Addis Ababa, 20 April 2026 (ECA) - The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has convened a fiveday CapacityBuilding and Technical Workshop aimed at advancing Ethiopia's capital markets.

The workshop is jointly organized with the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA), the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX), FSD Ethiopia, and the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE). It brings together regulators, market institutions, financialsector actors, institutional investors, issuers, and development partners to support Ethiopia's transition toward a capital market capable of mobilizing longterm domestic finance for inclusive and sustainable development.

Opening the workshop, Ms. Sonia Essobmadje, Chief of the Finance and Domestic Resource Mobilization Section at ECA, emphasized the importance of moving from policy ambition to practical implementation.

"Capital markets are a key pillar for mobilizing longterm finance. This workshop reflects ECA's commitment to practical, evidencebased support that helps countries move from frameworkbuilding to delivery," she said.

Speaking on behalf of FSD Ethiopia, Mrs. Hikmet Abdella, Chief Executive Officer, highlighted the importance of capability and ecosystem readiness.

"Market development is not only about institutions and regulations. It is about inclusion, capacity, and intentional design," she noted.

Representing the regulator, Ms. Rahel Kassa, Deputy Director General of ECMA, underlined the importance of setting high standards in Ethiopia's young capital market, particularly for thematic bonds.
"Early issuances, including the first gender bond, must set a strong benchmark for quality, transparency, and impact to build investor confidence," she said.

The workshop covers two complementary workstreams: strengthening the ecosystem for genderresponsive thematic finance, including the development of a Gender Bond Framework, and enabling institutional and anchor investor participation, including pensions, insurers, banks, and development finance institutions.

The fiveday engagement will conclude with a highlevel stakeholders' roundtable to discuss priorities and coordinated followup actions. Outcomes are expected to inform the Gender Bond Framework, institutionalinvestor engagement pathways, and a practical implementation roadmap for Ethiopia's capitalmarket development.

Through this initiative, ECA reaffirmed its commitment to working with Ethiopia and its partners to support the development of credible, inclusive, and resilient capital markets that can mobilize longterm finance for national development.

Source: UNECA