 

Discussions focused on scaling up investment and deploying innovative financing solutions to accelerate delivery.

Accordingly, the meeting concluded with a clear call to action: Close the remaining financing gaps and fast-track high-impact corridor projects to unlock the region’s full economic potential.