Glossary
The whole glossaryReserves
Kuusaa sharafa alaa
The foreign currency and gold a central bank holds, to pay for imports and defend the currency. Often counted as the months of imports they would cover.
Sharafa alaa fi warqee baankiin giddugaleessaa qabu, al-galchii kaffaluu fi maallaqa biyyaa eeguuf. Yeroo baay'ee ji'oota al-galchii meeqa kaffaluu akka danda'uun lakkaa'ama.
2.1 months of imports at the end of fiscal year 2025/26 (National Bank, on Ensight's data page).
Dhuma bara baajataa 2025/26: al-galchii ji'a 2.1 (Baankii Biyyoolessaa, fuula daataa Ensight irratti).
In Ethiopia
Three months of imports is the common rule of thumb for safety. Ethiopia has been below it for years, which is part of why foreign exchange was rationed before the float.
Al-galchii ji'a sadii kaffaluu danda'uun safartuu nageenyaa beekamaadha. Itoophiyaan waggoota hedduuf kanaa gadi turte; kunis sababa sharafni alaa gadi dhiisuu dura qoodamaa tureef keessaa tokko.
Stories that use this word
3Remittances out-earn gold, and the two official counts differ by US$1.06bn
Ergaan maallaqaa warqee caala; lakkoofsonni lamaan doolaara biiliyoona 1.06'n garaagaraMoney sent home beats any single export. How much of it there is depends on which count you read.
Ensight, from National Bank, Diaspora Service and IFAD figures · October 20, 2026
Kurmuk notifies the ministry that its first gold pour is imminent
Kurmuk warqee jalqabaa baasuuf qophaa'uu beeksiseKurmuk Gold Mine, a subsidiary of Canada's Allied Gold, told the Ministry of Mines it expects its first pour during commissioning.
Capital Newspaper; Ministry of Mines · September 17, 2026
Two remittance figures land a week apart and do not agree
Lakkoofsi ergaa maallaqaa lama torban tokko keessatti bahe; wal hin simneThe Ethiopian Diaspora Service, citing National Bank data, put remittances at US$8.2 billion for the year to 7 July, up from US$7.1 billion.
Ethiopian Diaspora Service; IFAD · September 15, 2026