Ethiopia

Mamo Mihretu on export-led manufacturing, economic reform and the macroeconomic foundations of a growing economy.

In January 2022, the US suspended Ethiopia’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act, ending Ethiopia’s preferential trade access to the US market, and leading to a major increase in tariffs, the loss of key buyers, and, at some compan...

A randomised evaluation of a cash and psychological intervention in Ethiopia shows that the joint intervention is needed to improve both mental health and economic outcomes, but the effectiveness of the combined intervention is attenuated by active c...

A randomised evaluation of a lower-cost graduation-style programme in rural Ethiopia finds modest gains in savings and livestock income but no sustained improvements in consumption or food security, suggesting that smaller transfers and lighter suppo...

Public works programmes can reduce poverty and improve wellbeing by creating jobs and generating wider economic spillovers, such as higher wages and better infrastructure. Their effects, however, vary widely by place and design, as they are not a one-size-fits-all solution to poverty or unemployment.

Existing efforts to promote upward mobility in low-income countries focus on broadening access to education. However, evidence from Ethiopia shows that professional socialisation (learning professional norms) may be a key constraint to this mobility,...

Evidence from Ethiopia suggests that while part-time jobs broaden access for workers needing flexibility, they attract lower-skill applicants and reduce productivity, helping explain part-time wage penalties and gender pay gaps.

Ethiopia’s fertiliser blending initiative shifted farmers to new products but failed to boost yields or incomes – underscoring that fertiliser supply reforms must be paired with broader investments in seeds, water, soils, and markets to raise product...

Ethiopia’s large-scale road expansion cut travel times to markets – boosting farm productivity, reshaping cropping patterns, and accelerating structural change.