WHO Ethiopia Embarks on a Modern Travel and Expense Journey
On 13 January 2026, the World Health Organization in Ethiopia marked a pivotal step in its operational modernization by successfully completing the first travel and expense approval through the new SAP Concur platform. The rollout signals more than a software upgrade; it signals a shift toward streamlined processes, greater transparency, and enhanced accountability in how the organization allocates resources across the country.
Leadership-Driven Change: A Vision for Efficiency and Compliance
Professor Francis Kasolo, WHO Ethiopia Representative, has underscored that the transition to a state-of-the-art Business Management System (BMS) is about empowering staff with tools that simplify routine tasks while strengthening compliance. The SAP Concur implementation is designed to automate workflows that previously required manual routing, reducing bottlenecks and ensuring timely reimbursements for staff and partners involved in critical health interventions across Ethiopia.
A Phase-Wise Implementation Focused on User Experience
The project team has emphasized a phased approach, beginning with travel and expense management, followed by integration with procurement, budgeting, and reporting features. This staged rollout means users experience measurable improvements in processing times, visibility into expenditures, and better alignment with WHO’s financial controls.
Key Benefits for Ethiopia’s Health Programs
Adopting SAP Concur within the WHO Ethiopia framework is expected to deliver tangible benefits for health programs on the ground. Administrators and field staff can expect faster approvals, clearer audit trails, and more accurate data for decision making. In a sector where timely operations can save lives, reliable expense management helps redirect resources to priority health activities, such as vaccination campaigns, outbreak response, and community health outreach.
Enhanced Oversight and Compliance
The new BMS creates a centralized, auditable record of all travel and expense activity. Automated policy enforcement helps ensure expenditures align with donor requirements and organizational guidelines. This level of oversight is particularly valuable in environments where governance and transparency are under close scrutiny by partners and the public.
What This Transition Means for Staff
For staff, the SAP Concur rollout promises a more intuitive experience with self-service capabilities, policy guidance, and real-time status updates. Training sessions and ongoing support channels have been established to ease the transition, ensuring that users of all technical levels can adapt quickly. The result is a culture that values accuracy, efficiency, and professional accountability.
Looking Ahead: Scaling the BMS Across Functions
While travel and expense management is the initial focus, the ultimate goal is a fully integrated Business Management System that harmonizes financial operations, procurement, and program management. As Ethiopia’s WHO team demonstrates with this initial win, the BMS has the potential to transform how resources are tracked, allocated, and reported, ultimately boosting the impact of health programs across the country.
Conclusion: A Benchmark for Regional Public Health Agencies
WHO Ethiopia’s successful first use of SAP Concur represents more than a pilot project. It is a proof of concept for how thoughtful leadership, user-centric design, and disciplined implementation can deliver faster processes, stronger compliance, and better outcomes for communities in need. The transition to a modern BMS is a strategic investment that positions Ethiopia as a regional benchmark for efficient health administration.
