Ethiopia, with Help From US and Others, to Aid Women in Business - Building Gender Balanced Business

• Ethiopia is taking steps to increase economic activity among women in the country.

• The Ministry of Trade and Industry announced the efforts during the recent “Challenges in Financing Women’s Businesses” forum in Addis Ababa organized by the Center for African Women Economic Empowerment.

• Details of the ministry’s activities were few, but CAWEE outlined its own efforts, which include making loans financed by the Spanish-NEPAD Fund, the US Embassy and other stakeholders.

• Indeed, the US ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto, told the forum that the United States would work through the American Chamber of Commerce in Ethiopia to assist efforts to further empower Ethiopian women economically.

• CAWEE said the embassy, via the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, had set aside $4.28 million for loans to enterprises run by women.

• CAWEE is also working to build technical support for Ethiopian women who produce or ship exports.

The WIC report