AMN Plus -March 18/2026
An Ethiopian delegation led by Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, held constructive discussions in Rome with Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance of the Italian Republic.
The delegation included Demitu Hambisa Bonsa, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Italy, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ethiopian Airlines Group.
Discussions focused on key areas of bilateral economic cooperation:
Development Policy Financing:
The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance agreed to finance Ethiopia’s development policy program, to be co-financed with the World Bank’s budget support program. This intervention will provide critical support to Ethiopia’s ongoing macroeconomic reform agenda.
Koysha Hydropower Project:
Italy reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the completion of the Koysha Hydropower Project, including efforts to help close the remaining financing gap. Both sides acknowledged the significant progress made in advancing refinancing and securing new financing arrangements, and agreed to finalize the remaining steps within few months.
Bishoftu Airport Project Financing:
The meeting also explored potential collaboration on the Bishoftu Airport project, a national flagship initiative. The Italian Minister commended the strong performance of Ethiopian Airlines and confirmed Italy’s support for financing selected components of the project through its financial institutions. Both sides agreed to initiate technical discussions involving the Ethiopian Airlines Group, as well as financial and technical advisors, to further develop financing structures and modalities.
In addition, the two sides discussed opportunities to mobilize further support for priority development projects.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the strong commitment of both countries to deepen the Ethiopia–Italy partnership and advance strategic initiatives that promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth as to Ministry of Finance Ethiopia reported it.
