On the sidelines of the ongoing IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, H.E. Tiguist Fisseha, State Minister of Finance, participated in a closed-door roundtable on artificial intelligence (AI), alongside fellow ministers and senior representatives from the World Bank, IMF, and Gates Foundation. The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives and identify concrete areas for collaboration to help developing economies harness AI for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

In her remarks, H.E. Tiguist Fisseha highlighted Ethiopia’s deliberate choice to position digital transformation and AI as integral to its development strategy, including through the establishment of dedicated institutions for AI: the Ethiopia AI Institute in 2019 and the AI University in early 2026. She emphasized the importance of Africa’s participation across the AI value chain by building the capacity to adapt, deploy, and increasingly develop AI solutions tailored to African challenges, data, and languages.

The State Minister reaffirmed Ethiopia’s readiness to collaborate with development partners on AI, regional integration, and regulatory frameworks. She also called on the World Bank and other development partners to support Ethiopia’s AI Institute and University