Sida's work in Ethiopia
Sida's assistance in Ethiopia contributes to economic development that benefits people living in poverty and vulnerability, peace building and strengthening respect for human rights. Sida also provides extensive humanitarian support to Ethiopia.
Why does Sida work in Ethiopia?
Increased violence and armed conflict
Several armed conflicts are taking place in the country. As a result, both violence and vulnerability are increasing. The number of internally displaced people and humanitarian needs remain high.
Unstable economy and rising unemployment
After years of rapid growth, Ethiopia’s economy has slowed down. High inflation is driving up the cost of living and hitting people living in poverty hard. Unemployment is particularly high among young people and women in urban areas. Corruption, lack of finance and skilled labour hamper sustainable development.
Examples of what Sida has contributed to
Reducing the effects of climate change
Through the programme Nature-based solutions for sustainable and inclusive development, Sida supports a more sustainable environment, increased resilience to climate-related crises and forest management. The programme also creates income opportunities for people living in poverty, especially women and youth in rural areas.
Strengthening women’s rights and participation in peace processes
In recent years, the country has taken several important steps to increase gender equality and improve the situation for women and girls. In conflict-affected areas, Sida contributes to improve access to health care and services for women, strengthening their right to sexual and reproductive health. Sida supports Ethiopia’s efforts to implement UN Security Resolution 1325 Women, Peace and Security.
Supporting civil society to keep up the fight
Sida strengthens civil society’s ability to work for responsible and inclusive political governance, thus strengthening human rights in Ethiopia. The aid also supports the protection of human rights defenders in the country and strengthens free and independent media.
Sida's work in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, Sida conducts development cooperation that contributes to the long-term development of the country. We also provide extensive humanitarian support to save lives and alleviate suffering in emergency situations.
Sida does not provide direct support to the Ethiopian government. The deteriorating situation in the country has led Sida to adapt the development cooperation, including strengthening the link between development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding.
Sida supports projects to strengthen civil society, enhance democracy, strengthen human rights and promote gender equality. Here are some examples of projects Sida supports:
Through its support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN agency for global gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, UN Women, Sida contributes to combating genital mutilation and ensuring that women and girls who have survived sexual violence have access to shelter and healthcare. The organisation Engender Health (EH) provides survivors of gender-based violence with medical care, as well as psychosocial and legal support. Sida’s partner organisations also work on preventive education on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including the inclusion of SRHR in the national curriculum, as well as changing discriminatory norms and attitudes. The involvement of men and boys as agents of change is an important part of this.
Conflict-related sexual violence was wide-spread in the context of the civil war in Tigray. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), along with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, produced a report highlighting the abuses during the war as well as recommendations on how to address them. Sida was the largest donor to the report.
Sida supports the FOJO Media Institute and the Media Reform in the Time of Change – Promoting Journalism and Democracy programme, which is carried out in collaboration with the organisation International Media Support (IMS).
The programme contributes, among other things, to strengthening the safety of journalists and increasing access to digital communication, including strengthening girls’ and women’s digital skills. FOJO also runs training programmes for journalists on independent and investigative journalism.
Ethiopia is one of the most food insecure countries in the world. The country is frequently affected by severe droughts, floods, soil degradation and locust invasions.
Climate change is affecting the population, especially those working in agriculture, and those living in the most severe poverty.
Sida contributes to strengthening environmental protection in the country, promoting climate-smart agriculture and the transition to renewable energy. Here are examples of projects that Sida supports:
Sida supports Farm Africa and the Growth for Future project, which work to strengthen communities socially, environmentally and economically. Through climate-friendly agriculture, improved natural-resource management and greater access to markets, people are earning higher incomes.
The project works to reduce land degradation by restoring land, protecting water resources, improving soil and planting fruit trees. The work gives people increased access to public services and stimulates entrepreneurship in rural areas. It has also contributed to more women participating in society and gaining leadership positions.
Through Farm Africa, Sida is supporting a pilot project that demonstrate the potential of urban farming to provide people with access to home-grown, organic vegetables and additional income. The project is mainly aimed at women, who often find it more difficult to compete in the labour market.
Among other things, they are building raised beds, which work well on small plots, and constructing ponds for fish farming. The project also includes training in organic composting and the cultivation of various vegetables. Participants also learn about sales and how markets work. They join small savings-and-loan cooperatives to save collectively, which strengthens them both socially and financially.
Just over 60 per cent of Ethiopians have access to electricity. Sida supports the Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technology (REACT) fund, which stimulates small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The fund contributes to increasing production and give people access to renewable energy, such as solar energy.
Ethiopia has a young population and high unemplyment, especially among women and young people. Sida’s work contributes to strengthening the ability for women, young people and marginalised groups to earn a decent living and increases their access to social safety nets.
It also promotes private sector development and improves the overall business climate. Here are some projects that Sida supports:
Sida supports Ethiopia’s social protection system. The system provides 8 million people living in extreme poverty with a cash grant that enables them to buy food. In years of extreme drought and crop failure, Sida contributes by increasing the cash grant and enabling more people to benefit from it. Sida is supporting improvements to the system through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Integrated Safety Net Programme (ISNP), which includes support for social workers who work with the most vulnerable families, educating them on nutritious diets and the importance of sending girls to school. As a result, more children go to school and women who receive cash benefits no longer have to work when they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The number of internally displaced Ethiopians is still large. UNICEF and Sida are working on new solutions to integrate them into the cash assistance programme.
Sida supports the development of the private sector and helps improve the business climate in Ethiopia. Through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sida contributes to increasing access to loans for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Through the Dutch global development organisation SNV, Sida supports the Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) programme, which creates jobs for women and youth in the capital Addis Ababa. The support includes improving job matching and increasing access to childcare services for vulnerable families. It also provides knowledge and skills development, which assists people running micro and small businesses to access capital and markets, thereby increasing their income. The support also promotes economic development for larger manufacturing companies.
Violence in Ethiopia is increasing after decades of unresolved ethnic, religious and political conflicts. The development cooperation should help prevent conflicts and promote peace and reconciliation. Sida supports projects that promote dialogue between those who are in conflict with each other and to make it easier to hold those responsible accountable.
Ethiopia is also the third largest host country for displaced people in Africa and millions of Ethiopians are displaced within the country. Sida supports projects that work on long-term and sustainable solutions for people who have been forced to flee, and for the communities that receive displaced Ethiopians in their own country. Young people and women play an important role in peace processes, which is why Sida promotes the participation of women. Here are some examples of programmes and projects that Sida supports:
Through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Sida supports the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI), which works on sustainable solutions for people fleeing armed conflict. The programme works closely with local communities to ensure that people who have been forced to flee within the country have permanent housing, are able to earn a living and have access to basic social services. It targets displaced people and host communities in the regions of Somalia and Oromia.
In a project implemented in cooperation between the Swedish Pentecostal Mission for Development Cooperation (PMU) and the Evangelical Alliance in Ethiopia (ECFE), Sida supports peacebuilding in Ethiopia. The initiative reaches 25 million people. The initiative promotes peace and coexistence through dialogue and training in peacebuilding and trauma management for young people, pastors and women leaders, among others.
Millions of Ethiopians are in need of humanitarian support. The country is facing one of the world’s largest and most complex crises, caused by armed conflict and climate-related natural disasters. Sida’s humanitarian support provides people with access to clean water, nutrition and food, health care and protection.
Sida works with international humanitarian and civil society organisations and prioritises the people most in need of support. Ethiopia is one of the countries receiving the most humanitarian support from Sida in 2025.
Sida’s humanitarian support in Ethiopia saves lives and alleviates suffering.
- Action Against Hunger AAH’s website
- International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC’s website
- UNICEF’s website
- FAO’s website
- World Food Programme’s website
- Islamic Relief’s website
- Norwegian Refugee Council NRC’s website
- Première Urgence Internationale PUI’s website
Learn more about Sida’s analysis of the humanitarian crisis, Sida’s support and how much money is distributed to each organisation in Sida’s crisis analysis.
Updated: July 7, 2025