Enhancing Shared Prosperity through Equitable Services

The development objective of the Enhancing Shared Prosperity Through Equitable Services (ESPES) Project for Ethiopia is to improve equitable access to basic services and strengthen accountability systems at the decentralized level. The program is anchored around four sets of key results: (a) ensuring equitable access to basic services; (b) enhancing citizens’ engagement, environmental, and social management capacity; (c) deepening fiduciary aspects of basic service delivery; and (d) ensuring quality data access and results. The ESPES program finances Woreda-level recurrent spending, mainly salaries, to deliver basic services. Over 80 percent of the block grants go to recurrent costs - mainly Woreda-level salaries for teachers, health care workers, agriculture development agents (DAs), and administrators, and also some small operational costs.