Ethiopia: EIB Global and Zemen Bank mobilize €40M to finance SMEs and agricultural exports

Ethiopia will benefit from a €40 million financing package for agricultural SMEs through an agreement between EIB Global and Zemen Bank announced at the EU–Ethiopia Business Forum in Addis Ababa, according to the European Investment Bank. The operation combines a €20 million credit line from EIB Global with a matching €20 million from Zemen Bank to support coffee and horticultural exporters. According to World Bank official data, agriculture accounts for over one-third of Ethiopia’s GDP, highlighting its central role in economic growth and foreign exchange earnings. The initiative also allocates 30% of funding to climate-related projects and 30% to women-led or women-focused SMEs.