Ethiopia

Civil cooperation: Signing of an FPD in November 2006, with two sectors of concentration (development of urban infrastructures and water/sanitation) and three cross-cutting sectors (governance/justice, higher education and Francophonie (French as a world language)/cultural diversity) for a total of €67.9 to 79.6M over five years (2006-2010). A newcooperationinitiative is being established with the ministry for capacity-building for the development of a training programme for Ethiopia’s senior civil service, in partnership in France with the École Nationale d’Administration (National School of Administration).

The AFD (Agence Française de Développement/French Development Agency) has had a branch in Addis Ababa since 1993, with regional powers (Eritrea, Somaliland and Sudan). In practice, the Agency’s projects are concentrated on Ethiopia (a major village hydraulic project in South Sudan, a crossborder project fighting AIDS in Somaliland). From 2001 to 2006, the AFD’s payments in Ethiopia, entirely in the form of subsidies, stood at about €21M, essentially in the water sector (drinking water supply in Addis Ababa and Debre Berhan, irrigation, integrated resource management of water from the Ethiopian Nile). Last May, the AFD signed a contract with Vergnet for the delivery and construction of a 120 MW wind farm in Tigray totalling €210M. The AFD is also going to act in the area of urban governance (project to improve waste management in Addis Ababa).

Military cooperation (French instruction, officer training and actions in the area of transmissions). The 2009 budget stood at €571,000. Renewed interest concerning French language is due specifically to Ethiopia’s participation in peacekeeping operations in Arica (Darfur, Liberia, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi).

Trade: France is Ethiopia’s 11th-leading supplier and its 13th-biggest customer. Signing (June 2004) of an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPA).

France is one of the leading investors in Ethiopia. Saudi Arabia, the leading investor, holds approximately 60% of the total foreign investments. French investments are concentrated in four sectors: brewing, distribution of petroleum products, floriculture and the hotel industry. However, investment volumes remain low (€125M).

Commercial presence: ETDE, Total, Alcatel, Castel, Accor, Roses Meilland, Vergnet, Areva.

Updated on 19.09.11