Germany has supported Ethiopia for more than 30 years with financial and technical cooperation in various sectors. Since 2001, German-Ethiopian development cooperation has concentrated on three priority areas.

Sustainable Land Management (SLM)

The Sustainable Land Management Programme aims to increase food security and reduce land degradation in Ethiopia’s rural highlands of Amhara, Oromia and Tigray regions. SLM is based on the integrated watershed management approach, which has been successfully applied over the past few years by the joint Ethiopian-German Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Programme.

Urban Governance and Decentralisation Programme (UGDP)

The Urban Governance and Decentralisation Programme (UGDP) aims to strengthen the process of decentralisation in Ethiopia by enhancing the capacity of cities for local self-government. The programme supports public participation, urban planning, financial management and infrastructure development in selected cities. This is intended to improve service delivery to the citizens while applying principles of good governance. To make the reforms more sustainable and to prepare the ground for their wider implementation, the processes involved are being standardised and platforms, such as the Ethiopian Cities Association and the Ethiopian Cities Day, are being created to promote peer-to-peer exchanges of experience.

Engineering Capacity Building Program

The Engineering Capacity Building Programme (ECBP) is an ambitious reform programme by the Ethiopian Government aimed at accelerating industrial development. German development cooperation supports the programme through financial, technical and personnel assistance. This is intended to improve conditions for economic development and greater employment opportunities for the rapidly growing population.

This country-wide programme works in four areas of reform.

• Reform of engineering education
• Reform of the TVET system
• Quality infrastructure reform
• Industrial and private sector development