Ethiopia's Council of Ministers, in its 53rd regular session held in Addis Ababa, has approved decisions on various matters. These include the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence University, tax incentives for investors, and several loan agreements. The approvals aim to support education, economic growth, and infrastructure development.
On Yekatit 23, 2018 E.C. (Gregorian March 2, 2026), Ethiopia's Council of Ministers convened its 53rd regular session in Addis Ababa and endorsed multiple decisions. The session addressed priorities in education, investment, finance, agriculture, mining, and tourism to foster national development.
A key approval was the directive for establishing the Artificial Intelligence University under Proclamation 1294/2015, designed to train graduates and cultivate experts essential for the country's growth. The council endorsed its operational commencement via Federal Negarit Gazeta after incorporating objectives.
To attract investors to major projects and priority economic sectors, a draft directive on tax exemptions was approved for implementation, also through the Federal Negarit Gazeta. The session further ratified three loan agreements aligned with the national debt management policy: $60,223,000 from Korea Eximbank for the national electrification expansion project (15-year grace period, 40 years total); €80 million from the French Development Agency for the Tadashi integrated renewable energy and digitalization project (7-year grace, 20 years total); and 184,100,000 SDR from the World Bank for urban productive safety net and job creation initiatives (6-year grace, 30 years total). These loans include specified interest rates, service fees, and management terms.
Additionally, the council approved a draft proclamation to strengthen the warehouse receipt system under Proclamation 372/1996, addressing implementation gaps and setting standards. It also endorsed two mining production sharing agreements for gold and platinum, noting their economic benefits, job creation, and alignment with environmental and community policies. Finally, a revised tourism policy was approved to update the 2001 framework, incorporating lessons learned and aligning with broader economic reforms for enhanced contribution to national development.
