AMN Plus-January 29/2026
Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance, joined other Finance Ministers from the Horn of Africa region and high-level representatives of Development Partners in the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) Ministerial Meeting, held in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The HoAI Ministerial meetings convened to discuss the acceleration of energy access financing and regional integration, building on previous HoAI ministerial engagements.
During the meeting, the Minister emphasized the critical importance of energy integration for interconnected growth and stability across the region and called for continued support.
The Minister also briefly highlighted Ethiopia’s National Energy Compact, which requires more than USD 9 billion from various sources to achieve universal electricity access by 2030, and highlighted Ethiopia’s progress in expanding renewable energy generation and regional interconnection.
The meeting reaffirmed the central role of the energy sector and the continued support of partners, including through leveraging of regional windows and private-sector investment. It was noted during the meeting that, in addition to Ethiopia’s existing grid connections with Sudan, Djibouti, and Kenya, Development Partners have confirmed in partnering for financing new interconnections with Somalia and South Sudan.
The partners present reaffirmed their commitment to supporting energy access to advance universal access through initiatives such as Mission 300.
Participants also recognized the transformative potential of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in powering sustainable development across the region.
Ministers also agreed to establish a high-level committee comprising relevant government entities to oversee and coordinate policy harmonization and accelerate progress towards energy integration.
Following the ministerial session, the minister also met with the President of Somalia over an official dinner hosted by the office of the President of Somalia for HoAI participants.
Vice Presidents of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, as well as representatives of the European Union, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and BMZ, were present at the meeting as to Ministry of Finance Ethiopia reported it
