What is the project about

Ethiopia’s Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II) seeks to bring about broad-based transformative structural changes required to steer the economy on a rapid growth path towards becoming a middle-income country by 2025.

The country's strategy gives due emphasis to the promotion of domestic private sector development and stimulating the rapid growth of micro, small and medium businesses to create wealth and employment opportunities.

The GTP emphasizes the need to provide comprehensive support to MSEs and existing medium sized enterprises to unleash their full potential to create wealth and jobs, and thereby help to substantially reduce poverty. 

However, many MSEs currently operate in the informal sector which is disproportionally represented by women and the poor. Those people are paid substantially less than those in formal businesses and their contribution to the economic growth is limited.

Employment opportunities, especially for young people graduating from colleges and women, remains a challenge.

Development of entrepreneurship and support to business start-ups helps address this employment gap, helping people to develop their own potential and find ways to generate income and employment for themselves and others.

What have we accomplished so far?

• EDC offices have become operational in Addis Ababa and four regional cities (Bahir Dar, Bishoftu, Hawassa and Mekelle).
• Over 55,000 entrepreneurs (37% of whom are female) joined training sessions for entrepreneurship.
• Over 8,500 entrepreneurs have received BDS support.
• 212 entrepreneurship trainers available in country to provide training. 39 of the trainers have been certified as national master trainers by UNCTAD.
• 403 trained business development advisors available to support the programme

Download project document

Download Fast Fact Entrepreneurship Development Programme