ABSTRACT
Ethiopia introduced PPPs as a way of gaining access to much needed development funding. However, after an ambitious start with a new PPP proclamation in 2018, no conventional PPPs have been implemented. This is in a context where on the one hand, there is a strong political urgency to gain funding for development projects and a willingness from politicians to make shortcuts in the regulation and realisation of PPPs. On the other hand, there is a desire from technocrats and bureaucrats to follow international standards and the advice from international financial institutions on how to implement PPPs. International financial institutions are linking their support for PPPs to the need for the liberalisation of the Ethiopian economy, a step resisted by the political leadership of Ethiopia. This demonstrates that PPPs are far from a quick fix to development funding, bringing to the fore a complex web of conflicting political economy interests.
