Finance Minister holds talks with CEO of Saudi Fund for Dev’t

Addis Ababa, April 24, 2025 (FMC) – Minister Ahmed Shide had a productive discussion with the CEO for the Saudi Fund for Development (ADD) Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, on the margins of 2025 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C..

The discussion focused on Ethiopia’s recent economic reforms, as well as Ethiopia’s priority development areas, and ways to scale up SDF’s role in Ethiopia.

Mr. Ahmed briefed SDF’s CEO on the Government’s macroeconomic reform implementation and shared Ethiopia’s development ambitions and priority areas, including private sector development, public investment in infrastructure, particularly in the energy and transport sectors, and unlocking the full potential of the economic sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and mining by boosting productivity in these areas.

For his part, the CEO commended Ethiopia’s economic ambitions and achievements, and welcomed the early gains and progress on enhancing the investment climate to attract more FDI to the country. He encouraged Ethiopia’s role in promoting regional connectivity and integration in the Horn and beyond.

The CEO also reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment for continued development support to Ethiopia.

The two sides agreed on deepening the longstanding bilateral ties through high level engagement and building on shared regional and global priorities.