Welthungerhilfe (WHH), a dedicated partner in Ethiopia’s development efforts for over 50 years, has successfully implemented a comprehensive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program in the Amhara region. This initiative integrates water supply with food security, nutrition, and climate resilience, leveraging solar-powered water systems, community-led sanitation initiatives, and sanitation promotion to ensure sustainable and resilient WASH services.

The project’s success is attributed to strong local ownership and community engagement. The Amhara Regional Treasury contributed 5%, while the community provided 6% of the funding, demonstrating a deep commitment to the initiative. Yousaf Jogezai, WHH’s Regional Representative for the Horn of Africa, highlighted the critical role of community involvement and government partnerships in the project’s achievements.

“The main achievement is community involvement, ownership, contribution, and even financial contribution,” Jogezai emphasized. “They are the leaders. Our role is simply to support them.” This community-focused approach was facilitated through close collaboration with the Amhara Regional Water and Energy Bureau and the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Welthungerhilfe plans to share its experiences, lessons learned, and best practices with other stakeholders to encourage the replication and expansion of this initiative across Ethiopia. Recognizing the interconnectedness of water, nutrition, health, and agriculture, the organization worked closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Health, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Despite the project’s success, Jogezai identified a critical challenge: securing funding. “The main challenge is getting funding,” he noted, acknowledging the trend of global aid cuts. To address this, Welthungerhilfe is actively seeking alternative funding sources and engaging with the private sector in Germany and internationally to ensure continued support for vulnerable populations.

The Amhara Regional Water Project serves as a strong testament to the potential of community-based development and strategic partnerships to bring about meaningful change. However, access to sustainable funding is crucial to replicating the impact and ensuring that no one is left behind. As WHH continues to navigate these challenges, its commitment to community-led initiatives remains unwavering, offering a model for effective development that can be scaled across Ethiopia and beyond.

In a continent often characterized by economic challenges and external shocks, Ethiopia stands out as a beacon of resilience and opportunity. According to the 2024 ‘Economic Development in Africa Report’ by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Ethiopia has demonstrated remarkable agility in navigating global crises, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to leverage its strengths in agriculture and regional trade to drive economic growth.

Ethiopia, classified as an agricultural commodity-dependent economy, has faced its share of challenges, including climate-related shocks and the global pandemic. However, the country has shown remarkable resilience, with GDP growth rates that have consistently outpaced many of its African peers. Between 2019 and 2021, Ethiopia’s economy grew by an average of 6.1%, even as other nations struggled with the economic fallout from the pandemic.

One of the key factors behind Ethiopia’s resilience is its ability to adapt to crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines, the country’s flagship carrier, played a pivotal role in mitigating the economic impact. By converting passenger aircraft into cargo carriers, the airline maintained critical supply chains, transporting essential goods such as medical supplies and pharmaceuticals across the globe. This strategic pivot not only helped sustain the airline’s operations but also provided a buffer for the country’s economy, which faced disruptions in merchandise trade.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy, contributing over 39% of the country’s GDP. However, the sector is highly vulnerable to climate change, with frequent droughts and erratic rainfall patterns posing significant risks. The 2022 drought, which affected large parts of East Africa, including Ethiopia, highlighted the urgent need for climate adaptation strategies. Despite these challenges, Ethiopia has made strides in improving agricultural productivity and diversifying its agricultural exports.

The government has also been investing in infrastructure and technology to modernize the sector. Initiatives such as irrigation projects and the adoption of climate-resilient crops are expected to enhance food security and reduce the country’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture. Additionally, Ethiopia’s participation in regional trade agreements, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offers new opportunities for agricultural exports, particularly to neighboring countries.

Ethiopia’s strategic location in the Horn of Africa positions it as a key player in regional trade. The country has been actively participating in regional economic communities, such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). These regional blocs provide platforms for Ethiopia to expand its trade networks and integrate more deeply into regional value chains.

The UNCTAD report highlights that intra-African trade, particularly in processed and semi-processed goods, has been growing steadily. Ethiopia, with its relatively diversified economy, is well-positioned to benefit from this trend. By focusing on value addition and industrialization, Ethiopia can move up the value chain, reducing its dependence on raw agricultural exports and creating more jobs in the manufacturing sector.

The UNCTAD report underscores the importance of robust macroeconomic policies and regional cooperation in building resilience to external shocks. For Ethiopia, this means continuing to invest in infrastructure, particularly in transport and energy, to reduce trade costs and improve connectivity with regional markets. Additionally, the government should prioritize policies that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are critical for job creation and economic diversification.

Climate adaptation remains a pressing issue, and Ethiopia must continue to invest in sustainable agricultural practices and climate-resilient infrastructure. The report also recommends leveraging digital technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness, particularly in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

In a significant effort to improve regional connectivity and economic cooperation, four East African nations have signed a quadripartite agreement aimed at accelerating logistics activities across the region.

The signing ceremony occurred in Djibouti on the evening of Thursday, February 27, where logistics ministers from Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda formalized their commitment through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This agreement, known as the Djibouti Corridor or the “Djibouti-Ethiopia-South Sudan-Uganda (DESSU) Corridor,” seeks to enhance regional integration by creating a land corridor that links the participating countries.

The initiative is expected to promote cooperation, streamline trade, and stimulate economic growth throughout the region.

According to a statement from the Djiboutian government, the DESSU Corridor is inspired by successful business models such as the Maputo-Johannesburg Corridor and the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi

Corridor, which have shown the benefits of well-connected transport networks in boosting trade and development.

The Djibouti Corridor is poised to usher in a new era of growth and infrastructure development for the nations involved. By improving logistics and transport links, the agreement aims to enhance trade efficiency, lower costs, and strengthen economic ties between Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.