Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Carries Out Official Visit to Azerbaijan
Israeli President Isaac Herzog Pays Official Visit to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
President Taye Atske Selassie participated in the commemoration of the 130th anniversary of the Victory of Adwa held in Addis Ababa on Monday (March 2).
President Taye spoke at the Annual Council Meeting of the Global Black Center held at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum on Saturday (February 28). He noted that the gathering coincided with the 130th anniversary of the Victory of Adwa, describing it as an important moment to reflect on the enduring relevance of Adwa and the message it conveyed in the struggle against colonial domination.
A high-level delegation led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed paid an official working visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, from February 26–28, holding discussions on expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exploring opportunities to further strengthen bilateral engagement between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan. (See article)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog made an official visit to Ethiopia on Wednesday (February 25), underscoring the growing depth of Ethio-Israeli ties across historical, cultural, and strategic domains. (See article)
Prime Minister Abiy hosted an Iftar dinner on Monday (March 2) for the month of Ramadan with refugee families from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Yemen, and Sudan.
A Regional High-Level Workshop on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Disarmament was held in Addis Ababa on Thursday (March 5). Opening the event, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hadera Abera emphasized the importance of collective action in addressing the humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, noting that disarmament is both a legal obligation and a practical pathway to ensuring compliance with IHL.
The 130th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa was also commemorated with vibrant celebrations across Ethiopian missions abroad.
Djibouti
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye visited the Ethio–Djibouti Railway headquarters on Wednesday (March 4) and held discussions with key stakeholders on current challenges and possible solutions. He noted that the railway has played an important role in facilitating trade between Ethiopia and Djibouti, boosting export performance, and supporting regional integration, while underlining that its full operational potential has yet to be realized.
Kenya
The Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi commemorated the 130th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa under the theme “Glorious Past, Radiant Horizon” in the presence of Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, senior UN officials based in Nairobi, Kenyan government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, defense attachés, and the Ethiopian diaspora community.
Africa and the African Union
Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf commemorated the historic victory of Adwa on Monday (March 2), describing it as a defining affirmation of African sovereignty, dignity, and unity that sent a powerful message that Africa would determine its own destiny.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Carries Out Official Visit to Azerbaijan
A high-level delegation led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed paid an official working visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, from February 26–28, holding discussions on expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest and exploring opportunities to further strengthen bilateral engagement between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan.
During the visit, Prime Minister Abiy held a tête-à-tête and bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the Presidential Palace on Friday (February 27). The two leaders welcomed the steady growth of relations between their countries and agreed to further deepen cooperation across key sectors, including agriculture, mining, energy generation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, tourism, culture, education, capacity building, and experience sharing. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other in multilateral forums.
Alongside the high-level discussions, the Prime Minister and his delegation visited the Azerbaijan Defense Industry, the ALAT Free Economic Zone, the Azerbaijan Digital Institute and Academy of Artificial Intelligence, the Sangachal Terminal (Caspian Energy Center), and Baku’s Old City. Prime Minister Abiy also paid tribute to Azerbaijan’s National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, laying a wreath at his grave in honor of his legacy and contributions to the country.
Diplomatic relations between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Azerbaijan were established on November 2, 1992. Ethiopia appointed its first non-resident Ambassador to Azerbaijan, accredited from Ankara, in December 2011, while Azerbaijan opened its embassy in Addis Ababa on December 28, 2012, its fifth diplomatic mission in Africa. The two countries also share longstanding people-to-people ties, with nearly 500 Ethiopian students having studied in Azerbaijan during the Soviet period.
Bilateral relations have gained renewed momentum in recent years through the exchange of high-level visits. President Taye Atske Selassie visited Baku in November 2024 and held discussions with President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of COP29. Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh also visited Azerbaijan in May 2024, during which a Memorandum of Understanding on modernizing public service delivery was signed between ASAN Service and Ethiopia’s Civil Service Commission.
During Prime Minister Abiy’s visit, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding covering cooperation in defense, agriculture, investment, COP32, anti-corruption, and media development and capacity building are aimed at strengthening political, economic, and social relations between the two countries.
Describing the visit, Prime Minister Abiy noted that relations between Ethiopia and Azerbaijan have expanded consistently in recent years, driven by growing collaboration in key economic sectors. The visit further strengthened high-level political engagement and broadened institutional cooperation in governance, economic development, and technological innovation.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog Pays Official Visit to Ethiopia
Israeli President Isaac Herzog made an official visit to Ethiopia on Wednesday (February 25), underscoring the growing depth of Ethio-Israeli ties across historical, cultural, and strategic domains.
During the visit, President Herzog held bilateral talks with President Taye Atske Selassie, where both sides reaffirmed longstanding relations and pledged to enhance cooperation. Upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace, President Herzog was welcomed with an honor guard before the two leaders held discussions focused on strengthening political and diplomatic engagement. The leaders also highlighted the Beta Israel community as an important cultural and diplomatic bridge between the two countries, with President Taye noting that the community reflects the deep historical links connecting the two nations.
President Herzog also met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to explore cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The leaders discussed ways to enhance collaboration in agriculture and food security, technology and innovation, trade, and education.
The visit also included several symbolic engagements. President Herzog toured the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum upon arrival, accompanied by Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos and Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abiebie. He also held meetings with leaders of the local Jewish community. Cultural and people-to-people ties were further underscored through visits to the Science Museum and Friendship Square.
The visit marks an important moment in bilateral relations and reflects a shared commitment by Ethiopia and Israel to further strengthen cooperation across political, economic, cultural, and technological fields.
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