World Bank Nods to $180m Refugee Welfare Project Extension


World Bank Nods to $180m Refugee Welfare Project Extension

The World Bank has approved 180 million dollars in financing for the expansion of a welfare programme designed to bring refugees back to the workforce while in host countries. The "development response to displacement impacts" programme was launched five years ago with 100 million dollars in loans secured from the Bretton Woods institution. The federal government requested additional financing a year before the project's first phase was scheduled to come to a close last December. Officials said the extension was necessary to complete unfinished works in two weredas of the Somali Regional State, which had been interrupted due to security concerns. The additional funding may enable project managers to continue work in Tigray Regional State, which hosted five large refugee camps and where the programme was frozen following the outbreak of armed conflict in November 2020. They are part of the 27 camps hosting 845,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Ethiopia. Officials hope to see the second phase, which will run for five years beginning this month, reaching 2.5 million people, and around a quarter will come from refugees.

[ssba-buttons]

Radar

Milkii App Disburses 25 Million Br in Collateral-Free Loans in Two Months

Oromia Bank's new collateral-free digital lending app, Milkii, has disbursed 25 million Br in loans without requiring collateral. Of this, 16 million Br has already been repaid, generating 1.4 million Br in revenue within just two months. Developed in partnership with Quantum Technology PLC, the app plans to make lending more accessible and inclusive, aligning with Oromia Bank's contribution to the Digital Ethiopia initiative. According to a press release, Milkii promotes financial inclusi...


Radar

Ethiopia Partners with UK to Ease Shipping Bottlenecks

The Ethiopian Freight Forwarders & Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA) and the British International Freight Association (BIFA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 27, 2025, at Hyatt Regency Addis Abeba, to address skills gaps, customs delays, and corridor inefficiencies in the freight and logistics sector. The partnership focuses on technical cooperation, training, and regulatory reform. With over 90pc of trade dependent on the Djibouti corridor, rising congestion, customs...


Radar

Education Authority Sanctions Mishqen College for Rule Violations

The Education & Training Authority has issued a decisive directive last week, mandating legal action against Mishqen College for persistently defying regulatory orders and unlawfully continuing to offer higher education services. Mishqen College had previously been licensed to conduct undergraduate distance learning programs across multiple regions from 2019 to 2022. However, after serious regulatory breaches, the institution was ordered to cease all instruction, complete pending academic...