Addis Abeba — As part of the Ethiopian Italian Cooperation Framework 2023-2025 which was announced during the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visit to Rome on 06 February, the two countries have signed agreements worth 140 million Euros (100 million soft loans and 40 million grant).

According to a statement sent to Addis Standard by the Italian Embassy in Addis Abeba, the agreement was signed by the Italian President of the Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni and PM Abiy Ahmed.

"The Cooperation Framework agreement has two main pillars of action: economic development and job creation and access to basic services. Particular importance is devoted to vocational training that will foster job creation, to basic services in particular health, education and water and environment," the press release said.

Two additional agreements for new programs; "Minimizing investment risk in the Ethiopian coffee sector and institutional support to the Ethiopian coffee authority (ECTA)" worth 10.5 million Euros, and another initiative, "WaSH, resilience, energy in Ethiopia's lowlands" worth 31.5 million euros have also been signed during the visit, by the Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Antonio Tajani, and the Ethiopian Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide.

This brings the total total amount of the agreements signed in Rome to €182 million, according to the statement, increasing Italy financed development initiatives in Ethiopia in recent weeks to 200 million Euros. AS