Ethiopia and Italy launch tourism project in Tigray
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation have signed a two-year, €1.7 million initiative to support post-conflict recovery and heritage conservation in the Wukro–Gheralta Belt, Tigray. Signed in Addis Ababa on 13 October 2025, the project – Supporting Community Resilience through Community-Based Tourism and Heritage Conservation – aligns with the Pretoria Peace Agreement’s recovery agenda and Ethiopia’s Ten-Year Development Plan (2021–2030), focusing on sustainable livelihoods and cultural preservation.
Planned activities include restoring historical sites and developing inclusive, community-based tourism enterprises to create jobs and strengthen local resilience, positioning communities as custodians and beneficiaries of their heritage. The agreement, signed by State Minister Semereta Sewasew and Italy’s Ambassador Agostino Palese, marks a renewed phase of Ethiopia–Italy cooperation, with both sides citing culture and tourism as drivers of peace, resilience and growth. The signing also coincides with the conclusion of Ambassador Palese’s term in Ethiopia.
Source: APO Group
