Conference: Confronting the challenges in transforming Ethiopia’s economy

Ethiopia has made substantial progress in recent decades, but is now confronting mounting economic challenges. What comes next? This was the theme of the 17th Ethiopian Economics Association (EEA)Conference held in Addis Ababa July 18-20, co-organized by IFPRI’s Ethiopia Strategy Support Program (IFPRI-ESSP).

Ethiopia faces many symptoms of an ill economy, according to EEA President Tadele Ferede, including mounting debt, a shortage of foreign exchange, a swelling unemployment rate, inflation, low productivity, and workforce skills mismatched to the economy’s needs. Policy reforms informed by research findings are required to address the situation, Ferede said.

Photo credit: IFPRI