Ethiopia and Korea Strengthen Bilateral Partnership, Focus on Private-Sector Collaboration

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Ethiopia Office held their regular meeting on November 17, 2025, in Addis Ababa, reinforcing strong bilateral relations and exploring new avenues for private-sector engagement to accelerate Ethiopia’s sustainable development. The session reviewed ongoing projects, addressed implementation challenges, and discussed strategic priorities for future collaboration.

H.E. Semereta Sewasew, State Minister of Finance, warmly welcomed Mr. Taeyoung Kim, KOICA’s newly-appointed Country Director, who began his term on November 1, 2025. Mr. Kim brings prior experience in Ethiopia from an earlier KOICA assignment, providing valuable perspective on the country’s development journey. He expressed admiration for Ethiopia’s transformation, highlighting rapid urban growth in Addis Ababa and nationwide progress. “Ethiopia’s transformation is remarkable, and KOICA is proud to partner with the Ministry of Finance to advance sustainable development and foster private-sector opportunities,” Mr. Kim said.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of strategic dialogue, negotiation, and private-sector collaboration as critical tools for addressing development challenges and maximizing impact. They reaffirmed their commitment to Ethiopia’s national priorities and inclusive growth objectives, while seeking innovative ways to integrate private actors into development initiatives.

KOICA also shared plans for upcoming projects in 2026–2027, focusing on manufacturing, health, rural development, and initiatives that actively involve the private sector. The meeting addressed bottlenecks affecting project implementation and explored strategies to ensure more effective outcomes.

The session concluded with renewed commitments to strengthen bilateral relations, private-sector engagement, and collaborative development, marking a significant step forward in Ethiopia–Korea partnership and shared prosperity.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Finance, Ethiopia.