Ethiopian Lawmakers Approve 28bln Birr Additional Budget

ADDIS ABABA – Members of parliament have approved today 28 billion birr ($848.5mln) additional budget for the 2019/20 fiscal year to finance Ethiopia’s economic reforms.

MPs ratified the supplementary budget unanimously during an extraordinary meeting they held on Friday.

The funds add to the 386.9 billion birr of government spending that the lawmakers approved in 2019.

About “18 billion birr from the total supplementary budget is allocated to overcome current economic challenges,” said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said after the council of ministers approved the budget in mid-Feb.

“The rest of the money, which is 2 billion birr and 7.9 billion birr, will be allocated for safety net programs and the national implementation of equal pay for equal work, respectively.”

($1-33 birr)

Image: Today’s parliamentary session took place in Congress Hall, near PM Office