At a joint briefing held today at the French Embassy in Addis Ababa, the ambassadors of France and Kenyan Ambassador outlined the summit’s agenda. French Ambassador Alexis Lamek indicated that restitution, global governance, and reform of international institutions to strengthen African representation will be at the core of discussions.

On the sensitive issue of restitution, Lameke noted the establishment of historian committees in Rwanda, Senegal, and Cameroon to address memorial questions and advance reconciliation. He recalled France’s past efforts:

“Whenever we’ve been requested by African authorities as was the case with Benin, Senegal, and recently Madagascar or Côte d’Ivoire we have put in place mechanisms that allow for the restitution of artifacts.”

Restitution and reparations have been central to the African Union’s agenda, with 2025 designated as the year of advancing cultural artifact restitution as part of a broader reparatory justice framework.

Lameke highlighted France’s support for UN Security Council reform, including the attribution of two permanent seats for African countries and an increase in elected African members. Hosting this summit in an English-speaking country, he said, reflects “a significant evolution in France’s approach toward Africa.”

Recalling France’s G7 presidency, he stressed that the summit embodies a partnership of equals, built on shared interests and tangible results.

Kenya’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Galma Boru, described the summit as a milestone in Africa–France relations, signaling a shift toward innovation, investment, and implementation-driven cooperation.

According to the ambassadors the summit will focus tackling global challenges including, climate change, technological disruption, food security, and economic reform, with priorities including energy transition, financial reform, digital innovation, sustainable agriculture, and stronger health systems.

The executives of the ailing state-owned enterprise were in Parliament this month to present a nine-month performance report to the Public Enterprise Administration Committee.

During the hearing, MPs presented Group executives with concerning observations from their own visits to several of their largest sugar estates.

The administers around more than 86,000 hectares of sugarcane plantations with an estimated annual production capacity of 600,000 tons of sugar.

The estates mentioned in the Committee’s report include the Omo Kuraz factories located in the South Omo Zone of the South Ethiopia Region, and the Wonji and Metehara estates in Oromia.

An official document obtained by The Reporter reveals serious gaps in Omo Kuraz, where the Group has taken over operations from Chinese contractor Genertec Complant.

MPs note that although the Group has improved productivity and created nearly 5,000 jobs since taking over from Genertec, the Omo Kuraz factories remain in poor shape. Among the issues noted are failure to provide housing, absence of clean water, lack of road and communication facilities, growing turnover, and failure to hold on to experienced professionals.

An inoperable irrigation dam, outdated or defunct machinery, lack of banking services, and frequent power interruptions were also cited.

MPs said in Omo Kuraz V, much of the machinery and equipment was simply laying around outside without protection from the elements.

Lawmakers noted the Omo Kuraz estates were built at a cost of USD 341 million, most of which is debt that they warn cannot be repaid if sugar production does not pick up. The report indicates nearly 19 billion Birr is required to finalize construction of the Omo Kuraz I factory.

Compounding the troubles, the Committee said, are security and safety concerns, which also contribute to high staff turnover.

The report states that employees are often unable to fulfill their basic necessities, noting a lack of health services and medicine, as well as an inadequate inconvenience allowances (30 percent) for employees working on estates where weather conditions are particularly harsh.

The report commended Wonji Sugar Factory for nearly meeting its productivity goals and improved revenue. The factory produced little over 13,400 tons during the reporting period.

However, the Committee mentioned inadequate salary and incentive, lack of toilets, low employment opportunity, and high staff turnover. The report urged providing appropriate wages to retain staff and called on Group executives to address the housing issues frequently brought up by factory staff.

Similar problems were present when MPs visited Metehara, according to the report.

During the hearing, which was closed to the media, Group CEO Weyo Roba said he was leading efforts to address these gaps.

Jozeph Sikela, EU commissioner for international partnership, disclosed the decision during the EU-Ethiopia Business Forum, which kicked off today in Addis Ababa. He said the support will be disbursed in three phases.

The EU first suspended nearly 90 million euros in budgetary support linked to transport and health projects in December 2020, one month after fighting broke out in Tigray. 

The budget support resumed now following Ethiopian government’s ongoing reforms, and EU’s need for further partnerships.

Earlier this year, the Minister of Education announced a landmark shift from paper-based exams to an entirely online modality for entrance exams that 700,000 students nationwide are expected to sit for.

However, the Ministry’s decision has invited strong backlash from members of Parliament over the practicability of the plan. Lawmakers cite infrastructure challenges, including unreliable electric power, limited computer access, and poor internet connectivity, which could negatively affect students’ results.

Their misgivings were on full display this week when the Human Resource Development, Labor and Technology Affairs Standing Committee convened to evaluate the Education Ministry’s nine-month performance.

During the hearing, the Committee chairman and its members openly challenged the Ministry over its plans for the upcoming university entrance exam.

“Despite this being a long-overdue plan, our question is whether all the necessary preparations have been made,” said Chair Negeri Lencho (PhD).

Lawmakers pointed out that capacity varies widely across schools in Ethiopia; some woredas routinely go without power for weeks at a time, while frequent network disruptions remain an outstanding issue.

“Recent information shows that, following the Ministry’s decision to conduct the exams entirely online, some schools have started wandering here and there to find computers from zonal and woreda administrations, and some are requesting help,” said Negeri.

He further grilled Ministry officials over the level of preparation for the digital examinations.

“Have we conducted an assessment of the capacity of lower-level administrations, beyond the bigger cities that can afford these facilities? What about a backup mechanism if the system fails due to unpredictable hiccups?” asked Negeri.

Data underscores these concerns. According to a 2025 World Bank report, nearly 71 million Ethiopians primarily in rural and peri-urban areas still lack reliable access to electricity, with national access rates below 50 percent. Internet access remains similarly limited: out of a population exceeding 130 million, only 29.5 million people were online at the end of 2025, representing a penetration rate of just 21.7 percent.

Low connectivity is compounded by limited digital literacy. Estimates suggest that only about 20 percent of the population is familiar with digital tools, further raising questions about the readiness of students and institutions for a fully online exam system.

In response to concerns about digital literacy, Ministry officials stated that there would be adequate training for students and examiners on the system to prepare them for the tests.

They also disclosed plans to supply backup generators to exam-hosting schools to ensure connectivity.

When we said we will conduct 100 percent online exams; our preparedness includes 122,000 laptops that are ready for this purpose,” said Minister of Education, Berhanu Nega (Prof.).

He outlined plans for training and mock exams prior to the finals.

“We believe it will not have a big influence. Whenever new things happen, there is frustration and discomfort, but we will not allow this to hinder us from moving forward,” said Berhanu.

The Minister told MPs that a task force composed of representatives from telecom operators, Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), and the Information Network Security Administration (INSA), as well as regional education bureaus, is conducting assessments of local and zonal administrations.

However, his assurances were rebuffed by the Committee, which expressed further doubt about  capacity and readiness.

“When we ask about the Ministry’s preparedness to conduct online examinations, we are not resisting change,” said Negeri. “We know our public, we have held public discussions in our constituencies and know their status. We appreciate change, but citizens should not become victims.”

The Chairperson also noted that the number of students passing university entrance exams remains extremely low.

“Are we really claiming we are seeing success amid all these policy and legal changes? And why is it not bringing change in both the reach and the quality of education?” he asked.

The Corporation’s operating lease income doubled to 3.4 billion Birr, and while its gross profits showed an exponential jump, a corresponding rise in operating expenses tempered its net profit to 646 million Birr for the year.

The majority of its lease agreements with investors operating in industrial parks across the country are denominated in USD, meaning its income surged in terms of Birr following the liberalization of the forex regime in July 2024.

Similarly, the Corporation retains retention monies in USD from contractors that undertake construction of sheds and structures at the parks. This retention is reported as payable. At the end of June 2025, IPDC held 2.7 billion Birr in retention, up from 1.9 billion the year prior.

IPDC reports a total income of 3.4 billion Birr in 2024/5, while its operating expenses rose to 1.8 billion Birr, driven primarily by depreciation.

Under administrative expenses, IPDC posted 2.5 billion Birr, up from just 882 million the previous year. Two-thirds of this is categorized as bad debt, surging from less than 320 million Birr in 2023/4.

The Corporation values its physical assets (sheds and other facilities) at nearly 20 billion Birr, while it reports ongoing construction (new industrial parks in Semera and Debre Birhan) valued at nearly nine billion Birr.

Total assets are registered at 71 billion Birr.

Its report also reveals that significant financial commitments have yet to materialize. These include 4.7 billion Birr for the construction of new parks and the expansion of several operational ones, including the flagship Hawassa Industrial Park, which are set to be carried out by Chinese contractors.

The report indicates the Corporation’s paid-up capital has risen to 40 billion Birr.

It also reveals that three industrial parks account for the majority of its revenue, with Hawassa alone bringing in 1.2 billion Birr.

Officials of the Ethiopian Customs Commission and the Ministry of Finance stated in Parliament this week that transport service providers and the owners of truck and bus fleets are implicated in illicit trade.

The allegations came as lawmakers discussed a proposal to amend the Customs Proclamation in a bid to tighten enforcement against smugglers by applying the seizure of vehicles implicated in contraband trade.

The draft has raised concerns among  members of Parliament’s Budget and Finance Affairs Committee, who worry that the expropriation of vehicles could erode the constitutional right to own property. Committee members also questioned whether the Commission has the prerogative to seize vehicles found transporting illegal goods without the knowledge of the owner.

Azezew Chane, deputy head of the Customs Commission, argued that international practice supports confiscation as a deterrent.

“Drivers might be part of the activity, but we don’t accept the notion that drivers are contrabandists; it has not been our experience,” he told MPs, insinuating that drivers alone cannot orchestrate smuggling operations that often involve heavy trucks and massive volumes of commodities.

“Clearly, drivers may be paid for their service, but they do not have the capacity to finance such operations,” he said. “Drivers are a means; they are being used by contrabandists.”

He cited an example of a fuel truck that had been caught smuggling goods no less than three times, alleging that the owners of trucks deliberately employ drivers to transport illegal goods.

Azezew also told MPs that the Commission lacks the means to address the problem.

 “We are working with very low-quality vehicles compared to those used by contraband smugglers,” he noted.

Responding to queries from the Committee, Commissioner Debele Kabata, also emphasized that contraband activities are not merely the actions of drivers but the result of the interests and decisions of vehicle owners.

He confirmed that assessments show the majority of vehicles caught smuggling weapons were operated under the direction of owners.

“Over the last eight years, a growing number of smugglers, mostly vehicle owners working with their drivers, were caught red-handed smuggling illegal goods into Ethiopia. We must act to curb this,” said Debele, endorsing the amendment to the Customs Proclamation.

Reporting to Parliament this week, officials told lawmakers that despite a record USD 6.7 billion in export revenues over the first eight months of the financial year, income from khat, oilseed, cereal, and livestock exports have declined owing to illicit trade and double taxation.

Ministry officials said while they expected upwards of USD 13.6 million from over two tonnes of khat exports in February, actual exports totaled just 858 tonnes and earnings fell short by USD four million.

The figure is 11 percent lower than earnings from February 2025.

Likewise, revenue collected from livestock exports decreased by 18 percent compared to last year, despite an increase in export volume. Cereal export revenue also fell by 25 percent compared to the previous year.

Ethiopia’s khat export destinations included Djibouti (6,100 tones), Israel (271 tones), Somalia (925 tones), Sierra Leone (183 tones), and other countries such as Kenya, Gambia, Central African Republic, Gabon, and Angola, which together formed the top eight destinations during the reporting period.

During the last eight months, top ten destinations for Ethiopia’s oilseed exports were the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Turkey, Singapore, China, the United States, Jordan, Pakistan, Vietnam, and India, according to the report.

Double and repetitive taxation, illegal trade practices, contraband, and checkpoints were cited as reasons for the decline in khat export revenue. For instance, Ethiopia’s khat exports to Israel dropped significantly from 52.3 tons worth USD 1.8 million last year to 21.3 tons worth USD  746,000 in the last eight months of the current fiscal year, with officials citing instability in the Middle East conflict as the primary cause.

Similarly, live animal exports have been affected by the high cost of quarantine, taxation, illegal trade practices, and the revised tax law introducing compulsory minimum alternative tax, the Middle East conflict, shipping costs, insurance and freight charges, and supply chain delays, according to the Ministry.

Officials attributed a fall in revenue from oilseed exports to illegal trade and disruptions to sesame production in northern Ethiopia. They also cited the expansion of illegal checkpoints disrupting transportation, price disparities between international and local markets, heavy-duty transport disruptions caused by conflict, and delays in timely supply.

On the other hand, earnings from gold exports surged to USD 3.6 billion over the reporting period, while total agricultural exports brought in USD 2.4 billion, according to trade officials. Manufacturing exports lag far behind at USD 333 million.

On Thursday, the British Embassy, in partnership with Justicia Media, the British Council, and the Addis Ababa Environmental Protection Authority, launched the second phase of Green Future Africa (GFA) at the British Council in Addis Ababa. 

The program aims to support 100 youth-led green enterprises by providing intensive training on business fundamentals and six months of tailored legal and business advisory support. Rachel Kyte, UK special representative for climate, spoke about climate finance during the event, pledging the British government would work to mobilize funding through investment modalities.

“We will find solutions, both publicly funded and privately funded, because this is an extreme emergency affecting all countries everywhere,” said Kyte.

The event came on the heels of an announcement from the UK Foreign Office, which says that the value of the UK’s programs in Africa will fall from around USD two billion annually in 2024/5 to USD 900 million in 2029. Kyte acknowledged that much of the funds will be funneled towards defense spending instead. 

The cuts are expected to worsen financial constraints in climate and health programs, and heighten concerns over a years-long funding crisis that became even more pronounced with the closure of the US Agency for International Development last year.

The developments have already had a negative impact on Ethiopia, particularly in the health sector, and last week’s announcement suggests funding will continue to be a chokepoint for the country’s climate projects.

A report presented by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) in Addis Ababa earlier this month reveals that climate finance flows to Ethiopia have remained largely stagnant. Ethiopia received only about USD 82 billion in climate finance between 2011 and 2019, which is just 1.3 percent of what is required to meet its climate goals.

Climate finance in Ethiopia is heavily dominated by international public funding while private sector participation remains limited. Public actors committed about USD 2.2 billion annually in 2022/3, representing a 23 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Most of this funding came in the form of grants (80 percent) and concessional debt (14 percent). Multilateral development finance institutions accounted for the largest share, followed by donor governments. Ethiopia’s domestic budget allocated roughly USD 274 million—about 12 percent of total public climate finance—to climate-related projects.

Meanwhile, Addis Ababa is preparing to host the  32nd UN Climate Change Conference (COP32) in 2027.

Kyte says the UK, which organized COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, is offering to assist Ethiopia in organizing the conference, which could draw more than 80,000 participants to the Ethiopian capital.

“Every possible aspect of society comes to a COP. Creating a space where everybody can talk to each other, settle differences, and agree on priorities is really important,” she said. “We are sharing our experience and technical knowledge on how to host the event, but also our analysis on the substance of what the event will discuss,” she said. 

The call came during the inaugural edition of the Ethio–Italy Business Forum on Construction, Infrastructure and Urban Engineering this week in Addis Ababa, which saw the attendance of the Italian deputy foreign minister and several senior Ethiopian government officials.

During the forum, State Minister for Urban and Infrastructure Development Yetemgeta Asrat urged Italian companies to go beyond product supply and embrace partnerships.

“We seek technology and skill transfer to link Ethiopian entrepreneurs and SMEs with Italy’s best industries,” he said, underlining Ethiopia’s openness to “innovative financing and public–private partnerships in different infrastructure projects.”

Yetemgeta highlighted Ethiopia’s urgent need for expertise in high-capacity corridors, expressways, airport expansion, and mass housing projects, citing a two-billion-dollar infrastructure financing gap.

Italian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi expressed her country’s support for Ethiopia’s reforms: “We look with great favour upon the courageous path of structural reforms and the progress made in strengthening the banking system, as well as the gradual approach to WTO accession.”

“Collaborating with Italy means choosing a technological partner that transforms major works into lasting symbols of progress. We want to be your technological allies in supporting the goal of universal energy access by 2030 and are ready to strengthen financial architecture and interbank relations as the ideal foundation for multiplying business between our countries.”

Claudio Pasqualucci, director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) office in Ethiopia, told The Reporter that the forum was organized to promote opportunities for both private and public sectors and to explore how Italy can cooperate in Ethiopia’s infrastructure development.

He noted that while total bilateral trade remains below 300 million euros, Italian manufacturers are showing growing interest in Ethiopian teff and coffee for healthier food products such as pasta, bread, and biscuits.

Pasqualucci stated that Italy plans to support the digitalisation of public administration and will establish a marble production training centre in Assosa University this year, bringing Italian machinery and professors. Claudio acknowledged challenges, including financial communication between Ethiopian and Italian banks and issues of collateral and guarantees for private‑sector financing.

The decision posed significant challenges, most acutely in the health sector, where hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost and health investment jeopardized. These financial constraints shook African healthcare systems, but many are now beginning to embrace greater prudence and resilience, unlocking the full potential of their own resources and breaking free from a mindset of dependency and charity.

Among the organizations that have had to adapt to the new climate is Amref Health Africa Headquartered in Kenya, Amref stands as the continent’s largest Africa-based international health and development organization. Each year, it provides training and health services to more than 20 million people across at least 35 countries, including Ethiopia.

In Ethiopia, Misrak Makonnen serves as Country Director for Amref Health Africa. Leading a team of over 350 staff, she drives the organization’s mission to transform health systems, improve reproductive and maternal health, and expand access to clean water nationwide.

Her leadership has broadened its portfolio, focusing on sustainable, community-driven health solutions. Speaking to The Reporter’s Sisay Sahlu, she emphasized that Amref Health Africa has weathered the financial cuts with unwavering persistence and strategic resilience sustaining its mission through innovation, community trust, and an unshakable commitment to health equity. EXCERPTS:

The Reporter: What exactly does Amref Health Africa do here in Ethiopia?

Misrak Makonnen: Amref is the largest African non-profit health organization. We began our work in Kenya more than six decades ago, and in just a couple of years we’ll be celebrating our 70th anniversary. In Ethiopia, we’ve been active for 23 years, working in the health and development space.

At the headquarters level, our work originally started with medical evacuation. We had a few planes that flew to remote areas to provide access to care for Kenyan communities that otherwise had none. That story began with three surgeons and eventually grew into a non-profit organization focusing on key activities—particularly maternal and child health, water, sanitation and hygiene, youth programming, and disease prevention and control.

Across all the countries where we operate, our vision is to create lasting health change in Africa. Specifically in Ethiopia, our vision is lasting health change for Ethiopian communities. We follow a strategy running from 2023 to 2030, which focuses on supporting government primary health care systems and addressing development issues that are not strictly health-related.

We strongly believe that different components such as economic empowerment, water and sanitation, gender equality, and youth issues ultimately contribute to better health outcomes. These are the pillars of our work: strengthening primary health care systems and tackling the social determinants of health.

In Ethiopia, we are present across the entire country. Initially, we focused more on pastoralist and emerging regions in remote areas like Afar, Somali, Gambella, and Benishangul-Gumuz. But as our portfolio grew, we expanded into agrarian regions such as Amhara, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, and Tigray.

Our work remains community-driven. Everything we do is centered on communities, which is why we take a holistic approach including addressing maternal and child health, health system strengthening, water and sanitation, disease prevention and control, and the needs of women and young people.

How did you join this continental health-driven organization as a country director?

I’ve been with Amref for a long time; it’s my longest employer. This coming April will mark 10 years with Amref in Ethiopia. Before joining Amref, I worked with different US-based NGOs in the health sector. Earlier in my career, I worked with an organization focused on trachoma and Guinea worm eradication. Later, I moved to another US-based NGO working on HIV treatment and prevention, though I was based here in Ethiopia.

I’ve been back from the US for 21 years now. I studied there, completing both my undergraduate and master’s degrees in public health and business administration. After working for a while in the US, I returned to Ethiopia and have since worked with several organizations, and now Amref has been my home for the past decade.

Amref has been in Ethiopia for more than two decades. What are some of its achievements in the health sector?

Our main intervention has been in the pastoralist regions, particularly in health systems, and service delivery, focusing on maternal and child health.

We had a series of programming working with regions which are not well progressing regions, mainly pastoralist regions, mostly working in maternal and child health, we also had some programs around trachoma control and elimination.

There is a lot of work around the community in terms of increasing communities’ health-seeking behavior. We work with communities and individuals, we work with primary health care systems, and we work on policy with government partners.

Our achievements are mostly in maternal and child health, but recently our work has been around strengthening health systems. We used to do a lot of service delivery, now we’re looking more into how we can support health systems in terms of human resources, governance and leadership, information systems, supply chains. We have a youth program called Kefeta aimed at elevating and empowering Ethiopian youth. It’s more of a comprehensive technical support. In a nutshell, that’s what we’ve been doing for 20 years.

The Trump administration’s decision to strip down USAID sparked strong reactions from health organizations and advocates concerned about the consequences for African health systems. How has Amref been managing the challenges posed by Washington’s funding cuts?

It was a major wake-up call, I would say. It was very difficult for us across Amref, across all our country programs, not just Ethiopia. Ethiopia was the hardest hit in terms of health systems, particularly around maternal and child health. Our programming had to stop in other countries as well. We were also supported by USAID.

We had the largest USAID program for youth. It was called Kefeta, it was a 60 million dollar, five-year program. And we had also just won a new healthcare financing program for 40 million dollars. So, it was a major setback.

For us, it was a major success to have won a new grant in the healthcare financing space, which is very important in the current context. We were shocked of course, it was very difficult, because we had to let go of staff, and that’s very difficult.

The way we had developed that grant was 50 percent of the funding for Kefeta went to local CSOs. They were the ones doing the implementation. You can imagine the cascade it had in terms of affecting the CSOs and, most importantly, young people. I really liked Kefeta because it had the health component, it had advocacy and agency for them to understand their rights, and had an economic empowerment component.

It was very holistic for young people. When you cut that back, it’s devastating, because we had it in 18 cities. We had vibrant young people who were really bringing change in their lives. For the young people it was a major hit, for us it was a major hit. Yes, it affected us, but we had to really think it through and say, okay, somehow, we must recover.

Many non-profits have faced layoffs and project cancellations. How did Amref fare?

We laid off about 56 people. But, including seven local CSOs within our circle, there were around 120 staff layoffs.

How do you assess the impact of financial cuts on the sector?

It’s difficult to measure precisely, but from my observation, the cuts have had a significant impact. Direct support to government programs and NGOs has been reduced, and many organizations that were doing important work have been affected.

For all of us, it was a wake-up call. We need to think strategically about where we spend our resources. That’s why, right now, the Ministry of Health is prioritizing health care financing—how to become more efficient and effective. This has become a major priority not only for the government, but also for NGOs and CSOs like us.

We’re now holding a series of meetings with the authorities to discuss how we can work together more effectively. This is not the time to fall apart; we must come together and think carefully about mechanisms to address the health financing challenge. The Ministry is leading this effort, but each organization is also reflecting on its own approach. Collectively, we’re exploring domestic resource mobilization, non-traditional funding sources, and public-private partnerships. The goal is to mobilize resources we can control and sustain.

When you say mobilizing domestic resources, is there really a culture of philanthropy or national funding for CSOs and organizations like yours in Ethiopia?

One of the things we’re trying to do is individual fundraising. It’s not yet a common practice in Ethiopia, but we believe it has potential. We know there are well-off individuals who could contribute. The question is: how can we creatively build those partnerships?

Awareness creation is crucial. Change begins when people are exposed to the idea of doing good for their communities. It doesn’t always have to be through an NGO. I know individuals who have built roads, schools, health facilities, and many other projects quietly, without recognition. Culturally, there’s a belief that when you give, you shouldn’t make it public, so much of this philanthropic work goes unnoticed.

In Ethiopia, traditional community support systems like edir and religious contributions are forms of philanthropy, though structured differently from Western models. These are powerful stories, but they need to be magnified and organized. In the US, philanthropy is often incentivized through tax exemptions. Here, many Ethiopians are already doing good work, but it’s not visible in the media. We need to think about how to elevate and structure these efforts.

There must also be ways to incentivize giving. Where are those possibilities? How can we target this content cleverly to encourage more support? Public-private partnerships are another avenue. For example, a few years ago we worked with Awash Bank on a corporate responsibility plan and co-created a water, sanitation, and hygiene project in Addis Ababa.

When local organizations or companies support your projects, do you approach them as Amref, or do they come to you?

We approach them. You have to be proactive. It’s not just about charity; it has to be a win-win situation. We ask: what’s the benefit for the private sector, and what’s the benefit for us? Building relationships is key. Trust and accountability are essential. Donors and partners must trust Amref, and they must trust me as a leader. That kind of relationship doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time to build.

What are Amref’s priorities for maintaining resilience in Ethiopia’s health system?

With strong engagement with communities, local CSO and government partners, Amref’s priority is to help strengthen a people-centered, resilient primary healthcare system that can withstand shocks from climate stress to financial uncertainty.

This requires looking beyond the health sector alone. For Amref, health outcomes are shaped not only by health services, but also by the social and economic conditions in which people live. That is why we deliberately integrate key social determinants of health, such as youth and women’s economic empowerment into our health programming. We believe that economically empowered communities are healthier, more resilient, and better able to sustain health gains over time.

The message to partners and donors is simple: this is a moment for action, not retreat. Investing in strong systems, prevention, and community-based care, integrated with social determinants of health, remains the most effective way to protect health gains and support Ethiopia’s future.

Do you believe Amref’s two decades of health investment in Ethiopia have earned it a good reputation?

Absolutely. We’ve been here for many years and have built a strong footprint, especially in pastoralist communities. Projects like Kefeta for youth and many others have created very positive public sentiment about our work.

Health is a global issue. In the volatile Horn of Africa region, challenges such as climate change, drought, flooding, conflict, low education levels, and limited public awareness converge to create a serious burden on communities. How do you assess the health situation in this country, considering your role as one of the main actors working to eradicate health-related issues?

It’s a very difficult situation. We’ve faced COVID, and we continue to deal with climate change, drought, and flooding. In places like Omo and Afar, we’ve encountered repeated disasters. Resilience is essential.

When I say resilience, I mean the ability to plan ahead and respond effectively when challenges arise. For example, in our programs we allocate about 10-15 percent of donor funds as a contingency, explaining to donors: “We have a development program, but if emergencies occur, we must be able to respond.”

We need to be prepared for outbreaks or disasters. When floods happen, we must be ready to set up temporary centers and provide first response. To do that, we build a financial buffer before catastrophe strikes.

Regular planning and programming are essential, but we must also remain cautious and ready to assist communities affected by drought or flooding. Building a buffer based on experience with both the organization and the community is critical.

We are also part of a flood risk committee, which coordinates responses when floods occur locally or abroad. If a crisis arises, we don’t immediately turn to donors for funds; instead, we rely on the buffer we’ve already set aside. Communities expect us to be present, and we must stand with them in times of need.

Floods and other disasters are recurrent, so we must always be prepared. That means adjusting our environment and strategies to ensure we can respond effectively when these challenges arise.

How do you ensure vulnerable communities are not left behind during these challenging times?

The principle of “leaving no one behind” is built into our system not just for difficult times, but for our everyday planning. We integrate social determinants of health, gender, youth, and disability into everything we do. Whether it’s a cancer program or a general health initiative, we specifically ask: What are we doing for women? What are we doing for young people?

In targeted crisis activities, we utilize “crisis modifier funding,” which acts as a buffer. This ensures that women and children remain the priority. Even before a crisis hits, we ensure they are at the center of the plan because, ultimately, they are the most vulnerable.

How sustainable are Amref’s programs?

In response to funding reductions, shifting toward a social enterprise model is key. We don’t want communities to simply wait for our support; we co-create programs with them. We are increasingly looking at “spin-offs” and business-style interventions.

Our approach to funding has also changed. Previously, we would simply write a proposal and compete for a grant. Now, when a call for funding arises, we first consult with the Woreda or local administration to identify actual needs. We approach funders with 20 years of data to show them the trends and what is truly required on the ground. By aligning our projects with government priorities and regional demands from the start, we ensure that the programs become part of the government’s own long-term strategy. That is how you achieve true sustainability.

What legacy do you want to leave behind in Ethiopia’s health sector?

For me, achieving lasting health change in Ethiopia is the goal. That is my vision.

The biggest piece of that puzzle is the youth. Healthy young people are the economic engine of this country. We must ensure we have the right people to develop and safeguard our investments. Economic empowerment, financial accessibility, and entrepreneurship should be major areas of investment alongside health.

Our primary healthcare system is very well-structured and on the right track, but having been in this space for 20 years, I believe investing in our youth is the most critical path forward.