Finance Minister, UN Deputy Secretary-General discuss accelerating SDGs in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, January 17, 2025 – Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, held a productive high-level meeting with Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

According to the Ethiopian Finance Ministry, the meeting focused on accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national level.

Ahmed Shide provided insights into Ethiopia’s strategies for enhancing SDG delivery, highlighting the need for strengthened coordination and increased resource mobilization.

Both leaders underscored the critical role of collaboration between the Government of Ethiopia, the UN Country Team (UNCT) in Ethiopia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to align SDG initiatives with local development priorities.

The discussion also emphasized the importance of enhancing partnerships between UNCT in Ethiopia and UNECA by leveraging regional expertise and establishing a clear division of responsibilities to better support Ethiopia’s development agenda.

Additionally, they discussed the needs to improve the operational efficiency of the UN system in Ethiopia to achieve more impactful outcomes.

Other key topics of discussion included Ethiopia’s ongoing macroeconomic reforms and preparations for the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.

Ahmed Shide expressed Ethiopia’s profound gratitude for Ms. Amina J. Mohammed’s steadfast efforts to advance regional and global development goals.

He reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the United Nations and contributing to Africa’s collective development ambitions on the global stage.

Both parties stressed the importance of sustained dialogue and collaboration to address shared challenges, seize emerging opportunities, and maximize development impact. They reaffirmed their commitment to exploring innovative avenues for stronger cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

It is worth noting that there are 26 UN Agencies residing in Ethiopia which is one of the largest UNCT in the world.