Nairobi: The 25th Horn of Africa Initiative Finance Ministers Meeting convened in Nairobi, Kenya on July 14, 2025, to discuss advancing digital connectivity across the region. Ministers were briefed on the Digital Integration and Policy Matrix adopted in 2023, with Ethiopia among the good performers.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the Ministerial Meeting of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) successfully concluded at the African Development Bank (AfDB) headquarters in Nairobi. During the session, Eyob Tekalign, State Minister of Finance, highlighted Ethiopia's progress in digital integration and showcased Ethiopia's strong digital progress aligned with the HoAI Digital Policy Matrix.
Eyob emphasized reforms such as the liberalization of telecom sectors, the enactment of personal data protection and cybersecurity laws, the expansion of fiber infrastructure, and the registration of over 19 million citizens under the digital ID system. The scale-up of mobile money with over 54 million Telebirr users and 4.6 trillion Birr in transactions reflects Ethiopia's momentum in financial inclusion. He also underscored the importance of regional energy connectivity and thanked the partners for their continued support.
The meeting was chaired by Bihi Iman Egeh, Minister of Finance, Somalia, with co-chairing by Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery at the AfDB, it was indicated.