The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Secretariat has started operation

EDTF Secretariat

The EDTF Secretariat includes Deputy Executive Director, Planning & Program Design, Procurement, Monitoring & Evaluation and Communication.

ADDIS ABABA (EDTF) – The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF), is a signature initiative of H.E. Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, which was launched in August 2018 with the appointment of the EDTF Advisory Council (AC).

The EDTF Secretariat, which is headed by an Executive Director and initially includes a Program Design Specialist and a Communication Specialist, has officially started operations in Addis Ababa.

The Secretariat, will be responsible for the daily administration and management of EDTF, implementation of policies of the Board, development of criteria and standards for project selection and funding, reviewing and vetting projects and EDTF Implementing Organizations that will be submitted to the Board for approval, monitor and report on the implementation of approved projects, public engagement and media relations on behalf of EDTF and identifying potential funding sources, among others.

The Chairman of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund, Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam remarked,

We recently made final selection of the secretariat staff after a rigorous recruitment process conducted jointly by EDTF Advisory Council and UNDP. I sincerely appreciate UNDP for the generous and substantial two-year grant support for the EDTF Secretariat. I would like to take this opportunity to affirm to all the Ethiopian Diasporas that one hundred percent of all donations will be used to finance projects. No money from individual Diaspora contribution will be used for the secretariats administrative, management or related purposes, which is very unusual for operation of any nonprofit organization.

  • The EDTF Secretariat will be headed by an Executive Director of EDTF appointed by the Board of Directors.
  • The EDTF Secretariat includes Deputy Executive Director, Planning & Program Design, Procurement, Monitoring & Evaluation and Communication.
  • UNDP has been requested by the Government of Ethiopia to assist in the establishment of the EDTF Secretariat and recruited national Executive Director of the Secretariat of the EDTF.

It is to be recalled that the Friends of the EDTF Inc. was established in the United States as an independent non-profit organization with the mission of directly engaging the global Ethiopian Diaspora from all walks of life to support the mission of the EDTF in Ethiopia of improving the lives of disadvantaged Ethiopians by funding critical socio-economic projects.

SOURCES: The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund & UNDP