UK Deputy Prime Minister visits Ethiopia
Ethiopia Participates in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
African Business Forum Held in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia and Vietnam Hold First Joint Political Consultation in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia’s Commitment to Advancing Climate Solutions and Financing for a Sustainable Future
NEWS IN BRIEF
Ethiopia
Ethiopia hosted the 19th Nile Day in Addis Ababa on Friday (February 22), marking the fourth time the country has hosted this annual event. This year’s edition was particularly significant as it was the first celebration since the entry into force of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA). The event gathered ministers and senior officials from Nile Basin states to reflect on shared achievements and discuss the way forward for regional cooperation. (See article)
President Taye Atske Selassie bade farewell to Indonesian Ambassador Al Busyra Basnur and Kazakh Ambassador Barlybay Sadykov at his office on Monday (February 26), acknowledging their contributions to strengthening bilateral ties during their tenure.
Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh attended the third G-25 Africa Coffee Summit on Friday (February 21), where Heads of State, Ministers, and private sector stakeholders discussed strategies for transforming the coffee sector.
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Governments of the United Kingdom, Rt. Hon. Angela Rayner, has conducted an official visit to Ethiopia for four days. The visit marks a pivotal movement that will enhance the existing relationship between Ethiopia and the UK. (See article)
Valentina Matvienko, the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, paid a visit to Ethiopia from February 18-20 to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation between Ethiopia and the Russian Federation. (See article)
Ethiopia participated in the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the G20, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos attended the meeting following an invitation from South Africa, which is presiding over the 20th session of the grouping in 2025. This marks Ethiopia’s first participation in G20 meetings since 2010, when the country took part in the summit held in Seoul. (See article)
Foreign Minister Gedion, during an interview with an Ethiopian media outlet on Thursday (February 27), said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Somalia demonstrates the fact that the two countries have entered a new phase of cooperation and friendship.
Minister Gedion met with Ambassador Eshagh Al Habib, Assistant and Special Envoy to Iran’s Foreign Minister, on Monday (February 24) to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and future cooperation.
Ethiopia and Vietnam have reached a consensus to explore opportunities for increased collaboration in various sectors and matters of common interest. The consensus was achieved during the recent inaugural joint political consultation between the two nations, co-chaired by Ambassador Mesganu Arga, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and Nguyen Minh Hang, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, held in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (February 18). (See article)
Minister of Justice Hanna Arayaselassie addressed the high-level segment of the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday (February 25), reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to human rights and national reconciliation.
The African Young Leaders Diplomatic Conference opened in Addis Ababa on Sunday (February 23), attended by former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Minister of Women and Social Affairs Ergoge Tesfaye, and other senior officials.
Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe met with Chen Jian’an, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), on Monday (February 24) to enhance Ethiopia-China trade relations.
Ambassador Nebiat Getachew, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing on Friday (February 28), announced the strengthening of Ethiopian-Somali relations, highlighted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Mogadishu, and emphasized the significance of this renewed cooperation for regional peace and security. He also addressed current national, regional, and international issues.
An Ethiopian delegation led by National Bank Governor and Ethiopia’s BRICS Sherpa, Mamo Esmelealem Mihretu, participated in the First Meeting of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas for 2025 in Brazil on Tuesday (February 25).
During her exclusive appearance in the season finale of the ten-part limited series Ethiopia in Focus, released on Tuesday (February 25), Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa, expounded on Ethiopia’s exemplary leadership role in climate action in Africa by spearheading monumental initiatives like the Green Legacy Initiative and the recently launched Nationally Determened Contribution Implementation Plan and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy to achieve sustainable growth by 2050. (See article)
FAO, in partnership with Japan, launched a $7.2 million initiative on Tuesday (February 25) to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected northern regions, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) Commissioner Zeleke Temesgen met with Qatari Ambassador Saad bin Mubarak Naimi on Saturday (February 22) to discuss strengthening Ethiopia-Qatar economic ties.
A half-day conference to boost Ethiopia-Jiangsu (China) economic and trade cooperation was held at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (February 25).
Eritrea
Minister of Foreign Affairs Osman Saleh delivered remarks via video statement during the High-Level Segment of the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council on Monday (February 24) held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Djibouti
Ethiopia and Djibouti held a two-day Ministerial Meeting on the formation of the Ethio-Djibouti Corridor Management. Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport, Alemu Sime, participated in the meeting, which took place in Djibouti on Wednesday (February 26). The ministerial meeting in Djibouti concluded with the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Djibouti-Ethiopia-South Sudan-Uganda (DESSU) Corridor.
Somalia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia held talks on Thursday (February 27) and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation for mutual benefit. Following Prime Minister Abiy’s official working visit to Somalia, the two governments issued a joint communiqué.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with Mohamed al-Menfi, President of the Presidential Council of Libya, in Tripoli on Monday (February 24). Their discussions centered on strengthening Somalia-Libya relations, enhancing economic cooperation, and fostering collaboration in the energy sector.
Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their security cooperation as Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, Chief of Ethiopia’s National Defense Force, visited Mogadishu for technical talks on Sunday (February 23). This visit followed a recent meeting between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
South Sudan
On Monday (February 24), President Salva Kiir Mayardit participated in the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, delivering remarks via video statement. In his address, President Kiir emphasized South Sudan’s commitment to human rights, the rule of law, and national reconciliation.
Africa and the African Union
The 8th Africa Business Forum was held on Monday (February 17) at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “From Potential to Prosperity: Activating Africa’s Regional Value Chains,” which brought together key figures from African governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and development partners. (See article)
Ethiopia Hosts 19th Nile day
Ethiopia hosted the 19th Nile Day in Addis Ababa on Friday (February 22), marking the fourth time the country has hosted this annual event. This year’s edition was particularly significant as it was the first celebration since the entry into force of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA). The event gathered ministers and senior officials from Nile Basin states to reflect on shared achievements and discuss the way forward for regional cooperation.
Speaking at the celebration, the guest of honor, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Taye Atske Selassie, emphasized that the Nile embodies shared aspirations and common goals. He called on Basin states to work together to address the challenges facing the region. His remarks were echoed by representatives of other Basin states, who stressed the importance of coordination and unity.
Ministers attending the event commended the progress made toward establishing the Nile River Basin Commission. They also reaffirmed their commitment to operationalizing the commission, which is expected to serve as the institutional framework for cooperation under the CFA.
Ahead of the celebration, an Extraordinary Meeting of the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-CoM) was held to discuss key issues, particularly the transition from the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) to the Nile River Basin Commission. Member states that have ratified the CFA provided updates on progress made so far and outlined the next steps required to complete the transition.
Countries that have ratified the CFA urged non-signatory states to reconsider their position and join the agreement. In this regard, a committee tasked with engaging non-signatory states was encouraged to finalize its consultations by March 2025.
On the sidelines of the celebration, the Nile Council of Ministers held a strategic dialogue with development partners to assess ongoing cooperation and explore future engagement. Member states expressed their appreciation for the support provided thus far and called on partners to renew their commitments, particularly in light of the critical stage the institutional framework has reached.
However, Egypt openly urged development partners to withhold support from Nile Basin states unless an “inclusive” and “consensus-based” organization was formed. While the CFA is indeed inclusive and based on the collective interests of its member states, Egypt’s definition of inclusivity and consensus continues to revolve around its claim to historic rights. CFA member states, having voted against this outdated approach, reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization of the Nile’s resources.
What set this year’s Nile Day apart was the inclusion of a visit to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in the post-celebration agenda. Ethiopia invited all riparian states to visit the GERD site, believing that firsthand observation would provide a clearer understanding of the project’s realities.
Egypt, however, strongly opposed the visit and launched a campaign against it, falsely accusing Ethiopia of dragging other riparian states into matters that “do not concern them.” Despite these objections, ministers and senior officials from Nile Basin countries successfully visited the GERD. Following the visit, several officials expressed their perspectives, emphasizing that the project symbolizes collective progress and regional development.
Cooperation within the Nile Basin has reached a defining moment. With the operationalization of the CFA nearing completion, member states are taking bold steps to ensure equitable and reasonable utilization of shared water resources. The formation of a legal and institutional framework represents a major breakthrough in regional cooperation.
At this stage, all stakeholders, including development partners, are encouraged to support this initiative rather than be swayed by unfounded allegations from any single riparian state. With the CFA now in force, the Nile Basin states have moved beyond hegemonic interests and taken a decisive step toward a future based on fairness, shared benefits, and sustainable development.
UK Deputy Prime Minister Visits Ethiopia
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Governments of the United Kingdom, Rt. Hon. Angela Rayner, has conducted an official visit to Ethiopia for four days. The visit marks a pivotal movement that will enhance the existing relationship between Ethiopia and the UK.
During her visit, the Rt. Hon. got an audience with the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, during which they discussed bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual concern. The talks covered potential collaboration in artificial intelligence and deepening of historical ties between the two countries. They have also exchanged views on collaborations on regional issues. In her discussions with Prime Minister Abiy and Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Temesgen Tiruneh, the Rt Hon. shared her views on reforms undergoing in Ethiopia. She appreciated the economic reforms and the corridor development projects.
This visit pinpoints the UK’s desire to diversify and deepen, and more importantly, to give emphasis on economic cooperation. As Ethiopia is embarking on transformations in its political and economic realms, Rayner’s visit shows the UK’s interest in bolstering its ties and amassing its economic engagements through investments. In this regard, the prime focus of the visit was to understand Ethiopia’s economic potential.
During her visit, Ethiopian Investment Holdings and the UK’s United Green signed a green deal of £600 million to develop a large-scale integrated agricultural project. This deal is designed to foster mutual economic growth and reflects the UK’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s economic reforms. The Rt. Hon. praised Ethiopia’s ongoing economic transformations as remarkable and reiterated the UK’s dedication to cooperate in the realization of Ethiopia’s reform agenda.
The exchanges and discussions have also witnessed the UK’s determination to continue its development assistance in other social and humanitarian affairs. In this regard, the Rt. Hon. Rayner visited a health center and a primary school in Hawassa, as well as met women’s groups advocating for peace. She attended a fashion show featuring young female designers supported by the British Council, highlighting the UK’s commitment to cultural and educational partnerships. In addition, she has also visited the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) training center, where she reaffirmed UK continued support for the organization in its humanitarian activities throughout the country. On this occasion, she handed over 12 ambulances for the ERCS.
The visit provides an opportunity for Ethiopia not only to foster bilateral relations but also to showcase concrete developmental projects that could be of interest to investors from the UK. Ethiopia’s pragmatic and transcending policies like Digital Ethiopia 2025, which aims to harness technology for inclusive growth, and the Green Legacy initiative provide tremendous opportunities for collaboration with the United Kingdom.
Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Pays a Visit to Ethiopia
Valentina Matvienko, the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, paid a visit to Ethiopia from February 18-20 to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation between Ethiopia and the Russian Federation.
During the visit, the Speaker conferred with President Taye Atske-Selassie, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Honorable Agegnehu Teshager, Speaker of the House of Federation, and Honorable Tagese Chafo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives.
During the meeting with President Taye, the two officials talked about bilateral issues between the two friendly nations. President Taye emphasized that Russia and Ethiopia have a history of bilateral, multilateral, and principled cooperation founded on respect for sovereignty. On her part, Speaker Valentina Matvienko stated that the visit is crucial to enhancing the two nations’ overall collaboration.
The Speaker also met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during which the Premier noted that it was a valuable opportunity to discuss and explore Ethio-Russia relations.
In his discussion with Speaker Matvienko, Speaker Agegnehu Teshager highlighted Ethiopia’s appreciation for the Russian Federation as a reliable partner. He mentioned Russia’s support and acknowledged its consistent stance at the UN Security Council on matters concerning Ethiopia’s national interests.
Speaker Matvienko indicated that the current stage of the Russian-Ethiopian partnership is highly commendable, and the two countries are maintaining an intensive political dialogue at the highest level. Inter-parliamentary contacts and collaborations are intensifying. The Speaker expressed that Russia highly appreciates the balanced and rational approach of Ethiopia to the global issues of mutual concern at international platforms. She further pointed out that throughout the long history of the two countries’ bilateral relations, Ethiopia has been and remains one of Russia’s key partners in Africa.
Moreover, Speaker Valentina also held a discussion with Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of the Peoples Representative, where both sides underscored the significance of strengthening economic cooperation. The two speakers pledged to expand collaboration in parliamentary affairs, trade, investment, and economic development efforts.
During the high-level visit of the Russian delegation, the Russian television and radio broadcaster Sputnik launched its office in Addis Ababa. At the launching ceremony, Speaker Valentina underlined that the establishment of the media outlet reflects the growing and deepening diplomatic ties between the two nations.
On the sidelines of the visit, a meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian–Ethiopian Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and Trade was held at the Sheraton hotel, co-chaired by Ethiopian Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Mola and Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Maksim Reshetnikov. During the meeting, both sides underlined that despite a very cordial and historical friendship that Ethiopia and the Russian Federation are enjoying, the economic cooperation, particularly trade and investment relations, is not at the expected level.
Both sides underlined that Ethiopia and Russia have tremendous potential for trade and investment cooperation and agreed that it is high time to convert the vested interests shown by both sides into tangible and practical works to unlock massive opportunities and maximize trade and investment cooperation.
The Ethiopian side pointed out that now it is imperative for both countries to implement joint Ethiopia-Russia projects in the fields of agriculture, specifically building industrial plants of fertilizer, agrochemicals and agricultural machinery, metallurgical and metal products, energy plants, pharmaceuticals, ICT, and exploration and development of mineral resources in Ethiopia.
The delegation led by Speaker Matvienko visited the recently renovated national palace. Alongside the visit, the Russian side has donated more than 12 tons of medicine and medical supplies to Balcha Hospital.
Ethiopia Participates in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
Ethiopia participated in the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the G20, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos attended the meeting following an invitation from South Africa, which is presiding over the 20th session of the grouping in 2025. This marks Ethiopia’s first participation in G20 meetings since 2010, when the country took part in the summit held in Seoul.
The G20 comprises twenty-one members, including nineteen countries and two regional blocs, the African Union and the European Union. This meeting is particularly significant as it is the first G20 gathering of its kind to be held on the African continent. Under its presidency, South Africa has adopted the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” with a focus on strengthening disaster resilience and response, ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries, mobilizing finance for a just energy transition, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
To advance these objectives, South Africa has established three task forces addressing Economic Growth, Industrialization, Employment and Reduced Inequality, Food Security, and Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance, and Innovation for Sustainable Development.
During the discussions on the global geopolitical situation, Minister Gedion emphasized the leverage the G20 holds in shaping responses to pressing global issues. He urged the group to take tangible steps toward fostering an equitable global order, peace, climate justice, and sustainable development. Highlighting that the G20 accounts for 85 percent of global GDP and 75 percent of global trade, he called on members to prioritize cooperation and manage competing interests based on international law.
In the session focused on South Africa’s G20 presidency priorities, Minister Gedion commended the relevance and timeliness of the agenda. Addressing post-disaster reconstruction and Africa’s vulnerability to climate-related crises, he urged the G20 to explore additional financing avenues to support climate adaptation, mitigation efforts, and post-disaster recovery in vulnerable countries.
On the matter of debt sustainability, he highlighted that the G20 holds 160 billion USD in bilateral debt owed by least developed and small island developing countries and called for increased debt cancellation and relief measures. He further encouraged the G20 to support the establishment of the Africa Credit Rating Agency, advocating for fair, transparent, and development-focused credit assessments that reflect the realities and potential of African economies.
Regarding the Just Energy Transition, Minister Gedion underscored the need for the G20 to attract investment into the energy sector through public financing and investment guarantees for private investors. He highlighted Ethiopia’s vast renewable energy potential, calling for greater international support in mobilizing resources for sustainable energy development.
The G20 is expected to produce negotiated outcomes that outline concrete measures in the priority areas set by the presidency. These outcomes will also inform discussions at the upcoming Fourth Global Summit on Development Finance in Spain, the Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Brazil, and debt negotiations at international financial institutions and bilateral levels. Given the current global political and economic landscape, characterized by overlapping crises, the results of these discussions are anticipated with high expectations.
The two days Forum deliberated on broad range of issues, regional and international peace and security, current global geopolitical rivalry, the need to ensure sustainable development, collective action to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate, among others.
On the sidelines of the Forum, Foreign Minister Gedion conferred with his counterparts of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of United Kingdom, David Lammy, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, a brief exchange of views with Lamela, Foreign Secretary of the Department of Foreign Relations and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, and Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation, focusing on regional and global issues of common concern.
At the conclusion of the Forum, the participants of G-20 member states and invited countries as well as international organizations arrived at common understanding on the attention needed to solve the current complex global challenges and save the globe from further catastrophe.
African Business Forum Held in Addis Ababa
The 8th Africa Business Forum was held on Monday (February 17) at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “From Potential to Prosperity: Activating Africa’s Regional Value Chains,” which brought together key figures from African governments, international organizations, financial institutions, and development partners.
Notable attendees included Taye Atske Selassie, President of Ethiopia; Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana; John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana; Alexandre Barro Chambrier, Deputy Prime Minister of Gabon; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Sidi Ould Tah, President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa; and Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation. Representatives from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, BADEA, and other partner institutions also participated, alongside various stakeholders dedicated to promoting sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Claver Gatete, United Nations Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing Africa’s immense potential to transform into a global economic powerhouse, fueled by its natural resources and youthful population. He highlighted AfCFTA as the key to driving this transformation through the development of regional value chains in sectors like agriculture, livestock, and pharmaceuticals. Gatete stressed the importance of industrializing Africa, creating sustainable jobs for the youth, and leveraging digital innovation to move from importing finished products to exporting value-added goods.
He proposed four key actions: scaling up agro-processing hubs and special economic zones, harmonizing trade regulations, investing in infrastructure and financing mechanisms, and strengthening public-private partnerships. Gatete concluded by calling for urgent industrialization, with ECA committed to supporting African governments, the private sector, and development partners in unlocking the continent’s full economic potential.
In his keynote address at the forum, President Taye emphasized the importance of strengthening Africa’s regional value chains to enhance its participation in the global economy. He highlighted the critical role of manufacturing, food sovereignty, and energy as foundations for building these value chains. He cited Ethiopia’s experience in the livestock and wheat sectors, as well as its success in the textile industry through industrial parks and investment reforms.
President Taye stressed the need for energy and infrastructure improvements, including regional projects like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and cross-border electrified railways. He also underlined the significance of AfCFTA in boosting regional trade. He outlined four key priorities: resilient infrastructure, investment in human capital, embracing digital transformation, and addressing the financing gap.
Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, spoke at the forum as well, where he underscored Africa’s agricultural potential, noting its vast arable land but paradoxical food insecurity. Citing Ethiopia’s success in wheat production, Zubairu called for collaborative efforts to transform agriculture and achieve sustainable economic growth and food security.
The forum focused on advancing regional value chains and driving economic growth across Africa. Discussions began with a presidential dialogue, where leaders from Botswana, Ghana, and Gabon emphasized the importance of pan-African cooperation in fostering regional integration. This was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ECA and the AfCFTA Secretariat to strengthen the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The forum also featured presentations on successful regional initiatives, highlighting best practices and scalable models at the sub-national level. Participants explored investment opportunities in sectors such as agro-industry, livestock, and pharmaceuticals, with a focus on financing regional value chains.
Further discussions addressed critical issues such as trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and the role of technology in enhancing regional value chains. A roundtable on infrastructure development explored how improving trade logistics and reducing costs can enhance Africa’s competitiveness. Another roundtable focused on leveraging technological innovation and digital transformation to boost regional value chains. The forum concluded with a summary of key takeaways, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration, investment, and commitment to advancing economic integration and regional value chains across Africa.
Ethiopia and Vietnam Hold First Joint Political Consultation in Addis Ababa
Ethiopia and Vietnam have reached a consensus to explore opportunities for increased collaboration in various sectors and matters of common interest. The consensus was achieved during the recent inaugural joint political consultation between the two nations, co-chaired by Ambassador Mesganu Arga, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and Nguyen Minh Hang, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, held in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (February 18).
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Mesganu stated that the joint political consultation platform serves as a key instrument in further enhancing cooperation, facilitating exchange of views and collaboration on the mutually important agenda of the two friendly countries.
A variety of topics were covered during the joint political consultations, including the exchange of views on the status of bilateral relations, enhancing existing partnership and exploring additional cooperation in a spectrum of areas. The two sides further exchanged views on how to enhance cooperation in areas such as foreign direct investment, agriculture, aviation, mining, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction, trade, technology transfer and tourism sectors. A briefing regarding the recent macro-economic reform in Ethiopia and its significance in solving investment bottlenecks was also made by the State Minister.
The bilateral consultations also represented a pivotal moment as both countries approach the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, which will be celebrated in 2026. Both sides expressed their appreciation for the longstanding friendship and partnership, acknowledging their mutual goals for swift and sustainable development, innovation, green transition, and digital transformation and highlighting the considerable potential for enhancing bilateral relations.
At this juncture, Ambassador Mesganu, commending Vietnam’s remarkable socio-economic progress and in an effort to explore additional collaboration opportunities to strengthen the partnership, expressed Ethiopia’s optimism for deeper cooperation across various fields, including the development of industrial and special economic zones, tourism, health, education, digital economy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as business cooperation and promotion by chambers of commerce of the two countries.
Nguyen Minh Hang agreed to take concrete steps to advance the economic relationship, focusing on sectors such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, telecommunications, agriculture, and tourism. She also encouraged both parties to expedite negotiations on key agreements related to trade, investment, aviation, science and technology, agriculture, and cybersecurity.
Ambassador Mesganu, touching on Ethiopia’s impressive strides, which have turned the country into an epitome of economic development in Africa, highlighted Ethiopia’s development initiatives aimed at improving the business environment to attract foreign direct investments, encouraging Vietnamese enterprises to seek opportunities in Ethiopia, especially in agriculture, agri-processing, automotive and technological equipment manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and information communication technology.
The two countries, with vibrant economies in their respective regions, have complementing intact potential to grow further together. The combined population of the two countries, approximately 230 million, presents significant opportunities for both nations to strengthen their trading partnership.
According to Ambassador Mesganu, Ethiopia has made considerable progress in becoming a promising place for doing business in Africa through the expansion of the infrastructure system, such as industrial parks, railway network and roads. Ethiopia’s bold political measures and recently adopted comprehensive, profound, and transformative macroeconomic reforms serve as boosters for entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and FDI. Economic partnership is viewed as a crucial basis for fostering substantial bilateral cooperation.
Besides recognizing the country as a strategic gateway to the continent and Addis Ababa’s role as the third-largest diplomatic hub in the world, he proposed that Vietnam consider reopening its diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance its engagement with the African Union (AU) and its member states.
The upcoming Fourth Summit of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G), scheduled to take place from 16 to 17 April 2025 in Hanoi, Viet Nam, was also a significant topic of discussion during the comprehensive dialogue. As partner countries in P4G, Ethiopia and Vietnam share a strong commitment to advancing green growth and sustainable development. Ethiopia remains steadfast in its dedication to international cooperation in these critical areas, recognizing them as fundamental pillars for a prosperous and resilient future.
Therefore, as the Summit presents a valuable platform for the country to engage closely with partner countries and beyond, Ambassador Mesganu highlighted Ethiopia’s significant commitment to the summit, ensuring its representation at the highest level and full support for its success.
Furthermore, cooperation in multilateral forums and mutually important agendas such as maintenance of international peace and security, UN reform agenda, climate action, and reciprocal support for candidature between the two countries were also comprehensively discussed during the political consultations, and both sides underlined the long historic ties of friendship between the two countries and agreed to improve coordination and mutual support in multilateral fora, particularly within the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and other areas of collaboration.
Ethiopia and Vietnam look forward to meeting again in Hanoi, Viet Nam, when they converge on the anticipated P4G Summit. It is high time for both sides to bolster their time-honored relations for the great benefit of their respective peoples.
Ethiopia’s Commitment to Advancing Climate Solutions and Financing for a Sustainable Future
During her exclusive appearance in the season finale of the ten-part limited series Ethiopia in Focus, released on Tuesday (February 25), Minister of Planning and Development, Fitsum Assefa, expounded on Ethiopia’s exemplary leadership role in climate action in Africa by spearheading monumental initiatives like the Green Legacy Initiative and the recently launched Nationally Determened Contribution Implementation Plan and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy to achieve sustainable growth by 2050.
Fitsum, in her take on the national efforts towards advancing innovative climate solutions, among others highlighted key efforts that include promoting e-mobility, banning fossil fuel-based vehicle imports, increasing forest cover, advancing climate-smart agriculture, and reinforcing a strong commitment to clean renewable energy through mega-hydroelectric projects.
At the outset, the Minister provided a bird’s-eye view of Ethiopia’s proactive role in the international climate agenda. In this regard, she stated, the Government unequivocally champions the lasting importance of collective global actions against climate change, noting that while developed countries are significant contributors to emissions, the impact is disproportionately felt in developing nations like Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s comprehensive climate initiatives, including the Green Legacy Initiative, which has planted over 40 billion trees, increased forest cover, and created millions of green jobs, Fitsum mentioned.
In her take on Ethiopia’s concerted efforts to build resilience in its food systems, Fitsum emphasized the pivotal role of initiatives like the National Wheat Program and the Bounty of Basket initiative, in tandem with drives to modernize livestock production. She stressed that climate-smart policies are embedded across Ethiopia’s development strategies, including a strong focus on renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
Despite the country’s ambitious climate actions, Fitsum noted, there is a pressing need for climate finance that is exacerbated by barriers that hinder access to global funding. Barriers such as stringent global financing architecture and internal capacity limitations hinder access to necessary funds, she added. The Minister underscored the fact that there is an urgent need for reform in global climate finance mechanisms to support developing countries and ultimately to sustainably finance their climate action.
Ethiopia is positioning itself as a model for sustainable development with an integrated approach that combines economic growth with environmental stewardship, demonstrating that climate action and development can go hand in hand, Fitsum stated. She said Ethiopia’s approach demonstrates that climate action does not have to come at the expense of development and that by integrating climate resilience into its national development plans, Ethiopia illustrates that it is possible to achieve economic growth while pursuing sustainable practices, setting a precedent for other developing nations facing similar challenges.
In summary, the episode highlighted the fact that Ethiopia’s unambiguous commitment to climate smart policies and initiatives reflects a holistic approach to development, ensuring that Ethiopia can thrive in the face of global climate challenges.
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