Germany Commits Additional €4 Million to Support Peace in Northern Ethiopia

The Government of Germany is releasing €4 million to the United Nations Development Programme’s multi-partner Peace Support Facility (PSF), which is currently implemented in the Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions.

This brings Germany’s total contribution to the PSF to €14.1 million.

“Germany’s continued support to the Peace Support Facility underscores our commitment to helping Ethiopia in healing the wounds of the devastating war in the North,” said Dr. Ferdinand von Weyhe, Acting Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. “Only dialogue and mutual trust can contribute to overcoming division and conflict. Fostering stability by supporting local governance and rule of law, basic social services and economic revival in these regions is essential not only for the well-being of the communities affected but also for the overall peace and development of Ethiopia. Thanks to this programme, the people in many war-affected Woredas in the North will benefit from a tangible peace dividend.”

The official signing ceremony for this contribution took place today at the F.D.R.E. Ministry of Finance in Addis Ababa, in the presence of State Minister H.E. Semereta Sewasew, German Acting Ambassador Dr. Ferdinand von Weyhe, and UNDP’s Resident Representative Mr. Samuel Doe.

H.E. Semereta Sewasew, State Minister of Finance stated, “The restoration of peace and livable environment in the conflicted affected areas of the country remains one of the top priorities of the government as it has been shown by various complementary efforts. In this regard, the additional support of the Government of Germany will be an important input to strengthen the ongoing peace-building endeavours in the regions.”

The PSF supports Ethiopia’s peacebuilding efforts, aligning closely with the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus principles and bridging immediate humanitarian relief with long-term development initiatives.

UNDP-Ethiopia Resident Representative, Samuel Doe noted, “With this generous contribution from Germany, the Peace Support Facility will scale up efforts to bridge emergency relief and long-term sustainable development for conflict-impacted northern Ethiopia. This catalytic support ensures that all segments of society, particularly the most vulnerable, can share in the peace dividend, embodying the UN’s commitment to leaving no one behind. As we strengthen the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, we are fostering a future where peace is tangible and inclusive for every community member.”
The PSF’s support on the ground includes progress in the following areas:

Governance, Rule of Law, and Social Cohesion: Approximately 1.7 million residents in 20 conflicted-affected communities across the three regions have benefited from the resumption of essential public services following the renovation and refurbishment of over 106 government offices. Additionally, the PSF has engaged 14,770 community representatives in peace dialogues, significantly contributing to efforts that reduce violent conflicts and foster social cohesion.
Basic Social Services: The PSF has improved access to education, healthcare, and clean water for over 200,000 people due to the rehabilitation of 18 schools, four health posts, and several water schemes.

Economic Revival and Empowerment: The PSF has disbursed $3.09 million to support income-generating activities for 4,713 vulnerable individuals, including women-headed households, internally displaced persons (IDP) returnees, and survivors of SGBV. In addition, 3,401 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been supported to create job opportunities. A special focus was made to empower women entrepreneurs.

The Peace Support Facility is supported by the governments of Germany and Japan, as well as with resources committed from UNDP’s Core Partners and Funding Windows.

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Source: This news article is authored by UNDP and was originally published on their website.