AfDB Unveils USD5Bln Emergency Buffer to Contain Energy, Fertilizer Crisis

The African Development Bank has approved a one-year, USD5.1 billion Global Energy and Fertilizer Crisis Response Framework to provide emergency relief to 25 highly vulnerable African nations, including Ethiopia, facing food security threats from Middle East supply chain disruptions. Ethiopia is categorized as "high vulnerability" and will benefit from soft loans, grants, and provisions to redirect unspent project funds toward emergency imports of fuel and fertilizer. The framework deploys budget support, trade finance, social protection, and structural reforms to stabilize import-dependent economies while the AfDB aims to approve all allocations by December 2026.

The African Development Bank Group has approved a one-year Global Energy and Fertilizer Crisis Response Framework, unlocking up to USD5.1 billion in emergency financing. The move responds to growing threats to regional food security caused by supply chain disruptions from Middle East conflicts, with Ethiopia listed among 25 high-vulnerability nations hit by Middle East trade shocks.