Ethiopia, KOICA Launches 10 Million USD Youth Resilience Project

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia signed a Record of Discussion on May 15, 2025, officially launching the grant project titled “Building Adaptive Resilience for People Affected by Conflict and Climate Crisis Focusing on Youth in Two Regions (Afar and South Ethiopia Region) in Ethiopia.”

The Record of Discussion was signed by Mr. Cho Han Deog, Country Director of KOICA Ethiopia Office, on behalf of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, and by H.E. Dr. Ergogie Tesfaye, Minister of Women and Social Affairs, on behalf of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

This project aims to enhance the resilience and dignity of conflict-affected and forcibly displaced communities, with a focus on adolescents and young people. The overall objective is to ensure that by 2028, these communities—especially youth—live safe, dignified, and inclusive lives through strengthened social cohesion in the Afar and South Ethiopia regions.
The project will be implemented over a four-year period from 2025 to 2028, targeting six woredas: Berhale, Abala, and Asayita in the Afar Region, and Dasenech, Segen Zuria, and Karat Zuria in the South Ethiopia Region.

The Government of the Republic of Korea, through KOICA, has committed a grant of up to USD 10 million (KRW 13.8 billion) to support the implementation of the project. The Ethiopian Government will contribute the necessary resources to fulfill its commitments and ensure the sustainable and self-reliant operation of the initiative.

The project includes three major components:

1. Social and economic empowerment of youth as change agents for self-reliance;
2. Strengthening of service delivery systems and institutions to ensure human dignity and social inclusion; and
3. Creation of an enabling environment for the promotion of youth rights.

KOICA will implement the project in partnership with UNFPA and UNHCR, who will serve as executing agencies under a subsidiary Grant Agreement. These agencies will work in close coordination with MoWSA and local stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and community ownership.

The signing of this Record of Discussion signifies a continued commitment by both governments to advancing inclusive development, building peace and resilience, and empowering Ethiopian youth affected by conflict and climate challenges.

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Source: This story is authored by Ethiopian Press Agency.