The Jobs Creation Commission has set up a rescue fund to aid 10,000 selected small and medium enterprises across the country. The 4.5-million-dollar fund came from the United Nations Development Programme to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission conducted a need assessment on small and medium enterprises. The assessment studied the degree of impact the pandemic could have on small and medium enterprises and suggested rescue funds as a possible solution. The Commission has previously awarded rescue grants to SMEs in Addis Abeba with the support of the Mastercard Foundation. This round of support will be extended to SMEs located in all regional states and city administrations.