The meeting brought together World Bank officials, Ministry of Agriculture representatives, project staff, and regional authorities. Speaking at the forum, Dr. Isayas Nigatu, Ethiopia’s Coordinator for DRDIP II, said the project is making a significant contribution to improving the livelihoods of refugees and host communities through various development interventions. He noted that the World Bank conducts biannual missions to assess implementation progress, address challenges, and strengthen support for the effective delivery of project activities.
Mrs. Belaynesh Kumsa, Advisor to the state minister for Crop and Horticulture Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the major achievements registered under the project. She stated that DRDIP II has made notable progress in community infrastructure development, environmental protection and rehabilitation, and livelihood enhancement activities.According to Ms. Belaynesh, the project has implemented 469 community infrastructure sub-projects, directly benefiting more than 2.1 million people in refugee-hosting areas. She also noted that environmental rehabilitation initiatives have restored 35,960 hectares of land, contributing to improved natural resource management and climate resilience.
Mr. Tsehay Eshete, National Manager of the Refugee Impact Response Development Project, said the review mission aimed to evaluate the project’s performance against its planned objectives and ensure that implementation remains aligned with its strategic goals. He added that the forum also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to identify priority areas requiring greater attention in the coming implementation period. During the discussions, participants presented implementation updates, reviewed key achievements, and examined challenges affecting project delivery.
The forum concluded with a shared agreement on future focus areas and recommendations to further enhance the project’s impact on refugee and host communities.Ethiopia currently hosts more than one million refugees from neighboring countries. Through investments in infrastructure, environmental restoration, and livelihood development, DRDIP II continues to support sustainable development and strengthen the resilience of both refugees and host communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia.
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