The Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) Ministerial Meeting brought together finance ministers from across the subregion and senior representatives of development partners in Nairobi today.

Addressing the meeting virtually, H.E. Mr. Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to regional integration through the HoAI. He highlighted recent milestones, including the Ethio–Djibouti Refined Petroleum Products Pipeline, which is expected to strengthen energy security and reduce logistics costs. He also noted Ethiopia’s chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) Council of Ministers and the full operationalization of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which will support Ethiopia’s contribution to clean energy across the region.

The meeting focused on trade facilitation and regional energy integration. The Minister expressed Ethiopia’s strong support for the outcomes of the Trade Ministers’ Meeting held in Addis Ababa on September 3, 2026, including the establishment of the Regional Trade Facilitation Committee. He welcomed the findings of a regional energy study and monitoring exercise, which identified key barriers to integration and indicated that Ethiopia is largely on track.
The Minister also underscored the importance of building resilience as climate shocks intensify. He noted that projects under HoAI Pillar 3 are helping the region move from emergency responses towards long-term resilience.

He welcomed BADEA as a new HoAI partner, recognizing its longstanding support for infrastructure development in Ethiopia. Ministers concluded by reaffirming trade as a regional priority and stressing the importance of continued technical discussions among participating countries.
Launched in 2019, the Horn of Africa Initiative continues to serve as a platform for advancing regional integration, economic cooperation, and collective solutions to shared development challenges.