Addis Ababa, Jun3 4, 2021 (FBC) – Ethiopia and the World Bank have signed a signed a loan agreement amounting to 250 Million USD at a ceremony held in the Ministry of Finance today.
The objective of the Enhancing Shared Prosperity through Equitable Services Program (ESPES) aims to improve equitable access to essential services for the whole population of Ethiopia by improving results in health, education, and agriculture services in the most poorly performing woredas and strengthening the overall decentralized service delivery system.
This project focus on promoting the delivery of services such as basic education, primary health care, agricultural extension advice, water, and rural roads through a highly decentralized system, Ministry of Finance said.
The choice was made based on a due consideration of the gap in Basic Service Delivery and analysis examining how a decentralized government might respond better to diverse local needs and provide public goods more efficiently than a centralized government.
Building on the lessons learned from previous phases, the program will continue to support the ongoing government efforts to deliver basic services, the Ministry remarked.
ESPES program aims to leverage the government’s broad program of service delivery to promote equity, enhance quality and institutionalize critical systems, especially at the woreda level.