Ethiopia and AIIB discuss possible financing for Bishoftu airport
Ethiopia and AIIB discussed possible cooperation on Bishoftu airport, energy and climate-resilient infrastructure on September 9, 2026; the reports describe talks, not an approved loan.
In short
- Ethiopia and AIIB discussed possible cooperation on Bishoftu airport, energy and climate-resilient infrastructure on September 9, 2026; the reports describe talks, not an approved loan.
Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide met Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Zou Jiayi in Addis Ababa on September 9, 2026, to discuss infrastructure financing, including possible bank participation in the Bishoftu International Airport project.
The Ethiopian News Agency, in a report carried by AllAfrica, said the meeting covered infrastructure, energy and development designed to withstand climate risks. ENA attributed the account of the discussions to a Ministry of Finance social media post. Fana Media Corporation separately reported talks involving Ahmed and Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew with the AIIB president.
The airport was among the potential areas for cooperation. The reports reviewed describe financing discussions, rather than an approved loan or a signed funding agreement; they do not establish a financing amount or disbursement date.
For Ethiopia, the next substantive development would be a concrete financing commitment setting out the bank’s role and terms. The September 9 talks establish an area of interest, while leaving those details unresolved.
