EDC - Entrepreneurship Development Center (Ethiopia)

The Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) is a quasi-governmental entity established under the framework of the Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP). To facilitate the realization of the entrepreneurship development goals set in the government’s Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, represented by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDHo), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), formulated and introduced an innovative entrepreneurship and enterprise development initiative, namely the Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP), which was officially launched in February 2013.

The Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC) is the implementing entity of the EDP which is administered by the Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency (FUJCFSA) within the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUHo). EDC has its headquarters based in Addis Ababa with regional offices in Bishoftu, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, and Mekelle. The regional offices serve all cities within the particular region. The programme aims to identify growth-oriented enterprises as well as potential entrepreneurs, unemployed youth and women nationwide and provide them with direct support to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and competencies to establish and operate profitable, competitive businesses on a sustainable basis.