Ethiopia and France Commit to Strengthening Their Development Partnership

Addis Ababa, April 28, 2025 (POA) — A senior Ethiopian delegation headed by Finance Minister Ahmed Shide engaged in talks with William Roos, who serves as the Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Development at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance.

In the press release addressed to ENA, the Ministry of Finance stated that both parties have involved in productive conversations spanning numerous topics at the edges of the 2025 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.

Minister Shide conveyed Ethiopia's appreciation to France for their bilateral collaboration and financial backing via various global developmental organizations. Additionally, he acknowledged France’s role alongside China—as joint chairs of Ethiopia’s Official Creditors Committee—in facilitating the country's debt restructuring discussions within the framework provided by the G20 Common Initiative.

In the discussion, the Minister updated Roos on the advancement of the government's reforms and the promising economic prospects in Ethiopia, despite emphasizing the difficult worldwide conditions.

The Assistant Secretary praised Ethiopia for successfully agreeing on the key principles of debt treatment and commended the government for implementing robust macroeconomic policies and reforms.

Both representatives concurred on maintaining tight teamwork regarding their developmental alliance via both bilateral and multilateral partnerships.