Sweden’s engagement in development co-operation in Ethiopia Sweden’s engagement with Ethiopian development programs follows in general the outline of the strategy from 2003-2007, with some modifications that have been made in relation to the annual decisions on cooperation made by the Swedish government since then. We are currently expecting a new five year strategy with increased financial volumes. This text describes the current support to Ethiopia. It should also be noted that the total volume is three times as big as the country frame allocations. The support to research and higher education follows a global research strategy and is technically not included in the country frame but is handled by the Embassy. Other additional areas are the humanitarian support and global and regional programs run by HQ in Sida Stockholm.
Bilateral support
The development cooperation between Sweden and Ethiopia dates back more than 50 years. The current cooperation strategy 2016-2020 is aligned with the Ethiopia’s Growth and Transformation Plan Phase II (GTP II) 2016-2020 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within the framework of this strategy, Swedish development cooperation with Ethiopia is to contribute to a better environment, limited climate impact and enhanced resilience to climate change, as well as improved opportunities for poor people to make use of their rights. The strategy also aims to promote sustainable and democratic development of society.
The strategy applies to the period 2016-2020 and comprises a total of SEK 1 billion. In 2016 and 2017 the total Swedish disbursed support to Ethiopia amounted to 613 Million SEK (approximately ETB 1 636 million). The Ethiopian strategy budget has increased for 2018-2020 by 340 MSEK, comprising a total of 1 340 MSEK for the whole strategy. In addition, the embassy has a five-year agreements with Armauer Hansen Research Institute SEK 50 million (2016 - 2021), and Addis Abeba University SEK 196 million (2018 - 2023). These cooperation’s targets the Research Strategy 2016-2021 with the primary objective to strengthened research of high quality and of relevance to poverty reduction and sustainable development by focusing on capacity-building for research, primarily in low-income countries and regions. An average of 200 MSEK reach Ethiopia every year for Humanitarian assistance through global funds. Sweden is also globally a large contributor to the UN, the World Bank and the Green Climate Fund that support large programs in Ethiopia.
Sweden is committed to promoting synergies between long-term co-operation and humanitarian support, resilience is a focus. Sweden is committed to work with the job compact for refugees for better living conditions including job opportunities for refugee and their host communities.
Sweden apply rights based approach, poor people’s perspective, conflict sensitivity, and climate and environment perspective in all support.
Swedish development cooperation within the framework of the strategy is expected to contribute to:
(I) A better environment, limited climate impact and greater resilience to environmental impact, climate change and natural disasters
- Strengthened management of natural resources and ecosystem services
- Improved capacity among public institutions and other actors at national and local level to contribute to environmental sustainability, increased resilience to environmental impact, climate change and natural disasters, and reduced climate impact
- Increased production of and improved access to renewable energy.
(II) Strengthened democracy and gender equality, and greater respect for human rights
- Strengthened rule of law
- Strengthened democratic accountability and transparency at local level
- Strengthened capacity of civil society to promote openness, accountability and greater respect for human rights
- Increased respect for and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
(III) Better opportunities and tools to enable poor people to improve their living conditions
- Improved opportunities for productive employment with decent working conditions, particularly for women and young people
- Sustainable food security with particular focus on resilient agriculture
- A more favorable business climate for sustainable and inclusive commercial activities and strengthening institutions
- Better access to social protection for people living in poverty
Arears of work
I. Resilience, climate and environment
Integrated Land use and Development Plan: Develop land use map based on land suitability and capability/ implemented by Horn of Africa Regional Environment Center and Network (HoA-REC) in Gambella Region. It is a joint effort between Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and HoA-REC&N
Strengthening government capacity in the forest sector at all levels and spearhead the implementation of the forestry component contained in the GTP II and Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy. The five major pillars of the project are: institutional development, forest development, private sector involvement, stakeholder engagement, and science and innovation. This is a cooperation with UNDP, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Generation of baseline data for Climate Resilient Green Economy Sectors and GTP II. The outcome of the baseline information will ultimately contribute to report on the progress of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Another component of the project deal with the economic and ecological importance of the Forest sector while supporting the trajectory of green economic path ways.
A Joint effort of Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWIE), Ministry of Industry (MoI) to provide capacity building on Integrated Water Resource Management Capacity for the MoWIE while prompting landscape restoration and management around industrial parks. Moreover, the project will also create Textile sector dialogue and deliver capacity building to Ministry of Industry.
A joint effort of Swedish Metrological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), MoWIE, Metrological Agency and Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation to address specific skills and technical capacity gaps in the water and climate information producing sectors in Ethiopia. It is expected to encompass skills acquisition and technical capacity building of the implementing partners, improved climate information services, improved hydrological information services, strengthened forecasting and early warning systems, and improved communication and dissemination of related information. The Project will strengthen the country’s water and climate information infrastructure improving both the supply of hydro-climatic data, information and services from the relevant authorities and mode of delivery to stakeholders and sectors across the country.
6. Investment in Forest sector, Sustainable Environmental Governance
Aim at Biosphere Reserve management implemented in Gambella region since 2015. The Majang Biosphere Reserve registered by UNESCO in June 2017 as a global network of biodiversity and implemented by MELCA Ethiopia.
Team approach to supporting biosphere development by MELCA and TNS simultaneously promoting sustainable forest management, environmental governance and sustainable livelihoods development objectives in the forest areas.
Climate Smart Agriculture - implemented by Farm Africa in SNNPR. The aim is to ensure resilience through increased food security at households’ level through climate proof agricultural production system.
Climate change mitigation and adaptation project - implemented by Union of Ethiopian Women Charitable Association (UEWCA) aims to strengthen resilience by empowering the economic capacity of women and men in climate mitigation and adaption related activities. A special focus on poor single women is sought.
Market system development for high value crops in Amhara region while supporting the natural resource base in the upper stream through watershed management through joint work by ORDA, Farm Africa and Mercy Corps.
Improving living conditions in households that depend on access to electricity (lighting, communication, information, improve services of health centers and schools, improve the productivity of small enterprises and create new job opportunities and creating a learning platform for recycling and safe disposal of batteries. (Planned to start in 2019)
II. Democratization, Gender Equality and Human Rights
9. Ethiopia Media Reform Program – FOJO Media Institute
The project, based on an extensive feasibility study conducted by FOJO financed by the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, aims at providing input the ongoing media reform in the country. Particular focus is put strengthening access to information, professionality among the media actors, ethics and self-regulation plus gender and conflict sensitive reporting. The programme will be implemented by the Swedish Institution FOJO and the mode of implementation will be seminars and workshops, research and by producing and distributing relevant reports. The target groups are publishers, editors, media owners, journalists, politicians, government officers and selected youth groups from urban areas.
10. Governance and Democratic Institutions Program in Ethiopia, UNDP
This intervention, implemented by UNDP, aims at strengthen the weak accountability mechanism that exist in the country plus making their and other governance and democratic processes more open and inclusive. The target groups (implementing partners) are the Parliament (both houses), the Ombudsman, the Human rights commission, the Ethics and anti-corruption commission, the Council of constitutional inquiry, the Office of the Attorney General, the Auditor General and the National election board, all being state institutions and reporting formally to the parliament. Two government institutions are also part of the programme; Government Communication Affairs Office and the Ministry of Federal and Pastoralist Affairs. The participation of civil society is an important component of the programme.
11. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Program (UNFPA/MoFEC)
Building implementation capacity of the government to ensure improved quality and quantity as regards sexual and reproductive health services in all regions of the country. The programme will work with local health service providers, non-state actors, academia and government at national and federal level. The programme will operate in four in 4 areas i.e. (a) Sexual and reproductive health, (b) Adolescents and youth, (c) Gender equality and (d) population dynamics. It is a joint effort between the Ministry of Finance and Economic Cooperation and UNFPA.
12. Ethiopian Social Accountability Programme (ESAP) – World Bank, Multi Donor Trust Fund
Currently under phase 2 the programme aims to strengthen the quality and quantity of social services within five basic service areas; agriculture, health, education, water and rural roads. The focus of the programme is to promote the use of so called social accountability tools at mainly woreda level to promote better collaboration and dialogue between citizens and social service providers. The programme is managed by a World Bank Multi Donor Trust Fund funded by Sweden, EU, Irish Aid and Austria Aid. Phase 3 of the program is to commence in January 2019.
13. Addis Ababa University Center for Human Rights – Support to Strategic Plan
Core support to Center for Human Rights Strategic Directions 2016 - 2020 to play a key role in institutionalizing a culture of human rights in Ethiopia by addressing significant gaps and challenges. In addition to creating capable talents, the Center will be supported to catalyze its unique position for initiating constructive dialogue and debate in the Community as well as creating awareness, building competence and produce quality researches for policy inputs and constructive criticism. The funds also support partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) to build the Center’s internal capacity to promote human rights, including gender equality, in Ethiopia contributing to an improved overall environment for the protection of human rights
14. Integrated Project for Human Rights Protection, Promotion of Good Governance & Peace Building
Implemented by Justice for All, one of few CSOs working in the Justice sector and other accountability organs, the program aims to enhance capacity of the legislative, executive and judiciary bodies in addition to advocacy works, researches, experience sharing and lobbying for improved policy, legislative and institutional environment and increased human rights friendly prosecution systems.
15. Engaging Community Structures towards Sustainable Local Development in Ethiopia
Implemented by Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization (JeCCDO) the program aims to enhance citizens engagement towards improving good governance by promoting transparency, pro-poor and gender sensitive accountability mechanisms and responsive behavior and practices in local development processes. At the center of this process is strengthening the engagement of citizens especially, non-state actors (grassroots community structures) in local development processes through promoting openness, transparency, and accountability in local governance for improved service delivery, with attention to women and girls
16. UN Women country programme 2017-2020 (UN-Women/Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Sector) – UN Women
Secure the rights of women and strengthen the work with gender equality. The programme will focus on four areas; political participation, women’s economic empowerment, gender statistics and violence against women. The programme will cooperate wide a wide range of actors; governments at national and federal level, business organisation, non-state actors and academia. It is implemented by UN-Women in partnership with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
17. Gender Equality – Making Change Happen, Initiative Africa
This project is implemented by a local organization, Initiative Africa, and aims to pilot and/or expand practices that increase women's participation, leadership, influence and decision making. Ultimately the project the project is to contribute to the country's development goal of increasing women's participation, leadership, influence and decision making focusing on workplace, schools and communities, and the media.
18. Criminal Justice – National Integrated Programme for Ethiopia (Sub-Programme II), UNODC
The overall objective of this sub-programme is to support the GoE’s justice reform efforts towards an effective and efficient criminal justice system to improve effectiveness, accessibility, accountability, transparency and fairness of the justice system.
Government Implementing partners include Federal office of the Attorney General, Justice Organs Professional Training Center, Ethiopia Justice and Legal System Research Institute, Federal Prison Administration, Federal and Regional Courts, Child Justice Project Office of the Federal Supreme Court, Public Defender’s Office and Federal Police Commission.
19. Civil Society Support Program (CSSP), DFID lead multi donor funded program
CSSP seeks to strengthen civil society to maximize opportunities to use its abilities for public benefit, empowering itself to play a full and independent role in national development,poverty reduction and the advancement of good governance and democratization processes; and to observe and respond to changes in the political environment which may allow for broader opportunities for engagement.
CSSP is a multi-donor project funded by Sweden, Irish Aid, DFID and Norway is managed by an external procured management agent, British Council.
20. Life and Peace Institute Ethiopia Program – Life and Peace Institute
The overall goal of the program is to contribute to reducing negative relational social patterns and support a culture of trust and collaboration between otherwise segregated or conflicted social groups by facilitating dialogue, research and collaborative action on local level and engaging relevant decision-makers and policy implementers to enhance structural conditions for peace.
The program is implemented in partnership with Peace and Development Centre, Interreligious Council of Ethiopia, Religious institutions, Ministry of Federal Affairs, Haramaya University, Jimma University, Ambo University, Bahir Dar University and University of Gondar.
21. Culture Leads the Way – SELAM
Implemented by Selam Cultural Enablers, the project aims to use role of culture as enabler of democratic dialogue in development processes and to deepen participation and freedom of expression of rights’ holders in development processes through culture expressions.
The project is implemented in close partnership with Ministry of Culture and Tourism, regional Culture and Tourism Bureaus, Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office, Universities, and CSOs such as Ethiopian Musicians Association, Ethiopian Film Makers Association, Help for People with Disabilities Organization, Circus Debre Berhan.
III. Opportunities for Improved Living Conditions and Making Markets Work for the Poor
In addition to interventions mentioned in number 6 and 7 under the resilience, environment and climate change component below are interventions addressed under this portfolio
22. ILO and H&M – Industrial Relations
The overall objective of the programme is to strengthen the social dialogue between the tree parties in the garment and textile industry of Ethiopia. Through improved dialogue between the parties’ decent work, productivity and sustainable working conditions will be strengthened. ILO is implementing the programme in collaboration with Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, The Ministry of Industry, the Ethiopian Employers’ Federation, the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unisons, the Industrial Federation of Textile, Leather and Garment Workers Trade Union and the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association
23. Building an Integrated Safety Net System for the Most Vulnerable Women and Children in Rural and Urban Ethiopia (UNICEF/MoLSA-BoLSA)
The program aims to implement an efficient safety-net system in urban and rural areas, which is based on a systems approach and integrates effective linkages and referral system to complementary social services for poor and vulnerable women and children in Addis Ababa and Amhara region. It is a joint effort between Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Bureaus of Labour (MoLSA) and UNICEF.
24. Women’s Economic Empowerment in Amhara
The key programme objective is to improve women’s economic empowerment in Amhara through support to formation and self-reliance of a women’s business membership organization in (AWEA). In 2016-2017 membership quadrupled to over 8,000 paying members and operational self-sufficiency has gone up from 2% to 100%.
In addition to supporting established women entrepreneurs, the programme has reached out to the most vulnerable micro vendors who have benefited for free from services provided by the association
25. Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth in Addis Ababa
Livelihoods improvements targeted for at least 200,000 women and youth in Addis Ababa with a dozen of government authorities and focus areas emerging in growth sectors including manufacturing and food processing, solid waste management, labor market, employment and entrepreneurship systems. A consortium consisting of SNV, Save the Children, TNS and Mercy Corps are expected to manage implementation in partnership with a few local governmental and non-governmental institutions.
26. Financing for growth with IFC
A) Support to a multilateral trust fund umbrella managed by IFC with Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Industry present in the Steering Committee alongside USAID, Netherlands, Italy and more recently Norway. The objective is to facilitate supply of finance to Ethiopian growth sectors including agribusiness and textile; promoting SMEs, leasing and collateral management based on demand from GoE.
B) Support to Enat Bank Gurantee fund which aims to increase access to capital for women owned/managed SMEs in Ethiopia by sharing the risk of lending to this segment with the bank. Through risk-sharing the bank is expected to ask for less collateral from borrowers, which will increase the number of loans that is extended. In addition to the risk-sharing guarantee facility, Enat Bank and its potential borrowers will be provided technical assistance (TA) to strengthen Enat’s lending capacity, for example through improved credit assessment, and to make more SMEs bankable, either with Enat or with other financial institutions.
27. Business Enabling Environment
Support to a multilateral trust fund umbrella managed by IFC with Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Industry present in the Steering Committee alongside DfID, Canada, Netherlands, and Italy. Support to regulatory bodies is given upon demand in areas such as trade logistics, business taxation, trade promotion and other development projects within EIC, public private dialogue and Investment Policy.
28. Business Enabling Environment
Support to improving the capacity of the private sector by strengthening the business associations selected by GoE as platform hosts for national level public-private dialogue. The programme is hosted by ECCSA but governed by a diverse stakeholder Steering Board which includes Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Trade. The objectives are to improve the capacity of the private sector to be self-reliant and member demand driven while engaging more constructively in public-private dialogue with the government. 2017 is the first year of implementation of Phase III of the programme, which has been hosted by AACCSA in the past phases.
In addition to strengthening the voice and financial self-sufficiency of the formal Chamber system players, the intervention work to promote awareness of inclusive sustainable growth by research and capacity building for neglected groups such as MSMEs, women in business, and business associations in remote regions of Ethiopia.
25. Selam-Volov-UNIDO Heavy Vehaclie Mechanics and Driver School
Co-funded between SIDA, Volvo and Selam Children’s Village as a public-private -partnership, UNIDO implements mechanical workshop TvET and driving education for heavy trucks, busses and construction vehicles. The project will support the establishment of a training institute for Commercial Vehicle Drivers (CVD) at Selam vocational training center in Ethiopia to create productive employment opportunities for Ethiopian youth, both young women and men, in commercial vehicle driving and improve the shortage of skilled labor in transport enterprises.
IV. Research support
26. Cooperation with Addis Abeba University
Core support to AAU (“Block Grant”) covering visits for Ethiopian and foreign researchers and support to phd-students for studies in Sweden and Ethiopia. Capacity development include support to ICT facilities, library facilities, journal subscriptions, support to female students etc.
Research partnerships with Swedsih Universities in a) economics and business administration and b) international and comparative education (continued) as well as c) biotechnology and d) electrical engineering. 98 PhD students will benefit from this part of the support during 2018-2022.
Partnership with Swedish university to set up a Commissioned Education program at AAU; leadership and management training for high level public and civil society managers.
27. Core Support to Armauer Hansen Institute (AHRI)
Building research and research training capacity in order to generate research that can be used to address major diseases in Ethiopia and especially for people who live in poverty.
28. WIDE Project
Research project, part of the larger project, Wellbeing and Illbeing Dynamics in Ethiopia, WIDE, identifying how the rapid present growth has changed the society in various areas and major challenges for a continued poverty reduction in Ethiopia.
Sweden Contributed to research briefs of previous findings that will be useful for the operationalisation of the up-coming strategy for development cooperation with Ethiopia. Assessing changes in 20 villages during the past 20 years is part of this.
