Addis Ababa, July 12 (ENA)--The governments of Ethiopia and the U.S. signed five grant Agreement amendments totaling 147.2 million Birr here on Friday.

Minister of State for Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Mulu Ketsela, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Tibor P. Nagy and Mission Director of USAID/Ethiopia Mary L.Lewllen signed the agreement.

Dr. Mulu said the purpose of the agreement was to introduce an amendment to the grant accord signed between the two countries on August 13, 2001.

She said the grant would be used to finance Basic Education Systems Overhaul (BESO), Essential Health Service for Ethiopia, democracy and governance, rural household Production and productivity as well as Southern Tier Initiative programs.

Ambassador Nagy said on his part that the grant amendments would help Ethiopia to fund programs in agriculture, food security, health and education.

The ambassador noted that the U.S. government continues to be a development partner to Ethiopia.

The U.S. is committed to this partnership, as it has been over the past eleven years, Nagy said.

(END)