馃嚜馃嚬EthiopiaEast Africa
Experts advocate for credit lines to address Ethiopia's WASH financing gap
via The Reporter Ethiopia8 min read
Experts gathered in Addis Ababa for the Aqua for All WASH Finance Program highlighted a significant financing shortfall in Ethiopia's water and sanitation WASH sector, estimated at USD 1.14 billion annually. Despite the need for approximately USD 2.2 billion each year to meet WASH targets, only about one in eight Ethiopian banks and microfinance institutions offer dedicated financing for the sector. Hezkel Aynalem, CEO of the program, noted that private sector risk perceptions, policy constraints, and weak project pipelines limit lending, even though repayment rates are high. He emphasized a lack of understanding of the WASH sector among financial institutions, who often perceive no business case for it. Systemic barriers include insufficient data, a shortage of investment-ready projects, and regulatory hurdles. The Aqua for All WASH Finance Program, running from 2024 to 2026, aims to tackle these issues by collaborating with financial institutions to establish dedicated credit lines, de-risk investments, and build a pipeline of finance-ready projects. The program involves technical assistance, standardized WASH financing toolkits, and a revolving credit facility linking banks and microfinance institutions. Early results show microfinance institutions achieving 97 percent repayment rates on WASH loans, demonstrating the sector's viability. Hezkel stressed that private finance is essential, as traditional public funding is insufficient to achieve universal access to WASH servi
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.
The National Bank of Ethiopia NBE has reconfirmed its prohibition on the use, trading, and transfer of virtual assets, including cryptocurrencies, unless explicitly authorized by the NBE. The central bank issued a public notice defining virtual assets as digital representations of value that can be electronically traded, transferred, exchanged, or used for payments, investment, or similar purposes. The ban covers the purchase, sale, exchange, transfer, trading, settlement, and facilitation of transactions involving these assets without specific approval under Ethiopia's legal framework. The NBE clarified that the prohibition extends beyond just cryptocurrencies to all virtual assets. Prohibited activities include exchanging virtual assets for fiat currencies or other virtual assets, transferring them, providing custody or administrative services, and offering financial services related to their issuance or sale. The NBE warned the public against engaging in such transactions due to legal and financial risks, including fraud, scams, cyberattacks, market manipulation, and significant financial losses. This statement reiterates existing legal restrictions and does not announce new regulations or enforcement measures.
Must ReadMadagascar's capital, Antananarivo, has been gripped by a crime wave involving missing children and discovered bodies, leading to public anger. The National Police Directorate-General reported 172 disappearances since January 1, 2026, with 164 still missing and eight children found dead, 119 of these cases in the Analamanga region. This crisis has led to vigilante justice, including the lynching of a woman suspected of attempted abduction. Colonel Randrianirina, leader of the junta, has labeled the murders "terrorism" and alleged a political conspiracy without presenting evidence. His Prime Minister declared a "war" against those seeking to "undermine the Refoundation." The regime deployed 400 security personnel and blocked websites, but the conspiracy narrative lacks verifiable evidence. Civil society, trade unions, and the Catholic Church have criticized the government's response. Legal scholar Omar Abderman Ramadany warned against speculation, while the Union of Lecturers and Researchers urged authorities to take concrete action beyond declarations. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Madagascar, through Vice-President Bishop Jean Pascal Andriantsoavina, stated they could no longer remain silent about homicides with unknown perpetrators, directly contradicting the government's claims of political conspirators. This religious opposition is part of a broader trend of disillusionment with the junta, which has seen arrests of political dissidents and a focus on consolidating p
Must ReadArtificial intelligence could boost Sub-Saharan Africa's economic output by approximately four percent over the next decade, provided governments invest significantly in electricity, internet connectivity, and digital skills, according to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund. Without these reforms, the region would see only marginal gains, with productivity increasing by as little as 0.2 percent. The IMF notes that Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the least prepared regions for widespread AI adoption, trailing every part of the world except South Asia in AI readiness. This gap is attributed to weak digital infrastructure, shortages of technical skills, and limited regulatory capacity. Reliable electricity, with about half the region lacking dependable access, and internet access, with only 38 percent of Africans using the internet in 2024, are major obstacles. The region also has limited computing infrastructure, hosting only about 160 data centers globally. Kenya and Rwanda lead East Africa in AI readiness due to strong private technology sectors and coordinated government policies, respectively. Ethiopia, however, ranks lower, despite expanding its telecommunications network. The IMF emphasizes that strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding reliable electricity access, and investing in technical education are crucial for the region to benefit economically from AI.