Ethiopia's economy grew 6.1% in 2019/20 fiscal year - PM

"For eight months we registered a healthy economic growth but after that, then coronavirus came and for the remaining four months we faced challenges," Abiy told lawmakers. Ethiopia has 89,137 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,352 deaths and 42,649 recoveries, according to its health ministry data.

Ethiopia's economy grew 6.1% in the 2019/20 fiscal year to July, less than originally projected because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Monday.

In June, the finance ministry had said the economy had been projected to grow 9% for 12 months ending on July 7. "For eight months we registered a healthy economic growth but after that, then coronavirus came and for the remaining four months we faced challenges," Abiy told lawmakers.

Ethiopia has 89,137 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,352 deaths and 42,649 recoveries, according to its health ministry data. It closed schools and universities in March and put curbs on public gatherings. However it allowed international passenger flights open on condition that arriving passengers would either quarantine or produce a negative COVID-19 test certificate no more than five days old.

It also did not impose any movement restrictions within its borders. Abiy said inflation had "become very challenging", despite slowing between July and September.

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