U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Academy of Science (EAS) are conducting a five-day consultative workshop (February 24 – 28, 2025) for presidents and leaders from nine of Ethiopia’s leading public universities. This workshop marked the culmination of the first phase of the U.S. Embassy’s $522,000 grant with EAS, which supports the universities’ transition to autonomous governance. A team of four experts, comprised of local, U.S., and international higher education experts, shared their insights and recommendations on the nine universities’ draft strategic plans and legislative policies through both general sessions and individual consultations.

During the opening session of the workshop, U.S. Ambassador Ervin J. Massinga stated that “while establishing the regulatory framework for university autonomy was a significant undertaking, the real challenge lies ahead.” Translating these regulations into tangible change requires navigating a complex and unprecedented transformation of 47 diverse public universities across the country.

Jens Hanefeld, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Observer to the African Union, together with UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, reaffirmed their joint and continued commitment to the people of Ethiopia during a press conference held at the UN Conference Center on 25 February 2025.

The event highlighted Germany’s additional commitment of 50 million EUR in humanitarian assistance, which will support cross-country projects implemented by UNHCR, UNICEF, and UN Women. This funding, officially announced at the end of 2024, will strengthen the humanitarian response also in Ethiopia over the coming years and address critical needs in vulnerable communities.

Dr. Alakbarov expressed gratitude for Germany’s unwavering support and its role as a steady and reliable partner to the UN system in Ethiopia. He emphasized Germany’s commitment to the principles of the Grand Bargain, which aim to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action. By providing unearmarked funding, Germany enables UN agencies to respond flexibly and swiftly to emerging humanitarian crises, ensuring that resources are allocated where they are most needed.

Representing two-thirds of formal financing to agriculture, Public Development Banks (PDBs) investing in agriculture around the world can play a key role in transforming food systems that are currently unsustainable and leave millions hungry, said Alvaro Lario, President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), as he heads to the Finance in Common Summit taking place between 26 and 28 February in Cape Town, South Africa.

“PDBs’ financial heft – up to US$1.4 trillion of annual investments – is more than the micro-finance sector or all official development assistance,” said Lario. “They are the backbone of the global financial architecture and efforts to make food systems more sustainable, resilient and equitable.”  

PDBs have a significant financial power. The world’s 522 PDBs hold US$23.2 trillion in assets and account for 10-12 per cent of global financing.

TDB Group is pleased to announce that it has obtained the Green Climate Fund (GCF) accreditation as an African regional direct access entity which will enable the Group to partner with the GCF in the implementation of climate action projects in all its Member States.

TDB Group was accredited in the large size category, which qualifies it to execute projects exceeding USD 250 million, as well as those valued below this amount. Likewise, the type of accreditation received will also enable the Bank to implement GCF-funded projects across all levels of Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESS), ranging from the lowest to the highest ESS risk categories.

The accreditation reflects the Bank’s track record and commitment to upholding rigorous and specialised fiduciary standards, environmental and social safeguards, and gender policy. Special attention was paid to TDB Group’s capabilities in project management, funding allocation mechanisms, award of grants, on-lending and the blending of various financial instruments such as loans and guarantees, among others.

TDB Group is a development finance institution; as such sustainability is at the core of all its operations. Supported by its ESG framework, the Group is firmly committed to the global development agenda as guided by the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Paris Agreement on Climate.