July 8, 2025 – Ethiopia officially launched the Steering Committee for the National Coffee Platform bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to support one of the country's most vital economic and cultural sectors at the Skylight Hotel.  

Speaking at the launch, H.E. Semereta Sewasew, State Minister of Finance and Chairperson of the Steering Committee, emphasizing ongoing challenges, including climate change, market vulnerability, and regulatory hurdles She commended producers, exporters, and the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) for their role in achieving record-breaking export figures.

Moreover, addressing the gathering, H.E. Dr. Adugna Debela, Director General of ECTA, and Dr. Samuel Doe, UNDP Representative, highlighted the importance of unity and shared purpose in advancing Ethiopia’s coffee sector.

The Steering Committee is tasked with guiding the National Coffee Platform—first introduced in November last year—toward a shared vision for the future of the sector. The platform is designed to foster leadership, accountability, and cooperation among farmers, cooperatives, exporters, civil society, government, and private sector actors.

The coffee sector supports over 5 million smallholder farmers—many of them women—and directly or indirectly employs roughly a quarter of the population. Coffee remains Ethiopia’s leading export, generating over $2.5 billion this year-one of the highest contributions in the country's history.