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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Highlights Ethiopia's Economic Progress and National Vision in Annual Report to Parliament

OBN Cyber Media: July 7, 2026

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has presented the Federal Government's annual performance report to the House of Peoples' Representatives, highlighting the major achievements recorded during the 2018 Ethiopian Fiscal Year (2025/26) while outlining the government's vision for Ethiopia's continued economic transformation, democratic development, peace, and national unity.

Addressing the 30th Regular Session of Parliament, the Prime Minister reviewed progress across key sectors, including the economy, agriculture, industry, education, healthcare, technology, peace and security, and foreign affairs. He also responded to lawmakers' questions on issues affecting the country's future development.

Opening his address, Prime Minister Abiy paid tribute to outgoing members of Parliament from both the ruling party and the opposition, emphasizing that Ethiopia's development requires cooperation among all political actors and that nation-building is a shared national responsibility.

Democratic Progress and Public Trust
Reflecting on Ethiopia's recent general election, the Prime Minister described it as a strong demonstration of the people's commitment to democracy, peace, and constitutional governance. Despite attempts to disrupt the electoral process, millions of Ethiopians participated peacefully at more than 50,000 polling stations nationwide.

He said the election reaffirmed public support for national unity, institutional reform, improved public services, and continued economic transformation. The Prime Minister also noted that the Prosperity Party left 15 percent of parliamentary seats uncontested to encourage broader political participation, describing the move as a significant step toward strengthening Ethiopia's democratic culture.

Economic Reforms Deliver Strong Results
Prime Minister Abiy stated that Ethiopia's macroeconomic reforms continue to produce tangible results despite global economic challenges. He announced that Ethiopia is expected to achieve economic growth exceeding 10 percent, making it one of Africa's fastest-growing economies.

Among the year's key achievements were:
· Merchandise exports surpassing 11 billion US dollars, the highest in Ethiopia's history.
· Coffee export earnings exceeding 3.1 billion dollars.
· Gold exports reaching 5.5 billion dollars.
· Foreign exchange reserves increasing more than twentyfold.
· Domestic revenue collection surpassing 1.5 trillion birr.
· Continued improvement in macroeconomic stability and declining inflation.

He also emphasized prudent fiscal management, noting that Ethiopia has avoided commercial borrowing for eight consecutive years, successfully restructured its external debt, and maintained budget discipline without central bank financing.

Agriculture, Industry and Technology Drive Growth
The Prime Minister highlighted agriculture as a key engine of economic transformation, reporting that Ethiopia cultivated 29 million hectares of farmland and harvested 1.3 billion quintals of produce during the fiscal year. He said initiatives under Yelemat Tirufat have expanded irrigation, wheat production, horticulture, and livestock development, while Ethiopia has become Africa's second-largest avocado exporter.

Industrial productivity has also improved significantly, with manufacturing capacity utilization rising from 47 percent to 67 percent. Mining recorded 24 percent growth, while manufacturing expanded by more than 20 percent.

The Prime Minister further highlighted rapid progress in digital transformation, including expanded digital financial services, mobile money platforms, training of five million young people in digital skills, and the construction of Ethiopia's Artificial Intelligence University.

He reiterated that agriculture, industry, mining, tourism, and technology remain the government's five strategic pillars of economic development.

Investing in People and Peace

Prime Minister Abiy said the government continues to invest heavily in education and healthcare. Over the past seven years, more than 35,000 kindergartens have been built nationwide alongside model secondary schools and Medemer University.

In healthcare, the government allocated 70 billion birr for medicines and more than 60 billion birr for medical equipment, while Ethiopia achieved WHO Maturity Level Three, enabling locally produced medicines to access international markets.

On peace and security, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that dialogue remains the government's preferred path to resolving political differences. He described the Pretoria Peace Agreement as a major milestone that restored essential services, supported DDR implementation, and established the Interim Administration in Tigray, while calling on remaining armed groups to embrace peaceful dialogue.

Vision for Ethiopia's Future

Concluding his address, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on all Ethiopians to work together in building a peaceful, prosperous, and globally competitive nation.

He said Ethiopia's long-term development strategy is founded on economic diversification, institutional reform, technological innovation, democratic governance, and national unity. Reaffirming the government's commitment to bold reforms and inclusive growth, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that through unity, dialogue, and hard work, Ethiopia is well positioned to become one of Africa's leading economies while securing lasting peace and prosperity for future generations.