Our portfolio in Ethiopia is one of the largest and most complex in Africa. Over the last decade, Ethiopia has made tremendous development gains in education, health and food security. In 2017, GDP growth was 10.3 percent (World Bank). The addition of 38,000 health extension workers has helped reduce the under-five child mortality rate by more than six percent a year since 2000.
However, Ethiopia still remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated annual per capita income of $768 in 2017 (World Bank). Ethiopians are still vulnerable to food insecurity, and nearly 70 percent depend on agriculture for employment. Approximately 7.8 million required humanitarian assistance in 2017, in addition to 7.9 million chronically food insecure beneficiaries who are supported through the Productive Safety Net Program.
Our assistance is an investment to build Ethiopia’s self-reliance by increasing economic growth, delivering quality basic public health and education services, and promoting a governance environment that is conducive to sustainable economic development.