U.S. Commits Funds for Economic Development, Health, Education and Governance in Ethiopia

(USAID Ethiopia)
SEPTEMBER 20, 2007    

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – In recognition of Ethiopia’s strategic importance to the United States, the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing new funding totaling $96.71 million (874.26 million birr) to assist the Ethiopian people in four key areas: agricultural and private sector development, health care, primary education, and good governance.

On Thursday, September 20, 2007, USAID Mission Director Glenn Anders and State Minister of Finance and Economic Development H.E. Ato Mekonnen Manyazewal signed four bilateral grant agreements in support of ongoing U.S.–Ethiopian partnership programs under USAID.  These programs operate in every region of Ethiopia to reduce vulnerability to disease, improve the quality of education for children, and help end food insecurity, hunger, and poverty.  The new USAID funds will be disbursed for jointly-designed programs that support the people of Ethiopia.

“These funds demonstrate the generosity of the American people to help improve the lives of Ethiopians,” USAID Mission Director Anders said.  “The agreements we are signing today fulfill and even exceed the commitments in our five-year strategic development plan and express the strong partnership between USAID and the Government of Ethiopia.”

State Minister Ato Mekonnen Manyazewal expressed his appreciation of the incremental funding made by the U.S. within the framework of the five year strategic development plan.  He also stressed the need to actively involve the beneficiary institutions in the design of programs and resource allocations.

One grant adds $17.06 million (154.22 million birr) to existing and new programs promoting market-led economic growth, particularly in the food, livestock and agriculture sectors.  These programs promote private sector agribusiness development and encourage commercial markets to play a larger role in meeting Ethiopia’s food needs and income generation needs.

A second grant adds $70.16 million (634.24 million birr) to a program aimed at improving Ethiopia’s health services and preventing the spread of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other public threats.  These health programs will also expand child health through better immunization coverage, enhanced nutrition education and strengthened family planning services.

A third grant provides an additional $8.42 million (76.11 million birr) for educational programs that increase opportunities for Ethiopian children to receive quality education.  This program enhances teacher capacity, increases the availability of school materials that focus on girls’ education, strengthens parent involvement in school management, expands non-formal education for adults and children and helps to improve the planning and management of primary school systems at the federal, regional and district levels.  A further $1.07 million (9.67 million birr) will be provided to support civic education classes in secondary school to promote good governance through civic participation.

# # #