World Bank, Fed Agree on $715m in Funds to Fight Food Insecurity


World Bank, Fed Agree on $715m in Funds to Fight Food Insecurity

The World Bank Group and the Ministry of Finance have signed an agreement for 715 million dollars to go towards fighting food insecurity. Most of the financing (600 million dollars) is earmarked for the implementation of a Food Systems Resilience Programme. A third of the amount is in the form of grants, while the balance is credit. An additional 115 million dollars is pledged for improving access to financial services and bolstering economic activity in pastoralist areas. The areas targeted are mostly in the country's south and east, where a severe drought has put millions of people at risk of starving. Earlier this month, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned the Horn of Africa could face "unprecedented" levels of food insecurity in 2023. The UN agency said armed conflict, climate change, drought, and supply disruptions brought on by Russia's war in Ukraine bode ill for the region. Two months ago, the World Bank provided the federal government a 300 million dollar grant to help people affected by the armed conflict in the country's north.


Radar

Amendment Expands Access for Foreign Traders

Foreign participation in Ethiopia's wholesale, retail, import, and export trade sectors has come under renewed focus as the Ethiopian Investment Board(EIB) approved a significant amendment to Directive No. 1001/2016  in its meeting on May 23, 2025. The amendment, proposed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission(EIC), focuses on refining the legal framework governing foreign investment in these sectors. The decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's appeal as an investment...


Radar

NBE Sets Four Percent Ceiling on Foreign Exchange Fees

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new foreign exchange market directive on May 20, 2025, that caps commercial banks' forex service fees at a maximum of four percent. Banks are instructed to adapt competitive, transparent, and streamlined pricing for all forex-related services. Effective May 26, 2025, total charges for purchasing foreign exchange whether for imports, service payments, or cash note purchases must not exceed the newly set limit. The directive also prohibits banks f...


Radar

SantimPay Launches Zero-fee Digital Remittance Platform

SantimPay has rolled out FrankRemit, first fully integrated, zero-fee digital remittance platform, in partnership with Bank of Abyssinia(BOA). The service smoothly connects all commercial banks and major mobile money providers, including Telebirr, M-Pesa, and CBE Birr which is a first of its kind in the country. FrankRemit is expected to revolutionise how the Ethiopian diaspora sends money home. Developed locally and tested over the past two weeks with successful transfers from multiple count...